Coriander Mexican Restaurant

She Said:

When picking a good Date Night spot, there are several things one must consider - whether it's a First Date, or a 4,211th Date:

1. Ambiance: Does the restaurant have character? Does it have a fun and friendly vibe? So many restaurants we venture out to are stuffy and stale. The better the ambiance, the more relaxed one can feel, which helps enduce positive interaction and conversation.

2. Food: The food should be good. Bottom line.

3. Service: If the service sucks, you're left feeling bitter. Nothing ruins a Date Night like bad service.

4. BONUS: Activity/playful hook. Whether part of the meal/restauraunt (think dinner theatre), or built into the theme of the restaurant (crayons and place mats), it's always a plus when there's that little something extra that makes the night memorable.

Lucky for us, we found a local place that embodies [almost] all of the above! Coriander Mexican Restaurant, located in the heart of Bournemouth Town Center.

When Brett and I moved to the UK from the US, one of our expat friends warned us that there was a shortage of true Mexican restaurants in Great Britain. Now, there are countless Spanish restaurants, but Spanish is NOTHING like Mexican.

TRUST. ME.

So, when Brett and I saw that we were living a mile away from an authentic Mexican dive, we were PUMPED!

While it's no Azteca, Coriander Restaurant has charm of its own. Upon entering, you are overwhelmed with that south-of-the-border vibe (see #1 above!).


Sombreros hanging from the walls and from the gaudy chandeliers - up for grabs to wear whilst dining (see #4 above!).

Brightly painted walls and artwork stimulate the senses, while the staff greets you with open arms as you walk through the door (see #3 above!). The place is always packed, so reservations are highly recommended.

Upon being seated, you are given a bowl of crayons and a blank place mat, and are promptly encouraged to impress your date with your artistic talents (again, #4 above!). Brett and I are terrible artists, so we typically end up playing "guess what I'm drawing" the whole time. And we almost always lose.

The menu is chocked full of traditional Mexican offerings.

The only thing missing is a taco salad, but I'm not complaining. While there is quite a selection, the food isn't amazing. HEY, you can't win 'em all.

So, 3/4 of the above bullets ain't bad. Coriander is a lively and fun date spot, where you're sure to have a great time, plenty of laughs, and hey - a tequila shot never hurt anyone!

Hasta luego!

xo
Mandy

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Flying Fish and Shakespeare Date Night

Flying Fish and

Shakespeare Theater

He Said:

Flying fish, flying fish, flying fish where do I start with you?

For those that have been living under the proverbial rock for last few years, South Lake Union is going places, and going places FAST! In the four short years that I’ve resided state side, I’ve been amazed to witness it go from industrial, boat repair wasteland to Paul Allen, SLUT serviced, glass bathed fun-land.

With new whiz-bang and funky building popping up every day, Amazon setting up shop in and it becoming a world-renowned hub for bio-tech companies, the flood of business and residential investment has opened up scores of opportunities restaurateurs and daters alike.

One of the more famous, or should I say infamous restaurants to open up in South Lake Union has been the relocation of Belltown icon the Flying Fish. On the corner of Westlake and Thomas, while I wasn’t able to patron the old location, it did come well reviewed so I expected good things from the flash new restaurant. We had driven past it a few times not long after it opened and it seemed to always be jammed to the rafters so when the opportunity came up for a date night there, i jumped on it.

The first thing to strike you about the new Flying Fish is the ultra modern design that you’ll find synonymous with South Lake Union. With a clubby-esk feeling bar and a large open space for seating my first impressions were pleasing. Dismally though, this was the high point for the Flying Fish. The large open seating space I mentioned is unfortunately jammed with 5 too many tables. We really felt like we were on top of the other patrons and this was exaggerated further when Mandy’s right side neighbour had what I think was a hilarious coughing fit. Usually Mandy and I are all for dinning in close proximity with other patrons as it somehow makes it more intimate, but this doesn’t work at the Flying Fish. The bright lights that they employ and the echo of a new building take away the romance.


