Etta's Seafood Restaurant - Seattle, WA

We wanted to eat one place, but they were closed. We did a search on our phones and choose another restaurant, went there, and they were closed too. We walked back and forth slightly confused on what to do when we asked one of the guys in the fish market where to go and he lead us to Etta's with raving reviews. 

I had actually heard about the restaurant before getting to Seattle but it must've slipped my mind so when I heard mention of this place I was excited. While it is located in Pike Place Market, my experience was not all about just location, it was about nice ambiance, friendly service and good food.

I wanted to try a little of everything so I started with the Creamy Clam Chowder. Creamy was not the only word to describe it, it was Clam Chowder turnt up. The bacon was a typical addition you would expect but when you add parsley oil to that it is taken over the edge.

It was random and didn't fit into what I was eating but I ended up ordering a glass of Sangria. Theirs comprised of white wine and peach. It was cool but I felt it could have been more awesome and it just wasn't.

My boyfriend stuck to his burgers and had Etta's Double Double Burger. He seemed to really love it. It wasn't a typical burger and they added a few little twist that made it interesting.

I overheard the waitress at the next table hyping up the crab cake so I decided ordering the Dungeness Crab Cakes would be a good choice. It was all crab, light and crispy! The wheatberry salad was great too and I was very happy with the basil green goddess sauce that tied it all in and added a light, subtle flavor to it all.

I was stuffed but still I had to order dessert. We choose the Coconut Cream Pie. It was creamy coconut goodness but then there was the crust. It was too hard to cut through and just kinda ruined it for me.

On the most part, I enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere. The only complaint I had was that immediately after receiving my soup, the entrees were brought out so my main was just sitting there for quite some time while I finished my chowder and me no likey that.



Etta's Seafood Restaurant

Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar - Seattle, WA

Seattle is a is a large city with a lot to see, eat and do and in your case that may very well include people (for me it didn't). 

As a tourist, most if not all of your time will be spend Downtown. That is where the Pike Place Market is located, most shops, and the waterfront.

If you are a hippie, bohemian or just straight up weirdo, you will love Freemont.

As popular as downtown is, you can't go to Seattle without a visit to Queen Anne/South Lake Union, even if it is just for the Space Needle. During my stay in Seattle this is the area where I resided. 

My first day in the city was a pretty long one, so I wanted to have dinner at a place that was nearby and ended up finding a gem called Seastar Seafood Restaurant and Raw Bar.

Without a reservation, my boyfriend and I were seated in the bar which was no problem since some place try to just kick you out without one. We were hungry so we ordered a starter, but my boyfriend doesn't really do the raw thing, so we started with the Fireworks Roll. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The rice and fish were yummy and more importantly fresh.

My boyfriend ordered the Cedar Plank Roasted Wild NW King Salmon and it was fabulous! It came with citrus rice but he was afraid the citrus would be too much so he substituted for mashed potatoes. The sides were fine just not all that impressive but the salmon was outstanding. It was cooked just right, seasoned just right, was just right!

I ordered the Seafood Cappellini, mostly because I wanted Penn Cove mussels and Manila clams and this was the best way to be able to order both. The saffron creme was great but the seafood spoke for this dish. I love, love, loved the Penn Cove mussels!

I would have ordered dessert but our waiter went MIA towards the end of the meal and when he finally came to our table he simply handed us the bill and walked away with no mention of a dessert menu so we missed out on that, but as long as that waiter didn't exist, I would wholeheartedly recommend Seastar for superb, fresh seafood.



Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar

The Pike Pub and Brewery - Seattle, WA

After a 5 hour flight, bus to rental facility, and enduring a long line/process to get the rental car, my boyfriend and I finally made our way into the city and we were famished. Not knowing anything about the city, we headed to Pike Place Market with hopes of finding something to eat. Not knowing who, what or where we asked the guy at the information booth to lead us to a locals spot where we could get a beer and some fish. He recommended that we go to The Pike Pub and Brewery since they specialize in beer and the best Fish and Chips.

It was right around the corner from where we were, so that was a plus to my hungry tummy. My tummy was a little pissed though that there was a small wait when get there and talked my head off the entire time. While we waited for our table to be called I observed the restaurant and the impression I got was that it was reminiscent of a chain restaurant. I know that it isn't but it just felt like a BJ's Brewhouse not a local spot.

It is a brewery so I wanted to try a sample of their beers and ordered their flight. Obviously some I liked and some I didn't (based on personal preference) but this is definitely the way to go on a first visit.

My boyfriend ordered the recommended Pike Halibut and Chips. It was pretty tasty mostly due to the quality of the fish. The Kimchi coleslaw was noteworthy too.

I had the Wild Salmon Sandwich. The fish was cooked amazingly. I also appreciate that the lemon caper aioli wasn't too tart or overpowering. I didn't however find the salted bun necessary when paired with salty potato chips.

At the end of the meal, my conclusion was that the food was solid and overall The Pike is a good introduction to tourist of the city. If that is not reason enough surely the beers will be!



The Pike Pub and Brewery

Visit Savannah: Tybee Island Social Club - Tybee Island, GA

Located about 30 minutes outside of Savannah, we ventured outside of the city to Tybee Island to spend the day.

Our first stop on the outing was a visit to the Fort Pulaski National Monument. The park itself was fairly large but the Fort only covered a small portion. Even though we only visited the fort, there are many other things you can experience here. This was one of the more interesting and interactive forts I have been too.

After that, we were hungry and headed to Tybee Island Social Club for lunch. It was a fun, laid back and beachy atmosphere complete with a live Bluegrass band playing. Our server was a sweet girl who made efforts to interact with us. 

