Spencer wants breakfast. I want lunch. Or vice versa.

Unfortunately, not a lot of places serve both. . .

But a good alternative for “blunch” is Cafe Campagne in the Pike Place Market. On a recent Saturday morning, I opted for the fluffy, light Vegetarian Quiche. When I asked our server how they got it so light, she said all they use in the filling is egg yolks. Sacre bleu!

Meanwhile, Steak Frites was Spencer’s lunch of choice that particular day. It’s a manly-man sort of dish and he even lets me steal the occasional French fry. 🙂

Cafe Campagne means a lot to us and we go there often, for dinner as well. It’s where we went the evening my mother died and we needed some nourishment before we got on the American Airlines red-eye flight to Dallas.

And. . .ta-da. . .it’s the place where we had the idea for “Five More Minutes With,” our new Web site that launched on March 26. You can read more in “Our Story,” and I certainly hope you will enjoy the site and check in often.

Come and celebrate the outstanding talent and diversity of Seattle’s Black culinary community at CD Forum’s 2010 Food as Art at Bell Harbor on Saturday, April 10, with a VIP reception starting at 6:00 and dinner and the auction taking place from 6:30 to 11:00 p.m.

Presented by the Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas (CD Forum) as its primary fundraiser, 2010 Food as Art at Bell Harbor showcases 14 accomplished local Black Executive Chefs and Restaurateurs serving up an elegant evening of food, wine, auctions, and dancing at Seattle’s Bell Harbor International Promenade.

According to the press release, “Consistent with CD Forum’s mission to challenge the definition of what it means to be Black, the spectacular menu features not only the soul-warming Southern cooking historically associated with Black chefs, but a wide array of culinary perspectives, including Mediterranean, Caribbean, French, Vegan, African, Spanish, and Italian.”

“The CD Forum is at the forefront of engaging Blacks and Seattle at-large, through the humanities and performing arts,” said Kumani Gantt, CD Forum Executive Director, “and Food as Art is no exception. It’s a celebration of Seattle’s wonderful culinary talent and true to the CD Forum’s vision to challenge assumptions about Black culture, our chefs present a diverse array of culinary perspectives.”

Food as Art generates nearly $100,000 each year for the CD Forum, a hefty percentage of the organization’s modest operating budget. The proceeds from this event expand CD Forum’s ability to offer inspirational performing arts, readings, lectures, and discussions about the Black experience in America.

Curated by Andaluca’s renowned Executive Chef Wayne Johnson to ensure a wonderfully balanced culinary experience, the 2010 Food as Art lineup includes a pair of “Iron Chefs” as featured on the Food Network – Campagne Executive Chef Daisley Gordon and Osteria La Spiga Executive Chef Sabrina Tinsley.

In addition, featured dishes/cuisines include vegan by Makini Howell (Plum Bistro and Sage Café), Brazilian by Graça Ribeiro (Tempero do Brasil), Caribbean by Theo Martin (Island Soul), Pan-African by Mulugeta Abate (Pan Africa Market), along with several more outstanding chefs.

2010 Food as Art at Bell Harbor also features two guest chefs from the Culinary Wonders USA program, which cultivates minorities in the culinary arts fields. This year’s guest chefs are Erika Davis from The Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in Florida, and Shawn Lightfoot from Liquid Lounge and Restaurant in Washington, D.C.

During the opening VIP reception, Donna Moodie (marjorie) will provide appetizers and cocktails will be conjured up by mixologist David Nelson (Tavern Law). Later in the evening guests can look forward to a special dessert auction is being crafted by executive pastry chef Sachia Tinsley of Wild Ginger, tea samplings by Tea Maven Tracy Knight Shafer of T(ea) Gallery, and coffee generously provided by Coffee Rwanda.

Tickets cost $125 per person for general admission; $175 per person for VIP tickets, and must be purchased by April 2.  Tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets, or by calling 206.323.4032, ext. 116. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Click on these links for a full list of participating chefs and a complete menu of the evening’s dishes, or for additional information about 2010 Food as Art at Bell Harbor.

Today, lamentably, marks just about the halfway point through the wonderful Dine Around Seattle promotion that takes place in Seattle every March and November. And, also lamentably, I’ve only had the opportunity to dine at one of the participating restos so far.

