The Food Life

With Valentines Day on it’s way (on a three-day weekend, no less), local wineries and chocolatiers are gearing up for the coming buying frenzy.

And it’s not just about bringing home the box or the bottle. Looks like some regional and area proprietors are offering a little experience as well. Cost is a few dollars at each winery.

Here are a couple that are closer to home. The state’s tourism website has a few more:

On the Olympic Peninsula, six wineries from Port Townsend to Port Angeles will host a Red Wine and Chocolate weekend. Cost is $25 to taste at all wineries or $5 each. Most of the wineries are in Port Angeles, so you might consider making a weekend of it so you don’t have to risk getting tipsy for the drive back.

Seven Bainbridge Island wineries will offer tastes paired with chocolates chosen by the winemakers.

View Wineries of Bainbridge Island in a larger map

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On Friday, we heard that Pat’s Restaurant and Bakery was closed, leaving a sign in a window on a place that was one of Bremerton’s longtime gathering spots. It was hard to go in there without seeing someone you knew. I’ll personally miss the harvest pancakes with orange butter.

Reporter Steven Gardner is trying to follow up on the closure today, asking about what happened and things like, ‘What will happen to all those cookie jars?’

When I posted about it on the Sun’s Facebook page, people lamented the loss of the local business, and generated one of the longest Facebook page comment threads I’ve seen in awhile.

The closing also inspired one woman, Heather Wood, to send us her touching memories of Pat’s, which I thought I’d share with you Food Life readers:

Pat’s Restaurant and Bakery Closes its Doors after 29 Years

By Heather Wood

This piece is about food, well really, about life. But you ought to know that I am not a writer by profession. In fact, I am in the field of finance and play with numbers all day. However, I don’t know that anyone else could truly tell this story as I could, and so I feel compelled to write it.

In 1981, a woman named Pat opened the doors up of a bakery in East Bremerton’s Wheaton Mall. It was called Pat’s Cookie Jar back then, and was a delight to a little girl’s eyes! Cases of cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls. My mother would take me there after preschool and let me pick out a treat. I loved the lemon bars. We would sit at a table, munching away, while she listened to me babble on about finger-painting, story time, and the like. Those were special mother-daughter times that I will never forget.

In the summer, my brother and I would beg to go there for lunch. We would walk into the packed restaurant and press our noses up against the bakery cases, admiring the frosted shortbread cookies. Then, we’d take a seat, arguing over who would get to sit next to mommy, of course! I would order an egg salad sandwich and he would order a BLT. While we waited for our food to come, we would look around at the cookie jars that were the restaurant’s décor and try to decide which ones we liked the best.

We’ve had birthday parties there. My graduation party was celebrated there. We’ve gathered with friends and extended family there. My parents have enjoyed anniversary and Valentine dinners there. Pat’s Restaurant and Bakery has been a part of the moments of our lives, both the small, everyday bits that go forgotten, and those bigger moments you never forget.

One of the things I’ve appreciated the most about Pat’s is the dignity with which the staff has always treated my family. You see, my brother has autism, and this sometimes leads to awkward moments in restaurants: stares and dirty looks from fellow patrons and somewhat curt treatment from restaurant staff at times. It was never like this at Pat’s, though. We were at home there. Relaxed. Comfortable. And the staff would even call my brother my name.

A few years ago, we donated our family cookie jar to Pat’s. It’s the yellow cupcake one with chocolate frosting and a cherry on top!

In recent years, my family has dined there two to three nights a week. This past Tuesday, my family drove out to Pat’s for dinner once again. But it was dark inside. The door was locked, and there was a sign on it saying “Thank you for 29 years.” As they were walking away to leave, one of the restaurant’s former employees pulled up and confirmed for my family that Pat’s Restaurant and Bakery had closed its doors for the last time on Sunday, January 24th, due to financial issues related to our Nation’s recession. The employee said that Pat’s will likely hold an auction at some point to liquidate its assets: tables… chairs… those dozens of beloved cookie jars…

My mother called me that night with the news. She said it made her want to cry. It made me want to cry as well! This is the loss of more than just a restaurant and of great food; it is the loss of a piece of our community, a loss of a piece of our lives.

