When Food Is Elevated From Meal to Artistry

Leave a reply
A grilled asparagus salad was the perfect start to a fabulous meal at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen in Walla Walla, Washington

A grilled asparagus salad was the perfect start to a fabulous meal at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen in Walla Walla, Washington

On a road-food trip, I generally like down and dirty. You know, cheap, tasty, brimming with character. But every so often, it’s nice to splurge on a high-end feast, perhaps topping $100 for two (especially if someone else is paying).

Such is the case at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen in downtown Walla Walla, Washington. It’s maybe one of those “best 10 meals I’ve ever eaten”, where the chef (perennial James Beard Foundation nominee Chris Ainsworth) kills it on every detail. Continue reading →

Nitro Cold-brew Coffee: A Fabulous Summer Drink

2 Replies
Nitro cold-brew coffee, topped with cream, at Walla Walla Roastery. Yum!

Nitro cold-brew coffee, topped with cream, at Walla Walla Roastery. Yum!

I’ve never been a fan of iced coffee. It’s usually an over-priced, watered-down concoction of espresso/brewed coffee, milk and ice. No thanks.

But when a group of students ahead of me, at Walla Walla Roastery, all order nitro cold brews, I’m intrigued. The barista explains that here it’s a three-day-plus process of cold brewing and filtering the coffee, which is then infused with nitrogen (removing impurities), poured from a beer-style tap and topped with a shot of cream. Continue reading →

Breakfast For Two at Tommy’s Dutch Lunch

Leave a reply
Tommy's Dutch is a great breakfast diner in Walla Walla, Washington

Tommy’s Dutch is a great breakfast diner in Walla Walla, Washington

The heads don’t quite swivel when we walk into Tommy’s Dutch Lunch, in an industrial section of Walla Walla, Washington. I’m a bit surprised, as we’re obviously the only tourists in the place and my sister is the only woman, other than the two waitresses. Continue reading →

Angling for Good, Cheap Mexican Food in Walla Walla

2 Replies
Dora's Deli has a unique combination: Mexcian food and fishing worms

Dora’s Deli has a unique combination: Mexcian food and fishing worms

How can you not like a place that sells Mexican food and worms? Especially when the tortillas for the substantial tacos are hand pressed and the choice of toppings includes lengua (tongue). Continue reading →

Pol-ease, Pour Me a Pint

Leave a reply

 

The long arm of the lager. Dragon's Gate Brewery's Adam.

The long arm of the lager. Dragon’s Gate Brewery’s Adam.

During an intensive wine-tasting tour or beer crawl, I generally try to avoid any roaming police, just in case. So when an actual sheriff is pouring the beer samples at a wee brewery in rural Oregon, I’m not sure how many I should pound back before hopping into the car. Especially when he tells me one ale I’m sipping packs a 10%-alcohol wallop. Continue reading →

Wallowing in Walla Walla, Washington Wines

Leave a reply
Amavi Cellars is one of dozens of fine wineries in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington

Amavi Cellars is one of dozens of fine wineries in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington

It all started with a $200 bottle of wine. Actually, we didn’t know it cost that bloody much when we pulled out this dusty gift, from a generous brother-in-law, at dinner one night.

“Wow! That’s good,” is all we said. Subsequent Googling revealed the bottle’s shocking price and a bit about the wine-producing area it came from: the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington. A week later, we were booked into a Walla Walla airbnb, with plans to tour the area’s wineries. Continue reading →