What is that visage of Burger Heaven you see above?  It is the ***Kelly Cline’s Secret Squirrel BBQ Burger. I can die a happy woman now that I have had the honor of having a burger named after me.

There is a long story behind this burger… it starts back in the Summer of 2010 (I know… that’s like eons ago!)
Let me start out by saying that over the past year I have become friends with the folks at Blue Moon Burgers, it’s a fun place with fun people and they make a damn fine burger – and I’m a bit of a burger snob.

In fact, over a few weeks I taunted them with my own recipe for a killer burger and brought in a jar of my Secret BBQ Sauce.  Now this is a formula that I have been working on and tweaking since I was 20.  We aren’t going to say the amount of decades that have passed since then, but let’s just say that I am pretty confident that I have perfected my formula for the perfect Sweet ‘n’ Smoky BBQ Sauce.   Whenever I make my sauce, I make it 2 gallons at a time because I end up with my friends lined up with empty jars in hand ready for a refill.

So back to the day I brought in the sauce… they took a taste of it and the look of doubt was wiped clean and they sat there with just a spoon and the jar and literally ate it right out of the jar.  It was good.  I was pleased.  Now fast forward… every couple of weeks I would get an email asking for the sauce recipe, requests that I would deny over and over again.  My sauce is special, it’s my baby… the recipe is Super Secret Squirrel!  No one knows the recipe but me!  Asking, turned to begging… and I gave in and gave them the recipe and they asked me to help create a burger to showcase the sauce.
For Blue Moon Burgers side of the story of this burger check out it out here: March Burger of the Month

After months of back and forth and consulting and tasting (it’s a tough job, but someone had to do it!) we came up with the Kelly Cline’s Secret Squirrel BBQ Burger.
5 ounces of grass fed organic beef patty dusted with my Secret Dry Rub on a grilled Macrina bun, housemade spicy pickles (I like having an extra one on my burger), crispy shoestring onions, melted Muenster Cheese all topped off with a smothering of my Super Secret BBQ Sauce.

The folks at Blue Moon Burgers came up with a March classic Mint Shake (made with their house made syrup made with REAL mint) and some Old Bay Hush Puppies to saddle up next to that big beautiful burger that bears my name. YUMMY!

So what the heck does all this burger talk this have to do with bloggers?  Well… I’ll tell ya!
Blue Moon Burgers will be hosting a “Meet the Puget Hound Bloggers” event at their Fremont Location where I will be hanging out with fellow Puget Hound bloggers.
Puget Hound is a collection of local area blogs that cover everything from Sports, Crime, Food, Events, Music, Arts, local Travel, Dating and so much more.  Come on down and meet some of the other talented bloggers like the man behind Another Passion and the mixologist behind ThirstQuest.

Meet the Puget Hound Bloggers Event at Blue Moon Burgers
Date: March 10th, 2011
Time: 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Where: Blue Moon burgers in Fremont – 703 N 34th – Seattle, WA 98138
Why: Meet ‘n’ greet the Puget Hound team and have some fun

For more information about Puget Hound and Blue Moon Burgers:
Puget Hound
Blue Moon Burgers

Follow Puget Hound on Twitter: @PugetHound
Follow Blue Moon Burgers on Twitter: @bluemoonburgers
Follow NommyNom on Twitter: @nommynom
Follow me on Twitter: @kcline

***Despite the name, there is NO squirrel in this burger.  The name comes as a reference in homage to an old late 1960’s cartoon.  Everything that has ever been secret in my life since watching this cartoon as a kid has always been referred to as “Secret Squirrel”

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned for this article, except a free burger or two (which makes my ever expanding hips weep)

When I first went to Allium Restaurant, I went to check it out and to taste the food of Chef Lisa Nakamura.  Chef Nakamura has an impressive culinary pedigree having worked in places like Thomas Keller’s French Laundry to Chef de Cuisine at The Herbfarm.  She recently took over the space that used to house Orcas Island’s Christina’s.  It had been a couple months since she had opened her doors to Allium Restaurant so seemed like a good time to hit the San Jauns and see what’s cooking.  What I did expect was good food, what I did not expect was to have my heart so touched by such gorgeous food and gracious hospitality that it would fundamentally change the way I want to write about Chefs, their food and their restaurants forever.