But that one experience was truly memorable.

On a Thursday morning at 11:30, I met two of my best girlfriends (we call each other “Sis,” even though we aren’t technically related) for lunch at Tom Douglas’s venerable Dahlia Lounge (which celebrated its 20th anniversary late last year).

My sises and I were so busy chatting, I didn’t snag a shot of Tom’s Tasty Tomato Soup with Brown-Butter Croutons or the Mixed Baby Lettuces with Lemon, Sea Salt, and Reggiano, although both tasted great.

But I did get a photo of the Pan-Seared Chilled Albacore Tuna with Buckwheat Soba, Pickled Beets and Daikon, and Green Garlic Aïoli, which all three of us ordered.

Rosy pink and perfectly seared, the generous portion of tuna rested on a bed of flavorful noodles. The beet salad provided a crunchy snap and the creamy green-garlic aïoli a bracing and pungent top note. Asian cuisine à la Northwest at its best.

Here is the Chocolate-Vanilla Bean Custard Éclair (its creamy-sweet custard flecked with real vanilla beans!) and what turned out to be the surprising star among the dessert trio–Lychee-Ginger Sorbet, a sweet (but not too sweet) refresher studded with black sesame seeds. Delish.

Of course, you can’t eat dessert at any of Tom Douglas’s restaurants without saving room for a piece of the Triple Coconut Cream Pie with White Chocolate and Toasted Coconut. One picture worth 1,000 words.

And all this goodness for just $15 per person, plus tax and gratuity, through end of the month.

One of the highlights of the month of January was a tour of KOMO TV’s studios at Fisher Plaza near downtown Seattle. Many of you know the sleek, modern building as the home of Seattle Grace Hospital on the popular Grey’s Anatomy television show. And while we didn’t see McDreamy or any of the other cast members (who haven’t done any filming at KOMO during the past two years, according to our tour guide), we did get up close and personal with KOMO’s super-star anchor Mary Nam and its effervescent weatherman, Steve Pool, during a taping of KOMO 4 News@4PM.

Above is Mary and 425 magazine’s style editor, Alexandra Hedin, chatting before they do a segment on creative ideas for Superbowl parties. Alexandra was just one week away from having a baby, and her husband had begged her to bag the segment, but she went on like a trooper.

And here is Steve (resident gourmet and wine lover) sampling Pizza and Nacho Rolls, an easy Superbowl snack. Complete recipes and tips are on the 425 Web site.

I must admit, I’m more of a tea drinker than coffee imbiber. My daily tea habit runs the gamut from a healthful green tea/Red Zinger mix during the early morning to bracing black tea with 2% milk the rest of the day.

But a recent informal coffee tasting at Fonté Micro Coffee Roaster on First Avenue, right across from the Seattle Art Museum, set me to thinking about the similarities between wine tasting and coffee cupping. According to Fonté master coffee roaster Steve Smith, body (the way the coffee feels in your mouth), acidity (or liveliness), and aroma (depth) lead to coffee flavor (the overall perception of acidity, aroma, and body). As with wine, the finish (how the coffee tastes after it leaves your mouth) is also a major factor in enjoying and appreciating your cuppa Joe.

Smith demonstrated what he was talking about by tasting me through four different coffees including Bin 16 (Fonté’s signature blend), El Socorro y Anexos (the 2009 Cup of Excellence winner), and Fonté Holiday Blend (described as “a heavily bodied cup with a pleasant ‘wine-y’ brightness).

Thanks to its price tag alone, I was most intrigued by the beautifully named La Esmeralda Geisha, which translates as “the emerald geisha.” Smith said this complex, single-estate, very-limited-production coffee from Panama exhibits prominent acidity along with lovely aromatics including notes of jasmine. Annual production is only 125 bags, and so it sells for $49.95 per half pound!

The coffee is so exclusive, that during the holidays there was a limit of one-half-pound per customer, and sales benefitted the Pike Place Market Foundation. The Market Foundation funds the four social-service agencies in the Pike Place Market: the Downtown Food Bank, Medical Clinic, Senior Center, and Preschool and Child Care. This fundraising effort was and is a perfect example of the neighborhood spirit surrounding Pike Place!

