Taprock Northwest Grill - NE Liberty Road, Poulsbo, WA

We've been to Taprock at least five times now with mixed reviews. The food is hit or miss, but the service is usually friendly.

During our most recent trip, we were mostly let down. I was really looking forward to breakfast...particularly for the Dungeness Crab Cake Benedict. My wife ordered up the Daily's Smokehouse Bacon & Eggs. The first thing we noticed was that the portions seemed much smaller than our previous visit (which isn't a bad thing...we could all use smaller portions). My first crab cake was fantastic; the poached egg was perfectly done. The second one had some issues. Instead of a poached egg, I had a hard-boiled egg. Obviously, this was not what I wanted so I informed the waiter. At the same time, my wife noticed a small hair in here potatoes and kindly let the waiter know. He was more than accommodating and quickly put us in for another order. The manager came over and let us know that the meal was going to be on the house which was nice but not necessary (I know how hard it is to correctly poach an egg and hair happens). Instead of getting a whole new order, my wife asked for just a side of bacon which she enjoyed. My new order of crab cakes came out (this time with potatoes instead of the fruit I wanted, but hey, at least I got more crab cakes) and was better. One poached egg was fantastic, the other was a little sad...the yoke was outside of the white.

All in all, the food tasted fine and the service was very cordial. I don't know if we'll go back, maybe after a few months or so. The menu is so tasty, but these little issues keeps me from recommending the place...I really wish they would get it together.

Havana - Granby Street, Norfolk, VA

I've been to Havana a few times now and each time has been great. My most recent trip was tonight, and as always, it lived up to my expectations.

In the past, I've always ordered the Pork Osso Bucco which is always fantastic. The meat has always been cooked to perfection and the cherry reduction with the asparagus is truly nice. Tonight, however, I decided to try something different. I went with the Pulled Pork Tostadas. I was uncertain if it would live up to my trusty "go-to" dish, but I was happily satisfied. The tostadas come resting in an ample serving of tasty black beans and rice and the pulled pork is so succulent. After trying two of the restaurants main courses and listening to my groups "oo's and ah's" over their meals, I'm convinced there is not a bad choice on the menu.

I'm not a fan of Norfolk, but when I have to be there, I definitely make a trip to Havana. I can confidently suggest this place for groups or couples alike.

The Loft at Latitude Forty Seven Seven - Front Street, Poulsbo, WA

We went to The Loft on a whim, wanting to try something new as always. This place has been here for awhile now, but for whatever reason we just had not made it here.

The day was sunny and the temperature about 65° and The Loft offers a fantastic view of Liberty Bay. They have outdoor and indoor seating. The outdoor seating offers umbrellas for those needing a little shade. On the evening we went, they even had live music which was a sort of "mash-up" of easy listening and indie folk.

We started off the meal with calamari. It was pretty basic, however, I was not a fan of the batter and/or oil it was fried in. I couldn't place my finger on it, but something was off. Our main dishes consisted of my Prime Rib Dip and my wife's Gyro. Neither of us considered our meal spectacular, but rather ordinary. For items which are traditionally hand-held meals, they were overly proportioned demanding that you use utensils to finish them off.

Overall, I would recommend this place for those who want to really enjoy the view but aren't too picky about their food. It would also make a nice place to hang out with a group of friends over drinks.