Be forewarned: This is a long post, it is picture heavy and it covers two separate days, a month apart eating some of the most delicious food grown, produced, prepared and served by some honest, very humbly talented people.

I don’t want to write reviews or be a nasty food critic.  That’s what places like Yelp! are for and let’s face it the world could do with a little more positivity.  What I want to do is to showcase the people and places whose food tastes great.  Those folks who work hard to support their communities and put their hearts into what they do.  This is not about writing fluff pieces, because I won’t do that.  This is about sharing with you my personal experience, honestly and openly.  After my first meal at Allium, my resolve to write this way has been cemented for good.

My first trip to Allium was in early August.  My second trip almost a month to the day later in September.  Now I am making plans to go back to Orcas Island for a 4 day stay in late October.  What keeps drawing me back?  The grand natural beauty of the island, the wonderful people and the food being lovingly prepared by Chef Lisa Nakamura at Allium.  And yes, her food really is that good.

On my first trip up I went with my friend Cristie.  We stopped off to meet the good folks behind Once in a Blue Moon Farm, Shana and Zach.  They treated us to a farm tour, something that is worth sharing with you a little later because they are doing wonderful things up at the farm.  All the walking around their historic farm worked up quite an appetite.  So we wrapped up our visit, purchased some of their amazing eggs, apricots and elephant garlic and headed up to Eastsound for our lunch.

The drive up to Eastsound is particularly lovely, with forests and pastures spread before you  golden and green.   When we arrived at Allium Restaurant, we were warmly greeted and taken out to the sunny deck.  It is a perfect setting nestled at the northern end of the sheltered Eastsound, for which the town was named.

We sat taking in the gorgeous view when Chef Nakamura came out with two gorgeous Champagne Cocktails.  At this point I somehow knew we were going to be well taken care of and I left the decision for the rest of the meal in her skillful hands.  And let me tell you, I did not regret this decision at all.

Our first dish she brought out a little treat of foie gras delicately placed atop brioche, made in house by Pastry Goddess Anna Harlow, which was on top of apricots grown on Orcas Island sauteed with a hint of cardamom and star anise.  It was filled with rich, buttery tastes and textures.  Hints of spice, caramel and soft whispers of apricot lingered on the palate – it was all I could do to control myself from picking the plate off the table and licking it clean.

Next we shared plates of Littleneck Clams and Roasted vegetables with Alliums signature Onion Jam.  The clams were caught in Mud Bay off the coast of Lopez Island, one of the neighboring islands in the San Juans.  They were briny sweet, succulent and juicy, the clam liquor also helped to poach local corn cobs and potatoes from Black Dog Farms on Orcas Island.

The Roasted Vegetables were so full of flavor and perfectly roasted, oh but that Onion Jam for dipping the vegetables!  It feels like I am doing the beautiful vegetables an injustice by swooning over the Onion Jam – but it was so delicious.  Sweet, oniony, a hint of herbs and a little tang of vinegar made it pure heaven.

Next up for us were seared Royal Trumpet Mushrooms with Chef Nakamura’s infamous gnocchi bathed in a glorious fava bean sauce and finished off with a touch of white truffle oil.  It was magical.  Gnocchi that was lighter than air in a sauce that looked heavy, but was so surprisingly uplifted by the use of fava bean paste that you felt like you were being spoon fed by angels on a cloud.

