Miscelaney Holiday SURVIVAL Guide:

12 Days of Christmas

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On the sixth day before Christmas, 
Miscelaney sent to me 
6 Tasty Cheeses

 Heather Paper gives us her top cheese picks.

1 ) CowGirl Creamery Mt. Tam Triple Cream

Several years ago, when traveling in California, I discovered Cowgirl Creamery. Their Mt. Tam triple-cream is one of my faves, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

2 ) King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue

In my book, the best blue cheese is Roaring Forties Blue from Australia’s King Island Dairy. And, no, you don’t need a passport to find it; this sweet, slightly nutty cheese is readily available on our own mainland.

3 ) Beecher’s Flagship

Beecher’s Flagship—a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor—is a must-have for any cheese board. Yummy in omelets or mac ‘n’ cheese, too.

4 ) Black Sheep Creamery

From Black Sheep Creamery right here in Washington, take your pick. Mopsy’s Best. Black Sheep Tomme. Pecorino d’Adna. If the cheeses alone weren’t enough to grab you, wait til you see the sweet lambs on their site!

5 ) Mt. Townsend Creamery Cirrus

Cirrus, from Mt. Townsend Creamery is a camembert “inspired by the small, thin white clouds that hang over the Olympic Mountains, yet is rooted in the tradition of French cheese making.” My description is much shorter: Yum.

6 ) Cyprus Grove Fresh Chevre

Chevres make excellent dessert cheeses and also are a really good base for appetizers due to an easy-to-spread consistency, light texture and very mild flavor. Cyprus Grove is one of the best I’ve found so far.

Although design is my life—at least writing about it—all things culinary are my favorite pastimes. I love to cook as much as I love to eat, and read cookbooks cover-to-cover like novels. What’s more, certain chefs are as much rock stars to me as musicians are to my hubby. (Any other Top Chef fans out there? Go Kevin Gillespe!)

Not surprisingly, “heaven” for me is a restaurant that not only serves up amazing cuisine but is design-savvy at the same time. What may surprise you, though, are the types of food two of my current faves are dishin’: Burgers ‘n’ dogs.

Here in Atlanta, kudos go to another Top Chef hall-of-famer—Richard Blais. I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard even before his successful run on Season 4 of the show and knew when he revealed some “secret” ingredients he’s been known to use (Coke? Tang?) this was one innovative dude. That same kind of originality is apparent at his FLIP Burger Boutique . Sit down at one of the white banquettes and look up; you’ll see another suspended from the ceiling, literally “flipping” the design. Same goes for the Parsons-style tables in the center of the space; they’re mirrored by those that hang from the ceiling, serving as light receptacles. And don’t even get me started on the menu. How about the Southern burger—a country-fried beef patty with house-made pimento cheese, bread-and-butter pickles and green tomato ketchup? And, to go with it, one of his signature liquid nitrogen milkshakes; in keeping with the Southern theme, I’d go with the Krispy Kreme flavor.

In Seattle, Laura Olson does for hot dogs what Blais does for burgers at Po Dog on Capitol Hill. At this new place on East Union, you can create your own made-to-order concoction, served up on a Macrina brioche bun. Or, opt for one of the specialty dogs; how about the Deep-Fried Danger Dog? It’s wrapped in pepper bacon and deep-fried, then topped with sautéed onions and chili sauce. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, maybe the egg roll-wrapped Wasabi Dog? But like FLIP, the décor in this place is just as tantalizing as the menu. A 30-foot counter is the centerpiece, housing the open kitchen and bar. But from there, your eye doesn’t know where to go next. The Lyptus community tables with built-in mahogany plywood seating? The oversize mirrors backed by “Thug Stripe” wallpaper? (What else would you call a pattern that features Colt 45′s, bullets and floral prints?) Or perhaps the 12-foot-tall pixilated photo of Laura’s pet pug? (Aha! A dog person. I knew I liked this place!) For me, two words sum up this place: tres chic.