Decor aside, the next sticking point for the Flying Fish is the service. I’m not sure if the management there has access to interweb and Yelp but it seems to be a common problem for them there. We waited 20 minutes for our order to be taken and half an hour at the end of our meal for our check to arrive. The salt in the wound for Fishes was again the large open room we were in. For 20 of the last 30 minutes we were able to stare head-on at our waiter as they chatted away on the side with their work colleague. Frustrating much? This all could be washed away though with a good meal but alas the Fish let us down yet again. While it wasn't bad, it was definitely not worth the trouble.

After the disappointment of the Flying Fish, our night turned for the better as we headed up to Seattle Center and Seattle Shakespeare Company’s rendition of Chamber Cymbeline.

It was my first encounter viewing one the bards' performances and while I’ve never been a Shakespeare kind of bloke, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. Shakespeare rates highly on the romance scale so you’ll be doing yourself a favour by booking some tickets, lads.

I’ll admit that I’ve put this off for a while now because I didn’t think I’d ever understand the poetic nature of the speech. I was worried I’d look quite the fool talking about the play afterwards and not know what the bloody hell happened.

Well I’m happy to report that after 20 minutes or so you actually start to understand what the actors are talking about and genuinely appreciate the show. The Seattle Shakespeare company puts on a great show as well with fantastic set design coupled with an intimate theatre. A great finish to the evening.

Cheers!

Brett

RATINGS:

Flying Fish // 300 Westlake Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 // (206) 728-8595
Shakespeare Theater // 305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98109 (in the Center House) // (206) 733-8222

Romance: Flying Fish: 2 // Shakespeare: 4
Cool Ambiance/Interior: Flying Fish: 3 // Shakespeare: 3
All Around Service: Flying Fish: 1 // Shakespeare: 3
Cost: $$$ = entrees from $14 - 22
Would we recommend it? Flying Fish: For a working lunch, yes. Very cafeteria-like. // Shakespeare: YES. Very fun and artsy.

Betty is BOMB.

Betty Restaurant

She Said:

Okay.

If any of you know us, you know about the miserable time we had at Crow on lower Queen Anne. Could be because we were seated behind the door so the waitress forgot about us. Twice.

Could be because it took us 3 hours to eat, and not in an Elemental @ Gasworks sort of way.

Or could be because the food just WASN’T good. (Peas floating in chicken broth for $8... No, but thanks for thinking of us.)

Probably was a combination of all three.

So, you can imagine our apprehension when we were looking for a place to have a bite for last week’s Date Night, and the only place without a 20-minute-plus wait (Emmer&Rye, we’ll be back!) that we hadn’t already been to was Crow's sister restaurant, Betty.

But, we were starving, and decided to give it a try. We’re equal opportunity diners, and don’t judge a restaurant by its siblings. Okay, we do, but we shouldn’t.

Because Betty.Was.Fabulous.

From start (the secret entrance, open floor plan, large picture windows, and our ADORABLE 60s inspired waitress) to finish (an appetizer, two entrées, 3 beers, unlimited bread paired with the most amazing olive oil/balsamic mixture for under $70!), we were blown away. And we went in already hating the place, so this was impressive ...

We started our culinary adventure with the tomato heirloom plate ($12, and worth every cent), which according to the sign out front was “back by popular demand”.

And thank GOD it was, because it was phenomenal.

A medley of ripe and sweet tomatoes, doused in olive oil, basil, and goat’s cheese - it was a welcome twist on the Caprese salad – but I’ll tell you, goat’s cheese kicks mozzarella’s ass in any competition, and Brett and I all but licked the plate clean. We had to have thirds on our bread to sop up all the deliciousness. And our waitress was more than happy to oblige!