We finished off the meal with  several tastings of the dessert offerings made my the hands of Anna Harlow.  We had a Mango Cheesecake served with an Orange Lilikoi Sauce.  Think of mango and cream cheese dancing together while a symphony of passion fruit and fresh orange play a lively little Summer tune.  A perfect bite.  We also enjoyed an Ice Cream Sundae, with a homemade cookie shell, boozy little cherries and a homemade caramel, it was like being a kid all over again, but I don’t remember the Ice Cream Man’s offerings to ever be this satisfying and delicious.  Being absolutely stuffed, I  took the Chocolate Pudding Cake on the road home so I could share with my guy who was missing out.

It was time to wrap up our visit with warm farewells, needing to get down to the ferry terminal in time to ride home and wanting to stay longer.  But I vowed to return to bring my guy back with me so he could experience the wonderful food that was laid out for us today. On the ferry ride back I lapsed into a food induced coma, lulled by the soft listing of the ferry and a happy tummy I dreamt of returning to Orcas Island to visit and, especially to eat.

Upon arriving home I forced Rasmus to sit and listen to me rattle on and on about how great the food was and how amazing and gracious a host Chef Lisa was.  He was already sold and wanted to know when we were going to return.  So I started making plans to go back up in September.  We had a whole month to look forward to our San Juan Island adventure.  Only this time we had another guest come along with us, Chef Robin Leventhal, former owner of the delicious restaurant Crave, awesome road trip pal and season 6 contestant on Top Chef.  And no… she did not make Chef Lisa pack her knives and go home.

The rain poured down.  The morning was cold and blustery in Seattle, and for the entire drive to Anacortes.  It looked like we would be dining in the dining room, that Summer was really gone and Fall had fallen on us like so many raindrops of that morning.  We managed, by some miracle, to catch the ferry that we thought we were going to miss out of Anacortes.  The three of us settled in for the nearly hour long ride and broke out some breakfast snacks.  About half way into the ferry ride, just as we were approaching the San Juans the clouds began to peel back and the sun shone brightly.  The day began to feel like Summer again and we cheered at our good fortune.  This was shaping up to be an amazing day.

Off the ferry we went and headed up the beautiful road to Eastsound to the familiar little cove that houses Allium Restaurant.  When we arrived, it was quiet and Lisa showed us out to the deck where she had put together a “Playing Hookie” tasting menu for our little group.  We started out with house made Foccacia and a gorgeous salad of meticulously peeled Maple Rock Farms heirloom cherry tomatoes.  As Chef Lisa set them down at our table she remarked that it was the farewell to Summer, and indeed it was.  Not just a farewell, but a sensual goodbye kiss of summer.  The texture of the tomatoes so sweet and velvety putting one in your mouth was like receiving a long, slow french kiss.  It was enough to bring a blush to the cheeks, or perhaps that was due the lovely Domaine de Montfaucon Les Gardettes Rosé she served with this glorious salad.

Chef Lisa set up the next dish by saying, “A little something I used to make back at French Laundry”.  We all ooo’ed and ahh’ed as the plates were set down to reveal a truffled risotto topped with even more truffle and two delicate little butter basted “Salmon Chops”.  The chops were made from the collar of the salmon and they were a delectable bite with the rich, perfectly cooked risotto which was paired with a lovely fruity citrus tinged Shooting Star Chardonnay.

At this point the three of us toasting and looking one to another remarking about how lucky we were to have such a gorgeous day graced by impeccable service and  delightful food. When, like magic, the next course appeared before us.  Thin perfectly cooked slices of Painted Hills New York Strip sat atop gnocchi, foie gras in a cabernet glace… and Fra Mani Chorizo!  Chorizo and Foie together!?  We all exclaimed “How bold!” Oh but how it worked… it worked so well!   The steak tender with a small amount of chew, the foie like a velvet butter, the chorizo lent it’s texture and flavor and the gnocchi, well you already know how much I appreciate her gnocchi.  Heavenly, decadent and rich.  It was beautifully paired with a Thurston Wolfe Petite Sirah that nicely cut the richness of the dish without killing it.

