Spencer and I both fell victim to the weird stomach virus/flu that’s been going around Seattle lately, and it really affected my appetite, in particular. Suddenly, all I craved were comfort foods. One morning for breakfast, all I could manage to get down was Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup with a dab of Thai chile paste and half a block of tofu chunks, gently stirred and warmed in the microwave oven. Divine!

Over the weekend, instead of having my usual Dungeness Crab Salad with Avocado, Jicama, Organic Greens, and Lime Vinagrette at Etta’s Seafood, I opted instead for a cup of the just-right-in-texture and -taste Manila Clam Chowder. The recipe is in Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining if you want to try it for yourself. Here’s a photo of this cup o’ simple, satisfying comfort food for a sick tummy.

The Dungeness Crab “Ravioli” at the new Juno restaurant in the recently opened Arctic Hotel in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood is simply sublime. Lacy and light pasta is studded with chives, draped over crab meat, and napped with lobster cream sauce that is intriguingly sweet thanks to the addition of the dessert wine. Arugula and pine nuts add both bitter elements and crunch. Inspired!

Go for the double serving (two ravioli) for $24 versus a single for $18, as you will be sure to savor each and every bite. 

You may think I write about Steelhead Diner, in the Pike Place Market, too much. But Spencer and just enjoy eating there so much. Here’s the glorious multi-hued Caviar Pie, which is a bargain at just $14.95 a slice. It easily feeds four small appetites or two big appetites (such as ours).

Lately, I’ve been testing a new salmon recipe that I think (and hope) will be part of a new Pike Place Market-themed cookbook that will be published in the next couple of years. Here’s a photo of Recipe Test #2 for Balsamic-Minted Salmon with Walnuts, a hearty-healthy, Mediterranean-leaning riff that works best on a thinner fillet of salmon such as sockeye, coho, or keta (chum), rather than my usual favorite, king or Chinook.

Some people have a fear of eating fresh oysters on the half shell in months that don’t contain an “r,” but we put that myth to rest over a recent lunch/brunch at Steelhead Diner in the Pike Place Market. Here are a half dozen pristine Barron Inlet oysters with a frozen mignonette ice. A glass of Di Stefano 2006 Sauv Blanc from Washington’s Columbia Valley made the perfect pairing. 

During my whirlwind book tour in Portland last fall, when sleep was at a minimum and we craved some good, ol’-fashioned comfort food, we stopped in at Lisa Golden Schroeter’s world-famous Mother’s Bistro and happily devoured her Salmon Hash. We loved the Bistro’s old-world charm, black-and-white tiled floors, dark-wood bar, and friendly ambience. 

When summertime hits, I can’t seem to get my fill of Burrata, the sinfully rich Italian mozzarella cheese with ricotta cheese buried in the center. Here is Barolo’s rendition–Burrata Salad with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes. Chandon’s Brut Rosé made the perfect counterpart. 

Saturday or Sunday brunch at Café Campagne (sitting outside on the narrow patio whenever the weather permits) is an oft-repeated pleasure chez Johnson. Here’s my favorite light brunch, the Smoked Salmon plate. 

Earlier this week, we sprang for 1 1/2 pounds of the highly touted Yukon River King salmon from John, one of our favorite fishmongers at Pure Food Fish in the Pike Place Market. At $25.99 a pound, it was definitely one of, if not the priciest, fish in the case. Once home, I seasoned it lightly with Australian sea salt and Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice) and grilled it on the stovetop. It cooked very cleanly–leeching a small amount of sweet-smelling fat–which is one of the clues to a great piece of salmon. 

Large of flake, dark pink in color, “meaty” in flavor, it went down easily with a bottle of Bergevin Lane 2006 The Princess, “Francisca’s Vineyard” Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley. The BIG wine needed to be decanted to tame its berry-rich goodness and a hint of smoke, but after some time in the glass it knit together seamlessly and was a pleasure to the very last drop. Steamed veggies and fingerling potatoes with a dollop of unsalted butter and chiffonade of fresh mint formed a lovely counterpart to the rich fish and wine.

Blue Cheese Mussels, one of my favorite recipes from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining, is a mainstay on the menu at Voilà! Bistrot in Seattle’s Madison Valley neighborhood. When paired with a fruity red wine, such as a good-quality Merlot, the earthiness of the mussels and the tanginess of the blue cheese are both tamed and enhanced by the big berry flavors.