Dec 2011

The Walrus and the Carpenter – Seattle

The Walrus and the Carpenter - Seattle

An article penned by Frank Bruni inspired The Astronomer and me to bus it to Ballard for dinner at The Walrus and the Carpenter. We had a beast of time scoring a table at the adorable seafood shack, but everything was smooth sailing after that initial hurdle. Our meal here turned out to be not only the most memorable of the trip, but one of my favorite of the year. Seafood and cocktails—what could be better?

The Walrus and the Carpenter - Seattle

Located in the newly restored Kolstrand Building, The Walrus and the Carpenter is the vision of Chef Renee Erickson (Boat Street Café, Boat Street Pickles) and her partners Jeremy Price and Chad Dale. Together they’ve achieved their goal of building a restaurant serving the “highest quality food and drink in a space that is stripped of pretense and feels like home.”

The Walrus and the Carpenter - Seattle

The Astronomer and I were seated along the back of the restaurant with views of the elongated bar and open kitchen.

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Dec 2011

Local 360 – Seattle

Local 360 - Seattle

The Astronomer and I had a most satisfying brunch at Local 360 during our trip to Seattle. We dined here on a whim while walking through Belltown and left thoroughly content with our impromptu choice. Everything from the food to the service to the ambiance was just our speed.

Local 360 - Seattle

The rustically appointed restaurant was lightly packed on a Sunday. We were seated quickly at a table fit for four and presented with the restaurant’s “Daytime” menu, which is served daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Local 360 - Seattle

“Local 360” refers to the restaurant’s commitment to sourcing most of its raw ingredients from within 360 miles of Seattle. There are certain items like lemons, limes, and coffee that do not grow in the area anytime of the year, so those are sourced from the closest place possible.

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Dec 2011

Street Donuts – Seattle

Street Donuts - Seattle

My passion for doughnuts was born in Seattle a little over a year ago [See: Top Pot and Frost], so it was only appropriate that I continued exploring the city’s fried dough scene on my most recent visit.

Launched this past May, Street Donuts combines two of my very favorite things—street food and doughnuts. The trailer is parked in an empty lot on 2nd Avenue and Pike Street, right next to a Japanese hotdog vendor.

Street Donuts - Seattle

A bowl of a dozen freshly fried rings goes for a cool $4.50, while a half dozen is priced at $3.25.

Street Donuts - Seattle

What sets Street Donuts apart from other mini doughnut hawkers are their unique toppings. Every order includes two toppings and additional ones can be added for fifty cents more. According to founder Yi-Chun Lin, caramel and ginger, as well as vanilla pudding and Nerds, are extremely popular among Street Donuts’ fans.

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