Nancy Leson

Food Section: December 5, 2007

Farm-to School Bills, Laxative Sweetners, and Other Food News

Pesticides, Prime Ministers, and Other Food News

The Food Section: June 13, 2007

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, and Other Food News

Good (Food) News and Bad (Food) News

Farm-Loving Corporations, Nanofoods, and Other Food News

The Banning of the Venti, Arthritic Jaws, and Other Food News

Upgrade Your Enviro-Tote

Quick Gossip Roundup from Other Blogs

Irradiation, Jell-O, Candy Bingeing, and Other Food News

Federal Way: It's Not Just for Boiled Sablefish

The Bell Tolls For Austin Cantina & Opal...

Just walked by the leavings inside Austin Cantina in Ballard, always sad to see the result of someone's hard labor go out of business. Nancy Leson also reported on the closing of Queen Anne's Opal this week (to reopen soon under a new concept from the same owner). Many bars and restaurants saw ... More >>

A Little More Nuance to the Swirling Cremant Stories

Scott Emerick, center.Rumors started coming my way on Monday that Mike McConnell, the Caffe Vita/Via Trib empire builder, had abruptly pushed Scott and Tanya Emerick out of Crémant, the much-raved-about French bistro in Madrona they founded.Soon after, Nancy Leson over at the Times wrote up a blog ... More >>

Staph-Infected Pigs, Mini Cattle, and Other Food News

Food news stories from around the country:U.S. Pigs and Farmers Carry MRSA by Andrew Schneider (P-I): 45 percent of pigs and pig farmers tested in Iowa and Illinois carry methicillin-resistant staph -- something that has been talked about for a few years but only proven in the Netherlands. Are the U ... More >>

New Openings: 35th Street Bistro, Moshi-Moshi

From the other pubs:Over at the Times, Nancy Leson gets the story about the sale of 35th Street Bistro to Mason and Michelle Citarello, who are doing some renovations, keeping the French-Med menu the same for now, and reopening around Valentine's Day.Also, on Friday morning I got an email from a fel ... More >>

Restaurants in Peril: A Short Roundup

The Wednesday edition of the Queen Anne News has a top-of-the fold story about the economic woes facing the 80-year-old Mecca Cafe. Seems that no one provided Bank of America with a replacement guarantor for the bar's line of credit after the previous owner died in 2001. Now the bank has summarily d ... More >>

New Restaurant Openings, Farmerettes, and Other Food News

Once again, here are a few of the food stories that caught my attention: First off, a few restaurant openings from other sources. Nancy Leson gets the dish on te Hudson Public House, Collins Pub's new location in Maple Leaf (the old Anita's Bistro spot). And on Seattle Magazine's Eat Drink blog, Al ... More >>

Which Restaurants Are Under the Gun This Week?

A quick look at who's being reviewed by whom: At the Times, Providence Cicero shows some love to Pizzeria Pulcinella in Rainier Beach. The same cannot be said of Queen Sheba in Capitol Hill, which Nancy Bartley (rather, her friend) calls the "Ethiopian Denny's." Youch. (May we suggest Dahlak instea ... More >>

Squid Pro Quo on the Menu

A change in policy for the Best Places series of books has restaurateurs hot under the stove. How should food critics conduct themselves?

The Bad-News Beards

A change in policy for the Best Places series of books has restaurateurs hot under the stove. How should food critics conduct themselves?

Hot Dish

A change in policy for the Best Places series of books has restaurateurs hot under the stove. How should food critics conduct themselves?

Young curmudgeon

West Seattle transplant Scott Carsberg settles uneasily in trendy Belltown.

Who's Taking Down Whom? Restaurant Reviews This Week

It's Cinco de Mayo week. Time to don your fake sombrero and get sloshed on cheap tequila! Nancy Leson writes up a few taquerias: La Estacion, La Fondita, La Carta de Oaxaca, and Rancho Bravo. (Can't...resist...adding...two...cents...I'd add El Paisan and La Casa Azul. Look 'em up in our restaurant s ... More >>

Who's on Trial This Week: Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant reviews from around the city: At the Times, Nancy Leson writes about her favorite water views in town, while in the Dining Deals column, Jon Fisch shows some love to Pac Island Grill, a Hawaiian restaurant in Federal Way. At the Stranger, Megan Seling reviews the vegetarian items at Pla ... More >>

Triangle Closes, Snacks! Opens and other Restaurant News

Restaurant openings and closings from the Web: Fremont's well-known bar The Triangle closed its door for the last time Sunday night. There was a huge bash with prizes and of course karaoke. The silver lining? Seattle is finally getting a 1930s- and '40s gangsta-themed bar. 9 Million in Unmarked Bi ... More >>

Revisiting Matt’s and The Hunt Club

The long and short of changes at two classic Seattle haunts.

