Exceptional Seattle Meal - El Gaucho

You know when you have to choose a "great place" to have a celebratory meal (birthday, anniversary, etc...) and you don't know where to go? In Seattle you have a bunch of options. My personal shortlist is the Met/Metropolitan Grill (bad memories), The Brooklyn (somehow not memorable), Canlis (somehow the menu didn't do it for me), Palisade (still my all time favorite), and now El Gaucho.

Started with the Pan Seared Oysters and Divers Sea Scallops - Oysters were ok and the Scallops were phenomenal.

For the entree I had the Filet and Australian Lobster Tail (which was awesome, but $120 seemed steep even at Gaucho) - could have had both of those as entrees at Palisade for less). The lobster is already shelled and good to go, while the filet just melts.

Pictures were limited - place was dark.

Also ordered the Steak El Gaucho - recommend sticking with Filet. However, the side of Roasted Sweet Corn with Chipolte Honey Butter was ridiculously good.

In between the entree and dessert, they brought an impressive selection of fruit, nuts and cheese (which was offered as part of the meal; free I guess). It's rare I can say, "That's never happened before," with respect to dining.

Dessert was truly insane - Chocolate Bourbon Cake and Bananas Foster with some Kiona Ice Wine.

All in all, epic meal - but I'd still recommend Palisade over El Gaucho (Food is just as good with the exception of dessert) and it seems like a better value. Also, Gaucho keeps the ambiance pretty dark whereas Palisade is completely different - gorgeous and well lit.

Guinness surger tested with pbr

Science is amazing

I can't even talk and i already hate the yankees

Future Diehard Redsox fan Caroline Huff


It took about 13 seconds before she started crying


It was a good idea at the time


She was smiling up a storm after a 2 hour nap


And we rounded out our day heading to Pike Place after hitting Ballard. Had to grab a video of this guy since he's been outside Pike Place since I moved to Seattle six years ago (I think).

Purple for lunch after a brutal outing at West Seattle

After the back nine at West Seattle destroyed my front nine 43, I headed to Purple.

First off, Purple is one of two places in Seattle I consider absolutely stunning places to dine at from aesthetic standpoint (The other is Tavolata).




Food was really good incredible. Basil pesto pennini with kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, pine nuts, scallops and shrimp was amazing (not a light dish):


My buddy Jeff had the Gorgonzola and pancetta pennini, walnuts, roasted red peppers, scallions, and scallops in a gorgonzola cream sauce

Boston food: Fugakyu followed by Finale in Brookline

Fugakyu was a great call. Good work with fish pond in the waiting area.



All of our rolls were excellent (Lobster Maki and Catepillar Maki). But the best with out question was the Ebi Mango Maki. Here's the details.



And then Finale was no-brainer for dessert. Cheesecake was great. If I go back, I'm getting on of their samplers.

Back in Fall River... Chicharros & Romeiros on Good Friday

Chicharros (smelt) portuguese style is one of my (and my Dad's) favorite dishes. Only one way to eat them - they are kind of like sauteed sardines.

We had these at Tabacaria Acoreana - no official website, but this one is decent.

While we were eating (all seafood of course since it's Good Friday), we were lucky enough to see a procession of Romeiros. This is a tradition that dates back to 1522 on the island of St. Michael in Azores. Someone else in Fall River but this summary together on their blog which is pretty good.

Vista rocks! Here's a cool new feature...

Shutting down only takes 5-10 minutes

NYC Day 6: Rolling out post Jamba on the ACELA

Jamba has been a great way to start everyday while in NYC


And loved the ACELA out of NYC to PVD.

NYC Day 5: Museums & Central Park

Museum of Natural History - still am not sure what exactly "Natural History," but do have a new appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt.



Cut through the park and saw this:


Then we hit the Met... The Met is truly an amazing place, even if you don't check out of the art and just sit in the cafe. You don't feel like you're in the US... took me back to Europe.