Brett and I decided to share our mains – he the pan-roasted chicken fingerling potatoes, roasted garlic, & natural jus ($17) and me the catch of the day, which today was salmon ($25). Both were phenomenal! Although the salmon was a little over-cooked, the garnish made up for it – roasted peppers and vegetables covered in some sort of delicious gravy. I don’t even remember... I think I blacked out while eating it it was that good.

We both finished our plates with happy faces and full bellies. Our waitress came over and chatted us a bit, and all we could do was sing to her our praises of this place. She laughed because she had heard before that Betty was the reigning champion of this restaurant family.

Our only regret? Not trying her out sooner. Especially since she’s just up the hill from us. Definitely recommend. Not necessarily the most romantic of restaurants, but the food shined like few restaurants’ do these days. We’ll certainly be back, those heirloom tomatoes have too strong and sweet a siren song for us to stay away for long.

RATINGS:
Betty Restaurant
(206) 352-3773
1507 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109

Romance: 3

Cool Ambiance/Interior: 3

All Around Service: 5 - our waitress was AMAZING!

Cost: $$$ = entrees from $14 - 22

Would we recommend it? 5: Yes! And can we come with you?

Double-Date-Night At Belltown’s Best Kept Secret!

January 30, 2010
Assaggio Ristorante

She Said:

Every time Brett and I have guests in town, we just have to take them to one of our favorite restaurants, Assaggio Ristorante. We just love it, and love to show it off to visitors.

So, with the arrival of our fabulous house-guests April and Steven, two of Brett’s best and long-time school mates, we knew exactly where to take them!

We decided to make it a double-date-night, since April and Steven were also just recently engaged!

We’ve spent many an enchanting evening at Assaggio, but have never blogged about it.

Until now.

We just can’t keep it a secret any longer.

The four of us arrived around 8pm to an overly crowded entryway. There must have been about 25 people standing around waiting for a table. No problem! We found a spot at the bar and sipped on a few drinks while waiting for our table. While waiting, we were asked at least twice if we’d been helped [the staff here does all they can to make sure their guests are attended to]. We were seated promptly at our reservation time (8.15), coats and umbrellas taken from us and hung up to dry.

Looking around Assaggio, you feel transported to Italy.

[Just check out the art on the wall above Brett in this photo!]

The detail in the decoration, from beautiful murals on the ceiling to extravagant chandeliers and lighting… it all blends together perfectly to make you feel as though you are actually in another world. Not only in the atmosphere, the bustling hustle of the wait staff (who is always prompt and helpful), and the decor, but also apparent in the friendliness of the staff. I think we heard, “enjoy your meal” from at least 3 of Assaggio’s employees as we were walking to our table. You truly feel as though they want more than anything for you to have an amazing time.

Our waitress was great. It was clear that it was busy and she was stretched, but she answered all our questions with patience and grace, and even repeated ALL seven specials for us after having already told us once before. After all was said and done, she ended everything with an “It’s my pleasure.”

And the thing is, I believe her.

We each ordered off the specials menu, so I can’t promise you’ll get any of the food we got. And I’m sorry for that. Because it was all beautiful.

From the garlic-infused olive oil and bread we started with, to the crisp white wine that paired perfectly with everything, or the antipasti platter we ordered to fill the gap in our stomachs before dinner. There was no platter on the menu, but the waitress told us she could scrounge something together, and it turned out wonderful. Meats, cheeses, olives and breads for us 4 to share.

The mains were exceptional. I had the salmon with strawberries [an unexpectedly fresh combination!], Brett and April both enjoyed the beef risotto, and Steven had the seafood linguini. They were all amazing. Good sized portions, thoughtful flavor combinations, well worth the price.

To end this perfect meal, we each shared a plate of canolis. I’ve never EVER tasted anything better in my life. They were amazing.

Assaggio never fails to disappoint.

Great food, great wine, great ambiance, GREAT service, great company, great conversation.

You walk away from here knowing that you always have somewhere to go if you just want to feel the comfort of some authentic Italian food, friends, and family.