Restaurant Openings: Plum, Full Tilt, and Another Plate of Pastrami

Queen Anne is the, uh, hot neighborhood of the week, with two new restaurants opening in the near future. KwaTay, a Ghanaian restaurant, is set to open August 8 on First Avenue. And from the owner of Peso's, Toulouse Petit Kitchen & Lounge will have a menu inspired by the New Orleans' French Quarter ... More >>

A Stronger FDA, a More Perfect Recipe, and Other Food News

Starting off this week's food news digest with some very good news, the House of Representatives finally passed a bill that greatly strengthens the FDA's ability to regulate and enforce food safety laws. If the bill becomes law, the agency will be able to make farmers and food producers beef up thei ... More >>

Why This Critic's Staying Anonymous

​Every 10-12 months, the argument restarts itself, roiling across food blogs, newspapers, and now Twitter feeds: Should restaurant critics be anonymous? Today, Nancy Leson, formerly the anonymous critic for the Seattle Times and now a public restaurant-scene chronicler, has launched a discuss ... More >>

Restaurant Reviews: Ribs, Ribs, and Yakisoba!

At the Times, Nancy Leson goes on a rib-roarin rampage, rolling from Caspar's in Bothell down to Pig Iron in Georgetown, sampling baby backs and sides all the way. If we were Facebook friends, Voracious would totally send Nancy a virtual case of Tums. In the Dining Deals section, Michael Upchurch he ... More >>

This Week's Recipe: Zucchini in Carpione from Jason Stratton

​Chef Jason Stratton, late of Poppy and Cafe Juanita, recently took the helm at Cascina Spinasse, where Justin Neidermeyer had been the founding chef. Earlier this month, Nancy Leson interviewed Stratton about the transition, and he shared his plans to meld his long-standing passion for Italia ... More >>

Blogwatch: Home Brewing, Gluten Free at the Herbfarm, Chef in the Hat Expands

This week, Accidental Hedonist has a short video and followup post on a day in the life of a home brewer, which involves a long string of waiting, followed by short bursts of activity, all the while hoping to avoid a big stinky, mess. Gluten-Free Girl author Shauna James Ahern ate at The Herbfarm f ... More >>

Openings & Closings: The Resurgence of Pony, Disappearance of Himitsu

​Bottoms up! According to Capitol Hill Seattle, two new drinking establishments are in the works. The Living Room (1355 E. Olive Way) is moving into the old Anne Bonny space. Meanwhile, down the street, real estate agent David Yuchasz has applied for a liquor license at 1515 Bellevue Ave., Apt ... More >>

Review Roundup: The Times Splurges on a Dime, the Met Picks Its Top 10

​At the Seattle Times, Nancy Leson writes up her favorite tiny-budget extravagances, which range from the $1 cheese nubs at PCC to the roasted mushroom and truffle-cheese pizza at Serious Pie. Meanwhile in the Dining Deals column, Jon Fisch gives some love to the sandwiches and minestrone at P ... More >>

Blogwatch: A Night with Chuckanut, Leson's NOLA lessons, Amster Burton's Gourmet Leftovers, Vita's Rad Compilation CD

​LAST-MINUTE ALERT: Brouwer's Cafe (400 N. 35th St.) is hosting a party for Chuckanut Brewery tonight to celebrate its big win at the Great American Beer Festival (uh, a little award called Small Brewery of the Year). If you haven't tried these beers, this is your chance to sample through the ... More >>

Jimenez Leaving Harvest Vine, Serquinia Taking Over

As Nancy Leson reported today in her Seattle Times blog, Joseba Jiménez de Jiménez is leaving Harvest Vine and Txori, the restaurants he founded. He and wife Carolin Messier have divorced, and she is buying Jimenez out of the business. The Basque chef will stay on as consulting chef fo ... More >>