To the former staff of Pat’s: You have served us well. You have been a part of my family and of my history. There is not a single month I can think of in the past 29 years of my life that you all have not been a part of. I have so many good memories filed away: laughter and blackberry pie all mixed together… lunch with my grandmother, who we lost many years ago… conversations with my mother about college life on weekends home… You have enriched our lives more than you could ever know. There are truly no words adequate in the English language to express my family’s gratitude to you all. Thank YOU for twenty-nine amazing years! We love you and wish you well on life’s journey.

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Dave Corin prepares a dog.

Retro Dogz celebrated its grand opening week before last, though it’s been open since for more than a month. (Yep, I’m a little late in spreading the word.) They even had their first health inspection, and scored a 98.75%.

If you haven’t been there yet, it’s in the spot formerly occupied by Frosty’s.

Chris Bortisser, who had previously owned August Wynn in Manette and Augustino’s on the West side, had a hand in starting it. He said he wanted to move to food that was far more simple than the upper-scale dinners of those previous restaurants. And dogs are pretty simple.

But he’s not there most days. Daily, Dave Corin is running the show with Matt Riggs behind the red and white umbrella-covered stand.

Chicago Dog

Retro Dogz specializes in dogs served many styles including one covered in chili, a Chicago style — with a sweet, neon-green relish, mustard, a spear of dill pickle, tomatoes, onions, hot peppers and celery salt — and a standard Retro Dog with ketchup, mustard relish and onions. They also regularly serve tuna- and egg-salad sandwiches and treats.

The dogs are Nathan’s frankfurters, which were first sold at a Coney Island hot dog stand. For now, that’s the only kind of dog there is. Corin said the future may hold more when the weather improves enough for grilling. he may even expand to pulled pork and other items.

Slaw dog (left) and Baja Dog

For now, though, they’re varying the menu (photo below) with weekly specials, such as last week’s Coney Island style dog or the Carolina dog with slaw on top the week before that, which now are going to be regulars on the menu, Corin said. This week, it’s The Baja Dog.

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I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about the Agate Pass Café in Suquamish, and it seems the Kitsap Sun’s restaurant reviewer Bernard Jacobson is among them. In his review, which will come out in our A&E section on Friday, he says:

“Her offerings combine with co-owner Stacy Grega’s warmly welcoming front-of-house direction, service by the equally pleasant and efficient Rachael, attractive decor featuring red lamp-shades and some intriguing light-boxes, and unusually elegant menu cards to confirm a place among the top half-dozen fine-dining spots within an hour’s drive of Bremerton.”

It seems the North end has become an apparent epicenter of good eating in Kitsap. Poulsbo has Burrata Bistro. Bainbridge Island has its Four Swallows, which recieved very good to excellent ratings in the latest Zagat’s Seattle survey (25 for food, 21 for decor, 23 for service on a 0 to 30 scale, and managed to be the only place in Kitsap listed in the guide .) I’m also partial to Sawatdy’s Thai on Bainbridge, but that could be because I had one of my first real dates with my now-husband there. Also in Poulsbo-ish, Molly Ward Gardens, but again, I’m biased. I was married there.

I’m drooling. Just about a pool forming at the keyboard. It’s definitely time for dinner. I’ll be back later this week with some info on some food that’s not quite fine dining: the humble dog.

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A lot of local food news has come out lately. In our little publication, Chris Henry wrote about the rebirth of the old Tweten’s/former Gino’s restaurant as Lighthouse Restaurant and Lounge. It’s being run by an experienced restaurateur, Josh Wood, who previously worked for and managed restaurants in Gig Harbor and Westport.

Also in Port Orchard restaurant news is that the barbecue spot on Highway 166 closed in mid-December, making it the second one to close in that building.

Bainbridge Island’s Four Swallows made this year’s Saveur’s 100 list for its blackberry slump . The gourmet food, wine and travel magazine annually puts together a list of 100 of the magazine’s favorite food, drinks, people and places.

In Silverdale, Aloha Kitchen has been serving up Hawaiian cuisine for the past couple months. I haven’t had a chance for lunch there yet, but have tried their guava and passionfruit cakes, which were sweet and delicious. The fruit comes with the filling and on top of the frosting. I recommend it.

