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There are four main food groups in Dubrovnik: pizza, pasta, seafood, and ice cream. In the pizza department, Mea Culpa is a stand-out. Cheap, large, and yummy. For 42 kuna (~5 euro), we had a mushroom and onion pizza that was big enough to feed both of us and still take almost half of it home for later!

No pictures since we came directly from the beach

Pizzeria Mea Culpa
Široka Street
Dubrovnik, Croatia
+ 385 20 324-74

Daily: 8:30AM-10:00PM

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On our way to Castle Hill from the tram stop, Lauren noticed a fun cafe with with plush "tea-time" seating and good looking menu. We took note of the location, and after passing on the uninteresting post-museum lunch choices up in the old town we returned to Marvelosa to enjoy a relaxing lunch.

Marvelosa is open in front and has a loft-style second floor. A local at the next table was sitting alone with his laptop and the free wireless access.

Lauren ordered the daily ‘menu’, a two course meal consisting of soup and dessert.  The soup was a spring vegetable with cream, shredded cheese, and some crunchy/salty nuggets. It was refreshing, flavorful, and (especially for Hungary) not too heavy.

I asked the waitress for her favorite chicken dish, and received chicken and potatoes with pesto. This dish was in the same genre as many chicken dishes we’ve had in Budapest: grill some chicken a little longer than necessary, then add it to a thick cream-based sauce. I enjoyed the pesto and the generous helping of chicken. The side dish was authentic Hungarian — chopped up boiled potatoes.

The second course of Lauren’s menu was a peach pudding cake. The Hungarians definitely know their baked goods. The peach pudding had lots of fresh peach chunks in a thick custard/cakey innard. This was surrounded by a genoise outer layer and finished with powdered sugar and peach sauce. It was incredible. I never knew I could enjoy a peach cake so much!

Café Marvelosa
13 Lanchid Street
Budapest, Hungary
0036 1 2019221

Sat-Sun 10:00AM-2:00PM (Brunch)
Daily: 8:30AM-10:00PM (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

It turns out that in addition to great food at Volunteer Park Café you may also encounter:

HermioneHusky206
Female seeking Male
Age: 23
Occupation: Server
Sign: Scorpio
Height: 5′ 5"

A native of the Northwest, Megaen likes gourmet pizza and wine. Affable and vivacious, she enjoys good movies and has also been known to curl up with the latest Harry Potter book.

CornishCutie25
Male seeking Male
Age: 25
Occupation: Restaurant Manager
Sign: Libra
Height: 6′ 0"

Scott is a transplant from the mid-west and has great hope for the future of this country.  He enjoys music and theater, and can make a mean cappuccino.

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Lauren and I went to Portland yesterday to help out the Obama campaign register voters in time for the May primary.  We got up early this morning to check out a recommendation from Mike, St. Honoré Boulangerie in Northwest Portland.

We arrived at 9AM, and there was already a line almost out the door. But that gave us time to check out all the pastries on display and peruse the breakfast menu.  And while we waited we could also peek at the activity in the open kitchen behind the counter.

Lauren ordered the Quiche Jardinere, with spinach, roasted red peppers and roasted leeks. The pastry shell was of medium thickness, making a crunchy and buttery edible bowl for the fluffy egg mixture inside.

The quiche was quite tasty, but the star of the breakfast was the Champignon Frittata Croissant. A mix of eggs, mushrooms, chicken apple sausage and fresh herbs served in a croissant with béchamel. This was a fork and knife croissant dish. It looks like a melted lump here, but the taste more than makes up for the visual

In the background is a Cranberry Hazelnut Roll that we had for a snack later in the afternoon. It was a hearty wheat roll with a touch of tart-sweetness from the cranberries.

While I waited on line to order our meal, Lauren had scored the best seats in the house. There is a counter top with 4 stools directly in front of the bread-maker. We watched baguettes, brioches, rolls and pastry shells made while we dined. The oven was enormous. The wheel on the left rotated a lazy-susan inside of the oven so that the baker could access different parts of the oven over time.

We also tried a raspberry jam croissant and a Pain au Chocolat. I enjoyed the raspberry jam croissant, but the chocolate croissant was ho-hum. It has been raved about on the web, but I personally thought it was the weakest item we tried. Not that we didn’t polish it off mind you, but there are much better things available at Saint Honoré.

Overall we had a very enjoyable breakfast and I will definitely swing by again on a future Portland trip!