Next we had a beautiful “palette cleanser” of a small cantaloupe melon beautifully carved out and filled with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries macerated in Amaretto.  It was such a light and delicate bite.  The taste and the appearance embodied Summer, along with a little glass of Vin Santo.

Our very last dish was what somehow got labeled as “The Disco Cake”.  A gorgeous chocolate ganache smothered pyramid, gilded in gold.  Inside, like you would expect for a pyramid, was treasure.  Fluffy light chocolate mousse with layers of dark chocolate hazelnut and a crunchy chocolate cookie.  Just when you thought that was enough, there were 3 pools of homemade Scotch Caramel to dip your bite into.  Again, Pasty Chef Anna Harlow’s talent is pure bliss.

Orcas Island is a great day trip or a quick get away from everyday life.  It’s a beautiful place to escape and when you have a lure like Chef Lisa Nakamura and places like Allium Restaurant to whet your appetite while you play, there’s no reason to stay away.

This is Chef Nakamura in her kitchen making her infamous gnocchi, she’ll be coming down to the mainland to teach a stress-free entertaining class at DishItUp on November 2, 2010, you can be sure I am signing up for that class.  Of the things I really respect about Chef Nakamura it is her choice to use locally grown ingredients in her dishes, her kindness and care to make sure that her guests are well taken care of.  I am looking forward to many more trips to the San Juans throughout the years pulled by the warmth and deliciously gorgeous meals at Allium Restaurant.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from any business or organization mentioned in this article, however I did notice that an item was missing from our tab from the first trip (sneaky Chef)

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

While bustling about town I found myself ending up in Ballard at the Fisherman’s Terminal.  The day was warm and bright and the perfumed scent of the briny sea filled your nostrils.  It was a perfect day to meander the docks and look at boats in the marina, some of them laden with crab pots and fishing tackle.

All that wandering about made me a bit peckish so I stopped in at The Highliner Pub.  I ordered up a cold frothy beer with a cup of Clam Chowder and a heap of their homemade crispy french fries to stave off my hunger.  They are in a great location at the Fisherman’s Terminal and offer cheap beers with cheap pub eats.

The whole while I sat enjoying my meal, my mind was on the boxes of live Dungeness Crabs being unloaded over out front at Wild Salmon.  All the things that I could do with fresh crab… Crab Boil, Crab Louie, Crab and Butter, Crab Corn Chowder.  All these thoughts flitted in and right back out, the only one to stay cemented in my mind: Crab Cakes.

Now when I say Crab Cakes I am not talking about those bread crumb laden “Crab Cakes” where there is more cake than crab.  The kind of Crab Cakes I make are mostly crab, so you can actually see the delicate crab meat with just enough bread crumb and egg to hold it all together.  I also don’t “jazz it up” with a bunch of ridiculous ingredients, if you start with good quality, fresh crab meat you do not need to mess around with a list of ingredients as long as the Magnolia Bridge.  What I make is simple, it’s fresh and it showcases the crab meat the way it should.  The Crab is the star.  The fresh, delicious, sweet star of the show.

So I headed over to Wild Salmon and picked out a couple fat Dungeness Crabs to go home with me and help me make up some of my Crab Cakes.  The folks who work there are really good to their customers.  I’ve been going there for over 10 years and I’ve never been treated badly.  Plus if fighting the crowds at Pike Place Market just isn’t your thing, this is a nice little spot hidden away from the bustle of downtown and there is some nice scenery just a couple steps away from the store front.

When I got home, the crabs got a dip in the kettle and when finished they got a good cleaning and picking to get as much of the meat as possible.  Now for some, especially the squeamish, this is pretty hardcore.  You can certainly pick up already cleaned crab meat and be ready to go with this recipe.  Do not use tinned crab meat,  in a recipe like this where the crab is the star, you will not do the recipe or the crab any justice.  Use fresh crab meat, the freshest you can get for the best results.

