D&D | Seattle: The Kingfish Cafe, Molly Moon's, & Revel

I recently took a trip to my home state of Washington to visit family and friends in and out of the Seattle area. I had alot of people to see and 6 days to do it in. The one thing I knew for sure was that I would make time to squeeze in some of my favorite and most missed bars, restaurants, and hangouts. The thought of doing an epic restaurant rating had crossed my mind, but in an effort to keep things simple, this is going to be more of a showcase of some of my favorites (including new favorites) throughout Seattle.

Up first is The Kingfish Cafe located in the trendy but quiet area of Capital Hill. This is a bold statement but one I am 100% willing to stand by... The Kingfish Cafe is hands down my all time favorite restaurant. I've been hooked from my very first visit over 5 years ago. On my huge Seattle to-do list, Kingfish was #3, right behind seeing my parents, and seeing my sister and brother in-law. I've tried almost everything on the menu, including: Gumbo, Fried Chicken, Blackened Salmon, and Red Beans and Rice; but I keep coming back to the Mac and Cheese! Their Mac and Cheese is the inspiration for MY Mac and Cheese, and after this last visit, I think I have some minor adjusting to do. Be sure to wash all of this down with one of their house cocktails. My personal favorite is the Mint Julep.

Sho’Nuff Fried green Tomatoes  |  "We brought out this southern tradition for ya to try topped with a cornmeal dredge fulla spices. We brown’em on the griddle and top’em with our house garlic and chipotle sauces. These tasty tomatoes share the plate with our hot out of the kitchen hushpuppies. Let the sky rain tomatoes."

Down Home Mac and Cheese  |  "We use two cheeses, onion and a bit of mushroom for this good sized helping then we bake it up bubbling hot and serve it alongside a cool green salad."

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Living in San Francisco you have a ton of options for great ice cream. While I was living in Seattle, there was no other option, you went to Molly Moon's! From their site: At Molly Moon’s we combine creamy dairy from happy, healthy, hormone-free Western Washington cows with sweet and savory local ingredients. Our attention is focused on seasonal fruits and herbs in combinations that are both familiar and surprising producing all kinds of flavors from childhood favorites to avant-garde adult-only fare. From Skagit Valley's strawberries to Sequim's lavender and Eastern Washington’s cantaloupes, Molly Moon's is committed to using the best ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer, and occasionally we reach a little further south for Northern California fruit like organic Meyer Lemons and Napa Valley's Blood Oranges. Our shop is a place where classic flavors like Vanilla Bean and Chocolate live alongside the creative and exotic Cardamom, Balsamic Strawberry, Rosemary Meyer Lemon, and even Maple Bacon in the winter!

I like a double scoop of Vanilla Bean and Vivace Coffee!

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For the finale, I would just like to say that all of the buzz and anticipation around this place is 100% well deserved. Revel is in the Fremont area of Seattle and was "Founded by husband and wife chef duo Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi who met while cooking at New York’s illustrious Alain Ducasse at the Essex House. While both chefs have a distinctly different point of view, their tastes blend together to create modern, creative and seamless cuisine in their restaurants, Joule and Revel. Rachel’s Korean heritage informs her flavors through her impeccable training in classic French technique. Seif, raised in Chicago, and trained in Portland, Ore. brings a distinctly American flavor to the palate, balancing and complementing his wife both in the kitchen and at home."

My best friend Jared currently cooks at both Joule and Revel and has been telling me since I left Seattle that whenever I came back, we HAD to go to one. It just so happened that Jared had a day off, so we headed to Fremont for what turned out to be one of the best meals I've ever had.

We got there right as the sun was going down. The weather was perfect so we sat around the fire pit with our drinks while we waited for a table.

We tried almost everything on the menu, feasting on: Corned Lamb Arugula Salad, Green Bean Shitake Salad, Pork Belly and Shrimp Pancakes, Short Rib rice with egg yolk, and Smoked Pork Belly and Shrimp Noodles! PLUS desserts!!! The highlight of the evening was definitely the meat plate. Jared informed me that Revel has started the "Grill Shack" which is best described on their site: "Revel is celebrating summer with the grill shack on the deck. Come and enjoy the bbq of various cuts from the whole animals on the wood fired grill. Summer never tasted better."

They are so right! If you're ever in Seattle be sure to check out all 3 spots, just not in one day.

