A Culinary Tour of Seattle

I'm back from my trip of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I had never been there before and was surely not disappointed. Seattle is a thriving metropolitan city surrounded by the majestic Cascade Mountains. On a clear day you can even see Mt. Rainer. It's also the home of Starbucks, Microsoft and the place where Grunge rock began. I was visiting my very good friend, Robert, who made sure that I not only saw the iconic Seattle sights, like the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project, but also the fabulous food/dining scene that Seattle has to offer. 

First stop Pike Place Market, the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country. It's a destination for not only tourists but it's also a bustling market for the locals. Located in the downtown district overlooking the Puget Sound, Pike Place Market is where you will find everything from recently caught Dungeness and King crabs, Kumamoto oysters, fresh local vegetables and meats to antiques and even tulips (as I was informed of, Seattle is the second largest producer of tulips in the world!).

Just a few steps away, across the street, is where I found the very first Starbucks, where the Pike Place roast originated...and of course I had to try it, even though I've had it before. Isn't it always better when you get it right from the source? But Seattle has more to offer than just Starbucks coffee. I love it, but I can get that at home. I wanted a new Seattle coffee experience. Next time I suggest you try Zoka Coffee, an artisan coffee and teashop recently voted 2008 Macro Roaster of the Year. Luckily, you can order it online (see link below).

As they say, when in Rome...I was on a mission to eat locally as much as possible and that's exactly what I did. The restaurants Robert chose did not disappoint from Cafe Campagne to Quinn's. Here are some of the highlights:

Our first dinner was at Restaurant Zoe in the Belltown district. I enjoyed fresh Alaskan halibut with local Washington state asparagus as our side dish. Now, it's not like you can't find Alaskan halibut in New York (Halibut is found in both the Atlantic and Pacific), but I knew this Alaskan fish wasn't shipped 3000 miles to reach my plate. I was lucky that we had time to take a side trip to Vancouver, British Columbia. Even in Canada eating locally was still on my agenda, right down to the Arctic Char and Fanny Bay oysters at one of Vancouver's top restaurants, Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar. With only one day left in Seattle, for our last meal it was back to Pike Place Market to Matt's in the Market. The menu changes all the time and they feature at least two seafood specials. Although it didn't specify which type of wild salmon on the menu, it was the obvious choice for me. 

I know I just scratched the culinary surface of Seattle, because there are so many great restaurants in every neighborhood from Belltown to Tangletown. Sadly my trip was only five days, but it was definitely a gastronomic delight. My trip proves that you can eat healthy, even on vacation, especially when you stick to the best local food the city has to offer. I can't wait to go back!!! 

Nutrition:

Both Salmon and Halibut, are cold water fish rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids. They are very good sources of protein, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamins B12, niacin, and B6. Not only are they low in calorie per ounce but also the cardiovascular benefits alone should be reason enough to add these fish to your diet.

Pacific Oysters are a very good source of protein, Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. They are also a good source of Vitamin C, Riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorus. Be careful though, oysters are also high in cholesterol (1 medium oyster has 25mg).

If you are planning a trip to Seattle check out these restaurants:

www.restaurantzoe.com, www.cafecampagne.com, www.quinnspubseattle.com, www.mattsinthemarket.com

Also: www.pikeplacemarket.org  and www.zokacoffee.com

In Vancouver check out: www.bluewatercafe.net