Italian Chop Salad, Vino at the Landing

This is my favorite salad ever, so far... I could eat this everyday and be very happy. My boss says it's a man's salad, because it is hearty and filling, but I think it's good for all genders :) There's a lot going on texturally, from the crunch of croutons and crisp bite of brined baby carrots, to the soft chewiness of salami, and the bright juiciness of Roma tomato, it all blends together in a delicious unified whole with the introduction of my creamy Italian dressing.

The secret to a great salad is dressing it properly, adding just enough dressing so you taste it over the greens but doesn't overwhelm the salad and become too rich or heavy. If the greens are wet enough but I want more flavor I add salt, a little salt goes a long way towards boosting flavor, adding a little more acid; a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, never hurts either.

Chiso Sushi in Fremont Seattle

My favorite coffee shop in Seattle is quite a trek for me but I don't mind so much when there are other great reasons to be in Fremont, such as this wonderful sushi restaurant.

Chiso has great atmosphere and a knowledgeable and friendly staff, at least my server was top notch and the others seemed to be doing a great job as well. I chose to try some non-sushi dishes this time out. I started with ankimo, which is a pate of monk fish liver. The smooth, rich, and subtle pate was served on top of seaweed with ponzu, a bright, vinegary tasting citrus dressing. The ponzu was a great addition to the pate, some of which, the gray parts, were a bit dry and tasting of canned tuna; the pate was a mix of pink and gray, the pink being more rich and addictive in flavor. I would order this over and over again, nearly a perfect dish, they even added a touch of spicy minced tuna as a garnish, just fabulous, and the dry, chilled sake my server recommended was an excellent accompaniment.

Next I sampled the hamachi kama, Yellowtail collar, a grilled fish dish I love for its tender, mild flesh. I was expecting to order rolls after this but the hamachi was very large and my appetite sated. I should have ordered a side of rice as this was a lot of protein for one person to consume but it all tasted great! I'll be going back soon to try their sushi offerings.