The décor at Poppy is a bit Ikea showroom-esque: light colored wood with bursts of orange and red that call to mind poppies in full bloom. I had to twist Cobe’s arm to get him to go. He was worried his Sunday I-can’t-stand-shaving-on-the-weekend-look would be out of place, but we fit in just fine. There were people in shorts and flipflops.

The mood was light, with most tables ordering flights of wine and from where we sat we could see the bar was in full swing.

If you’ve seen Jerry Traunfeld’s cookbooks, or went to the Herbfarm when he was in residence, you’re already familiar with his style—simple and seasonal with an abundance of herbs. At Poppy he offers a series of tastes on a circular plate called a “thali.” It’s a play on a traditional Indian presentation, but the cooking is more west-coast small plates style, with the exception of the suspiciously naan-looking bread in the middle (sadly without the char). There are already signs he’s had to bend his will to a public not prepared for something so different, as he also offers “smallies”—similar to the thalis, but with less dishes and bigger entrée sizes.

We started with the Dungeness shiso appetizer but it was sadly disappointing. Hard to top the fresh Dungeness crab we had just a few days ago, plucked from the sound by one of our friends who has a diving rig. It was a bit light on the shiso as well.

Despite the name, the “smallies” were the perfect size. I was worried the copper river salmon would be ragged this late in the season, but it melted on the tongue and was paired with a pinot noir cream sauce. I never think to pair cream and fish, but it worked beautifully. The seabeans didn’t add much for me, except for a dash of color. Cobe’s wagyu beef was grilled a tender medium rare and served over meaty farro and porcinis. This was deep flavored meaty beef, well played off with some onions and stock.

Small plates were a bit of a blur. The roasted fingerlings with whole spices (mustard seeds, cumin and cardamom) were a standout, the spices so well toasted they popped in your mouth. I also loved the roasted beet, purslane and currant salad, rustic earthy flavors that really worked together. There was so much fresh local produce, it was like eating on a farm.

We wanted something sweet to end the meal, but couldn’t bring ourselves to fit in anything other than a scoop of ice cream, so we went with the mint chip. It was impressively minty, clearly made from the leaf not the extract. Did wish for a bit chunkier chocolate, but that’s my ben and jerry’s upbringing. Would love to try a dessert thali one of these days. I hear Dana Cree’s quite the pastry chef.

Pleasant night, good food, and all be-flipflopped.

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Poppy

(206) 324-1108

Capitol Hill
622 Broadway E
Seattle, WA 98102
www.poppyseattle.com

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Growing up in buffalo new york, we had the most amazing frozen custard stand. It was called Anderson’s and they sold only vanilla and chocolate custard, lemon ice, and roast beef on these special kummelweck rolls (”beef on weck”).

The line would wrap around the parking lot in the summer, but we waited patiently, knowing the custard we be meltingly good, fragrant with vanilla and swirled into a teeteringly high cone.

After softball games it was too far to drive to Anderson’s, so we went to Dairy Queen instead, debating between a blueberry blizzard and a chocolate dipped vanilla cone. The custard wasn’t quite as good, but at that age we didn’t really care.

Old school frozen custard is modeled after the traditional custard stands like Anderson’s, serving only vanilla and chocolate with a calendar of daily specials. The walls are painted bright green and decorated with faded pictures of Seattle highschools, while worn elementary school chairs dot the seating area.

My first trip was on one of those 90 degree days and I decided to try the kahlua chip, the flavor of the day. The home-made waffle cone was a nice touch, but the flavors were muted as if underwater. The texture was more rich than Dairy Queen, but it didn’t win me over.

I went back a few days later to give them a second chance, braving the 60 degree weather to try another flavor, this time my old standby vanilla with Reese’s peanut butter cups smooshed in to make a “concrete” (which looks suspiciously like a DQ blizzard). Here again the flavors were muted, with almost none of that rich vanilla fragrance. The topping selection was limited to the usual suspects—butterfingers, heath bars, gummy worms, sprinkles and a few others.

Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by all the other ice cream choices we have, by Ben & Jerry’s and Molly Moon’s and the umpteen gelato stands that keep sprouting up, but it feels like old school is a little TOO old school.  They haven’t strayed enough from the old custard formula. Not everyone needs to make salted caramel ice cream, but if you’re going to do vanilla custard, make it the most purely amazing vanilla you can make it and give us the best toppings you can find, like Theo chocolate, homemade granola, or Seattle cherries.

Will old school make it? Well… not everyone wants to wait in line at Molly Moon’s. But I fear they’ll end up being just a substitute for good old Dairy Queen.

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Old School Frozen Custard

1316 E. Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 324-2586

oldschoolfrozencustard.com

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I wouldn’t presume to do a top 10 list for all restaurants in Seattle, there are just too many. So I bring you sandwiches. A good sandwich is like a masterpiece. The bread should be fresh but yielding, the ingredients should blend in that perfect way to give you salty, sweet, sour, umami, fresh in every bite. A good sandwich has been tasted and perfected, not just thrown together.

These are my favorites. I don’t believe in nominating someone just for the numbers, so there’s only a top 8. But then I haven’t tried Bakeman’s.

1. Salumi

Armandino Batali (Mario Batali’s father) has made this place an institution. They’re only open during the day during the week and there’s always a line out the door, but the meat speaks for itself. I am addicted to the finochiona, a fennel scented salami. Not to mention the freshly made buffala mozzerella. It almost makes up for the lack of Italian delis in this town. Almost.