Looks like the local eating out must-trys has gotten just a little bit longer.

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Just a short FYI: the new Kitsap restaurant inspection scores have been posted. As always, you can see all past scores, updated regularly on our restaurants inspection database.

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Taken while shopping in Uwajimaya for New Year's Food.

Yesterday, I went with my grandma for our annual pre-New Year’s grocery shopping trip to Uwajimaya in Seattle to gather the foods that we’ll eat to celebrate the New Year. We buy (or our family in Japan sends us) some of the traditional foods for osechi ryori (traditional Japanese New Year’s foods), such as sweet black beans (kuromame), sardines cooked in soy sauce (tazukuri) and other goodies. We also have our own family tradition: we set up a hot plate and make yakiniku, thin-sliced beef and vegetables. And the night before, we’re supposed to eat long noodles and spread salt around the house, for long life and stop evil spirits from coming in.

Other Japanese families celebrate by making mochi rice cakes, as they do every year on Bainbridge Island (this year’s Mochi Tsuki is on Sunday.)

So it becomes inevitable that New Years and foods are linked together in my head. It seems every culture has some sort of New Year tradition surrounding food, from grapes carried on New Year’s Eve in parts of Europe to black-eyed peas eaten in the South. Travel guru Rick Steves even hosted a show about International New Year’s Eve, and nearly all the guests mentioned some sort of food.

So with that said, I’d love to hear and share some of your traditional New Year’s celebrations involving food. What do you eat and why?

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It looks like there’s a new Japanese restaurant in Silverdale. No, it’s not another sushi place (Hakata’s has that pretty well covered in Silverdale). It’s a teppanyaki style restaurant, where meats and vegetables are cooked over a hot, flat grill while you watch. It’s called Fujiyama Japanese Steak House & Bar has in the Town Centre plaza

According to local blogger and real estate agent Rich Jacobson, who was invited to a preview taste at the restaurant (and wrote about it. He says:

“… Fujiyami serves up a wide array of elements as standard with their dinner entrees. You get a bowl of onion soup, a tangy tossed salad, choice of white sticky rice or fried rice, teppan-grilled vegetables with shrimp, and your selected entree. Prices for the dinner faire were fairly moderate, especially given the entertaining aspect of meal preparation.”

If they serve my favorite Japanese grill dish, okonomiyaki, and if they do it well, I may just be in heaven. I’ll be trying it out myself sometime after the holidays. If any of you go, please tell me how it is.

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Rum, bourbon and hazelnut liquer balls.

This summer we had another in a long line of great interns. But one of the things that set Mandy Simpson apart was that she plied us with treats while she was here. (Note to all future interns: baking is a bonus skill.) She made us strawberry pie, and some going-away goodies called bourbon balls.

They were an instant hit, and I knew this summer that I’d be making them for Christmas. I mean, how can you go wrong combining holidays and chocolate-y, little, boozy balls?

The recipe came by way of Mandy’s mom in the form of a copied newspaper clipping from a Judy Cunningham of Roanoke, Virginia. So thank you all to Mandy, her mom and Mrs. Cunningham, wherever you are now.

I made them and some adaptations for a recent cookie exchange and will be giving some soon as Christmas gifts.

Here it is:

Read the rest of this entry »

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Rumors have been floating around town that after months of searching, Hales would put its new Kitsap location in Silverdale. Turns out rumors were true, as business reporter Rachel Pritchett confirmed today. Hales signed a 10-year-lease with the Kitsap Mall. It will move into the spot formerly occupied by Champ’s next to Kohl’s, which happens to be across the parking lot from Silver City brewery.

Silver City owners said they welcome the company and, in fact, have big news of their own. Anyone who’s been to the brewpub during dinnertime in the past year has probably run into a wait for a table. Just try going on a Friday night, and you’ll likely find yourself able to finish your Christmas shopping before you eat. Well, they’ve noticed, too.

Silver City is in the preliminary stages of moving its brewing operations elsewhere so they can both make more beer and expand the restaurant, as also reported by Rachel Pritchett.

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