D&D Restaurant Rating | Just For You Cafe

I recently did a review on Hard Knox Cafe - one of my favorite spots in the Dogpatch - and here I am, back with another review from a cozy little spot just around the corner... Just For You Cafe. The entire corner of 3rd & 22nd Street is a food lovers dreamland with the more upscale Serpentine across the street and the cities newest/favorite ice cream spot Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous next to that! I wish I had the stomach to challenge myself to some sort of all-you-can-eat Dogpatch extravaganza, but then I remember nobody would be competing alongside myself, and there would be no prize. Unless you consider a food coma a prize.

Just For You Cafe "started out in 1990 as a little bitty diner on 18th Street in Potrero Hill, a sleepy neighborhood on the east edge of San Francisco. We had two tables and a countertop that sat a dozen folks elbow-to-elbow. The place was always packed with patient customers eager for some good home-cooking, even if it meant waiting 45 minutes for Sunday brunch at the one table we had that could seat four people. In 2002, we moved to our current location in Dogpatch, a gritty little neighborhood of old Victorians, warehouses and factories at the foot of Potrero Hill, just a few blocks from the shipyards of San Francisco Bay. We’re located right off 3rd Street - the old main route into San Francisco - and you can look up the road to see the new ballpark, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team."

The first thing you should do when you get to Just For You is order the beignets! Out of the few times I've gone I have always been welcomed and greeted with the question, "Do you guys want to start with some beignets?" to which I always answer, "Yes!" They're basically a meal on their own so order the single dish if you want a snack but I highly recommend getting the order of three... you won't regret it. It's also worth noting that eating these with maple syrup on top can/will change your life.

As for the food, Ryan made a very smart choice ordering the homemade biscuits & gravy. These guys are known for their breads. Their white, wheat and cinnamon-raisin bread is baked right on location - with no additives or preservatives - and you can buy a loaf to take home! I snuck a few bites of the biscuits & gravy and I have to say for being such a heavy meal historically, the biscuits at Just For You were light and fluffy and beyond tasty! I did a breakfast-lunch combo of sorts in ordering the fried egg sandwich. Basically a BLT with a perfectly fried egg between two slices of their delicious wheat bread. It was everything you could ask for from a small independent diner. Just For You is one of those places I wish I could keep secret and only share with the people that matter most to me. It just feels like home.

D&D Restaurant Rating | Hog & Rocks

I found out about Hog & Rocks when I read an article in Sunset Magazine about their top 5 restaurant choices in San Francisco that take reservations for brunch. Brunch in SF can be a big ordeal! The wait at numerous restaurants throughout the city can last up to 2 hours and depending on the atmosphere it can be anywhere from pleasantly relaxed to extremely annoying.

Like I said, Hog & Rocks was in Sunset Magazine's top 5 brunch spots that take reservations and they were in some pretty good company with Nopa leading the list. We made reservations for Sunday for 4 people at noon and were seated promptly but at this point I don't think reservations would have been necessary. Hog & Rocks is relatively new from what I understand and I believe it is the quirks of being new that made the experience barely sub-par for my friends and I. It had a welcoming vibe with interesting options for seating and the overall aesthetic was modern and semi-masculine with the perfect amount of sophistication. The location is to die for! It's hidden in the heart of the Mission District on 19th between Valencia and Mission.

It's an oyster bar so that's exactly what we ordered with a dozen fresh oysters coming in at $18. A perfect way to start a meal! The presentation of everything they brought us was beautiful. The only downfall was the service. Our server was great, but seemed preoccupied by the other half of the restaurant he was tending to. It started out great but by the end of our meal when the entire restaurant was almost full he was basically non-existent. From what I could tell though there were only 2 servers working the entire place so it's not enough of an issue to keep me from coming back. I would gladly go back for the $4 Cinnamon Roll with whiskey caramel glaze!

Ryan and I ended up splitting the Goetta Florentine with poached eggs, pan fried pork, spinach, hollandaise and yukon gold potatoes and the Farmer’s Market Omelette with cherry tomatoes, corn, ricotta, and yukon gold potatoes. Both options were great but I think we preferred the omelette over the florentine. The food was warm but just on the verge of going cold so the hollandaise was starting to congeal. Again, I blame this on being short staffed and having a full restaurant to feed. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to go earlier.

Oh, and maybe try something different, like the Breakfast Tacos!

D&D Restaurant Rating | Hard Knox Cafe

It's been awhile since I last did a restaurant rating. Ryan's on summer break from Stanford and when I have a day off we typically like to check out thrift/antique stores or enjoy some of our favorite breakfast and lunch spots throughout San Francisco. One area of the city that I think people can tend to forget is the incredible Dog Patch neighborhood. It's got a cool mix of industrial spots like Building REsources and hands-down the coolest garden shop in the city Flora Grubb, both of which can be dangerous for me, financially that is. This particular restaurant came to Ryan and I's attention sometime in the fall but with multiple locations throughout SF we found ourselves dining at the Hard Knox Cafe located in the Dog Patch this past week.

