allison.scheff's blog

The Southern restaurant from Heather Earnhardt we've been anticipating since spring (read more here) is finally, finally open. And what a tasty-looking menu! We can't wait to get our hands on an Auntie Annie biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, bread & butter pickles, mustard and honey ($7.50). Read more »

At any food festival, there's the big, daytime tasting event. Usually wineries and restaurants, serving up little sips and bites, very similar to our own Taste Washington. Read more »

My first meal at Lampreia, Scott Carsberg's epic, nationally praised fine dining restaurant which lived in the space that Carsberg's Bisato now calls home, well, it must've been in 1999 or 2000.

Back then--as now, though perhaps less-so--Carsberg's reputation for perfectionism--along with a firey temper--preceded him. Read more »

Hello, hello. Master of the Obvious here to report that Bravo has just "revealed" that Season 10 of Top Chef will be located in Seattle. Herm... I think a little birdy might've broken that news earlier this summer?

The show debuts November 7th at 10pm. And naturally, first thing I did when I got the press release was search the lineup for a local cheftestant. Read more »

Often we talk about the restaurant industry, and it's understood that we mean the line cooks and chefs, servers, restaurant owners, farmers, purveyors, bussers, dishwashers and so on. Less so, peripherally, the media that covers them. Read more »

It seems there's a lull every late summer, a time when only a couple of restaurants open their doors. Makes sense: Most hope to open before the big summer eating rush, a time when profits can almost double thanks to extra seating outside, and extra drinking to toast blue skies and sun-kissed skin.

We're just coming out of that lull and we're now on the verge of another swell of restaurant openings. Here are a few of the restaurant's I'm excited about. Read more »

And the award for best pocket neighborhood goes to....? Read more »

Nope, you're not having déjà vu: Thierry Rautureau was indeed on Season 2 of Bravo's Top Chef Masters. And now comes a promo proving The Chef in the Hat is returning to compete on Season 4, which premieres July 25th. Read more »

Not only do south-end eaters have the just-opened Cafe con Leche (aka, the reinvented Paladar Cubano) serving up Cubano sandwiches, and the slick-looking Sodo Kitchen at Starbucks for new lunch options (not to mention my longtime standbys Maruta Shoten and Hudson Diner), now there's one more place to check out: The Blu Read more »

Listen, Seattle sweet tooths: Give Neil Robertson a break! His Crumble & Flake has been selling out of scones, croissants and cookies in mere hours (sometimes in just 1 hour!) every day since it opened a few weeks back. Read more »