Openings & Closings: New Tom Douglas Restaurant in the Works, Gator to Go in Shoreline

​Looks like Tom Douglas will be whipping up a new restaurant set to open around April of next year. Douglas had been spotted poking around Ballard, but not for long. Nancy Leson reports that Douglas and partner/wife Jackie Cross are sticking to their keep-em-close strategy, opening the new pla ... More >>

Review Roundup: The Times Braves the Bravern, The Stranger Hunts Down Porn & Pizza (Again)

​The Seattle Times' Nancy Leson gives some love to Wild Ginger's new Bellevue location, reminiscing over the 20 years she's been dining at the Seattle restaurant. The LCB might want to take note, though: apparently the barman's offering 11-year-olds hard liquor. In the Dining Deals column, Tan ... More >>

The Food Section: Urban Hunters, Paula Deen, the Punching Bag

​This week's selection of food news stories and commentary from around the Internet. And yes, some of them involve Thanksgiving: The New York Times tracks a trend that warms our hearts here at Voracious: Rural hunters are teaching urban food geeks how to hunt boar and deer. Our favorite quote ... More >>

Thin Wheat Line: V Bar Noodles with Fried Chicken

​Thin Wheat Line is an occasional survey of noodles around the city. Noodle: House special noodles (with egg noodles) Source: V-Bar Noodle Bar and Lounge, 2122 Second Ave., 441-8227, vbarseattle.com. Open for lunch, dinner, and late night. Price: $9.

Needed: The Extra White Meat

​ The White Center Food Bank, which has seen a massive increase in customers in recent months, is putting out the call for holiday and post-holiday donations. According to the West Seattle Blog: "Last month, the food bank served 1,966 families. For Thanksgiving alone, they served 913 families. ... More >>

10 Things I'll Miss About Seattle, No. 7: The Korean Suburbs

Dylan PriestWestern Garden's Samgyeopsal​Oakland and San Francisco both have good little strips of Korean restaurants, but they're paltry compared to Lynnwood, Federal Way, and Lakewood. After LA's Koreatown and Flushing, Queens, Seattle's northern and southern burbs have the biggest, most div ... More >>

Flying Fish Flying (Or Will It Be Swimming?) to South Lake Union

Mark Bauschke PhotographyChef Keff has had it with Belltown.​Flying Fish, one of Belltown's most durable and highly-regarded restaurants, is not long for the neighborhood. Nancy Leson reports that the Fish will swim (or will it fly?) through the Ship Canal to South Lake Union, where its landlo ... More >>

Eness Is Toast, No Doubt Due to the Surly Gourmand

As if canceling Enos' show wasn't enough, now they have to go and close his namesake restaurant.​On July 2, the Surly Gourmand posted a scathing review of Eness, a French restaurant in West Seattle. Check that: Eness was a French restaurant in West Seattle; Nancy Leson is reporting that its do ... More >>

Din Tai Fung: A First Look

Photo courtesy chowtimes.com​As reported earlier today, Din Tai Fung--the highly anticipated Taiwanese dumpling house--opened very quietly over the weekend at 700 Bellevue Way Northeast, inside Lincoln Square. There was no big announcement, no fireworks. But because this was one of those resta ... More >>

Lunchbox Laboratory Owner Scott Simpson Passes Away at 38

​Nancy Leson just broke the heartbreaking news (since independently confirmed) that Lunchbox Laboratory owner Scott Simpson passed away last night at the age of 38. His restaurant had recently relocated from Ballard to South Lake Union and, as former SW food critic Jonathan Kauffman noted a co ... More >>

Ethan Stowell, Empire Builder

The "new Tom Douglas" couldn't be more different than the vintage.

Oriental Mart Kitchen Set to Re-Open This Month

​The second phase of renovations at Pike Place Market is nearing completion, which means Oriental Mart Kitchen is nearly back in business. Oriental Mart put the kitchen component of its operations on sabbatical last December when the store was forced to relocate to the opposite end of the Pos ... More >>

Reviewing the Review: Shuffling the Schedule

This week I reviewed Poquitos, the lively Capitol Hill eatery from the folks who brought Bastille to Ballard. I really liked it, and gave the restaurant what one Tweeter characterized as a rare positive review. (For other readers keeping count, I'd put 5.33 of my nine Seattle Weekly reviews in the p ... More >>