For lunch I ordered the Zissou Taco (Marinated seared tuna, horseradish aioli, arugula, cucumber pico on a warm pita). All the ingredients were notable fresh and overall it had a light and refreshing taste.

My mom had has The Club's Shrimp and Grits. It was cheesy, flavorsome deliciousness. 

My sister had the Crab Cakes. It wasn't lump crab meat but was all crab and not that filler crap restaurants are always trying to serve people. It was truly lightly bread and fried as stated on the menu. It had a nice crispy outer crust.

After lunch we headed straight to beach which was just a walk across the street. As someone from the islands, I wasn't impressed. The water was black and my niece got stung by a jellyfish but we did enjoy some fun in the sun and other must have too beach the beach was packed with people.

Tybee Island Social Club
1311 Butler Ave Tybee Island, GA 31328
(912) 472-4044
tybeeislandsocialclub.com

Visit Savannah: The Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant - Savannah, GA

Exploring River Street in the evening, we decided to have dinner at a nearby restaurant, but when we got to the restaurant we selected, it was empty and that turned us off (especially on such a popular street), so we decided to go someplace else and for one reason or another ended up at The Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant.

The Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant reminded me of basically any chain restaurant. Against my better judgement, it was probably better suited for mass alcohol consumption than a real meal but it was packed so it seemed like a good decision at the time. Right off the bat, the service was horrible. We were waiting for a table when we saw one open by the bar and asked if we could be seated there. The guy at the front said yes and then disappeared like he was going to get the stuff to clean the table and never came back. When we finally got someone else to seat us, and endured slow delivery of the drinks and food, we realized we were never given utensils to eat with. Bottom line, service was slow and disorganized. 

The Seafood Scampi was acceptable. It definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and at least I can say the shrimp in the dish was good. 

The Teriyaki Char-Grilled Chicken had a descent tasting sauce but the chicken had no seasoning what so ever, but the good is that it wasn't dry. 

After dinner was better, River Street is a cool spot (literally) to immerse yourself in the tourist experience of Savannah equipped with gift shops, Wet Willies and street vendors.

The Cotton Exchange Tavern & Restaurant
201 E River St Savannah, GA 31401 
(912) 232-7088

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen - French Quarter - New Orleans, LA

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen has been a staple in New Orleans cuisine for such a long time that I felt that it was worth checking out and what better time than COOLinary to experience a sampling of their food. One thing I say when dining out in New Orleans is never leave home without a reservation. No matter how long the line is or how empty the restaurant, it is imperative and they will try to deny you without one.

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated in the second floor dining room. I liked it a lot better than the first floor since it was a little more open and offered better lightening. The feeling of the restaurant was the typical New Orleans vibe. It was a lovely setting!

Service at the restaurant is very professional and well organized. Not much of a a personal rapport was established, but we were given attentive service. I never felt rushed and I welcome that fact the a little bit of time was lapsed between courses allowing me to digest a little bit. Be aware that if you are a COOLinary diner, you will have to request the menu.

Dinner doesn't start without a cocktail (at least that's what I say), so I ordered a Pomegranate Martini. This was a fabulous martini with the right balance of alcohol and sweet. It was very refreshing on a hot summer night!

My appetizer selection was the Fried Green Tomatoes battered in seasoned cornmeal and layered with sauteed fresh shrimp in a chipotle remoulade sauce. The tomatoes itself were a little lackluster and I definitely wasn't into the thick batter however the shrimp was titillating on my tongue.

My friend had the Gumbo. It was satisfying if you never had Gumbo before but to compare it to others at different restaurants, it was only fair.

After that little tease, I was ready to eat. I had no hesitation to order the Shrimp and Andouille Creole. It was a tasty dish comprised of fresh ingredients and great flavor. The tomato sort of overpowered the delicate flavors of the shrimp and rice but the Andouille shined through. The veggies were so unimpressive they distracted from the dish.

The entree of choice for my friend was the Pan-Fried Flounder with Herbal Brie Cream. The fish was fresh and well prepared. The batter again was a little thick but the sauce was wonderful and made the dish.

After dinner I was stuffed so although dessert was already ordered, I was not not really looking forward to it. Don't know how I did it but I found some room in my stomach for a slice of Sweet Potato Pecan Pie (some of it). It was heavenly! The Pecans definitely add a necessary element missing from from plain Sweet Potato Pies. I liked that it was sweet but not deathly sweet and the chantilly cream was ooh-wee!!

To take advantage of trying another option we also ordered the Bread Pudding. It had more of a pudding consistency that a lot of other bread puddings. It was good but again in a city where almost everyone serves this dessert it was all right in the scheme of things.

The atmosphere was relaxed, the service was on point and the food was splendid however had I not been dining during COOLinary I would have found the prices to be unreasonable. At their regular prices, I would rather dine someplace else.


K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
416 Chartres St New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 596-2530
www.chefpaul.com/kpaul

Deanie's Seafood - French Quarter - New Orleans, LA

I went to Deanie's Seafood and I just did not like the place. The atmosphere was nice enough. Nothing special but it was clean so that is all the really matters.

The customer service was a bit questionable (lacking). I could ignore that if the food was good but it wasn't.

My niece ordered a pound of boiled Crawfish. The one item they was guaranteed to deliver was over cooked and so the Crawfish tasted slightly rubbery.

I ordered the Stuffed Crab and my sister ordered the Stuffed Shrimp. Not to say it was bad, but it the flavor wasn't very likable. My sister complained that the shrimp was too greasy. The fries and coleslaw it came with wasn't the best either.

My boyfriend had the Shrimp Po Boy and said that the bread was too tough.

I know this is a popular restaurant with multiple locations. It could have possible been an off day but there are too many other places that don't disappoint. 


Deanie's Seafood
841 Iberville St New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 581-1316
www.deanies.com