Because truly, when you’re at Assaggio, you feel like you’re part of the family.

Benissimo!

He Said:

Mandy's done a great job here wrapping up the Assaggio experience. Seattle has a lot of great Italian joints but for me this is the one.

To add a little to Mandy's review, I'd like to note that Assagio is fantastic anytime of the day.

I luckily work in the building adjacent and have spent many a wonderful lunch hour enjoying there menu. I've never been let down yet!

The service, food, wine and ambiance is consistent every time. Do yourself a favor a get down there ASAP!

Cheers,
Brett

RATINGS:

Assaggio Ristorante
2010 4th Ave
(Between Lenora and Virginia on 4th in Belltown)
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 441-1399

Romance: 4

Cool Ambiance/Interior: 4

All Around Service: 5+

Cost: $$$ = entrees from $14 - 22

Would we recommend it? 5: Yes! And can we come with you?

El Gaucho? More like El Awesome!

January 7, 2010:
El Gaucho

She Said:

Two beautiful words: El. Gaucho. What comes to mind when you hear these words? Does your mouth begin to water thinking of the most succulent steak you've ever tasted? Do you picture the dimly-lit interior, thick with intrigue and mystery, almost like you've stepped onto the streets of the 1920's--or the streets of Disneyland... Or does the world-class experience and amenities - complete with Valet parking, coat check, spot-on service (not to mention the Cigar Room) come to mind?

If you've answered 'all of the above', you've clearly spent an evening at what is considered the Northwest's Steakhouse Legacy.

Brett and I were fortunate enough to spend last week's Date Night at Belltown's El Gaucho. I know, this doesn't quite fit into our "Not spending money until after our wedding" vow, but we received a gift card from a dear friend of ours for Christmas, and HAD to spend it. Neither of us had been before, and were desperate to go. So now was the perfect time!

We made 8pm reservations, and arrived to find the dining room alive with a piano and bass playing in the corner, a wait staff dressed to the nine's, and fellow diners who were all clearly enjoying themselves as much as Brett and I were, and we hadn't even sat down yet! All we need is live piano and we're happy!

We started with a couple of Redhook ESBs ($6ea) ... sounds normal, right? NO! For some strange reason, these were the BEST Redhook's we've ever had in our lives. As we were enjoying our beers, we decided on an appetizer and some mains. To start, we shared the Steamed Clams in Wine Butter Sauce ($11), and for our mains, I ordered the Crispy Seared Chicken with wild mushroom corn ragout ($24), and Brett ordered the Mixed Grill sword ($28) and we shared the Grilled Portobello Mushroom side ($8) and the Sauteed Spinach ($8).

When the clams arrived, we DEVOURED them! They were so good. We ordered a bit of garlic bread to soak up the last bit of juices too, we couldn't waste that taste! Highly recommended.

The mains arrived shortly after.

(The timing on the food was like a dance-we never noticed when our dishes were cleared, it was so smooth!) My chicken was AMAZING, and I especially enjoyed the corn ragout. There was a bit of basil in it that made the flavor pop like nothing I'd ever tasted!

The Portobello was amazing (but I am OBSESSED with Portobello!) and the spinach was good (perhaps a bit too acidic), but the real star of the evening was Brett's Sword (he loves it when i say that his sword stole the show!).

The chef comes out with big chunks of meat on a giant metal stick (meats included lamb, beef, ostrich, and pork sausage) and cooks it there in front of you, using brandy, and a whole lot of skill.

There was fire everywhere! It lasted about 5 minutes and was quite a show! Brett devoured it, saying it was the best ostrich he'd ever eaten! I even tried it, and quite enjoyed it!

At the end of the meal, our waitress brought us a complimentary fruit and cheese platter, with the smoothest Roquefort cheese we've ever tasted... along side apples, pears, oranges, nuts, crackers, and dates. Was the perfect way to end the night of amazing and appreciated over-the-top flavors.