Crab Cakes

• 1 lb of lump Crab Meat, fresh
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs, plain
• 1/2 cup Green Onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper, finely ground
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Powder

Additional 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs, Plain (set aside in a small bowl for dredging)
Couple pats of Butter (for frying)

Combine the first 8 ingredients in one large bowl.  Stir to mix the ingredients thoroughly .  Using your hands grab a small handful of the mixture and form a ball, then pat it down into a patty shape.  You can make them small appetizer size, or giant entree sized patties, it is up to you.

Place your dredging crumbs in a small bowl, and coat the flat sides of your patty in crumbs, set aside and get your pan ready.

Get a large skillet and melt a pat of butter in it over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, start adding your crab cakes in to the pan.  Do not overcrowd the pan, as doing so will result in a soggy greasy crab cake so give the cakes about 1 1/2″ inches between each other.  If you need to do this in a couple batches, feel free to add more butter to the pan to help in the browning process and prevent them from sticking.

Cook until the crab cakes turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Very important, do not keep flipping the crab cakes.  Set them in the butter and resist temptation to flip them before they are golden brown on one side.  This will prevent the crab cakes from falling apart and ensure that they are cooked all the way through.

Cook’s Notes:
Since the size of the Crab Cake is up to you, you can make mini crab cakes as appetizers for a party.  You can also make “Slider sized” patties and make your own Crab Cake Sliders.
This recipe is great served with a side of Spicy Mayo, Remoulade or Tartar Sauce.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from The Fisherman’s Terminal, Wild Salmon Seafood, The Highliner Pub or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

Last month I went with my friend Olivia for dinner.  The next day I found out that I had Pancreatitis, for some unknown reason – unrelated to eating out, and I was put on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks.  That dinner at Fresh Bistro was my last meal of solid food, and it goes without saying that everyday I sipped broth and apple juice I was dreaming of the delightful fresh tastes served up to me that night.

So let’s fast forward a few weeks, I’m finally back to eating chewable food.  Joy of joys!  And the first place I want to re-visit is Fresh Bistro.  I had 2 liquid weeks daydreaming of Pork Belly Bahn Mi, melt in your mouth Wagyu Beef, crisp Salads with tangy “vinny” and sous vide egg.  To celebrate solid food my friend Cristie invited my niece and I to come to lunch with her. She kindly let me choose our lunchtime destination.  Without a moment’s hestitation I blurted out “Fresh Bistro!” And so, off to Fresh Bistro we went.

Fresh Bistro is located in the Mural Apartments Building, on the first floor,  in West Seattle at the Alaska Junction.  It’s street parking or you can use the underground parking across the street.  The interior is earthy, classy and festooned with lush sustainable furniture, like their uniquely gorgeous Sorghum wood tables for inside dining.

Their lunch menu is nice and is reasonably priced.  The service is impeccable.  The two times that I have been we have had the pleasure of being waited on by the new Front of the House Manager Robroy Chalmers (who is also a local artist whose work graces the walls in the restaurant)  They have a knack for making you feel welcomed and special, and the staff is knowledgeable of the foods and drinks that they serve.

Speaking of drinks… you must try one of their seasonal signature drinks, complex and complimentary flavors.  For as ambitious as they are, it pays off big time.  Refreshing, interesting and delicious to sip.  And don’t worry if you do not imbibe as they have a few special concoctions beyond the tired old Shirley Temple to tickle your taste buds so be sure to ask about their non-alcoholic offerings as well.

Now let’s get to the food shall we?
We’ll start with the appetizers.  First off we had Sweet Potato Crab Cakes.  A crunchy exterior that yielded to a creamy inside where the flavors of crab and sweet potato melded with perfection.  It was topped with a smoky chipotle remoulade that finished off the bite nicely.

Next up for appetizers we tried the Shiso Crusted Prawns.  When it arrived at the table we all gasped at the beautiful presentation.  The Prawns were enormous, with a crispy breading infused with chopped shiso leaf.  They were topped with an ethereal sriracha foam and complimented by a green mango pickle.  A savory, delicious bite tickled with the sweetness of the briny Prawn and a slight whisper of sriracha.  These were my absolute favorite.

