Wednesday, October 21, 2009

BI Food Blathering

Haven't blogged much. Lots has changed on Bainbridge Island...

A couple of cafés closed: Mud Puddle, much lamented by my daughter because it was walking distance from school, and Trios, across from the ferry terminal. Both were open later in the evening, so there's now kind of a late night café gap. Also a crepe place changed hands, then closed, and now the same spot (in the Safeway shopping center) does frozen yogurt. I used to like frozen yogurt, but then everyone changed from low-fat to non-fat about 20 years ago, and ruined the product as far as I'm concerned.

Winslow Way Café, which was more a bar/restaurant than café, closed. The space was renovated and reopened as 122 Winslow. Capsule summary: food is pretty good and has gotten better since it opened. I like the steak frites, the blue pizza is really pretty good, good burger. They used to close the kitchen kind of early, but they tell me it's now open and serving food until late, at least in the bar. Yay late-night food! Decor could use some softening--absolutely nothing on the wall but light fixtures. Staff are generally very nice and accomodating.

There's a new Italian place downtown, across the street from 122 Winslow. It's not bad, was open for lunch, now only open for dinner. It was called something or other and is now called Isabella's. Pizza, pasta, and a few salads--would these new Italian places consider serving something main-course-like? I can't eat a lot of pizza or pasta, and I'm not the only one...

Also there's a new Italian place, Penelope's, in the Pavilion. I tried it once. I had an antipasto plate that I thought was godawful--sort of like what you'd get for an antipasto plate if you only shopped in the "cheap cheese and luncheon meat" section at Safeway, and stayed away from the section near the deli that sold proscuitto and real cheese. Since I wasn't able to eat pizza or pasta at the time, I can't vouch for those. It is possible to get decent salumi around here...

Speaking of pizza, in my opinion the best pizza on Bainbridge Island is found at Real Foods in the Harbor Square complex. Perfect thin crust, good cheese, reasonably priced.

The Streamliner Diner has been open for dinner for a while. It's pretty good, vaguely Italian, and very friendly. Sometimes needs salt.

I've been to Four Swallows several times, and never blogged about it. Probably the best food on the island at this point (esp. since Madoka closed, and that was sometimes fab but kind of inconsistent). Sometimes you can get into a sonic blast zone, especially near the front, where it gets loud enough to be extremely unpleasant. So maybe don't take Grandma on the weekend.

Simon's, the Chinese restaurant in the pavilion that actually served worse food than you get at the Chinese takeaway counter at Safeway, closed. Allegedly a sushi place will be opening in that spot. Hope it's good!
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Condé Nasty

I just got the new edition of the Gourmet cookbook. On the front cover there's a sticker that says "A subscription to Gourmet magazine is included with this book." Haha. If I wasn't so lazy I'd call and ask Condé Nast for my $12.
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