We headed back out into the night--after the gentleman at the coat check helped me with my coat--high on an amazing dining experience that we won't soon forget. We highly recommend hitting up El Gaucho for a special occasion, if you are looking for an evening of romance... enchantment... and a hell of a good meal.

RATINGS:

El Gaucho
Neighborhood: Belltown
2505 1st Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 728-1337
www.elgaucho.com

Romance: 5

Cool Ambiance/Interior: 5

All Around Service: 5

Cost: $$$$ = entrees from $22+

Would we recommend it? 5: Yes! And can we come with you?

Seattle Date Night: Noodles and Pinball!

October 1, 2009:
Noodle Ranch and Shorty's

He Said: Belltown and quality are synonyms. Arguably the capital of Seattle’s restaurant scene, the place is full of varied and wonderful restaurants. With that, the age old saying “you get what you pay for” is definitely the norm.

It categorically draws a different crowd compared to other Seattle burrows. Check out my Big Picture post for a definition on "wankers"!

I digress. One Belltown restaurant very must against the norm mentioned above is the Noodle Ranch on 2nd and Bell. Bringing together a flavorful and fresh menu at a price that doesn’t require your last three pay slips and pre approval, the Noodle Ranch is conveniently located in the heart of Second Ave’s restaurant and bar cluster.

I got to know it well when I first moved here on a night the lads and I invented called “Suicide Wednesday”. I highly recommend this for people new to the area. Basically it involved going out on the lash on Wednesday nights ultimately with one person "committing suicide" by not turning up to work the next day. Bloody ripper of a night! Anyways, we’d always kick off in this area.

[Me and Mandy at Noodle Ranch!]

For my meal, I enjoyed the lemongrass chicken ($9) and Mandy had the Vermicelli noodles with chicken ($9). Both fresh, flavorful and filling. Back that up with a couple of great beers on tap and you’ll enjoy a 5 star meal all round.

[Vermicelli Noodles/Lemongrass Chicken]

After tea, we headed right next door to a bar call Shorty's. Shorty’s stands out from the crowd due to its extensive array of pin ball machines! With a room dedicated to the classic entertainment device, they have machines dating from way back when they were first invented through to the modern marvels with all of bells and whistles. The last time I played a pin ball machine was the Top Gun machine at our local fish n' chip shop back in '85, so it was a nice piece of nostalgia. A nice way to round out a tame (and inexpensive!) datenight.

Lastly I want to give a shout out to my good mate Will who suggested this datenight. Ask for him at the Noodle Ranch and he’ll look after you.

Cheers, Brett

**Shorty's is cash only, so be sure to bring some! They have a change machine, too, so you can snag quarters to play all night long!

RATINGS:

Romance: 3: Not the most "romantic", per se, but VERY fun and different! Great unique interior at both locations!

Cool Ambiance/Interior: 4 (see above)

All Around Service: 4 Noodle Ranch was great! Shorty's isn't known for their customer service...

Cost: $$ = entrees from $8 - 13

Would we recommend it? 4: ABSOLUTELY! It's a fun and affordable evening, and if you're left with extra quarters, perfect for weekend laundry!

Seattle Date Night Idea!

Next time you're digging for something fun to do on a random date night, why not try out some swing or salsa dancing?

What? You don't dance? Not a problem!

Century Ballroom (located upstairs in the Oddfellows building at East Pine and Broadway on Capitol Hill) offers a plethera of dance lessons, for all skill levels, shapes, and sizes!

[source]

Whether you want to try your hand at swing dancing (Sunday and Wednesday nights, lesson from 9p-9.30p, dance from 9.30p to 1.15a) or salsa (Thursday nights, lesson from 9p-9.30p, dance from 9.30p to 1.15a), $7 will get you a beginners' 30 minute lesson and entrance to the dance afterwards!

