The Spam Musubi

I finally had the well-known Hawaiian delicacy - the Spam Musubi at the Island Grill, in Portland. A rather small rice blend with a slice of grilled spam wrapped in nori dried seaweed. Very similar to Japanese Onigiri but of course the distinctive difference is the Spam. The owner of the food stand advised me to pair it with a decent dose of Sriracha, an advice that I followed. The result was a tasty, afternoon snack for a day that I missed lunch.

Next time I will get two of those. They are unique and delicious!

Capitol Hill Food Tour

The tour, organized by Seattle's Food Tours, started at Bar Cotto at 4:30pm. Michael, the food tour shepherd was chatting with the top guest chef  Shiro Kashiba when I entered this Parma-style salumeria. I joined in and laid back with a glass of Italian Lambrusco getting ready to kick of a 3-hour culinary adventure. Three other participants joined the group and our team was ready to try the first plates. We were offered cured meats that paired perfectly with this sparkling red and more plates arrived, those of tortas frittas. 

We left on time and just minutes later we were at Artusi, a famous bar for its spirits and cocktails, a creation of chef Jason Stratton. We had a refreshing salad, a combination of arugula, nectarines, radish and lardo, a cured fat. Those who dared, shared a few cocktails but I passed. I am sure I will return to the cute "locale" soon.

The next stop was  Momiji Sushi Resturant & Bar. It was time for  sushi  and the butterflied rolls made with tuna, spicy crab meat and avocado arrived soon together with edamame snacks and sake.  This wonderfully designed restaurant is a small oasis in the middle of Capitol Hill, a space not only for food but also for a well-deserved break from a busy day.

While walking on the streets of Capitol Hill Michael -the food tour guide- talked about historic dates describing corners, signature buildings and well-known personalities who lived in the area. Soon enough, we arrived at the Tin Table, situated within the Oddfellows Hall. This historic space was energetic and welcoming. The owner Hallie Kuperman gave us a tour (so we experienced "the tour within a tour" concept) and we saw the Century Ballroom next to the restaurant. The main dish of eggplant ravioli with grated parmesan was pure comfort and easily eaten together with the house made cocktail. 

The last stop was at the D' Ambrosio Gelateria for dessert. After a lot of thinking, I opted for the Salted Caramel and Fig flavor, a creamy, full-bodied gelato that was the perfect ending to the tour. It was a memorable evening with laughs and flavors that I enjoyed thoroughly. I will be back to Food Tours for more!

 

The "Group"