No pics or video for this last segment. Lastly, I hit up Churrascarisa Platforma (http://www.churrascariaplataforma.com/). Took a rickshaw-bicycle there which was the best call ever since it was raining. Platforma was great - $55/head for all you can eat meats and an amazing salad bar that included a sushi, fish - they had bacalau (portuguese cod fish), and other good stuff.

NYC Day 4 Part Trois: Sala 19 in NYC

Great Tapas spot in NYC - no question. Chorizo, scallops, artichokes and cheese plate were all really good.

www.salanyc.com
35 W 19th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 229-2300

NYC Day 4 Part Deux: Bistro Milano - Great Lunch Spot In NYC by the Hilton

Quick view of restaurant - not a good pic I know

(212) 757-2600
Midtown West
1350 Ave Of The Americas
New York, NY 10019

Started with the Carpaccio - amazing - Thank you Burn for turning me onto Carpaccio



Imported Mozzarella Salad - no question.... great!


Insane Mezza Lune


And Creme Brulee to cap it off... Bistro Milano - will be back

NYC Day 4 Part One: Jon getting it going at SES

I'm sure i could have sat up front, but i blew it

NYC Day 3 - St. Patty's Day Mass and Marching

His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan is Archbishop of New York and an amazing personality. Great Homily.

Took at crack at some video while walking out:

It's pretty amazing to be at a Mass in a church that size that is completely packed and standing room only.

Random Pic


Post Church, rally to Roosevelt... heard some amazing bagpipers


And then joined the crew from County Kerry (AKA, the Kingdom)


Here's a random pic - a little surprised


Marching Rocks! Up Kerry, Up the Kingdom

NYC Day 2 - Poly, Coney Island and then NYC for Big Italian at Carmine's

this post still needs to be completed - need to aggregate a bunch of posts

First - I check out Poly Prep where my buddy teaches. $8 mil gets only one of two Mondo fields in the US.


Coney Island rocks, especially when the cyclones mascot is rolling down the way


Pat capping off the night

And then Connolly's

And them a few beers at Perfect Pint

A little Times Square action

Insane family style dinner at Carmine's

Shout out from JF & NP to PI Team

Century 21 in Brooklyn

If burlington coat factory and marshall's had a baby...

Nathan's for some small beers and Atkin's approved meal.

Gotta love Coney Island

Especially with the cyclones mascot rolling down the way

Gotta love Coney Island

Especially with the cyclones mascot rolling down the way

You just don't think you're in brooklyn when you're at Poly

Poly Prep's new field.

$8 mil gets only one of two Mondo fields in the US

New York Day 1 Sight Recapped - Brooklyn Bridge and Top of the Rock

Who thought walking across the Brooklyn Bridge would be so awesome...

50 and sunny...
Really - this bridge was built in 1883?


PStone caught me in while I was trying to post to the K850

I tried taking some 360 videos from the Bridge because you can see both the Empire State Building all the way over to the Statue of Liberty, but the K850 was acting up and ended up giving me some fast-forwarded video.

We headed over to the Top of the Rock, which is at the top of Rockefeller Center. Video worked a little better this time and once again got some amazing views:

Here's the Southern view with the Empire State Building:


And here's the Northern view with Central Park... FYI, Central Park is huge... really didn't appreciate that until today



Caught a little ice-skating on the way out of Rockefeller Center:

New York (Brooklyn) Day 1 Food Recap

Paneantico in Brooklyn on 92nd and 3rd is Insane. Amazing lunch, really reasonably priced

too lazy to fix this pic of the food - huge sandwiches that were amazing


Cool atmosphere


And then we threw down some dinner at an amazing Italian place a couple blocks from Paneantico called Mambo Italiano



and they played the song:



Entertainment was hilarious.... great, aggressive female singer:


















Best penne alla vodka... Never thought i would say that... And then we circled back to Paneantico for an awesome dessert roundup - canoli, cheesecake, tiramasu, fruitcake and a round of cappacinos for $23 - done and done


















They had alot to choose from...