restaurant review – Page 8 – Discover Healthy Food

Restaurant Review: Thai Ginger – Seattle

For fabulous Thai, always ask a local for a recommendation. Talked to my friend, Mike Whitmore, for a good recommendation. He didn’t let us down!

Apparently, Thai Ginger has a couple of locations. We went to the one in the multi-story mall downtown. At first, we were a little dubious because it WAS in a mall. But, sure am glad that we carried on with the recommendation.

The meat was tender. The veggies fresh and crisp. The sauces flavorful. The ambiance easy-going, welcoming and well-lit.

This picture is of the appetizer sample platter. The cucumber vinegar sauce at the top of the picture was ah-maze-ing. Gotta reverse engineer that recipe for sure!

Yep, we’ll go back to Thai Ginger when in Seattle again.

How do you say “bon appétit” in Thai?

Restaurant Review: Cafe Olga – Orcas Island

Upon the recommendation of a friend, we took the ferry to out to Orcas Island for the day. I wish that we had more time on the island to explore, but we’ll go back another time!

We did find a great spot to stop for lunch. Cafe Olga looks like an old barn. A relaxed atmosphere, great staff and fabulous food. I had an amazing Thai pasta dish with spicy prawns. Divine!

The hubby enjoyed a turkey sandwich that was an explosion of flavor with every bite. He’ll be talking about that sandwich for a long time, I bet.

For a treat to-go, the hubby grabbed a cinnamon roll. Enormous, cinnamony goodness. Bring on the sugar coma!

The restaurant was full of local art work, trinkets, jewelry, ceramics and more to buy. Complete with a nice detail of lavender at the door. Quaint. Charming. Highly recommend to check it out if you’re going to Orcas Island. I’ll be back…

Restaurant Review: Pancake Chef – Seattle

First stop after landing in Seattle, breakfast.

Jen had the Buen Sabor omelette. Overall, pretty tasty. Would’ve like to have more chorizo for flavor and jalapeno for kick. The hash browns weren’t very flavorful, even with a healthy dose of Tabasco.

Klint had the bacon and eggs. Pretty much THE best bacon ever. Managed to get a hair in the eggs… of course. The pancakes were dense and spongy, but the raspberry and boysenberry syrup were excellent.

Truly the best part of breakfast was the people. Our darling waitress proudly told us she’s the owners daughter, so to her everything is great on the menu. The guy sitting next to us over heard that we were new in town, so he offered up advice and loaned us a pen.

In the end, an okay spot. Only reason why we’d go back would be because of not knowing about other options.

Overall rating: 3/5 stars
Food rating: 2/5
Service: 4/5
Price: $21 including the tip

Restaurant Review: Kobe beef at Manderes – CA

Meeting a business associate for dinner at Manderes in Folsom, CA. Wow. The Kobe beef was juicey and tender. Taking a bite with the cucumber salsa knocked my socks off! This is one restaurant that I’ll glad go to again when I’m in the greater Sacramento area.

Restaurant Review: Pad Thai Siam – Orem

Explored a new Thai restaurant in Orem, Utah. This place used to be called Thai Bombay, but didn’t last long. We had heard that Pad Thai Siam was a good spot, so we checked it out.

Wow. Basil sauce amazingness.

If you go, get the Basil Sauce dish. You can try any number of meats with the sauce. We loved it with tofu and 3 stars of heat.

Restaurant Review: Don Miguel Mexican – Utah

On a birthday weekend get away to Cedar City, we stopped at Don Miguel’s for lunch.

Klint had the appetizer plate with mini quesadillas, beef taquitos, loaded nachos. The guacamole was really creamy and had the right amount of spice. Salsa was chunky and had the right amount of onion and cilantro.

Jen had the chile verde burrito. The verde sauce was chunky and spicy, but not hot. Pork chunks were tender and moist. Really, how you want chile verde to taste.

The only problem was that everything was WAY over salted. Salsa, guacamole, chips, entrees, appetizers, rice, beans, etc. Everything was too salty. Couldn’t drink enough water to compensate for the sodium overload.

All-in-all, Don Miguel Mexican was okay, not amazing. If we’re back in Cedar City and looking for Mexican food again, we’ll probably go to a different restaurant.

Restaurant Review: Picante Mexican – CA

If you find yourself in San Rafael, Marin County, CA, you should check out Picante Mexican restaurant. Here are a few our favorites:

Fish tacos

Picante chicken salad

The chips, salsa and guacamole are divine

The taste is authentic, right amount of spice, and snap. The service is quick and friendly. Totally check out Picante if you’re in Marin County and hungry for Mexican.

Restaurant Review: Il David – CA

The most amazing beet salad, ever. If you ever find yourself in Marin County (north of San Francisco), head over to Il David in San Rafael, CA. It is a lovely mid sized restaurant and a great spot for lunch and dinner. The waiters are attentive just enough… not over bearing, but attentive.

Restaurant Review: Slanted Door – CA

With a great view of the Bay Bridge, Slanted Door at the restored Ferry Building in San Francisco is a fabulous Vietnamese inspired restaurant. I heard about the Slanted Door from my brother, who is lucky enough to live in San Francisco. I mentioned the restaurant to my Vietnamese Utah manicurist and even he had heard about Slanted Door… cool!

After a 5 mile run across the Golden Gate Bridge, my long time friend Sharon and I were hungry for something healthy and yummy. Off to Slanted Door we go!

Based on the crowds, we expected a long wait but were pleasantly surprised with a quick seat outside. The glass wall between the outdoor eating space and the pier walkway makes for a nice wind break, but didn’t obstruct the view… and views are always beautiful in San Francisco!

The service was perfect as the waiter came often enough, but not too often. When I’m out to lunch with a friend, I don’t want to be interrupted too often. Other than occasional water refills and random needs, I thought that their frequency of service was just right.

Lunch consisted of:

Pho
Lemon grass chicken
Chinese broccoli
Spicy chicken stir fry
Spring rolls with peanut sauce.

Amazing. Flavors were not too spicy. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. The sauces were complimentary. I can see why this restaurant is so popular. Next time you’re in San Francisco, I highly recommend that you check it out.

I can’t wait to try some other dishes at the Slanted Door again… and hopefully Klint will be with me next time!