From the moment it started coming out of the ground, the proverbial buzz began to build (so to speak) around the 5th and Madison building (appropriately named since it’s located in downtown Seattle at Fifth Avenue and Madison Street). The new condominium complex, located smack-dab in the center of Seattle’s downtown Financial District and across the street from the Rem Koolhaas-designed downtown Seattle Public Library, is a gorgeous glass monolith with an large outdoor plaza with water features and greenery–a favorite play space for the building’s resident dogs.

About the only thing lacking in the glitzy development was an upscale restaurant. Answering the clarion call came the third location of the “Napa-Valley-inspired” Sip. at the wine bar & restaurant, whose two other locations are in Issaquah and Gig Harbor.

On one of the coldest days of winter so far, a Wednesday in early December, we met friends who actually live at Fifth & Madison for a quick drink and tour of their condo before heading down the elevator and out the door to Sip.

Immediately, we were taken with the restaurant’s dramatic design, from the living-room-like feel of the “Great Room” to the expansive wall of wine to the bold and whimsical wine-related artwork on the walls. Warm, earthy hues and plush leathers dominate; a bustling vibe and interesting blend of people–from downtown office workers to downtown-dwelling empty nesters to 20-somethings out for drinks and apps–adds to an atmosphere of relaxed, adult sophistication. An added bonus? Northwest jazz musicians perform live on Thursday evenings.

According to a press release: “Guests will find a cozy yet stylish ambiance with an impressive wine selection and distinctly flavorful food,” says founder Lane Scelzi. “Many wineries in Napa Valley capture that feeling and that’s what we’ve achieved with Sip., all while adding our own distinct Northwest flavor.”

At the heart of Sip. Seattle sits a huge, granite-topped bar that overlooks both the dining area and the patio. I can’t wait to try Sip during the summer, since  the patio–one of the most expansive outdoor dining spaces in all of downtown–features a fireplace, a lush grassy area, and views of Elliott Bay.

Now. . .enough with the bells and whistles–let’s get down to the food. Here’s the Bibb Salad, a towering mound of whole Bibb lettuce, marinated tomatoes, Nueskie’s smoked bacon, Point Reyes blue cheese, and Dungeness Crab. Sauced with Point Reyes blue cheese dressing, it was so plentiful, I could gladly have eaten this as my main course!

My meat-eating hubby highly recommended the Short Ribs, which the well-written menu describes as, “boneless ribs, parmesan “jo-jos,” arugula salad, meyer lemon, gremolata, parmigiano, and red-wine braising jus.” Discussion around the table centered around exactly what “jo-jos” are. I’ve always thought they were simply flour-coated (so they stay nice and crispy), deep-fried potato wedges that originated on the West Coast. I was introduced to them at the old Deluxe Bar-B-Que in the Pike Place Market, although since that space has morphed into a sushi joint, I haven’t seen them in the take-away case in years.

I was in the mood for Black Cod, a.k.a. Sablefish, a fish I reported on in one of my recent Seattle Times Taste columns. This rendition skewed traditionally Asian, with a red-miso marinade, edamame wasabi “mash,” herb daikon slaw, fried shallots, cilantro oil, and sweet-chili butter. And even though it looked like a bit of a mash-up, the elements flowed as harmoniously as a Japanese fountain.

The female half of our dynamic-dining duo ordered the Jidori Chicken Confit. For those of you who don’t know, Jidori is a trademarked name of a very special type of chicken beloved by chefs in the know. According to the Jidori Web site, their birds “are raised cage-free, fed all-natural grain with no meat by-products, and without any hormones or steroids.” There must be something to their claims, since our friend, a long-time foodie and wine lover, pronounced the dish well prepared and the chicken very tasty. The “cured natural heirloom chicken hind quarter” was served with roasted-garlic mashers, brown-butter-basted Brussels-sprouts salad (the leaves painstakingly separated from their cores like frilly miniature lettuce leaves!), and garlic butter.

Sated and happy, we passed on dessert (as we usually do) in favor of finishing the last dregs of our bottle of Washington-state red wine. But I must admit that the Roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake and the Hot Buttered Rum Brulée were tempting sweet options.