St. Honoré Boulangerie
2335 NW Thurman Street
Portland, OR 97210
503-445-4342

Daily: 7:00AM-8:00PM (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

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Tonight I checked out Tidbit Bistro with Lauren, Gio and John. Tidbit is on the very north end of Broadway in a space formerly occupied by Cassis and then XO Bistro. Gio and I used to frequent Cassis, and though I only dined at XO Bistro once I did enjoy the meal. Unfortunately, it closed before I got around to uploading my photos/posting a write up.

The interior space hasn’t changed, which is a good thing. It’s a small setting, but fun lighting and intimate tables. Our server was very nice, friendly, and attentive.  He also made a good wine recommendation, a reasonably priced Grüner Veltliner that as a bonus arrived in a 1L bottle! Unfortunately the food was on the whole unremarkable :( 

Given the tapas-heavy menu with four people, I was able to sample a broad array of plates. The best items we had were the Crespelle (crepes filled with mushrooms and a mix of melted mozzarella, goat cheese, blue cheese, and béchamel) and the Potato Crocché (fried whipped potato-filled "poppers").

The Crostino con Prosciutto and Papas Dulces (sweet potato fries) were decent. Next time I would pass on the paella, the sauteed prawns, and the albondigas (lamb meatballs).

Overall Tidbit is a fine place to stop for a glass of wine or to sample one of their many *cellos, but I wouldn’t arrive hungry.

Tidbit Bistro
2359 10th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
206-323-0840

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When it comes to Thai food, we are very fortunate: less than 2 blocks from our condo is arguably the best Thai food in Seattle. Yes, I’ve done a tournament for Thai Tom, and I enjoy Thai Tom and all of their unique flavors.  But if I was given a choice and forced to eat at only one Thai restaurant for a year, I would choose Jamjuree. They have a broad variety of fantastic dishes, very friendly service, rotating specials, and (as a bonus) a selection of local microbrews on tap. They can also handle large parties, such as my extended family descending upon Seattle or a hungry crew for Yom Kippur break-fast.

It’s really shocking that I haven’t written about Jamjuree yet. Lauren and I eat at (or take out from) there a few times per month. After a vacation, it’s almost a given that I’ll return with a huge Jamjuree craving (perhaps coming back from Thailand will be an exception there :)).

Tonight we remembered to bring the camera and enjoyed a few favorites.  On the spice level, I order everything here at "3 stars".  In addition, we request the "spices" (a trio of Thai flavors) on the side for selective added flavor. First up, we always order their amazing Pad See Iw.  I have a soft spot for wide rice noodles, and Jamjuree’s rendition of Pad See Iw is the best I’ve ever had.

Dish#2: Panang Curry. A little creamy from the coconut milk with a peanuty overtone (though I’ve been assured there aren’t actually any peanuts in the curry).

Dish #3: In honor of the write-up, we ordered a third item for dinner - "Green Bean" with tofu. It’s a nice contrast to the curries, and has more of a soy-pepper base. Lots of sauce, but the green beans remained nice and crunchy.

Other recurring favorites include "Basil", Cashew Chicken, and Lime Light Chicken.

Overall, another highly satisfying meal at Jamjuree. And the leftovers will make for a great snack tomorrow!

Jamjuree
509 15th Ave. E. (between Republican and Mercer)
Seattle, WA 98112
206-323-4255

Sun-Thurs: 11:30AM-9:30PM (Lunch & Dinner)
Fri-Sat: 11:30AM-10:00PM (Lunch & Dinner)

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I had my first Specialty’s experience downtown with my buddy Mark. I was on jury duty and the weekday lunch rush was controlled mayhem in action. I don’t recall the sandwich I ordered that day, though I will never forget the Wheatgerm Chocolate Chip cookie. I wouldn’t have ever chosen it from the description, but at Mark’s recommendation I gave it a shot, and wow! It’s very possible that they have crack in them. They really will make your day brighter.

Specialty’s makes all of their own cookies (and bread and other baked goods) on site. They sell soups, salads, and sandwiches.  The salads and sandwiches are made fresh to order.

Lauren and I were at Bell Square tonight after work, so we stopped off at the Specialty’s branch there for dinner.  While I’ve gone through a number of their sandwiches, I always come back to "The Chairman", a stacked sandwich with (deep breath now):

Alfalfa Sprouts, Herb, Mayonnaise, Stone Ground Mustard, Roasted Turkey Breast, Swiss, Green Leaf Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Cucumber, Dill Pickle, Avocado, Italian Vinaigrette, Ranch Dressing, Black Pepper.

All served on herbed bread with a soft middle and a crisp crust.

If you have a hankering for a good sandwich (or cookie) and are near a Specialty’s, you should definitely check it out!