Once we devoured the appetizers our lunch plates came out in a timely fashion.  I ordered the Mexican Lunch Combo featuring tender Halibut Tacos, refried black beans, avocado corn salsa and spiced rice. The highlights for me were the perfectly cooked Halibut and the tangy-sweet red onion pickle.

My niece ordered the Asian Lunch Combo which consisted of Pork Belly Bahn Mi, an Asparagus Soup with a Curried Goat Cheese Cannelle and an Asian inspired salad.  She enjoyed the soup so much she could not put down her spoon.   When she took a bite of the Pork Belly Bahn Mi all we could hear was “Mmmmm” in between chews with her eyes blissfully closed enjoying every single bite.  Perfect layers of melt in your mouth pork, foie mayo, decadent fried egg with crisp carrot pickle, crunchy cucumber, fresh cilantro and basil.

My friend had the Bistro Lunch Combo, with a Wagyu Beef French Dip, Mussels and a tarragon vin loaded Bistro Salad topped with a gorgeously poached egg.  Let me just say this, I am not and never have been a fan of Mussels.  I find them to be very strong and offputting, but the mussels prepared at Fresh Bistro have changed my mind.  They are absolute perfection, I loved them.  Sweet mild Mussels in a butter broth that are heightened by a touch of rich landjaeger lardon made for a perfectly well balanced bite.  I would order them again and again.

Lastly we moved on to dessert where we shared plates of Banana Pretzel Fritters with Homemade Nutella dipping sauce.  It was like a donut and a loaf of banana bread had a baby and wrapped it in swaddling pretzels.  Quite delicious and a generous portion to share.

We also ordered up a dessert that I had right before I was relegated to a liquid diet.  This dessert haunted me, it was so absolutely delicious that I had to get it again. A Pistachio Financier with a brandied Cherry Coulis and this absolutely divine Mascarpone Orange Blossom Cream on top.  It is a fresh tasting dessert that is not at all heavy on the sweet side.  It is just sweet enough to keep you coming back at it.

Overall it was a splendid lunch, spent with great people including the personable staff at Fresh Bistro.  Would I go back?  Yes, yes, 1000 times yes.

Check them out for their special weekly Seafood Boils and Steak Nights. Reservations are highly recommended.
Also keep in mind that Fresh Bistro changes up their menu to coincide with the changes in local and seasonal produce.  So go enjoy the taste of fresh ingredients at their peak, masterfully put together into a delicious bite that will make your tummy happy.

Fresh Bistro
4725 42nd Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206-935-3733

Hours
Mon – Thur: 11am – 10pm
Fri: 11am – 11pm
Sat: 9am – 3pm | 5pm – 11pm
Sun: 9am – 3pm

Happy Hour
Mon – Thur: 4pm – 6pm | 9pm – 10pm
Fri: 4pm – 6pm | 9pm – 11pm
Sat: 9pm – 11pm

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from Fresh Bistro , Herban Feast or any other organizations mentioned for this article.

Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved
All content, text and images are  ©2010 All Rights Reserved and may not be used or reposted without express written consent.

If you can't get to New Orleans, bring New Orleans to you with my recipe for homemade traditional style Shrimp Po Boy or Eat at Joe's!

I have many wonderful memories specifically tied to the scents and tastes of certain foods.  So many to share, but for now I will just share my latest trip down a food filled Memory Lane.  This will require us to travel back in time to the Summer of ’08 and the journey of a lifetime that traversed over 7,000 miles across America.

We had always joked about getting in a car and driving to Florida, I never thought the day would come when we would actually do it.  Tom Waits was performing and the closest tickets we could get were in Jacksonville.  Jacksonville, Florida.  And so the master plan began to unfold, we would drive straight to Florida and back.  Little did we know Mother Nature would have a say in the route we took to get there.

