Dey Call Me Dr. Craw!

For me, Portland turned into New Orleans for a few hours as Yvonne and I ventured into new territory. With only a road map and instinct to guide us, we were only interested in dodging wet weather. So we headed towards the Columbia river instead, and I partook in other pleasures other than my own growing gullet.

But even for a pit stop for breakfest, I’m sad to say Jack in the Box stopped making their delicious chiabatta burgers. Although discontinued last year, some outlets continued on until about a month ago.

Out of all the burger chains, Jack’s burgers have always tasted better. They’re still holding the crown with a new sourdough bun burger. They’ve been more innovative with what to use for buns than any other national chain and I must say Burger King is looking less appealing these days. I’ve stopped hitting McDonald’s a long time ago because their quality never appealed to me. They just make burgers too small for this growing boy to appreciate.

But what I needed was seafood! I don’t make any bones about it. So far this trip has become more than just a culinary adventure; it’s a bibliophile’s wet dream come true. While in Portland, I had to stop by Powell’s Books and blew my budget. Like I didn’t realize that’d happen. At least I still had my credit card for two of Portland’s famous eateries:

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Death by Sugar and it’s not Cheese

Cow Chip Cookies
102A 1st Avenue South,
Seattle, Washington
(206) 292-9808

One thing I have to ask is that who doesn’t love pie? Or some of that stuff cows poo out? Well, that’s the gimmick some cookie chefs use just to gross people out, and it works. When Yvonne challenged me to try it, I did.

By hook or by crook, there’s nothing that’ll scare me away. Even the basic cookie is worth rating and I can finally say that I found the one that I’ve been after for a very long time. I love my cookies gooey and soft. There should be enough intensity without having to knock a tooth loose. Well, any sugar will.

I despise hard baked cookies. The softer they are the tastier they are. It’s almost like eating dough. A good cookie, like one of Cow Chip’s, should be malleable. And it has to be a gooey mess to make a soft cookie really good.

I’d rate these fad cookies from Cow Chip as a definite step above gourmet cookies. Even for the stuff that you buy at a grocery store or a bakery, they don’t always make ’em soft.

Just because a food item may look like something you stepped on, it doesn’t always mean it’ll taste like it.

3½ Blokes out of 5

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The Return of Ed from the Victorian Lagoon!

The Crab Pot Seafood Restaurant
1301 Alaskan Way, Pier 57
Seattle, Washington
(206) 624-1890

It’s been more than a decade since I last visited the Crab Pot in Seattle. Back then, it was known as a great place to hit by locals. And since that time, it’s risen in popularity.

I couldn’t help but be trapped by that thing tourists have to do, but when considering that three varieties of crab (Dungeness, Alaskan King and Snow) are offered in their deluxe Sea Feast menu offering, that’s what I was after. But I forgot that the meal had to be ordered in pairs.

Unfortunately, Yvonne is allergic to shellfish. But I was still able to go primal, and I resisted ordering one of each individual sized portions otherwise the meal would’ve hit epic proportions, costing around $80 USD. So instead, I tried the King Crab Legs Feast ($32.95) and I must say the only thing thar has changed was the wait.

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Seattle Follies at Noon

Note: This establishment has multiple locations.

Kidd Valley Burgers & Shakes
531 Queen Anne Avenue North,
Seattle, Washington

We made it! In Seattle and near the Space Needle, Yvonne and I tackled an American staple, the hamburgers and sandwiches that Kidd Valley serves. Located off Queen Anne Ave North, we went after the Firehouse Club. And it didn’t set me on fire, but instead had me simmering to the various flavours brought to life. The chicken had a level of spiciness that wasn’t too hard or harsh even for the most hardened of stomachs.

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The Journey Begins

Road trips are fun, but sometimes it sucks to wait for a ferry to get Islanders off this rock. Let’s face it, while Vancouver Island can’t be done as a three hour tour, at least there are chances to go explore and do stuff, even if it’s at the Swartz Bay BC Ferry Terminal.

Yvonne and I wandered the market that was surrounding the building where Land’s End cafe is located. And we found two places to start our culinary journey.

Not often do we touch tourist food, but with a name like Galloping Goose Sausage Company attached to the hot dog stand, I had to try it out. The garlic smokie I tried was pricey. At $6.75, it managed to hold my appetite for quite some time, especially with my next meal nearly 5 hours later. That had to be damned good meat (on a whole wheat bun) in order for that to happen.

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Heading out to the Highway

And I got nothin’ to lose at all. Judas Priest has nothing to what I’ll be doing in the coming week, and there should be a few articles from Yvonne and I, while James holds the fort back home.

He’s shifting focus to go look at the some foods you can buy at the grocery stores while I do a little culinary adventure of what Washington State can offer in our road-trip.

You’ll have to ask him why he isn’t part of this trip, but I think it had something to do with a bear. She didn’t appreciate him eying that salmon she just recently fished out of the river, or something ….

I could say I’m goin’ to do it my way (heck, I’d be tackling that bear down too for fresh sashimi) and takin’ a chance before I fall.

Anyways, I’ll be competing against Yogi if we end up in Yellowstone, but then, the whole trip will be one huge adventure.

We will be making a stop in Seattle so I can hit the Crab Pot again. That’s for certain, but there’ll be other places too as we work our way eastwards, perhaps through mythic lakes, ice-torn landmarks and an eerie ghost town too.

There’ll be updates as ‘net access permits.