Say hello to a new category on my blog.  I’ll be updating these as I get a chance to visit more streets in/around Seattle or wherever I go (uh oh, where is he going?!?!?! You’ll see).

This is more of a public service project.  People are always asking me about places they should go or check out when they are in Seattle.  Now that I live here it’s a little easier for me to find those places.  I’m starting with places close to the tourist areas (close to Pike Place) then I will make my way further and further away so you can see what Seattle is all about.  I have been working on this project for almost a year so now it’s time to organize it! I could have done it in much less time but this is one of those independent blogs with little to no funding…..I need to sell out soon!

I will be updating the streets when I visit somewhere new so keep checking back and let me know if you have a street I should visit!

There are a few stores that I visit on a regular basis and they happen to be on Western Avenue.  In order as if you were starting from the Western/Seneca cross street then walking north you will find.

PARIS GROCERY

This is a newer store in the area and the second for the people that brought Seattle the Spanish Table (just a few shops north).  It’s a great place to find those odds and ends pieces for French recipes.  My favorite is their selection of pâtés and other charcuterie items. They also have a nice selection of cheeses and canned good that I haven’t been able to find in any other store through Seattle (especially helpful when trying those Escoffier recipes).

Paris Grocery (click)

THE SPANISH TABLE

(I really wish that ugly van would have moved but I didn’t have time to wait for it to leave….I’ll be updating this one for sure.)

This is one of my favorite places to visit; all Spanish food all the time! When you walk in you will see an enormous collection of paella pans from very small to a very large one that is about 4 feet in diameter…pretty cool, I want one!  As you make your way through the store you will see a large variety of olives, oils, salts, spices, and then you get to the even better stuff….the meat and cheese section!  I have purchased their Serrano Ham Hocks a few times to make soup stocks and broths.  Cheese, Manchego please!

They have a great cookbook and wine section as well so even if you don’t want to cook something yet you can curl up with a good cookbook and plot your next move.

The Spanish Table (click)

MARKET CELLAR WINERY

This store is for someone who likes to do things themselves.  Make your own wine, beer, soda, vinegars, mead (my sister’s husband is going to be stoked when I tell him that), and a few other things that I’ll save so you can visit it for yourself.  They have bottles, corks, and all the supplies you’ll need to make whatever you want, one stop awesome shop.

I am going to start making my own vinegars and sodas in the next few months so I will be back to the Market Cellar Winery very soon. When I get more room in the house I’ll tackle the beer world too!

Market Cellar Winery (click)

Making your way north and you’ll notice that you are now behind Pike Place Market.  Once you get to the top of the hill the market is there to greet you, be patient, I have a few more stores for you to check out.

WORLD SPICE

I can’t say enough great things about this store….I’ve tried (click).  This place put my cooking in the right direction, it forced me to get rid of pre-made spice rubs and depending on things like regular kosher salt and black pepper to season things.  Italian seasoning??? Not in this house! Lemon pepper seasoning? No way.  Johnny’s?  Uh uh.  Yes, World Spice has its own rub mixes but you should experiment!

This place has everything you could ever want and it doesn’t just stop with spices they also have some of the best tea available in Seattle. Their quality with herbs, spices, and teas put this as my main focus on Western Ave.  If you don’t have time to visit the other stores then visit World Spice for sure!

Oh, and if you need a recipe for that sichuan pepper you picked up then you might find a familiar name (click).

World Spice (click)

At the top of the hill you can make a right and walk around Pike Place but that’s a different street that I’ll take you down on the next “Eat the Street”.

Tom Douglas is the man.  He was recently nominated for best restaurateur by he James Beard Foundation for his collection of restaurants throughout Seattle.  Etta’s is one of his restaurants on Western that has fed me a few times.  I usually go in between classes and stop in during happy hour which Tom Douglas knows how to do better than anyone in Seattle.   I walked in one day and had fried calimari, a burger, and some crab cakes….I was hungry!  Walked out for a lot less than I thought I was going to spend and slowly made my way back to class….that was a great day.  I have a few more visits with Tom Douglas restaurants coming soon but they are on different streets!

Etta’s (click)

If you make your way down a few miles then you will see the future of food and dining in Seattle at the Art Institute.   There is a restaurant (Portfolio Restaurant)  at the top that might offer the best dining deal in Seattle.  3 courses for $20!

You can go there anytime but in less than a year I will have my classroom time in the kitchen there so you’ll have to come pay a visit.

Western Avenue, the street I spend the most time on in Seattle.  There are a few more shops I haven’t been to yet so I will update as needed.  I hope this is helpful to you if you are visiting Seattle or if you live in Seattle and just never knew these places were there.  Either way, get out there and eat the street….or something like that!

Eric