A brief history from their site:

In 1999 Chef/owner Tony Hua opened the first Hard Knox Café with one simple concept in mind and that was to offer guests a taste of soul food and lots of it. He believed that food is a medium that brings people together to enjoy not just the food but each other. His passion for food and people transformed Hard Knox Café into what it is today. After 9 successful years in the Dog Patch district of San Francisco, Tony opened a second location in the Richmond district of San Francisco. Hard Knox Café serves one purpose and that is to feed your appetite and soul. We welcome your feedback and depend on it to better serve you. Please email us if you have questions or comments and we will promptly reply. Thanks for visiting our site and restaurants!

Like I said, Ryan and I discovered Hard Knox Cafe last fall, but stumbling upon this second location made our day of thrifting and plant shopping that much better! I so rarely get soul food - unless I'm making my Mac & Cheese - but the entire ambiance of Hard Knox is something I just can't duplicate at home. The tin walls and combination of vintage street and food signs gives Hard Knox an authentic feeling that reminds me of my childhood. I did not grow up in the south but I will say that I was raised on some pretty comforting recipes that were passed down through generations of southern grandparents and great uncles/aunts.

Drinking a coke out of a glass jar or ordering a fried chicken sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes isn't easy to come by in San Francisco. And that's exactly what I ordered. The joy of Hard Knox is that you don't just get the option of fries or salad on the side. The list of sides is practically endless, consisting of but not limited to: Collard Greens, Potato Salad, Candied Yams, Mac & Cheese, Corn, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, or Red Beans and Rice!

My sandwich and side were a fantastic combo of savory and spice. The chicken was perfectly fried and the bread was flaky and delicious! I even went as far as dipping my sandwich in my mashed potatoes for that extra level of indulgence. I think the only downside to lunch was Ryan's Shrimp Po' Boy - which I found to be very good - but he struggled with do to the spiciness.

D&D Restaurant Rating | Gracias Madre

I had a fantastic day off. I spent most of it with my friend Henry at Dolores Park and throughout the Mission. I was in the mood for Mexican food so we made our way over to Gracias Madre. I'm new to Gracias Madre, but I'm hooked already. Their website sums it up: We proudly serve Organic Mexican Cuisine to the Mission District of San Francisco.

I wouldn't call Gracias Madre a typical Mexican food restaurant for the Mission District. For starters, it's 100% vegan and organic. Their menu is seasonal and determined by what is currently available at their organic farm in Pleasants Valley, California, the Be Love Farm. All of their cheeses, milks and ice creams are made using nuts. Their tortillas and tamales are handmade from non-GMO organic heirloom corn, some of which is grown by them on the Be Love Farm.

The Empanada, a homemade pastry filled with poblano chiles, mushrooms and onions, served on a bed of spicy mole sauce, topped with cashew cream went well alongside the house margaritas, which were tart and perfectly salted. I had the Tamal for my entree which had stoneground heirloom masa steamed in the husk filled with sauteed zucchini and onions, served with beans and escabeche. It could have been the margaritas, it could have been the warm weather, but I'm confident in my 5 star rating of this place. The location is great, they have a decent happy hour, and most importantly the food is exceptional. The portions were dead on. I left feeling completely satisfied and energized for my walk home.

 

D&D Restaurant Rating | Gott's Roadside

I've decided I'm going to start a Restaurant Rating section for Design & Dishes. Living in the Bay Area, I am constantly surrounded by incredible restaurants. It truly is a great city for wining and dining. Recently my dear friend Mandy was visiting from Seattle and we decided to have an overnight camping trip at some hot springs North of Napa. 2 hours into the drive, we had just entered Napa and our friend Henry suggested a burger joint he had heard about. I trust Henry with everything, especially hamburgers!

Gott's Roadside is simply one of those diners you would expect to see in a movie. It's just so incredibly American it almost hurts. Okay, not really, but I did eat to the point of pain. The staff was friendly and I appreciated that they weren't pretending like it was 1950. 

The food was simple and perfect. I even emailed Mandy today to reminisce about this burger. The ingredients are fresh, including the meat which was pretty perfect; but I have to say what really made this burger extraordinary was the soft toasted egg buns they use. I either want a stellar recipe for egg buns or I need to find out where they buy theirs because I don't know if I can eat another burger without them.

*Photo credit  |  Mandy Blouin