Paella Bar - Front Street, Poulsbo, WA

Tonight, my wife and I decided to try the new tapas bar in Poulsbo after our movie (Dinner for Schmucks). We enjoyed a variety of their many tapas. To start off, we selected the Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates, Bacon Wrapped with Balsamic Reduction and the Seabass Skewers with Salsa Verde & Roasted Pepper Coulis. The dates were rich and full of flavor. The seabass was tender and light. Both dishes were delicious! Next up was the Potato Tortilla with Artichokes & Aioli which I thought was a little bland, but my wife (who loves artichokes) liked it. The fourth dish was the Honey Baby Back Ribs. The sweet sauce was tangy and you could taste the caramelized honey throughout. We intended to stop there, but each dish was so nice that we decided on two more...the Smoked Paprika Rubbed Beef Tenderloin on a Crustini & Aioli and the Garlic Prawns. The tenderloin was a little small in portion, but very savory. The prawns were the hit of the meal. The buttery garlic sauce they were bathing in was fantastic. After all that we had to try a dessert and my wife allowed me the privilege of something chocolate...the Chocolate Tort with a Caramel Sauce and Gray Salt. I could have used a little less salt, but it does offer a nice contrast in flavors.

With a very nice wine selection and delicious tapas, this place is a welcomed addition to Poulsbo. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light meal or appetizers.

Kona Brewing Co. - Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, HI

I travel to Oahu every once in awhile. When I'm there, I try to make it to the Kona Brewing Co. for my favorite IPA. Their Castaway IPA is one of the best I've ever had. It has that nice "hoppy" flavor that I look for in IPAs. On this particular visit, I tried the Imu Pork Sandwich. The pork is so flavorful and the BBQ sauce is wonderfully sweet. It goes perfect with a nice beer. I also chose the Green Papaya Slaw to go with my sandwich. It was an interesting taste. It combines the freshness of the fruit with a spicy ingredient that I couldn't put my finger on. The result is very nice.

All in all, this is the place for great beers and delicious food. I highly recommend it.

Sirens - Water Street, Port Townsend, WA

My wife and I decided to have a quick bite and a drink for lunch after spending the day in the sun visiting Port Townsend. We'd heard of Sirens and decided it was worth a try. The restaurant is upstairs and has an outside area overlooking the harbor. We were lucky enough to find a spot out there so we could further enjoy the rare sunshine. Up until now everything seemed fine. After about five minutes a waitress stopped by to see if wanted a drink or a menu. I'm pretty patient and attributed the delay in service to the crowd of folks enjoying the sun like we were. So, after an additional fifteen minutes, we received our menus. I started to notice that everyone around us seemed to know each other and the staff. That in itself isn't a big deal, but when the service spends all their time catering to the locals, visitors like us get left out.

The food was average at best. I had the Jamaican Jerk Burger and my wife had the Cobb Salad. Both were fine, but not great. They have a fair selection of beers...one to cover each of the main categories. I tried the IPA, which I enjoyed.

All-in-all, I wouldn't recommend this place. There are lots of other places in Port Townsend with better service and food...look for those places.

St. Clouds - 34th Avenue, Seattle, WA

The staff of St. Clouds are very cordial and helpful. We originally booked a reservation for eight and at the last minute needed an additional two seats. It was easy and no fuss was made about it. Our party consisted of three little ones under the age of six, which I thought might prove difficult with a refined menu, but an assortment of kid's plates offered an appetizing selection for each of them.

My wife and I shared the Coconut-Bathed Fresh Local Mussels. They were great...not chewy or tough like mussels I've had at other restaurants. The taste of fresh basil and garlic really enhanced the flavor of the dish. For my main course, I decided on the St. Clouds Steak Dinner. It was a perfectly cooked New York strip seasoned nicely and topped with a dollop of creamy butter. The asiago cheese polenta and green beans were also excellent. My wife enjoyed the Campanelle Pasta Saltimboca. As usual, I stole several bites from her plate which served my taste buds well. The pasta was cooked right and the chicken and prosciutto added that extra flavor combination that finished the entree off impeccably. Other dishes selected by our group included the a special fried chicken which was had a buttermilk and honey batter, and the grilled fresh salmon with a smokey tomato vinaigrette. No complaints there!

Overall, St. Clouds lived up to the easy going, well-cooked food I'd heard about. I definitely recommend this place for groups or intimate nights out.

