Food Truck Friday - Evolution Revolution

For this week's Food Truck Friday, I tried out the truck offering "New American Street Food" - Evolution Revolution.

My first visit was on a beautiful sunny spring day, and they were offering Mahi Mahi tacos, so I couldn't resist.  They were loaded with fish and bright flavors, though turned out to be a little messy.   The staff were super friendly, even saying hi to my dog, Hilo.  Later, Hilo did his best to spill my tacos, pulling me toward an adorable puppy he really wanted to sniff.

On my second visit, I tried out two menu items.  First, the Fried Brussels Sprouts ($5), which were golden brown and fragrant and tossed in a house made sambal chili and honey dressing.  Not too spicy hot, more sweet really, but wonderfully satisfying if you dig Brussels sprouts.

Since that wasn't exactly a full lunch, I also got the Thai tofu wrap ($8), which was packed with noodles, fried tofu, basil, tomatoes, and lots of peanut sauce.  It was pretty large (I really should've stopped at half), and my only complaint was the simple flour tortilla was a little gummy, as they tend to be .

The service in both visits was very friend and this time Hilo got a treat, too.  The food was yummy and I'll definitely head back soon.

Food Truck Friday - Falafel Salam

There are a few trucks in Seattle offering up Middle Eastern favorites, one of which I visited for this week's Food Truck Friday: Falafel Salam.



On my inaugural visit, I went for their namesake Falafel, as part of the Middle Eastern Salad ($8). It was a big portion and the falefel were great. Not raw in the middle or overly fried. It was several weeks ago, and I honestly failed to write down much more detail. But hopefully the pictures help. I believe that's a tahini sauce on top.




This week, I returned and went for their pita sandwich, opting for the 'Purple Style' rather than 'House Style', and the Organic Chicken Shawarma, Spicy ($10). Purple Style includes purple cabbage slaw, tzatziki and creamy sheep milk feta, whereas the House Style includes 'Arab salad' (cucumber, tomato, cabbage, parsley, lemon), tahini, and a dash of pickled mango. It's all packed inside a homemade pita.

I took my lunch to the outdoor Van Vorst courtyard so my dog, Hilo, could get some outside time and sniff some random dogs and people. He ended up getting to meet a little girl, which he did in his usual fickle way (walk up, sniff, turn around and walk away - realizing they have no food - just as hands try to pet him). But it's great to see him so comfortable around people of all ages, given what a nervous boy he was 3 years ago. But I digress.



My first bites were super messy, and I'd foolishly only grabbed a single napkin. I was convinced that my beard was full of delicious, creamy feta mixed with tzatziki. The next bites were full of meat... lots of meat... moist meat with a decent amount of flavor to it. Initially, I balked to myself that the 'spicy' wasn't presenting itself, but then I realized their heat likely comes from cayenne... about the time the glow began in my mouth. Still not spicy by Thai, Indian, or Mexican standards, but enough to warm you up. After I chowed down on the meat, I came to a solid layer of slaw... still with about half the soft pita left. I diligently ate my vegetables, and was delighted to find another layer of meat below the slaw. Seriously.... MORE meat. And this meat had all the juices from the meat and slaw and was even more delicious. It might've also had more spice, but it was more likely the cumulative effect.



Falafel Salam is definitely a spot I'll return to, and one I'd recommend to friends. If I wasn't trying to re-lose 10 pounds I keep gaining back, I would've also tried the baklava. Maybe next time.

Food Truck Friday - Thai-U-Up

I just realized I'm the #6 ranked blog on UrbanSpoon's Seattle Leaderboard, so I figure I should probably get to work putting blog posts together, huh? I guess that explains them inviting me to special events.

As a first attempt to dive back into blogging, and Food Truck Friday (again), I tried out a couple dishes at the provocatively named Thai-U-Up



On my first visit, I couldn't help but try a dish that sounded vaguely Hawaiian and hopefully spicy: Volcano Chicken ($8.75). It seemed only appropriate to order it with at least 4 stars, so I did. Served with two scoops of rice (there's the Hawaiian part!) and on a bed of crisp iceberg lettuce, the Volcano Chicken itself is fried chicken pieces with what I suspect is a rice flour based breading studded with green onion and spices, that yields a super-crispy outside.



Add to that some sweet-spicy glaze and you've got chicken candy - and I ate every last piece. Very sweet and decadent... but surprisingly not very spicy at all. Not noticing much red pepper on it, I grabbed a packet of Sriracha, just in case, though I powered through my chicken candy so quickly I didn't end up using it.



On my return visit, I was in a less decadent mood, so opted for the Cashew Delight with Tofu. Based on my last experience, I asked for 5 stars this go-round. It was a pretty standard, as-expected Cashew dish with veggies and fried tofu, way too much celery (though for me, any celery is too much celery), no spice whatsoever. The interesting surprise of the dish was when I'd finished all the veggies and tofu (except the celery), and found the broth in the bottom of the container, which was rich and had wonderful depth of flavor... so I poured it all over the rice and devoured that, too.