Plus, right next door to the ballroom, you'll find the CUTEST little restaurant called the Tin Table, where you can nibble on grilled stuffed eggplant rolls ($7), some thai pork ribs ($12), or sip on their world famous ginger mojito ($9) to build up enough energy (and nerve) to keep your dance partner on his/her toes for the entire evening!

[source]

If you have some time, too, after dinner and before your dance lesson, be sure to head downstairs (follow your nose towards the smell of freshly pressed waffle cones) for some of the most amazing (and interesting!) ice cream at Molly Moons, who is famous for her handmade (and hormone free) ice cream ranging in flavors as simple as vanilla bean, to as eccentric as balsalmic strawberry or salted caramel!

[source]

Click HERE for Century Ballroom's calendar of events.
Click HERE to check out the Tin Table.
Click HERE to check out Molly Moons.




(PLUS! If you are an old dancin' pro and interested in advanced lessons, Century offers several series, which include myriad dance styles, like swing, salsa, the walz, tango and more! They even offer private lessons, if the group thing isn't your gig. Check out their website for more information!)

Seattle Date Night: Iron Elemental

June 5th, 2009:

Elemental @ Gasworks

He said:

Furnished with cheap Ikea furniture. Plain white walls and dark grey, well overused (especially in Seattle), exposed pipe industrial ceiling. Strictly no flash photography, seating for 13 people and a location that Google maps even struggles to find! Sounds shite as my Scottish grandma used to say! Elemental is definitely an experience. More like an event rather than a restaurant. A place to let go.

This week was Mandy’s choice for date night, and choose wisely she did. I’m going to throw it out there early, this was bloody fantastic!


[Dressed in our finest, ready for the experience!]


Elemental @ Gasworks in Fremont is actually part of an apartment building. Specifically designed to be found only by those who want to find it, you wouldn’t even know it was a restaurant until you walked inside.

No reservations, no menus, no choices, no worries mate. When owner Phred Westfall seated us he asked simply “Is there anything you don’t eat?” I quickly said no and Mandy noted her dislike of red meat. The experience begins.

Not for the faint hearted, Elemental decides what you get, when you get it and what to wash it down with. For us, it was eight courses of exceptional food and well matched wines.


[Asparagus Vichyssoise]


[Turkey Dolmas]


[Pork stuffed Chilies w/Corn, Cotija, Potatoes]


[Sesame Crusted Albacore w/White Salad]

I’d have to write a novel to cover off all of the courses, and the menu changes regularly anyways but this service was an explosion of flavors from around the world including various meats, pastas, cheeses, pastries and wraps. It almost felt like the judging part of one of our favorite TV shows Iron Chef. Heavily influenced by the sub continent, the whole encounter was over three hours long, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it all, and take a taxi! Small glasses aren’t in Phred’s repertoire.

Their website says “an eclectic culinary endeavor” and it really is. A truly unique experience in Seattle.

Ah, and a bit of fun if you’re a wannabe food wanker like me and Mandy. Try to guess what ingredients and flavors are used in the meals. You can make a good little drinking game out of it!

Cheers,
Brett

Ratings:

Elemental @ Gasworks
Romance: 5
Cool Ambiance/Interior: 5
All Around Service: 5
Cost: $$$$
Would we recommend it? 5+: THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!

She said:

I thought, instead of adding to Brett's fabulous review above, i would put together a short list of things you should know about this place before heading out. Number one, though, is don't be intimidated by it. It's not that sort of place. It may seem mysterious, even pretentious to a degree, this secret Seattle sweet spot, but it's not. There are, however, some things i want you to know before going, so that you can have the amazing experience we were lucky enough to partake in!

Things to Know Before going to Elemental:

1] Reservations? No. No reservations accepted. Really, you can only call ahead and ask if there will be a table opening up soon (206 547 2317). It's all about luck and timing. They also can't accept parties larger than 6 people. HOWEVER...

