Lox, Bagels and Schmear – Oh My!

Sara and I go way back. We endured classic adolescent woes together – such things as Jewish summer camp, bedazzled hats, jelly sandals, one piece bathing suits, awkward hair, puff paint, Archie comics, jean overalls, bat mitzvahs, and Sunday school. We enjoyed cribbage games, embroidered friendship bracelets, and lanyard. I have no idea how we ever made it out of those years as seemingly normal adults, but if it’s alright with you, I’d like to think we did end up normal. Kapish?

This past weekend I met up with Sara at the most excellent Jewish deli in the suburbs of Seattle, Gilbert’s Main Street Bagel Deli. It’s located in Old Bellevue on Main Street, and it’s the perfect place to fill the Jew-Food square. The breakfast menu has all kinds of scrambles, French toast, and fruit, but we both went with the obvious: lox and bagels.

The plates were gigantic. We could have probably split half a bagel each, but it wasn’t such a bad thing to have leftovers for lunch. Our plates were neatly bordered in freshly sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, our bagels were warm and chewy, and the lox and schmear are history. Yum! (Yiddish translation: Geshmak!)

We sipped hot coffee and listened to the live jazz at the beautiful ten o’clock hour. Who cares if we were both running on five hours of sleep? It was the perfect place for two long lost girlfriends to reconnect over a peaceful morning breakfast.

If you are in the area, or plan on visiting Seattle, don’t be shy. Cross the bridge over Lake Washington and visit Gilbert’s for breakfast. And if you miss the breakfast boat, don’t fret. The matzo ball soup on the lunch menu is worth a trip too!

The Local Vine

Dear Foodies,

My best friend Megan and I are wine buddies. She’s the wine expert and I am the tag along who will try whatever she orders.

One of our favorite wine bars is The Local Vine, located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The Local Vine’s menu is constantly updated, so you can go be wooed by the culinary delights every time you make a visit.

Aside from the wine, we usually split a few rounds of their tasty appetizers. On our last visit, we shared the Sweet Tomato, Garlic & Anchovie Bruschetta, Moses Sleeper Vermont Brie with Spiced Apple Compote, and the Tumalo Tomme Oregon Goat Cheese with Black Pepper Shallot Jam. We topped the night off with Fig Cobbler (amazing!).

The Local Vine prides itself for local, sustainable, organic, and flavorful food. You will find superb small plates that, as their site explains, are approachable, communal, and wine-focused.

Most importantly, after searching for an entire year, we found a close match to my favorite bottle of wine that we failed to write down the name of on a previous wine tasting expedition. It’s a Cabernet Franc (Sauvion “Les Roches Cachees,” Chinon, France 2008). I can’t find anything like it elsewhere. It’s rich, earthy, smoky, and hosts a hint of tobacco flavor.  It’s heaven in a bottle (ahem, I mean glass). In fact, I bought two bottles. Trust me, the two bottles were against my better judgment, as I was more inclined to buy their entire stock.

I highly recommend giving The Local Vine a visit. It has a more intimate feel than most wine bars. Padded red seats line the front of the restaurant’s floor to ceiling glass windows, and you feel like you are sitting on your couch at home in comfort talking with your best friend. The space isn’t overly large, loud, or trying too hard to be cool. It’s comfortable and classy.

Wine lovers and wine novices alike should make their next night out at this fabulous city jewel.

Issaquah Sammamish and Beyond: Grill Into Fall

Dear Foodies,

Check out my article in this Fall's edition of Issaquah Sammamish and beyond magazine.