The past few weeks have been filled with not only lots of running but also some delicious dining to balance out all the workouts. Luckily, the West Coast cities to which I’ve traveled to lately are known for their amazing restaurants. This time around it just so happens that there was one restaurant in San Francisco and Seattle that left a lasting impression on me.

Seattle: Japonessa 

Over the years Amy and I have spend many an evening sipping cocktails and eating sushi. As soon as my visit to Seattle was made official, she secured reservations for us and some of our friends at their favorite local sushi restaurant, Japonessa. This swanky spot is located conveniently close to Pike Place market so locals and tourists alike can enjoy the artistry and flavors from Billy Beach’s kitchen.

Their cocktails are a perfect way to start the evening, ranging from tangy summer cocktails to cool, cucumber refreshing drinks.

But, what stood out more to me than anything was their amazing rolls. The flavors were unique and unlike anything I’ve tried in any other restaurant. Even better was the fact the the rolls were reasonably priced for their size and fish to rice ratio. The Casanova roll (king crab, avocado, shibazuke, topped w/ seared spicy snow crab, scallops, tobiko, served w/ soy glaze, pico de gallo) may be the most delicious roll I’ve ever tasted. In fact, I think I’m still dreaming about it.  The next time you find yourself in Seattle, enjoy a delicious dinner with a friends or loved ones after a day exploring the city. You won’t regret it!

San Francisco: The Slanted Door

While the idea of Chinese or Viatnamese food rarely excites me, when my co-worker suggested we dine Charles Phan’s renowned restaurant our final night in San Francisco, my face lit up in excitement. After hearing about their cocktails and food for years I was thrilled to try it for myself. While I failed to capture a picture of my cocktail, The Bee’s Knees, their signature cocktail. While I normally err away from sweet drinks, the waiter insisted that their specialty cocktails couldn’t be missed due to their unique and fresh ingredients and liquors. The Bee’s Knees included Miller’s Westbourne strength gin, blackberry honey, and lemon juice served up. It was perfectly balanced and left me craving another!

As we contemplated the menu, our group enjoyed the people watching and views made possible by our window table. The restaurant itself was packed already even though we had early 6pm reservations.

In order to ensure we were able to enjoy as many tastes and flavors as possible, our table of 7 decided to enjoy everything family style. Per our waiter’s suggestion we went with their signature dishes (left to right: crispy imperial rolls, cellophane noodles with crab, slanted door spring rolls, spare ribs, and organic chicken claypot. My personal favorites were the crispy imperial rolls and the spring rolls. The crispy imperial rolls brought many textures together through the crispy outside, soft inside, warm pork and shrimp, followed by the cold fish sauce. The spring rolls stood apart partially due to the amazing peanut sauce but also the filling. While these looked unassuming when they reached the table the succulent gulf shrimp and mint flavors were a perfect pairing with the sauce and took the whole dish to another level.

    This is the perfect restaurant for a business dinner, romantic night out on the town, or a celebration with friends. In the end, I’d make any excuse to go here again as long as I could enjoy my three favorite tastes of the evening all over again. Make sure to reserve a table in advance as they tend to fill quickly and the night we were there the wait was over 3 hours!