allison.scheff's blog

We're in a familiar spring lull. Seems this time every year there's a short stretch of anticipatory time just before several restaurants open, in time for high summer. This year there are several worth watching for, including a major Tom Douglas project and a hidden Ballard spot from Renee Erickson. Here's what you need to know. Read more »

See that over there? That's a Velveeta Éclair. Or rather, Éclair Velveeta; its creators, chefs David McMillan and Frédéric Morin, hail from the legendary Joe Beef in Montreal. And they're just two of the dozens of chefs who'll grace Portland's second annual Feast PDX with their presence. Read more »

The first thing I did after I read the email detailing Maggie Savarino's cocktail menu for Westward this morning was search "how to make vermouth." Read more »

'Tis the weekend when everyone brunches with mom. But if run-of-the-mill scrambles and hotcakes won't do (for mom, or just in general), take a gander at the new, inspired brunch menus at Canon and Rain Shadow Meats Squared. Read more »

If you thought Tom Douglas' recent restaurant domination of South Lake Union meant the big guy was done with Downtown, think again. Read more »

The iconic Belltown corner where Scott Carsberg’s Lampreia lived for two decades (and which later became Bisato) reopened last week as The Lost Pelican. Read more »

I think it's safe to say: Pop-up restaurants are the new food trucks. Read more »

Cody Morris's Sodo nanobrewery, Epic Ales, is a beer-lovers oasis. Tiny, with just a few stools front and center behind which Morris often stands, tasting folks on beer and talking shop, it's the sort of place you really want to succeed, but still don't want to tell anyone about.

Morris makes clever but always tasty brews, many infused with food and inspired by the seasons. Beets, tea, mushrooms, cinnamon, peppercorns, lemongrass; they've all been put to use. Read more »

Talk about a match made in heaven.

The Pine Box is the absolutely stellar, somewhat hidden beer haven on Capitol Hill co-owned by Ian Roberts (one of our 2012 Tastemakers). I love the place, but I'm a beer amateur. So I asked my favorite beer fanatic, Washington Beer Blog's Kendall Jones, to weigh in on the place. He told me this: Read more »

Before we get to the part about Canlis getting rammed by a big old construction truck (it's true! And everyone's fine), let me first tell you about Aardvark Food and Juice Bar. Dan, the owner, could be the nicest guy you'll ever meet. Read more »