Turns out that the route we had planned on was being hit hard with the Midwestern floods, in fact several of our Highway routes were closed off due to the flooding.  Add to that our last leg of Kansas into Oklahoma was driven trying to outrun the giant black thunderhead cloud that was dropping tornadoes left and right.  When we arrived in Oklahoma we were shaken by the high winds, lightning and hail… and the hotel reception desk didn’t ease our worries any further as they told us about their tornado alarms and how to get to the storm cellar… which was just beyond the “All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet”, which we could enjoy if we survived the night.  Awesome.

After staying glued to the satellite radio and keeping it only on the Weather Station we ended up heading straight south and into Texas.  I will just say now that I will not ever complain about Seattle drivers after experiencing a rush hour drive through Dallas/Fort Worth.  We pushed on for Louisiana, and as night fell we asked our trusty GPS to guide us to a night of rest in the swamplands.  Our hotel was hot.  It was humid.  It smelled like it too.  So while we were there and looking over the map I made the executive decision to make a stop off in New Orleans and have a couple days of rest and relaxation from the road.  This decision turned into one of the most memorable highlights of our trip.

We splurged on a room on Bourbon Street with a private balcony overlloking the courtyard where the sounds of Jazz blew in & lingered like ghosts in the early evening.

After many consecutive nights in different towns sleeping in a different flea bag hotel each night I had decided that we deserved to splurge while in New Orleans, so I booked us a room at the Royal Hotel Sonesta.  The location was perfect, in the heart of the French Quarter right on Bourbon Street.  Walking out on our balcony the soft sounds of live Jazz being played in the bars and on the street wafted up piggyback on the scents of crunchy Softshelled Crab, spicy Gumbo chock full of Andouille and succulent blackened Redfish.  We ate.  And we ate.  And when we were done eating we ate some more.

Memories of the road, alligators inspecting toes to nibble, neon green Louisiana swamps and so much more!

On our last night it had occurred to us that we had not had a Po Boy sandwich!  So we called down to the front desk, we were determined to have Po Boys despite the fact that we could hardly swallow air let alone a giant sandwich.  Room service was closed for the night but they informed us that we could call up the Alibi Room, who had a late night menu and might deliver.  So we called… and they delivered, and despite not having the room to stuff our faces, stuff our faces we did.  The best food we had that whole trip was in New Orleans.  Our brief visit in Lousiana left us with full tummies, memories of sipping Mint Juleps on Bourbon Street, Alligators wanting to snack on our toes, the gorgeous Tabasco Plantation and a longing to return.

After many days on the road, and one too many gas station coffee stops, we were ready for our beautiful Seattle.  Coming home after watching 7,000 miles of flat heartlands, swamps, ghettos, deserts, and towns you’d miss if you blinked while passing through… we longed for the lush hilly forests and jade green waters of Seattle.  Coming home has never felt so good.

Coffee and a new Endolyne Joe's menu featuring New Orleans

Home is where the heart is.
So why all the reminiscing about New Orleans?  That’s a good question, and I’ll tell you right now.  There’s a little place tucked up near the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle, it’s called Endolyne Joe’s.  They run a scratch kitchen and change out their menu every three months to fit a theme.  I took my Guy and my Assistant out for breakfast  because they have the BEST Biscuits & Gravy in town!  Well, I walked in and I noticed that the theme changed to New Orleans… be still my beating heart!

Absinthe Art and Chandeliers at Endolyne Joe's

Endolyne Joe’s doesn’t just change the menu, but they change the decor as well.  Staff paints pictures  and doctors up the place inspired by the theme.  When I say they have a scratch kitchen, that is to say they make everything from scratch right there in the exhibition kitchen.  Don’t come expecting Haute Cuisine.  The food is not fancy, it’s homey and it’s wonderful.  You can actually taste the love in every bite.

