I’ll admit it; I’ve not always been a fan of sushi. There was a time when I considered it “bait” and would say things like, “Why would I want to eat raw fish?” Of course it took me actually trying said raw fish to see that I’d looked at sushi all wrong. And this wasn’t even taking into consideration rolls which, I know, most sushi fanatics don’t consider to be real sushi but I’m a little more flexible in my definition. In my initial attempts at sushi dining I always sought out a particular look in a restaurant. My thinking being, that if a place had a certain look then it must be authentic, hence good. But as it turns out a small spot in Wallingford would change my thinking on this. The establishment in question goes by the name Rain.

The restaurant, from the exterior, doesn’t look like much. But inside is a cool, hip, urban sushi joint. The feel is something akin to a beatnik coffee house of the 50s but with Asian decor, raw fish and urban beats bubbling out of the sound system. There was only one server working the floor when I arrived but she was quick to help me. And help, it turned out, was what I would need. After a brief scan of the menu I placed my orders only to find out that some things weren’t available. Fortunately for me though my server was more than willing to offer a couple of substitutions that were of better quality at no additional cost.

The first item to arrive that was also a substitution was Crispy Black Cod ($8.00). Instead of cod I was informed that they had some nice escolar that they could replace it with. Going out on a limb I decided to try it out and I’m glad I did. The fish was firm and slightly sweet with a nicely crisped, pan-seared exterior. Plated along with sautéed cherry tomatoes and baby asparagus as well as some mixed greens the whole dish was drizzled with a sweet ponzu sauce that helped to accentuate the fish with the firm, white flesh.

As I was finishing off the crispy black cod made with escolar a plate arrive with Salmon Nigiri ($2.50), Tuna Nigiri ($2.50) and a Rain Roll ($12.00). I started with the Rain roll which was basically a shrimp tempura roll that was covered in crab salad that was then grilled. Yes, you read this correctly grilled (Or maybe seared). Interesting textures of crispy deep-fried shrimp, smooth avocado and creamy crab salad with crisp bits spotted along the surface were great, when the plate first arrived, but quickly turned soggy. The flavors were fairly mild and the amount of mayonnaise used in total only made the mildness more apparent. Much more appealing were the pieces of nigiri. Large slabs of raw fish flesh perched atop sweet fingers of rice. Each type of fish had its own unique topping. Unifying each was the little dollop of tobiko on each but the tuna also sported a little leaf of cilantro that added a nicely welcome, slightly soapy flavor. The salmon was decked out with a bit of green onion. Both were closer to room temperature than some may like but it was welcome by me on the salmon front as it brought out the oils and fats making the texture smooth and creamy like a pudding. The tuna, while good, was fairly standard issue with its subtle beef-like meatiness.

I spent most of my time at Rain kicked back with sake and a book. This definitely not the feel I usually get when I go out for sushi. While perhaps not the tops in the sushi world if you are looking for a place to go for drinks, conversation and the occasional Japanese bite then Rain may be the place for you.

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This week is rapidly shaping up to be Wallingford week here at Robotic Gourmand. For the second day in a row and the third time in four days I found myself walking 45th Street in search of food. Today I stopped at restaurant whose red painted exterior caught my eye last night on my way back from my warm Mediterranean meal. But the cuisine I was about to partake in originated from the opposite end of the Spice Road, China. The location in question is Seattle and the establishment is named Moon Temple Restaurant.

I’ll say this right off the bat, the place reeked. Somewhere between moth balls, bug spray and furniture polish lived the odor that hung thick in the humid, interior air. There appeared to be only one person servicing the dimly lit dining area when I arrived, nevertheless I was greeted promptly and shown a seat. I tried to ignore the odor by scanning the menu and while my receptors grew, somewhat, accustomed to the smell I found that I never became completely immune. With my water poured and the thought of poor food awaiting me I bit the bullet and placed an order for Spicy Salt & Pepper Prawns ($9.50).

Improbably the dish that arrived at my table was not only beautifully presented but it also gave off the most heavenly aroma. This aroma was one which I was sure to bathe my nose in, with the thought of drowning out the resident, ambient smells. Garlic was the main note I detected and is what give my prawns their powerful kick. Sprinkled atop crisply fried prawns was a spice mixture comprised of red pepper flakes and mostly raw garlic. While initially the spice “crumble” lulls you into complacency with its mildness don’t underestimate its full strength. I chose to order my dinner as three stars (Out of five) and I paid with a sweaty brow, runny nose and burning lips. A little of this spice goes a long way when paired with plump, juicy shrimp that have been fried golden brown in a salty batter. Ringing these golden “sea dragons” were barely cooked florets of broccoli. Still deep green with a little snap, these bits of vegetable corralled the spiciness of the prawns both on the plate and on the palate.

I think I’ve found a good Chinese restaurant that doesn’t require a trip to the International District or a passport. Fresh flavors that are prepared quickly and not overly drowned in hoisin sauce were the key to my enjoyment of the food here. One thing I wasn’t too impressed by was the atmosphere. Also, when looking at my final bill, I noticed I was charged $0.75 for my glass of ice water. So most likely, you won’t find me dining in at Moon Temple Restaurant but you will find me at the door waiting to pick-up my to-go order.