Although they only take cash, which is inconvenient, I'll likely go back to Thai-U-Up the next time I craving some crispy delicious Volcano Chicken... and I'll be sure to grab some hot sauce. Cuz if someone's gonna Thai me up, I wanna feel smacked across the face by the heat.

Memento: We Love Chocolate!

Last night was the penultimate round of our current season of Memento - the cooking club Dan and I belong to.  David & Carolyn hosted this round with a theme appropriate to February: Chocolate!  The theme was in part decided or at least inspired by their kids, Logan and Zoe, who have been asking for a chocolate themed memento for years.

They started us off with trio of chocolate.  First, flatbread with a subtle but delicious white chocolate baba ganoush.  Next, a gluten free crostini with dark chocolate and fleur de sel - the first really intense taste of chocolate that gave my napkin a workout.  And last but not least, roasted carrots with chocolate balsamic vinegar dipping sauce (that now necessitates a trip to Pike Place Market to procure our own bottle.  

Next up, Lizzie and John delivered an silky smooth white chocolate parsnip soup with homemade dill oil and cocoa dusted macadamia nuts.  It was so good it may have converted some parsnip haters to fans.  It was one of my favorite items of the night. 

In honor of our sugar/alcohol/meat free January, Dan made a strawberry banana smoothie from homemade almond milk, chocolate/stevia egg white powder, libido enhancing maca powder, and chia seeds.  All served in a dark and white chocolate rimmed glass.

I paired that with an arugula and red butter lettuce salad with clementine and red grapefruit, homemade cocoa butter goat cheese, cocoa nibs (for crunch) and a homemade strawberry/white balsalmic "shrub" (sipping vinegar) & sunflower oil dressing.

Flying solo tonight due to a family medical situation, James served a creamy Brie cheese, chocolate and pear panini featuring local ingredients.  It was served with a little mâche greens and some crispy basil chips with Hawaiian sea salt I made last year and gave to he and Marcy.  It was a perfect serving size and the chocolate and Brie tasted so wonderful together, their creaminess balancing with the crunch of the pear and bread.

The second entree was the first to include meat, and it was done wonderfully.  Beef short ribs and Portabello mushrooms in a chocolate rosemary and tomato sauce.  Melt in your mouth goodness.  They were paired with horseradish mashed potatoes and sautéed carrots.

Finishing out our decadent chocolate meal was a white chocolate sphere hiding chocolate mousse and heart shaped Chez panisse Ginger snaps shaped like hearts, with poached pears.  I loved the cookies with the mousse - and scored a few extras.

As our final courses were enjoyed, snow was accumulating outside, so we wrapped up quickly to get people home safely.  Looking back, I see pears, balsalmic vinegar and root veggies (carrots, parsnips and potatoes) showing up repeatedly, weaving both adjacent and disparate courses together, sharing that responsibility with the chocolate, of course.  It made for an excellent night of food and friends.  And anything that could travel (sorry - no smoothie) was packed and sent home for Marcy to enjoy.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-almond-milk-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189996

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/06/cocktail-101-how-to-make-shrub-syrups.html

Memento: Southern

Tonight was Memento time again - our bi-monthly supper club potluck. This was the first time hosting the group for Linda & Nancy, at their beautiful home in West Seattle. Celebrating Linda's roots, the theme (revealed at the last Memento) was 'Southern', with two mandatory, classic Southern ingredients picked at random for each course.



Linda & Nancy started us off with their plate, celebrating Black Eyed Peas & Cheddar Cheese. They did so in the form of two deviled eggs and two fritters. The first egg was a smokey pimento cheese deviled egg with chorizo, and the second was a Sriracha deviled egg with pancetta. Alongside them on the plate were two black eyed pea fritters (Johnny cakes?) with porcetta. And of course there was a big punch bowl full of delicious Southern Comfort punch that Linda whipped up soon after Dan & I arrived. Everyone agreed that Linda's deviled eggs were the best they'd had.



Next up, Carolyn & David payed homage to Tomatoes & Cornmeal. Their inspiration came from comfort food - specifically their son Logan's favorite: tomato soup and grilled cheese. A delicious tomato bisque soup with a beautiful swirl of cream shared the plate with three cornbread cubes, one with a decadent topping of melted cheddar cheese - which makes me want to top every batch of cornbread I make in the future with cheddar cheese.



Another queue I'll be taking from this Memento is a square, rather than long rectangular table arrangement. It was wonderful to be able to talk with everyone around the table, and a peak under the tablecloth revealed it was simply two folding tables side-by-side. It also would increase tablespace for dishes for events like Thanksgiving.



Our third course was created by Lizzie to feature the seasonal flavors of Sweet Potato & Pumpkin. First was a green salad with red onion and goat cheese, using roasted sweet potatoes as a perfect replacement for croutons, and a little crunch courtesy of pumpkin seeds.



Alongside the green salad was a 4 oz mason jar filled with what's known in the South as a 'congealed' salad. Not the most appetizing name, but it's essentially a gelatin salad. This one was sweet potato, with a smoother texture courtesy of the sweet potato. It was topped with whipped cream and pecans. Despite the name, it turned out to be absolutely delicious, tasting like Thanksgiving.