Our server Jake greets us with warm smiles & piping hot Caffee Vita coffee

The people who work there are great.  I’ve never had bad service in all the years I’ve been eating there, even when they are slammed they go out of their way to be attentive to their customers.  When you eat here it feels like you are eating at home.  Charming mismatched wooden tables and chairs and worn hardwood floors add to the warmth of the service.  If you’ve been and you’ve seen them on an off night, give them another chance, let them know and they will bend over backwards to see that you are happy.  They are good people making good food.

Travis makes the Andouille Sausage in house at Endolyne Joe's & they are put to good use on this mouth watering Andouille Po Boy with Creole Seasoned Frites.

Along with our breakfast I ordered up an Andouille Po Boy.  I hadn’t planned on it until our server Jake told us that the Chef, Travis, makes the Andouille in house.  Well, of course I had to try that!!!  When it came to the table all splayed open with glistening grilled pieces of sausage laid out on a bed of lettuce we all had to take a bite.  I have to say that it was one of the best Andouille Sausages that I have ever put in my mouth, and I’ve tasted the real deal in New Orleans… Endolyne Joe’s has got it down.  Eating at  Joe’s is like coming home from a long trip away, the people care that you’ve come back and they treat and feed you well.

I was sent home, taking a trip down memory lane.  The scents and sounds of New Orleans.  That last Po Boy our last night in the French Quarter. I left Joe’s inspired to re-create that last taste of NOLA and I’m going to share with you my recipe for a traditional style Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich that turned out to be just as good as the one I had back then.

Shrimp Po Boy
This recipe is ridiculously easy
Dredge: You will need 3 bowls. 1 for Seasoned Flour, 1 for Egg wash, 1 for Seasoned Corn Flour/Flour
Bowl #1 – 1 cup All Purpose Flour + 2 Tablespoons Corn Flour (not meal!) + 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning
Bowl #2 – 1 Egg + 3 Tablespoons Milk + 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning
Bowl #3 – 1/2 cup Corn Flour (not meal!) + 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour + 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning

Shrimp:
2 lbs small to medium sized Shrimp (30/40 Count)
4-6 cups Frying Oil, I used Canola for this recipe
2 quart Pan for Frying

Sandwich:
French Rolls or a Baguette, sliced into approximately 6″ sections
Butter
2-3 Tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 Head Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
Mayonnaise
Pickle Spears

Heat your oil until it comes up to about 350°
Dredge your shrimp in Bowl #1 and coat thoroughly, then dip into the liquid Egg Wash in Bowl #2, then quickly do your final Dredge in the Corn Flour and Flour mixture in Bowl #3.
Carefully, drop your coated shrimp into the frying oil and cook just until they turn golden brown.  Place shrimp on a plate set up with a paper towel to await sandwich assembly. Helpful tip: Do not overcrowd the pan, there should be space enough between the shrimp that they are not stacked or touching each other.  overcrowding the pan will drop the temperature and result in soggy fried shrimp.

Cut open your bread, leave it attached on the long side (like a hot dog bun).  Generously spread butter on the inside, lay them open and give them a quick toast under the broiler, just until they are golden brown.

Now you are ready for assembly!  Slather some Mayonnaise on each side of the toasted bread, then pile on a generous helping of lettuce, followed by your tomato slices and finish it off with a giant heap of fried shrimp, slide a pickle spear alongside it.  Serve it while it’s still warm and enjoy a little taste of New Orleans how I remember it!

Makes 2-4 sandwiches… depending how much shrimp you want to pile on and how many end up being taste tests ;)

Creole Seasoning

• 2 Tablespoons Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cayenne
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1 Tablespoon White Pepper, ground
• 1 Tablespoon Oregano, ground

Mix it all together.  Store or use immediately.

Full disclosure: I have received no compensation from Chow Foods for this article.  I just happen to be a fan of what they are doing over at Endolyne Joe’s.
Images by Kelly Cline ©2010 All Rights Reserved