OKAY, SO ANY TOWN WITH FOOD IS A GOOD TOWN...

You know me, I do love to eat.  Seattle does have lots of stuff to eat and, even though we were trapped downtown without personal transportation, we did manage to chew a little too much.  We got in late on Saturday night so we just hit the pub in the basement of the Hotel… fishy chipy Guinness and I was good to go snooze-wise.  Mornings I hit the bakery right across the street of coffee and spanking fresh pastries.

Sunday, Tama only had a short gathering and was out by 3 o’clock so we went all tourista and did the street stalls at Pike Street Market.  Steamed pork buns, pot stickers and BBQ porkie bits eaten standing up, under an awning, watching the rain pour down.

Monday night we hooked up with two old friends from my days of living in Seattle who had been part of an ongoing foursome dinner group.  We met in the hotel bar and started out with copious amounts of alcohol and happy hour appetizers which included some right tasty fresh shrimp and crab leg nachos. This was followed by more alcohol, much laughter, calling of absent parties and a lovely dinner of sesame crusted, lightly seared ahi tuna with goofy greens.

Yesterday, while Tama was shuffling through government regulations etc. I wandered down to the International District (see also: Chinatown) and then off into Pioneer Square for a little lunch.  Coming down a side street I found Marcela’s Creole Cookery where I had a cup of gumbo and a slice of Crawdad Pie… think Thanksgiving dressing made from spicy crawdads and veggies all ladled into a pie crust and baked.  Sorta like a crafish quiche?

Last night we strolled down a few blocks to a good, unpretentious Vietnamese diner for Pho… the classic soup for dinner meal choice.  This is a generous bowl of thick, meaty broth loaded with a big dollop of long, thin rice noodles, assorted chopped veggies, paper thin slices of the meat of your choice and a side dish of sprouts, peppers and fresh Thai basil.  You are always tempted to think, “…just a bowl of soup… I better order a little something else.”  By the end of the evening, as you stare at the half eaten side of egg rolls, you realize that there is a buttload of meal in every bowl.  Never left disappointed, never left hungry…