2] They recently opened up a small spot next door to the main restaurant, called E.N.D. (Elemental Next Door) which offers more seating, the same food and wines, but a less prolonged experience (you can pick and choose from the menu, instead of relinquishing control) so the turn around there is quicker. They also offer over 100 different wines for only $15 for a half bottle. All wines are the same price -- it evens out in the end. You can either choose to eat here, or hang tight and sip on some wine until a table opens up next door.

3] Parking: Park at the West side of the Gasworks Park parking lot. Free. HOWEVER, we highly recommend, after our night here, that you take a cab. We weren't expecting to be drinking as much as we did, but it wasn't our choice! Phred is a master Sommelier! And he loves to share with you massive amounts of wine (i counted 12 glasses each during out 8 course meal!)



4] Location: Located in an apartment complex behind gasworks park. So, after you've parked, walk north across the street and head UP the stairs amidst the brown apartment/condo complex. You will take about 2 flights and it will be there on your left. Hidden, simple, classic.



5] If you are the type of person who is an extremely picky eater, who likes to have control over what you order for both food and drink, and who wants to be in and out in an hour or so, do not go here. Head next door to E.N.D. where you can pick what you want. BUT, if you are wanting an amazing experience where you can sit back and relax, not have to think or worry about a thing, and are willing to be surprised by amazing dish after amazing dish, then this is the place for you.

6] Before you go, have a [small] snack. Do NOT come here starving. We waited about 20 minutes before we were helped. It's a slow process. But it's worth it. And trust me, when you leave, you will be stuffed! So. Much. Food!

7] If you are in a hurry to get to a movie, a show, a birthday party, a brisk, your great aunt June's Tupperware party, ANYTHING, do not go here. The entire meal (8 courses, remember!) took close to 4 hours. It was literally like a show... Act after act of amazing performances, constant surprises, oh, and tons of wine!

8] You don't get a menu. You don't get to order. You simply tell Phred if you have any food allergies, or if there is something you don't like. And he takes it from there. It helped me to look at the online menu before coming, to see if there was anything (stomach, brains, liver) on there that i could NOT eat. Luckily, the food isn't anything too overly weird! The menu changes weekly, too, so be sure to take note of that.

9] There is no flash photography (which is why there are so few photos on this post) which i learnt the hard way. Sorry Phred!

10] When you are served wine, don't dilly dally with it. Drink it. Because Phred will come and replace it with a new glass of new and fabulous wine, even if you have not finished. Every wine he brought us worked like magic with the food it was paired with.

11] Just when you think that you have had enough food, they bring you more! And it's even better than the previous dish! Course after course after course. Finally Phred had to ask us, "Are we getting full"? as Brett and i are moaning and aggressively rubbing our bellies!

12] You are offered a cheese plate as well as dessert (Which, as full as we were, we of course still opted for... we love our cheeses!) which is NOT included in the fixed price... we didn't know this until we got the bill at the end. But fear not, it is so worth it. You HAVE to end with cheese and dessert, especially because Phred brings you both a red and a white glass of wine with the cheese plate, and with the dessert, he pairs it with the most delicately sweet white dessert wine, that i seriously could have drank an entire bottle of!

13] Expect to spend about $150. The 'fixed price' is $40 each person, and with 8 courses, it is a STEAL for what you get. The wine was $50 for both of us for the entire evening. i have no idea how, i felt like we drank the whole of Italy after leaving there. Add the cheese and dessert, and the entire meal cost us $154.

14] Oh, and they don't allow tipping! There isn't even a spot on the credit card slip for it. These two charge what they have to to get by. They love to showcase their amazing talents and amazing food, and your pure enjoyment is their reward. You gotta love that.

15] Lastly? Expect no other restaurant to ever live up to this place. Basically, it's all downhill from here!

For a GREAT article on this fine dining establishment, read this. And this. Oh, and this too.

Thanks Phred Westfall & Laurie Riedeman! We had an AMAZING time!