FAIL: Salvatore Ristorante Italiano

We really want to like Salvatore. Really, we do.

It's just up the street from our house, and it's quiet and intimate, and one of our favorite cuisine genres: Italian. But after two attempts to fall in love with it, we have added it to our "won't come back here" list of restaurants.

Complaints:

• A painfully long list of specials, listed for us in excruciating detail by the server.
  
• Vague smell of stale cigarettes
• Really? You're going to put the cloth napkin in my lap for me? Really? Is that what we're doing?
  
• My caprese was swimming (swimming) in a sea of olive oil.
• My carbonara had traces of identifiable undercooked egg white. No thank you. I want a smooth, cohesive sauce.
  
• Michael was super excited about his Argentinian beef dish, but he tasted nothing but gorgonzola goo that was drenching the entire plate.
  

Ultimately, the bar is set pretty high for Italian food in Seattle by both Monkey Valley and Bizarro's. We have not found an improvement on their chill atmosphere, amazing food, reasonable prices, and incredible service.

Sorry, Salvatore. It wasn't meant to be.

Love,
Jean

Homegrown Cherries

For the first time in four years we noticed a few ripe looking cherries our tree on the curb on 4th of July Weekend. Those dratted birds didn't get them this year! Michael busted out the ladder to harvest them. We are pretty much farmers.



We didn't get a ton, but they were sweet and warm from the sun and very delicious. Hope there are more next year!

Belltown Pizza, Again

After Riding the Ducks in 86 degree weather, we were need of a cold beverage and some dinner, preferably served outdoors. We chose Belltown Pizza of course.

For starters we each ordered a small caesar salad, which I highly recommend. It's one of the tastiest I've had, and seems never to fall prey to the typical complaints I have about caesars. The romaine is always crisp, never wilty. The dressing tastes fresh and homemade, And the croutons are toasty and dry, never hard or stale. And who can argue with fresh ground pepper, and the requisite slice of lemon? Very well done!

We also enjoyed Stella on tap, and ordered up that that delicious pizza with goat cheese, tomato, prosciutto, mushrooms, and fresh basil. So tasty!

And all this was served to us as we sat on First Avenue, just watching Belltown go by.

Dick's Burgers

What better snack is there for a girl on summer afternoon than some Dick's Burgers in Wallingford with a cute boy? Nothing better. Double yumski!

Pancakes al fresco?

There is a house down the street with a little table and chairs on the front lawn. When I walked by yesterday on my way to the bus, there was a tiny little girl in a long blue nightgown, with long, messy, just-woke-up hair and she was eating her breakfast at the little table in the morning sunshine.

I only saw the back of her head, as princesses do not wish to be recognized while dining on pancakes.

However, she reminded me of a certain scowly princess who still to this day does not wish to wake up in the morning time until she is good and ready to do so. And she would very much like some pancakes please. You may serve them to me on the lawn.

Libby acquired for us this "julep mint" at the Seattle Tilth Edible Plant Sale last month, and lo and behold it makes a delicious mint julep. It's sweet like candy, and super refreshing with the Jameson's. Can't wait to try it with some American bourbon, or in some mojitos.

El Guapo: Newsflash

Since Michael has begun his rediscovery of the Spanish language, he has informed me that our favorite Honey Hole sandwich translates to "the handsome"! Now I love it even more than I did when it was merely a Three Amigos reference.