2. Paseo

I really fell hard for Paseo back when I discovered it a few years ago, and would go out of my way to pick up a Midnight Cuban for my afternoon hike. Sitting on the top of Mt. Si with pork juices dripping down your chin mingling with cilantro and hot peppers—there’s nothing like it. They’ve cleaned up their act a little since then, upgrading the small shack on Fremont Ave to a bigger shack, but as far as I can tell the food hasn’t suffered. The sign is still non-existent, but the line down the block should give you a clue.

3. Homegrown

A relative newcomer, but already a star in the sandwich arena. They have 10-15 cold and hot sandwiches, all with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The flank steak sandwich is a standout with its mix of blue cheese and arugula, but everyone has a favorite. They also have soups and salads and some seating options, with that blond wood clean living kind of décor.

4. Skillet

You really only need two words—bacon jam. Skillet operates out of an airstream trailer and is there one day and gone the next due to the vicissitudes of the city’s polices around truck food, but it’s worth searching out. Their website has a calendar for where you can find them any day of the week. They make a mean blt, cook up some juicy burgers and make fries worth standing in the rain for. All out of something your parents might have camped in back in the 70s. Rumor has it they’ll be at the West Seattle farmer’s market on sundays come summer.

5. Pho Cyclo (SODO)

There is something about the banh mi at Pho Cyclo (the SODO location is better, not sure why). Theirs are not the cheapest banh mi in the city, but they are near perfect as far as I can tell. Grilled pork, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno make one of the most balanced and delicious sandwiches in the city. Only offered during lunchtime and made even tastier by the addition of café sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee).

6. Baguette Box

I would put baguette box higher on the list if they weren’t so spotty about their service. Run by Eric Banh (of Monsoon), this place gives a nod to banh mi by putting pickled vegetables and cilantro on many of their sandwiches, but then runs away, adding Salumi meats, grilled lamb, and coconut curry tofu. Some days I think this place is the most amazing place ever, the next day their counter guy gets all uppity about running out of cilantro. “These aren’t actually banh mi, the cilantro is just a gesture.” But even so…their red wine braised pork sandwich is otherworldly, the soft silky meat brought alive by jalapenos and pickled vegetables.

7. Grand Central Baking Company

Solidly great sandwiches with house roasted meats (pork loin, chicken) and local cheeses all served on Grand Central bread. I somehow don’t remember exactly what I had when I went as it was 6 months ago, but I seem to recall roasted turkey with cranberry chutney. All I know is it was good. Lots of vegetarian options too and some great soups. With locations on Eastlake and Pioneer square.

8. Essential Baking Company

An old standby in the sandwich arena, but still fabulous. Similar to Grand Central, they make some outstanding sandwiches, often changing to fit what’s fresh and local at the moment. They also have yummy baked goods, which doesn’t hurt. Fremont and Madison Park.

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It’s not a look I would have chosen, but it’s light and airy and the chairs are surprisingly comfortable. It was a rainy day when we went, exhausted from a garden club shopping trip. We slid into our seats and dropped our bags on the floor. It was nice just to sit down.

The menu is interesting and fresh, with small plates and salads in addition to the 10 or so noodle dishes. We were tempted by the yuzu and shiso dressed cocktails, but instead ordered sake and an array of food and sat back to watch the rain come down.

We loved the flash grilled salmon tataki, dressed with ponzu and served over daikon and carrots. The flavors were fresh and bright, with a contrast of textures between the seared and raw salmon and the snap of the daikon.

The mizuna salad was also a standout, a mix of peppery mizuna (like arugula), roasted kabocha, red pepper and chicken breast, all dressed with a black sesame vinaigrette. Light, peppery, sweet, salty—all the elements of perfect balance. And the roasted kabocha was out of this world, a slight crust with a creamy sweet interior.

Tokyo noodles were impressive for the noodles themselves, which had that perfect bite, maybe even handmade? The broth was a bit too salty for my taste, but my hungover companion couldn’t get enough. And the pork was dry.

Toban beef was well cooked, simply seared and served with meaty shitakes and sautéed onions.

We had expected the dishes to be small, but they were almost family-style—good value for the price (8-10$ each plate). So much more to try. Not sure I’d want to have dinner there, that cafeteria feeling can seem cold when the sun goes down. But rumor is they bring out the pingpong tables on Friday nights.

In a salute to tax time they’re having a special deal this Wednesday (4/15)—15% off your check and $2.50 sapporos. Not a bad place to drown your sorrows.

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Boom Noodle
(206) 701-9130
1121 E Pike St
Seattle, WA 98122
www.boomnoodle.com

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Sheela and I met up for a light breakfast the other day at one of my favorite restaurants, Cafe’ Presse and I realized I’d never written about it.

Cafe’ Presse is a coffee shop/bistro/bar in capitol hill owned by Joanne Herron and Jim Drohman (who also run “Le Pichet”). Light filled and airy, it’s the perfect place to spend a Tuesday morning. They have croque monsieur, pain au chocolat, and selections of cheese and cured meats. And if you linger long past breakfast, they will make you poulet roti (a votre commande). They even serve food til 2am!

You almost don’t need any other restaurants.

On the wall next to the long bar is a chalkboard with the upcoming football matches (as in “futbol”). They have a multitude of wines by the glass and can make a mean espresso.

We were mostly there to talk, so I had pain au chocolat while she had pain au burre. Good bread and good quality melty chocolate. Really truthfully if you put a gun to my head, William Lehman’s bakery nouveau bread is better, but this holds up very well. The coffee wasn’t strong enough so I had them put a shot of espresso in it which picked it up perfectly.

The food is wonderful at cafe’ presse– french bistro style, very homey. But it’s the atmosphere that makes this place. I could have stayed there for hours.

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Cafe Presse
1117 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
www.cafepresseseattle.com
(206) 709-7674

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