Sure wish Po Dog had been there when I worked on Capitol Hill. But you can bet I’ll be checking it out during my next trip to the city. Just remind me not to eat the airline meal on the way out (as if I needed reminding) so my appetite will be good ‘n’ ready!

Heather Paper is a freelance writer/editor who specializes in all subjects design-related. A contributing writer for Miscelaney, she’s a dog-lovin’, wine-slurpin’ resident of Atlanta who considers Seattle her second home.

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The weather on Monday was perfection…great day to be on Alki. A late start to a coffee meeting at the Alki Starbucks led to an opportunistic yet leisurely stroll up and down the beach (note to self, do this more often). After my meeting I lobbed a call to a friend who lives local for an impromptu bite to eat. It was close to 1:00pm but I just happened to catch her before she put the first spoonful of lunch to her lips (see, going my way). Being the foodie she is, she suggested Fresh Bistro near Jefferson Square (not being familiar with this hood, this meant nothing to me) but knowing her, without question this was going to be a good choice. A quick stop by her house and we were on our way.

The restaurant occupies the first floor of a mixed-use building.  It is tastefully understated and extremely welcoming. Clean lines, warm wood, user-friendly color palate…invitingly contemporary. There’s a lovely little outside patio so we dined al fresco, which added to the perfection of the day. Pots full of herbs and flowers lined the patio’s perimeter and subtle smells of thyme and similar fragrances pampered our senses with each soft breeze.

The creative menu is masterful at using local, fresh ingredients and infusing each item with an unexpected twist. On the advice of my lunch date, I ordered the Braised Pork Belly Bahn Mi ($8) sandwich. The flavors of this sandwich just jumped off the plate and into my mouth the minute I even got close. OK, not really, but powerful flavors (in that really really good way) rolled out the red carpet for what was to come all in that first bite. The pork belly alone is out of this world but Fresh showcases the innovative anchor of this traditional Vietnamese sandwich with foi gras mayonnaise, fried egg, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumbers, cilantro and jalapenos. I’m without words to describe this absolute delight other than to say this sandwich is a must try.

My lunch date ordered the Roasted Veggie Sandwich ($8). This farm-to-table sandwich packs some punch with the roasted red pepper aioli and is accompanied with always delicious truffle fries. I know she was loving her sandwich just as much as I was loving mine, but honestly, I was too into mine to listen much to how much she was into hers.

The staff is super friendly which only enhances a positive dining experience. We lounged out on the patio for almost two hours, just enjoying the afterglow of such a yummy meal. The menu is reasonably priced (although my friend actually picked up the tab as a post-birthday treat, which was another positive on the all-things-going-my-way-today list) and I understand they have a fabulous happy hour, with $7 plates and $3 beers. If I were  a local in this neighborhood, Fresh Bistro certainly wouldn’t have seen the last of me this week.

I wrapped up my unexpected tour and blooming love affair of West Seattle with an always-pleasant shopping experience at Metropolitan Market. With fresh ingredients and tantalizing flavors on the mind, MM didn’t let me down. Never does. It’s too bad I don’t get over to W. Seattle more often. Granted it is a drive from downtown Kirkland, but it is always worth it.

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Sometimes visiting a new restaurant is like a first date. You do a quick background check on the web, get all dolled up and feel the anticipation as the “big night” draws closer. You leap into it with an open mind and hope for a happy future together over many delicious meals.

Last week I had a date with Bastille, one of the latest restaurant additions on good ol’ Ballard Ave. I’d walked by a few weeks earlier, and like a wink from a hot stranger, it drew me in. A peek in the window revealed a large room with high ceilings, walls coated in glossy white subway tile, beautiful lighting and intricate black ironwork. An outdoor terrace housed happy diners sipping cocktails while an expansive antique bar inside was coupled with a cozy open “hearth.” The menu was classic French Bistro fare. What more could you ask for in a dinner date? I was charmed. Reservations were made immediately for my best friend’s birthday dinner.