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I’m not sure if I still live in Washington or if I’ve somehow teleported myself to much warmer climes. With the weather as hot as it has been the past couple of days one would think that I’d find a nice air conditioned spot for a review. Someplace that offered a cool salad or similar refreshingly light fare. Instead I chose meat and rice in a small, open-air restaurant that has their grill mere feet from where I was sitting. Hey, I never said I had good ideas, just that I had ideas. Truth be told I was actually in the mood for food that would coincide with the weather. If I had to be hot, at least let me dream that I’m somewhere exotic, someplace other than Wallingford. Well, the atmosphere didn’t do much for transporting me but the food at Palmyra helped in making me feel as though I were dining at some Mediterranean eatery.

The fans were spinning for all their worth as I walked through the door at Palmyra. The waitress was deeply engrossed in a paper, or passed out from heat exhaustion, which one I’m not quite sure, and had to be informed of my arrival. But once the announcement was out of the way I was told to take my pick of seats and she was by my side to serve me immediately. Near the door is where I chose to sit, hoping to catch something of a breeze (I won’t keep you in suspense, it never materialized). With a glass of ice water in one hand and the menu in another I felt it wise to skip the preliminary appetizer and just dive into the entree. Once my order was placed I found it would not be a long wait until food began arriving at the table.

I made my selection from the combination section of the menu opting for the Combination Kabob plate ($15.95). As part of the combination I had my choice of soup or salad. Not being completely unwise I chose cool, crisp lettuce over the hot liquid that is soup. And I was rewarded for my selection. The salad that arrived was comprised of Romaine lettuce liberally dressed in a tangy, lemony vinaigrette dressing that was spiked with minced, fresh oregano and mint. It was a refreshing change from standard issue dressings that most house salads come clad in. My only frustration was with the tiny plate that it was served on. I did my best but for naught as bits of lettuce flipped and flopped off the plate and onto the table top. As I wrested my way through half the salad the main event arrived, the meat. Okay, so it was more than just meat. The combination kabob plate also stars hummus, rice and (A rather large) pile of raw onion. But my main focus were the three meats that lounged placidly on a bed of yellow-ish rice; kafta, lamb and chicken. The kafta was a small, oblong patty of beef spiked with oregano and spices and grilled quickly keeping it moist and flavorful. Sprinkled on top was a combination of spices that I believe included chili powder but know for a fact had clove. The sweet spiciness of the clove gave a unique flavor to the beefy patty. Next in line were char grilled bits of lamb. A crunchy, grill-marked outer crust surrounded a juicy, tender exterior. Very simply prepared these morsels of lamb needed little else. Last but not least were tenderloins of chicken breast that had spent a bit of time on the grill grates themselves. Finished with a garlic-y, lemon-y sauce the mild chicken meat took on a nice tang. While the meat was the main attraction the rice wasn’t half bad itself. Soft, tender and very buttery I found myself shoveling forkful after forkful into my mouth. The hummus on the other hand was odd and tasted slightly sour. I avoided anything more than the initial mouthful. The same goes for the provided pita bread. Tasting more like white bread and having the consistency of month old Silly Putty I quickly moved the basket of flat bread to the other side of the table to think about what it had done. No, this dish should very well have been just the meat and potatoes, er, rice.

So having a big meal of meat and rice was not the best idea on a hot day. I would have loved to have tried a bit of dessert or maybe one of Palmyra’s appetizers but I was already breathing heavy from the heat. While Seattle may not have many hot days; when they do, look for someplace that has air conditioning. That would exclude Palmyra but only on the hot days. For the other three-hundred sixty-two days each year you should plan for some of them to be dinner (Or lunch) at this quaint little Mediterranean restaurant.

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There is not a lot to say about Garcia’s Guadalajara restaurant. I pass nearly every day on my way to work. I’ve known people to comment on the quality for the neighborhood many times. But I’ve never really given them much thought until today. I had decided to walk to Wallingford, since it was such a nice day, in order to expand on the number of restaurants in the area for my reviews. By the time I made it across Stone Way I was hot, sweaty and in need of a glass of water. Garcia’s Guadalajara just happened to be the first restaurant I came across.

Inside I was shocked at the amount of square footage the restaurant encompassed. From the outside it looks like nothing more than an ex-storefront converted into dining space. But in fact the dining area was quite spacious with enough room for a cantina area in the back. It was a little later in the day for lunch so there was only one other table occupied at the time, so I was shown to a seat quickly. Service was fast as it took only five minutes from when I placed my order to when it arrived at my table.

Torn between a couple of menu offerings I decided on the Shredded Beef Burrito ($8.95). What looked like a rather scrawny burrito turned out to be completely packed with tender shreds of slow-cooked beef. While many burrito vending restaurants dilute their offerings with filler of beans and rice, Garcia’s was all meat. Moist and juicy I could taste the tomato sauce it was cooked in along with spices of cumin and chili powder. Over a quarter of a pound of meat was wrapped in a tender tortilla, topped with “Spanish” sauce (Really just red enchilada sauce) and smothered in melted cheddar and jack cheeses. Traditional accompaniments of rice and beans made their presence known by taking up half the plate. The rice was decent though unremarkable and the beans were a little on the runny side.

