Argentinian Cuisine!

ASADO, TACOMA WASHINGTON 
Now I am not being bias because I work at the sister restaurant Masa, but ASADO is the best pace to get an amazing glass of Wine and grab some gourmet grub.  I have to say that their lunch menu is so eclectic that even if a picky eater walked in they would be able to find something delicious to eat.

I started off with the Diablo Martini.  A delicious concoction of Habanero infused Finlandia Vodka, Passion Fruit Puree, Pineapple Juice and Grenadine.  It is the perfect balance of spicy and sweet so for those of you who don't like spicy the citrus and acid from the pineapple and passion fruit will calm it down so you can enjoy more than one.

We started off with the always delectable Chorizo Corn dogs with Dijon Mustard and honey ketchup.  A little spicy from the Chorizo but huge flavor in the batter.  You have to wait for the Chorizo to cool down but when it does....fireworks in your mouth!  A must have starter to every meal.



Now I usually dream about food In general but this dish leaves drool puddles on my pillow.  Quinoa Pollo/Marinated Chicken Bowl.  This AMAZING dish contains Chicken, diced avocado, fresh roasted corn, minced jalapeno and balsamic reduction.  I am so impressed that every time I have this dish they make sure it is always cooked to perfection.  ASADO is always dishing up the best food, and the service is top notch as well.
http://asadotacoma.com/
2810 6th Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98406
(253) 272-7770

Breakfast, My almost favorite meal.

MI CASA

TACOMA WASHINGTON

Lately I have been on this health kick.  I started by not eating fried food then moved to no more fast food.  Lately I have been cooking more at home instead of going out.  This morning I woke up and saw the sunshine and started craving an omelette. I started cutting all the veggies and in the middle of it I decided to try and see if I could poach an egg.  Now first off I would like to thank YouTube for making this possible.  I have never successfully made a poached age in my life, and thanks to watching one video from a gentlemen from down under, I was able to make almost two. 

This delicious breakfast consisted of first laying down baby spinach leaves then adding some fresh veggies that I sauteed.  I used zucchinis, broccoli, fresh garlic, onion and baby portobello mushrooms.  I then had my first attempt of making poached eggs and I succeeded, after they were done I placed them over the veggies and added a couple shakes of Tabasco, perfection.

1022, I LOVE YOU!

1022 SOUTH
TACOMA, WASHINGTON
How do I start this blog without completely making a fool out of myself?  If you are a Craft Cocktail lover among enjoying amazing sandwiches and snacks then this is the place for you.  Every time I walk into this establishment I have to bring a towel to clean up all the drool that accumulates on the table from my envious mouth of every cocktail that leaves the bar.  It is a small hole in the wall bar on hilltop and you would not expect to find what is behind the walls.  An amazing maybe 25 person room filled to the ceiling with homemade liquors, low lighting and quiet conversations.  Now the cocktails maybe a little more than what most people are use to paying but the time and effort that goes into each cocktail pays for itself.

Our bartender/owner Chris Langston is hands down a genius.  The new summer menu it out and he once again has outdone himself.  As I sat down at the table I knew exactly what I wanted, House of Leaves.  A drink that my friend had purchased the week before.  A surprising cocktail considering what is in it.  It is a little earthy, fresh and ends with a sweet kiss of homemade grenadine.  It contains vodka, lime and basil.  Now I don't know if he sings the basil to sleep at night or if he hand picks it from the Garden of Eden.  Either way this drink goes down like a sand hill hooker.



House of Leaves

Now just because this is a Craft Cocktail Establishment doesn't mean they can't dish out some amazing food also.  I was pleasantly surprised by the menu and what it had to offer my grumbling belly.  Now I had the 1022 Muffaletta Sandwich with comprises of Nicoise peppadew tapenade, applewood smoked ham, hot coppa, finocchiona, gruyere, fresh mozzarella.  Indeed it is a mouthful of words that most people wouldn't think of comprising into a sandwich but who has two thumbs and is craving one right now....THIS GIRL!  IT is also accompanied with a small baby spinach salad with what I believe was a balsamic vinegar to cleanse the palate for more delicious drinks!  http://www.1022south.com/



1022 Muffaletta



Slammin Salmon

MI CASA
TACOMA, WASHINGTON
I decide every once in a while that I need salmon, and I need a lot of it.  My favorite dish to make is this brown sugar, mustard and almond encrusted sandwich.  It takes about five minutes to prep and 12 to cook, so if your in a hurry and want something delicious you are in the right place.

I know there are a lot of debates about using Farm Raised (FR)/Wild Caught (WC) fish but I always use WC. As the FR get fatter you are actually getting less protein per bite and less Omega 3-s than in WC, but most of the wild salmon spend most of their lives on farms before being released into the wild.  The farm raised are given protein pellets that are mashed up fish and fish oil, So they are feeding fish with fish.  Personally, the color and texture is better in Wild Caught so that is why I buy it. 

I start out by making sure all the bones are out of the fillets then follow by rubbing them in olive oil, salt and pepper.  I put them skin up in the oven for six minutes on 395.  I take them out after six minutes flip them over to skin side down then proceed to cover them in the glaze.  Now I personally have never measured out how much brown sugar vs. mustard goes into the glaze, I just add it until it gets to a room temperature maple syrup consistency.  I start with about a cup of brown sugar add Dijon mustard, a couple shakes of Tabasco and half a lemon squeeze.  You can make as much or as little as you want.

I then add almond slices and put back int he oven for another six minutes.  When it comes out some of the almonds might be a little burnt but it just adds more texture and color...

The way that I enjoy it the most is on a lightly toasted deli roll with a healthy slather of goat cheese that has also been warmed when toasting the roll.  I then add a healthy hand full of the still steaming salmon onto the roll but alas it is not done yet.. it needs color.  The one trick that is up my sleeve is baby spinach.  Baby spinach adds such a freshness and explosion of color to any meal...

The final product is a winner every time.. You can never go wrong with leftovers either...

Speaking of leftovers, look what i had for breakfast the next day... A broccoli and salmon over medium egg confection... it started as an omelet and ended up with me licking the plate...  I swear this is the fastest and such a delicious meal that everybody has to try it.