As you’d expect, Sip’s beverage program is impressive. The restaurant features nearly 70 wines by the glass; more than 250 bottles from the Pacific Northwest, California, and around the globe; a wide range of red, white, rosé wine, and champagne flights; nearly 15 domestic and imported beers; and cocktails made with fresh and natural ingredients.

Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, happy hour is offered Monday through Friday 4:30 to 6:30.

Cheers to Sip. Seattle, and welcome to the neighborhood!

Back during the holidays, on a Saturday night when the shoppers were out in full force, we made the BIG mistake of not making a dinner reservation. Turned away at several places, we finally took our chances at Il Fornaio’s Risotteria (the smaller downstairs location, not the more formal upstairs–and what we refer to as “baby” Fornaio).

Noticing two seats at the counter overlooking the sous chefs and busy line, we asked if they were available. And, very luckily for us, they were!

Above is the always-dependable Insalata di Spinaci–Fresh organic baby spinach, along with walnuts, mushrooms, applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes, onions, and aged ricotta, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette.

And here’s the Minestrone Soup that comes from “big” Fornaio that our server was nice enough to go up and fetch for us.

Spaghetti al Frutti di Mare–Long, thin pasta with clams, mussels, scallops, squid, shrimp, tomato, garlic,
chili flakes, marinara, and white wine was my main. While not loaded with seafood, the tomato sauce was rich and satisfying, and I took home half the pasta for the next night’s seafood soup.

Pollo allo Spiedo–rotisserie chicken served with a plume of rosemary–was a large portion and perfectly cooked. Sautéed kale and roasted potatoes were ample sides.

A bottle of Ripasso (sometimes considered a sister wine to Amarone) went down far too easily and soon we found ourselves making our way through the madding crowds and back into the cold wintery night.

If you are planning a trip to New York City this month, don’t miss a visit to the venerable James Beard House on January 20 for the Northwestern Seafood Extravaganza presented by our friend Ethan Stowell, chef/owner/founder of Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook a Wolf, Tavolàta, and Union.

From the first days of Union, we predicted Ethan’s meteoric rise. Here’s a link to a television interview I did for Seattle PBS station KCTS’s “About the Money” that discusses Ethan’s rise in the Seattle restaurant scene. Congratulations, Ethan!

Tickets for JBF Members are $125; General Public $165.

One of our “go-to” places, especially this time of year when we need an fun, festive place to meet friends for drinks and a bite, is TASTE Restaurant at the Seattle Art Museum. Danielle Custer, our friend, colleague, fellow Seattle Dame, über-talented chef, wine expert, and general manager of TASTE, runs a tight ship along with executive chef Craig Hetherington, with an emphasis on local, fresh, seasonal food products and wines.

Happy Hour, which runs 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the days the restaurant and museum are open (Tuesday through Sunday), is a real deal, with every item on the bar menu costing just $6. Here’s one of my faves–Griddled Cheese & Roasted Tomato Soup Shot, which normally sells for $9. Certainly puts Campbell’s and Velveeta to shame.

The boys in the group each ordered two Mini Organic Beef Burgers & Fries with Cumin Gouda, Dijon Aïoli, and Spicy Pickled Red Onions. (The sliders usually go for $6 for one, $9 for two, and $12 for three.) Unfortunately, the guys weren’t in a sharin’ kind of mood, so I snagged nary a bite nor a single fry!

Pastry chef Lucy Damkoehler was kind enough to send out her Dolci di Taste, a dessert trio in honor of the current Michelangelo exhibit. It included two light-as-air lemon cannolis, Winter Squash Crostata (a savory-leaning butternut-squash rustic tart), and my favorite–Hazelnut Gelato with a crunchy nut crust.

A bottle (or two!) of Lange Estate 2005 “Three Hills Cuvée” Pinot Noir ($67) from the Willamette Valley, paired perfectly with our savory items.

All the strange windy, snowy, wet weather of late has sparked some gorgeous sunsets in late afternoon, once the clouds have lifted and the sun gets a few hours to shine.

Here’s a sunset over Elliott Bay from last week that really knocked our socks off. Shades of purple and magenta and royal blue and cotton-candy pink surround the golden horizon. . .