Anthony’s For Some Seattle Seafood.

Seattle is stacked with numerous quality Seafood spots. Anthony’s restaurants are quality at its finest.

Recently on a nice sunny day here in Seattle  my fiancé and I decided to take our dog for a long walk. As we were heading down the pier we decided to stop and try Anthony’s Fish Bar for a quick outdoor bite. First of all the patio area is phenomonal and boasts perfect views of boats and the sound. You are also close to the prime area of downtown so there’s a great urban feel as well. 

Brittany decided to try out a Salmon Fish Taco. This is how she described it- “So good! Perfectly cooked Salmon fell apart in my mouth. Seasoned just right and totally fresh. Nom Nom Nom :{}”.

I tried out the Cod Fish n’ Chips which was also incredible. The batter was nice and light, and not overly greasy at all. The fish itself was very fresh and moist as can be. The fries were also great. 

Overall Anthony’s Fish Bar was a huge hit for us and we plan on going back many times. It is the perfect spot to get great fish and check out the beauty all around Seattle. I look forward to showing all of my out town guests this superb spot. 

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Thursday Travels-Olympic National Rainforest

A while back I wrote about Ocean Shores and how I headed into the Olympic National Forest (ONF). It was centered on Ocean Shores and now I am going to talk about the ONF.

Easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Driving into the ONF was literally like driving into a new world. The whole are is just so lush and full of life. The shades of green are vivid and fascinating. This is the most “wild” feeling place I have ever been. The bottom section of the Olympic National Rainforest is considered the ONF while the top part is refered to as the Olympic National Park. I stayed in the southern area during this quick trip and mostly checked out Lake Quinault and inward from there.

The ONF is 628,115 acres and surrounds the Olympic National Park. Some refer to it as the entrance to the Olympics. The entire area is incredible and should be a bucket list, must see spot for anyone that enjoys nature or just life in general. There is such a unique feeling here that is almost dream like, a natural high. A place where you realize how amazing this world really is.

Lake Quinault is right off of route 101 and a site to see. I have an obsession with Lakes that are surrounded by mountains and this lake is one of my favorites in the state. I was shocked with I decided to take a dip. The water was luke warm! For those of us living in Washington State we know that warm lakes are a rare breed. Glacier lakes are usually frigid and most other lakes don”t have enough hot weather to really warm up. So needless to say this was a great surprise. The lake is owned by the Quinault Indian Nation who do a great job at making sure others respect the lake and keep it clean.

In a few weeks I will be camping with my fiance and a few friends further up north in the Olympic National Park. I look forward to writing more about this area and showing you all some new spots. If you’re in the state this summer make sure you find the time to check out this ever. Trust me you won’t regret it!

Is Taco Time Worth The Time?

Taco Time here in the Pacific NW is much better than some may say. Yes it is fast food Mexican fare. Yes is is budget friendly and fast. No it is not fine dining. If you need food fast at an amazing price you really can’t beat some of the options Taco Time NW offers. 

With locations all over Taco Time originally started in 1962 in the White Center neighborhood of West Seattle. The man to start it all was Frank Tonkin Sr. At the time he was taking a chance with tacos and burritos that paid off. 

One thing that really impresses me and should also impress you is that this place really cares about sustainability and buying local. So many people write off Taco Time without even realizing that practically every item they have is compostable. People also fail to realize that the Taco Times in Washington source many of their ingredients from our state. 

Now I am not saying this place is life changing. It’s not even close to the best Mexican fare I have had. Taco Time is exactly what it wants to be. A healthier , more sustainable fast food chain that is a far better choice than Taco Bell, McDonalds and the actual crummy fast food spots. 

Today I didn’t feel like breaking the bank for lunch and for a measly 5 bucks I was able to get a Pinto Bean Enchilada Platter. Their pinto beans are 100% fat-free and the meal was good. Many sit down family style Mexican restaurants charge over 11$ for this exact plate. Taco Time is a great budget friendly spot and I will continue to hit it up for a cheap lunch from time to time. 