Specialty’s Cafe and Bakery
Multiple Locations

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

P.S. I’ve been lobbying the Microsoft powers that be for a Specialty’s stand at one of our cafeterias. Unfortunately that process is stalled since they aren’t considered a "local" business (nevermind that 40% of their locations are in Seattle). Perhaps this will get corrected if they here from more Specialty’s fans

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Just over a year ago, a new restaurant/coffee-shop opened on the north side of Capitol Hill, in the location of the former Café Europa. It wasn’t until early summer that I made my first stop at Volunteer Park Café. It was to be the first of many tasty visits.

Fast forward to October 10th. Lauren and I attempted to have dinner at Lark, but were greeted with an hour wait.  So we decided to check out how VPC handles dinner.  I still remember the Fig and Gorgonzola Pizza we had that night. We returned last night and the waits were running over an hour. Fortunately we had called ahead for a table, as it seems reservations are a must over the weekend (the weeknights we’ve been there have been much more sedate). VPC rotates their menu weekly, though it always includes a daily bruschetta that is worth checking out. Last night’s variation was a garlic spread with butternut squash, red peppers, kale and a little pecorino cheese. On top of freshly grilled bread of course. A hearty and tasty beginning!

Next was a mixed beet salad (with all local vegetables), with chevre, arugula, and a light vinaigrette. The chevre was fantastic, and a little bit of salt in the dressing brought together all the flavors perfectly.

Another regular appearance on VPC’s dinner menu is their selection of pizzas. We’d already had the "Roasted Mushroom" (with truffle oil) and the "Bianco", both of which were fantastic (though not quite as good as the heavenly Fig and Gorgonzola). Last night we branched out and tried the Spinach Pesto, with oven roasted tomatoes, red onion, feta, and oregano. The pizza was decent, but not in the same league as the rest of the pizzas I’ve had there. Maybe it was the pesto base, maybe it was the thickness of the crust, or maybe it was the greater number of toppings or the higher than usual ratio of bread to toppings. Whatever the reason, I’d pass on the Spinach Pesto pizza in the future, especially given the solid alternatives.

On weekends Volunteer Park Café offers both breakfast and lunch options well into the afternoon, and in the summer they have (slightly rickety) tables flanking the sidewalk in front of the café.  For those with a sweet tooth, definitely try the Caramelized Banana Brioche French Toast. It’s heavenly.  Other breakfast highlights include the Brie and Apple Panini (on croissant, not baguette) and the quiche of the day.  A running theme is that the pastries are sinful, but oh so flaky and buttery.  Orders take a long time to complete, so make sure you’re not ravenously hungry when you arrive (or if so, grab yourself a scone or croissant while you wait).

For lunch, the Herb Roasted Mushroom Panini is my current favorite.

Though I also frequently order the Chicken Salad Sandwich.

Overall, Volunteer Park Café is a relaxed, enjoyable, friendly place that consistently turns out great food for all meals. Add a reasonably priced wine list (which seems to be rarer and rarer these days) and super-friendly staff and it’s no surprise that the lines can be out the door!

Volunteer Park Café
1501 17th Ave E
Seattle, Washington 98112
206-328-3155

Tues-Fri 7:00AM-4:30PM (Breakfast, Lunch)
Sat-Sun 8:00AM-4:30PM (Breakfast, Lunch)
Tues-Sat 5:30PM-9:00PM (Dinner)

In our quest to go through the myriad of squash that we’ve gotten from Pioneer Organics, tonight’s experiment was butternut squash risotto (base risotto with shitakes, cream, and butternut squash). And we doubled down on new recipes; tonight we also tried the George’s Bank scallops (frozen) from Trader Joe’s.

Verdict: The risotto was fantastic. The scallops had a good texture but tasted a tad fishy. They did look nice though

This weekend Lauren and I flexed our underutilized membership and had a cultural Sunday afternoon at SAM. They have a fantastic exhibit on Roman art from the Louvre that opened this weekend.  I was surprised at how extensive the exhibit was (large enough that I’ll have to return for a second go around before it’s through on April 6th).  They also have three panels on temporary loan from Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. All ten panels have been under years of restoration, and they are on a final run before returning to a hermetically sealed chamber in Florence (at the Musee dell’Opera del Duomo).

We also stopped at TASTE (the new restaurant at SAM) for lunch. TASTE is all about local organic ingredients, with a bunch of soup, sandwich, and salad options at lunchtime. I thoroughly enjoyed my tomato soup w/grilled cheese. I also snuck a taste of Lauren’s squash soup, which was delicious. I plan to return for dinner and we’ll be sure to bring our camera