While, perhaps, not the best Mexican cuisine in Seattle, Garcia’s Guadalajara is the best I’ve tried to date. The shredded beef was reminiscent of what my mom used to make and what I’d make myself, were I not so lazy and decided to take a day to slow cook it. Of course that is probably what makes this burrito from Garcia’s so good; the fact that it’s like I’d make only someone else is making it for me. I’ll have to return soon to sample some of their other offerings, to see if their other menu items are as well crafted.

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It’s not always easy finding restaurants in Seattle. My cobbling together of this website is proof enough of that in my mind. While there are many places that have either great word-of-mouth advertising, large ads in the weekly newspapers or considerable exterior signage, there are some establishments that fade into the background of Seattle restaurant noise. Sometimes it takes a little luck on my part to find these places, both literally and figuratively.

It was some time ago that I first skimmed a review of Veil. Like many of the newly opened, one syllable named restaurants of the time I was intrigued by the menu. But I had so many other places on my list that soon Veil found itself lost in the fray. That is until a couple of weeks ago. What exactly brought them back to the forefront of my thinking, I can’t say but there it was; nagging and tickling to be heard. Maybe it was a lack of truly inspired dining over the previous weeks. Perhaps it was my restaurant sprite at work again, providing guidance. Whatever it was I knew I had to plan a visit.

With the date decided and online maps consulted I headed across the bridge from Fremont into Lower Queen Anne. While I haven’t spent much time in this area of Seattle I felt I knew the neighborhood well enough that Veil would be easy to find. As it turned out I drove past it twice before finally noticing the minimal signage, lower on the building. Once inside and seated I was surrounded by the feeling of being encased in a cloud. The interior decor lives up to the restaurants name giving one the feeling of being shielded or “veiled” from the outside world. Hanging partitions composed of translucent, shimmering fabrics, glass that has been frosted and all around, the color of the dining room was a soft, eggshell white; all these things lent themselves to a feeling of sophistication. I felt a little underdressed in my jeans and white button up shirt. While there was no posted dress code the one suggestion I would have for anyone visiting Veil would be to dress for the experience. This means wear something other than jeans and a North Face pullover.

After treating myself to Veil’s namesake cocktail I skimmed the menu. This was easy to do as it was comprised of only about twelve items total. I decided to start off with the Lobster Salad ($14.00). More a combination of elements than salad arrived bursting with color on the white plate. Lip puckering, tart citrus punctuated mildly meaty, tender lobster. Petite, quartered red and golden beets were interspersed into the amalgamation having been cooked just enough to take the raw edge off. Tender and starchy, the beets, to me, were reminiscent of a sweet potato. Topped with a citrus sorbet the salad was a unique blend of the savory, tart and sweet plus the warm and cold. My only objection would be with the lobster. In my opinion it was a little too watery; almost as if it had been cooked too long or was allowed too sit in the cooking water longer than it needed to.

For my entree I choose the American Kobe Beef Flat Iron Steak ($34.00) to give my dinner a surf and turf feel. As some may recall I had a run-in with a bad flat iron steak a few weeks back so I was a little gun-shy when it came to tasting this dish when it arrived. Sliced thin and topped with large grains of salt the steak blew me away with its tenderness. Lightly streaked with veins of buttery fat the slices were juicy and tender, not really needing the provided steak knife, with a crisp, seared crust. Underneath the steak hid tender greens, cubed potatoes and morel mushrooms; all anchored by a wine reduction sauce. The sauce was thick, syrupy and slightly sweet melding well with the earthy mushroom and savory potato. All this was well and good but it was the addition of the braised greens that really made the dish. Arugula, watercress and basil were combined and cooked to provide an herbal note that initially I assumed was from fennel. The sweet licorice flavor proved a nice counterpoint to salty, juicy, buttery beef.

Lastly is dessert. While typically I only have dessert when a restaurant offers something lemony, I decided tonight to get Carrot Cake ($9.00). It was obvious from the moment the plate was placed in front of me that the chef has a thing for frosting. Comprising the bulk of the dessert it was not heavy like typical cream cheese frosting would be but instead was more of a light custard. Light as air the frosting helped to temper the rich, spiciness of the carrot studded cake, heavy with nutmeg and cinnamon.

To say I was impressed by Veil’s offerings would be an understatement. My personal preferences for food have always revolved around minimally prepared ingredients, letting the raw elements meld simply but to still have an individual presence. Veil does a good job of coaxing out the best of its ingredients without overshadowing them in spice or presentation. Of course this, along with the transformative interior design, comes at a price. Veil is not for the faint of wallet. But for those looking to impress a client, family member or date, Veil is a perfect place in which to do that. Sophisticated, minimal and attentive Veil is one restaurant that has moved from the lost tangle of restaurants, in my book, to my list of routinely visited favorites.

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