Portage Bay Cafe & Catering - Terry Ave North, Seattle, WA

At first, I was a little worried that we would have to wait a long time for a table, but my wife and I were seated after only five or ten minutes. Yay! On our way to the table we passed the toppings bar which consists of fresh fruits, nuts, butter, and syrup. It looked so inviting. The seating area is a little crowded and noisy so, if you're looking for an intimate breakfast for two, this is not the place for you. They are able to accommodate pretty large groups which may make breakfast with lots of you friends a nice experience. I watched several of the people nearby enjoying their food. Everyone, adults and children, seemed happy and pleased with their meals.

We ordered orange juice and coffee while we looked over the menu. The orange juice tasted fresh and the coffee was nice. I especially liked that their coffee mugs have big handles...I hate those little dainty cups that only allow the tip of your index finger and thumb to be useful. Everything sounded great. It was hard to choose. I had made up my mind before choosing this place that I wanted pancakes, but after seeing the Dungeness Crab Cake Benedict I quickly changed my tune. Thankfully, my wife ordered the Swedish Pancakes and I was able to have both my desires satisfied. The crab cakes were fantastic. The hollandaise sauce was creamy and smooth, and all the flavors complimented each other very well. Having ordered pancakes, my wife was able to select an assortment of berries from the toppings bar. I think every single berry that found it's way into my mouth was perfect. The ligonberry butter for the Swedish Pancakes was extremely tasty.

Overall, I thought Portage Bay Cafe was a hit. I definitely recommend it for breakfast and I'll will be making many more trips there in the future.

Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant - 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA

The outside of the restaurant is a little plain. It's pretty insignificant to look at from the street. There are no windows to see inside or to offer natural lighting in the dining area. The inside is somewhat small and gets a little stuffy after awhile. Seating is rather unusual. There are small, round tables around the perimeter which have small poufs on one side and bench seating on the opposite side. If you sit on the bench, you're leaning over the table while you eat...if you sit on the pouf, the table is a little high and you seriously work you core muscles during the meal.

After you order you meal, which is served in five courses, the waiter will rinse your hands with water in a large basin. They provide a white, large towel for your napkin which was a slightly odd but strangely convenient. I personally did not mind the hand washing or the towel napkins.

My meal consisted of Traditional Lentil Soup and Salads Marrakesh. The soup is served in a small bowl that you sip from. It was fine. The salad is served on a large platter to share with your group. Using the bread to scoop and sop up the salad turned out to be fun for me but not so much for my wife. If a fork will make you feel more comfortable, all you need do is ask and the staff will kindly provide one for you. The third course was called B'stilla Royale and consisted of a ground meat filled pasty dusted with powdered sugar. It's sounded peculiar, but it tasted sweet...I liked it. For the main course, I ordered the Tagine of Lamb M'Rouzia. Delicious! I also tried my wife's Tagine of Chicken with Honey and Prunes which was also very nice. The meat is cooked to a very tender perfection. Finally, the dessert came. It was a sort of coconut pudding/yogurt and a hot Mint Tea. I was not a fan of the pudding/yogurt, but the tea was tasty.

For entertainment they offer a traditional belly dancer. She interacts with the patrons, asking if you'd like to dance with her. It's a little distracting, but I think it added a fun touch.

Overall, I think the place would be great for a group of four or more. The food is reasonably priced and good.

The Beginning

My wife and I love eating good food and often try local restaurants. I've decided to start sharing the ups and downs of the places that satisfy and insult our taste. I'm going to start by listing a few of our favorites. If you have a chance, give the following a try:

Full-screenAl Boccalino Ristorante - 1 Yesler Way, Seattle, WA

Andaluca - Olive Way, Seattle, WA

Campagne Restaurant - Pine Street, Seattle, WA

Canlis - Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA

Cafe Juanita - Northeast 120th Place, Kirkland, WA

As we try more places, I'll post my thoughts on the food, service, and atmosphere both good and bad. Stay tuned!