Yeti Yogurt Is A Champion

Frozen yogurt has been all the rage for the past few years. For a while we used to think all frozen yogurt spots were healthy and a better alternative to ice cream. I learned that many frozen yogurt spots have over sweetened junk . Some “frozen yogurt” spots aren’t even yogurt based, but purely artificial garbage.

See this is where Yeti Yogurt shines. A “real” frozen yogurt spot which contains real yogurt that is cultured on site daily. Their yogurt contains high levels of live and active yogurt cultures. Which means it contains good bacteria for your digestive system. On top of that every ingredient is easy to look up on their website. This is quality yogurt. The kind that you should feel good about eating over other sweets.

One of the greatest parts of Yeti Yogurt is the insane amount of options. Flavors range from chocolate to pineapple. Options go from basic, to dairy free to sugar free. There is a stack of toppings which includes tons of healthy fruits!

I love getting the Mocha flavor and adding one Kit-Kat and some fruits. Today I noticed there was also a Peanut Butter flavor too I snagged a little of that as well. It is always fun popping in here because there are many changes flavors as well. Yeti Yogurt is a champion of frozen yogurt and I highly recommend checking then out. http://www.yetiyogurt.com

Chandlers Crabhouse- The Ultimate Disappointment

Seattle and most of Washington is known for having a top notch seafood scene. It is easy to find great fish at all prices. Some top tier spots obviously may charge a bit more, but usually the chefs make sure it is worth it. This is not the case with Chandlers Crabhouse. 

A few days ago I remembered that I had a 50$ gift card to Chandlers Crabhouse. I was in the mood for seafood, but didn’t feel like dining out. I live close to the Lake Union location in Seattle so I decided to order some take out. It was a gorgeous evening out so my fiancé and I decided to take our dog for a walk. It takes about 20 minutes from our neighborhood to Chandlers doorstep. 

We both looked over the menu and picked out a few things each. The total was 56$ and we expected to have a decent amount of food and were really excited to try it all. 

Now comes the bad part. Every single item was a total failure. Too small, no taste, awful execution, way overpriced. Chandlers Crabhouse is easily the biggest disappointment I have felt in any Seattle restaurant.  I have no idea how this place still exists. The food was awful and the portion sizes for the price was an embarrassment. 

Lets start with the crab cakes appetizer which is now as the hostess said on the phone ” a representation of the best crab cake in the world”. It was 17$, one piece, a little bit bigger than a marshmallow, completely tasteless, a left over piece of shell inside, and did I say 17$?!??

Okay, Okay, maybe they just messed up on this one so let’s move on. Next up is the Crab Sushi Roll. Sushiland which is a revolving belt cheap sushi spot blows this away with anything you get. The roll was 12$ and tasteless. Once again I found crab shell pieces in 3 of the first 4 pieces I ate. This pissed me off and I threw the rest away. So here we are 0 for 2. 

Next up the Tuna Tartare. What a joke this was. I found 3 or 4 tiny pieces of Tuna. If I didn’t tell you what the dish was you would have thought the Tuna pieces were an accident. Tasteless as well. The best part? I didn’t find any crab shell pieces! Woohoo way to go Chefs. 

Next up was the Whiskey Crab Chowder. The crab was so thin I felt like I was eating floss. The flavors just didn’t work and I would have picked any canned cup of soup over this. 

Overall this spot really ticked me off. I am not hard to please and almost impossible to really upset. Well Chandlers takes the cake for that. I would say stay away from this over priced under executed seafood spot. Dukes is right next door with awesome food and way better prices. A much better vibe as well. Did I mention 55$ got us close to nothing at Chandlers or that the Crab Cake was 17$ for garbage ? 

Thursday Travels- Big Four Ice Caves

I didn’t even realize it until now, but it seems that I am sticking with the Snohomish County area for this weeks Travel Thursdays. Last week I wrote about how much I loved the little historic downtown in the city of Snohomish itself. While We are still talking about the same county Big Four Ice Caves is in a completely different part of it. 

Let’s head further up north to a town called Granite Falls. This is what some call an entrance town to the North Cascades. This is your last spot to grab food or gas for a while. From this town you simply drive 21 miles east on the Mountain Loop Highway and you will see a big sign showing where the park is. 

