Seattle Eats: A Tour of the Town, Part 1

Fate brought me to Seattle, Washington for a week in March, leading me on a long and delicious tour of town courtesy of my wonderful tour guides (thanks to you know who's!). Here are a few of the many highlights:

Piroshky Piroshky

Type of Cuisine: Russian Bakery
Location: Pike's Place

Don't let the shop's small size fool you, the long lines and brilliant smells coming out of this Seattle institution are there for a reason. Easily one of the best things I've had all year was the potato, onion, and cheese piroshky. A flaky, buttery croissant stuffed with a warm and savory potato filling, this Russian delicacy is one bite that every passerby needs to give a try. A flurry of other delectable goods are also offered at the bakery, including meat buns and desert pirokshky's.

El Puerco Lloron
Type of Food: Authentic Mexican
Location: Pike's Place Market

Tucked away on the lower levels of Pike's Place is El Puerco Lloron, about as fair Mexican food as you'll find in the area. Seattle's gotten a bit of a bad rap in the past for authentic south of the border food, but El Puerco Lloron's makes a fair argument in response with its traditional menu. On special during my visit was the chicken mole. Rich, filling, and reasonably priced, there's not much more you could have asked for with this dish. The menu may look a bit on the modest side, but the dishes at El Puerco are made with great care. The colorful shop adds to the experience, providing a vibrant, but relaxed place to zone out during a busy day in town.

La Creperie Voila
Type of Food: Crepes. Duh!
Location: Downtown

What better way to start off the day then a light, but filling crepe filled with nutella, or fresh strawberries and vanilla cream? La Creperie Voila is about as small and unassuming as shops come - a trend in the downtown Seattle area. Just behind the Hyatt around the convention center lays a bit of sinful pleasure in the form of sugary, doughy goodness. Mildly sweet and tart from the berries, the fresh strawberries and cream crepe it strikes a beautiful balance to start off any day.

La Creperie Voila also have savory crepes available for anyone looking for some lunch on the go along with some devastatingly delicious ice cream (banana fans will go ape for the reel banana).

Jasmine Thai Cuisine Restaurant
Location: Pike's Place, sandwiched inside an office space inside an alley?

If you look at the definition of hole-in-the-wall, you'll most definitely see a picture of Jasmine Thai Restaurant. This out-of-the-way place in Pike's Place looks about as assuming and appealing as places get, but if you are looking for a quick and inexpensive plate of red curry, pad thai, or other favorites you'll most likely be pretty happy with this fairly quiet spot in the market. The red chicken curry came out fast and packed with good flavor - a welcome sight for any cold, rainy day.

Jasmine image borrowed from Michael E. off of Yelp.

That's all for now! Stay tuned for part two of the adventure.

Bonus Footage

Tamale at El Puerco

Fresh Strawberry and Vanilla Crepe at La Creperie Voila

Cinnamon, Hazelnut, Orange Piroshky at Piroshky Piroshky

The potato, onion, and cheese piroshky at Piroshky Piroshky