And on a rainy Thursday I arrived, heart in hand. The first thing I noticed as I approached the front desk was that everything inside was beautiful–including the staff. The hostesses were a delight and understanding when I said I wanted to wait in the bar for my friend’s arrival. A great sign.

 Next stop: the 45-foot zinc-topped bar. And quite a bar it is. My gin martini was divine, served in a large frosted glass with two generous olives. Just a whisper of vermouth. Heaven. A bad martini, after all, is a dining deal-breaker.

As the hostess led us to our table, she filled us in on the source of the eclectic décor. Obviously familiar with the importance of storytelling in the art of the sale, she explained that many of the decorative elements had been chosen by the owners from flea markets around the world.

So, we’ve established that the owners obviously have excellent taste, but what about the food?

We ordered a salad to share; the Heirloom tomato with frisée and bacon. I was looking forward to fat slices of bright red tomato, so perfectly ripe in the late summer. And I figured, having just had one from my own garden, that their storied rooftop garden would surely produce something as delicious. But when the salad arrived, it was a little disappointing. There was too much frisée, a few small chunks of tomato, and only a hint of bacon. You can save any dish with more bacon! It was wanting in every way. As I tried to eat large pieces of frisée elegantly (not possible, by the way), I longed for the tangy tomato of my dreams. At $12, I could buy two lbs of heirloom tomatoes…organic ones at that. I’m just saying.

I hoped for the best with the Steak Frites ($18). Because, how can you go wrong with steak and potatoes? It arrived, perfectly seasoned, perfectly medium (the way that I like medium, anyway, not going to get into that old debate), and with a side of a delicately creamy béarnaise in a silver-plated sauce boat to pour as little or as much as you like. The fries were crisp, without a trace of grease, and I must admit they were dipped frequently into the béarnaise. Because fat on fat is so darn good.

A note about the dinner service: While the beautiful are certainly a welcome addition to any room, sometimes, as in dating, choosing beauty over skill is a big mistake. I got the distinct impression that our server would “rather be modeling.”

So they have the story down: the eclectic flea market finds, the rooftop garden, the antique bar from an old Seattle mansion. But are they too in love with their own tale–like a date who talks too much without letting you get a word in edgewise?

Do I want a second date, you ask? Yes, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt here, because, well, it WAS a first date, and there were definitely a few very high notes among the missteps. And as with any new relationship, only time will tell.

Bastille Cafe & Bar, 5307 Ballard Avenue NW 

Thea Nyberg is a homegrown Seattle girl, a mom, a writer, a caffeine addict with a wicked sense of style who has an aversion towards her growing celebrity and is a contributing writer for Miscelaney.

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I guess no one ever does expect unexpected endings. Sad news for the local restaurant scene and I for one will be holding my own memorial service for this Seattle fave, at least in my mind. Although the restaurant has only been open since January of 2002, the cool, proud, curvasiously-shaped brass bar has been the playground to many of my most memorable martini moments.

While I wasn’t a huge diner at Oceanaire, I did claim my share of bar stools at the ever-revolving cocktail/oyster bar. And that was before I started working across the street from my favorite purveyor of the perfect martini. Seriously, the guys behind the bar shook the meanest, and coldest, martinis I’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming. And half-priced oysters at happy hour? It doesn’t get any better than Grey Goose and fresh oysters after a long day. Not in this little girl’s world.

 Their service was as outstanding as their blue-cheese-wedge-salad-with-bacon. I can’t count number of times I’d drag my shattered self across the street for a sip of sanity after a ridiculous day, and the staff’s friendly faces would greet me with a familiar hello and ask how my day was. And the thing is, they really seemed to mean it. 

Sad, sad news indeed. From the interesting people I’ve met at the bar to the fishbowls of vodka I could have literally drown myself in (the martini glasses were indeed the size of a small swimming pool), I will miss this Seattle staple. Thank you Seattle Oceanaire for a great seven years of fresh seafood, sublime service, and expert mixology.  Me and my tini-drinking-posse will surely miss you all.