Dan & I supplied the fourth course, inspired by Rice & Molasses. We stole a page from Marcy & James' playbook and merged Southern Italian food (specifically Sicily) with American Southern food, creating an Arancini di Riso.



Neither of us had heard of them before they became the dish du jour on the Halloween episode of Top Chef, and Dan quickly thought of using that as our rice component, then stuffing it with molasses baked beans.

Using Food Network's recipe as a jumping off point, we made and cooled a batch of simple risotto first, then combined it with parmesan and eggs and rolled it into balls. We pushed a little bit of red kidney beans (cooked with some vegetable stock and molasses) into the center and chilled them. Ultimately, they were rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried at 350 degrees F until golden brown.

Dan made a peach sauce with Sriracha (a happy accident that this ingredient popped up again) to top the arancini, which was very good. Spicy and sweet.



I also made an agar-agar aspic of collard greens & shiitake mushrooms with vegetable stock spiked with liquid smoke and soy sauce to take the place of pork products so commonly cooked with collards. I warmed it to 140 degrees F still in the silicon molds, submerged in our Sous Vide Supreme. Unlike gelatin, which melts when reheated, agar-agar never unsets. I unfortunately didn't get the collards completely encased, so my cubes fell apart a little, but I think still tasted good.

Dan also revived his cocktail from last year's Oscar's - a combination of ginger ale, bourbon, peach nectar, and campari.



Highlighting Peaches & Greens, Marcy & James served the penultimate course. An epic pork meatloaf topped with yummy peach chutney. It rested on a bed of collard greens. Although we repeated collards in our course (planned based on theirs), the two shared little in common. Where ours were cooked down, Marcy & James still had a crispness to them, and they didn't shy away from cooking them in some bacon.



Rounding things out, Anna & Jason put a Seattle-meets-the-South take on Buttermilk & Brown Sugar.



First came out cream and sugar, then cappuccino cups of Americano coffee. Although the South is more about tea than coffee (as Anna pointed out), going with an Americano seemed appropriately Southern, it it's own way. And Linda & Nancy had sweet tea on hand, of course.



Finally, they revealed mini bundt cakes of buttermilk pound cake filled with a cinnamon struesel - their wonderful Southern take on coffee cake - paired with roasted granny smith apples. The cake was designed to share, so everyone shuffled to sit next to their spouse, which proved very good timing.



Carolyn & David passed out the invitations to our next event, which they'll be hosting.



The invite for our February get-together, arrived in suitably Willy Wonka fashion, a la the golden ticket. The theme will simply be 'Chocolate' - which their kids ask for each time they're hosting. Dan & I should have a challenge, given we have the traditionally salad course.



The night also ended with a surprise gift for David, several months in the making. David loves skulls, doesn't drink, but adores those Crystal Skull vodka bottles. He has a small one, but Anna & Jason bought a big bottle and were gracious enough to drink it. They passed the bottle to me on Halloween, to let me get creative with it. I filled it with water and Glycerin(to make the water more viscous) and a few colors of Martha Stewart Glitterthen put it on a Multi-Color LED Light Base.

 
 

Food Truck Friday - Happy Grillmore

Although I still haven't tried any of their beef burgers (that sounds pretty heavy at lunch time), this week I'm showcasing the very colorful food truck Happy Grillmore.







Last year, I enjoyed their salmon burger - but honestly don't recall any details of how it tasted, though don't recall being disappointed. Their online menu says it includes 1/4 lb wild Alaskan salmon patty with honey chipotle aioli, spinach, arugula and a sweet and spicy pineapple slaw. I don't remember it being spicy hot.







This week, I tried to go again at their scheduled open time - 11am. I waited 15 minutes, and at 11:15 asked when they'd actually be opening. They said another 10-15 minutes, so I walked off to find something else. Lucky for them (but not me), I didn't find the other truck I was looking for (reportedly up by REI, but nowhere to be found), so I looped back and got in the line that had formed, now that Happy Grillmore was open. Service was pretty quick - though slower than it could be because they give you a choice of cheese, and (if ordering fries) a choice of dipping sauce, which delays each transaction.







But soon enough, our burger was up. I chose the "Shooter": 1/4 lb black bean chipotle patty with Tillamook cheese (I opted for pepper jack), spinach, arugula, roasted red pepper aioli and spicy mustard on a toasted ciabatta. I'm always nervous when burgers are served on ciabatta - not because I don't like ciabatta, but because restaurants often pick very big, thick ciabatta rolls that throw off the burger to bun ratio completely. This was no the case here, where the bun was well balanced and the veggie patty satisfying.



Although I can't say there was anything exceptional about either burger I tried, I would definitely go back to try other burgers... particularly if I could catch them on a weekend or evening, when I'm more in the mood for a beef burger. Of course, I've learned to not necessarily count on them to be open at 11, when I eat lunch (and they're scheduled to be open), so I'll have to play it by ear.