Big Four Ice Caves is incredible. A great picnic spot with an amazing and easy to walk trail that leads to Big Four Mountain. This mountain creates ice caves from the cold water that drips down and freezes. It is an amazing site to see. It has instantly become one of my favorite spots in Washington State and one I will show anyone that visits me. 

The trail itself is 2.2 miles roundtrip and couldn’t be any easier. Most of it is manicured flat bridges and walkways with a few dirt paths. All ages can visit here and complete the trail without any worries. It took my fiancé, dog , and me about 15 minutes one way. The cave area feels like something right out of Jurassic Park. Even though the trail is simple it is very connected with nature. 

Big Four Ice Caves is a must see while visiting Washington State. And if you currently live here and haven’t seen it then you must do so now. I for sure will be visiting the caves many more times to come. 

Seattle Chocolates Hits The Spot

Seattlechocolates.com is my favorite chocolate company based out of Seattle. Most locals opt for Theo, but I grab a Seattle Chocolates bar 9/10 times. Theo is also an amazing company , but I am all about the Birthday Cake Batter Milk Truffle Bar by Seattle Chocolates. 

This bar taste just like it sounds. A milk truffle bar with birthday cake batter jammed in the middle. The taste is phenomonal and I  am not even a big sweets fan. I don’t indulge in chocolate all of the time, but when I do this bar is one of my favorites. The bar itself is nice and soft and breaks easily. You absolutely can taste the chocolate and cake batter flavors perfectly. I usually grab this bar at Metropolitian Market, but you can grab them at many other locations and even order then online. 

I also respect Seattle Chocolates for continuously becoming more sustainable and enviormentallly responsible. They source a lot of their beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified Farms and are hoping to get that number to 100% of their beans by 2015. They are also working on phasing out any palm oils. Lots of community involvement is also part of their work. They donate fresh food to families when certain bars are bought as well. All of this information is on their website. 

This is a great company with a great product. Their bars are absolutely worth seeking out and if you live in Seattle, San Francisco, or New York that should be an easy task. They are also in many smaller cities as well. Just check out their website to see what stores about you carry their awesome products. 

Thursday Travels- Bellingham Washington

Bellingham, is one of my favorite places in Washington state. It is roughly 1.5-2 hours north of Seattle and has access to the San Juan Islands as well as the North Cascades.  

The city has 2 quaint downtowns that are connected by a walking bridge that goes directly through the bay. My favorite little part is the historic Fairhaven which has one of the best fish n chips spots in all of Washington- Fairhaven Fish n’ Chips.

I also love the architecture here which reminds me a lot of many coastal towns in New England. The area is packed with great eateries , coffee spots , and little stores. 

Outside of the downtown area is loaded with outdoor activities. Lake Whatcom is a great area to check out as well a many other trails all over the place. Chuckanaut Drive is also a great scenic trip to see. 

I could go into specific detail about what exact spots to check out, but honestly I think all of Bellingham is amazing and no matter what you do there you should see it’s beauty too. 

Agave Cocina & Tequilas Opens By Seattle Center

A few days ago my fiancé and I had a quick lunch at Agave Cocina & Tequilas in Lower Queen Anne. They opened up this new location about a week or two ago. My first impression was that to the eye this restaurant is very inviting. They boast a wrap around patio which is great for sunny days. 

It happened to be a gorgeous day when we stopped in so we requested to sit on the patio. We also had our dog with us and the staff was very tolerant of maneuvering around her to deliver food and drinks. All of the staff was very nice. 

Since we weren’t too hungry and stopped by more so out of curiosity we decided to split a fish taco plate. This was an excellent choice and enough food for both of is. The torts are handmade each morning and you could taste how fresh everything is there. We got the grilled white fish with a lemon aioli and they were delicious. The plate also comes with 2 sides so we decided on some beans and creamy corn. Both were fantastic and I plan on coming back here many times in the future. Agave is a great addition to the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.

The photos are only of my portion of the meal which we split up on two plates. 

Just A Few Night Shots Around Seattle