Pike Place Chowder

Even though my family goes on semi-annual road trips to America, we never really find the effort to go try new food. We've developed this one-meal-a-day schedule making it rather difficult to convince everyone to try a new restaurant when all cravings are for Sweet Tomatoes (which is one of my favourite restaurants ever, but still.) So finally, after pestering my father year after year, he finally promised to drive through downtown Seattle so we could have some clam chowder. The good stuff.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

Parking at Pike Place Market isn't free, but thankfully it isn't outrageous. Between 0 and 1 hour is $3 and between 1 and 2 hours is $6. Payment is made via a machine by the elevator on the Main floor. My tip is to keep your eye on the time and set aside at least 15 minutes to get back to the garage to avoid missing your desired time deadline. I believe it is only around $8 for all day parking if you enter before 9am.

Pike Place Chowder @ Pike Place Market

So finally, we are at Pike Place! Surprisingly, even on a Monday, there were so. many. people. everywhere. I understand that it's a tourist area but even when I visited in the summer, there weren't that many people bustling about. As a reference, the line up for the original Starbucks was out the door and down to the corner of the street. It was insane.  

Looking at the Post Alley sign on Pine Street

The famed Pike Place Chowder is located on a street called 'Post Alley'. It isn't accessible by car and there is only a street sign at one end. Just so happens we completely missed that end and made a gigantic circle around the block just to find it was a 200 metre walk from where the parking elevator was. It really is an alley that is a back lane turned business area. 

The fastest way to get to Pike Place Chowder is to walk from the tulip shop (under the giant Public Market sign on top of the roof outside) down Pine Street about 100 metres. The entrance to Post Alley is directly across the street from Sur La Table, a home good store. 

Pike Place Chowder Menu

We arrived just before noon, and juuuuust before the mad lunch rush of both tourists and office workers. The line up was just barely around the corner when we got there and the wait wasn't too long. There is one employee ladling the soup and another one ringing up the cashier, making the line of hungry customers chug along smoothly. Both employees were very patient and generous with us indecisive first-timers, even if their stiff facial expressions look otherwise. At first, we were going to order four large bowls of soup but then we saw a quart size of soup available (which is equivalent to two larges). He already poured soup into one of the large bowls but simply dumped it out and scooped us a quart size. Even though the menu board is already full of writing, I think they need to indicate the price of the quart to let customers know that it is an option.

A quart (32 oz) of Clam Chowder ($13.95), large (16 oz) Seafood Bisque and Market Chowder ($8.45 each)

After all the lengthy talk about everything other than food, it's time to talk about the soup!

French Market

French Market in Disneyland Anaheim

After visiting a few too many restaurants to look at their lunch menus, we finally settled down at French Market in New Orleans Square. A counter-service style restaurant that serves Southern classics with French influences.

Jambalaya ($12.99)

This was a dish recommended on the internet as being large enough to fill two people to the top. It was a spicy stew with chicken, sausage and vegetables over a bed of dirty rice. I didn't remember there was supposed to be shrimp until I stumbled upon one lonely shrimp. And that was the only shrimp in the whole dish; a bit disappointing. The dish must have downsized because it was probably enough to fully feed one person. Overall, the Jambalaya was flavourful yet not too salty, and the jalapeno corn bread that comes with most of the entrees is very good too (although not as moist as Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation's). It's not the best dish in the park but it isn't a bad choice.

Corn Chowder ($9.29)

The Corn Chowder came in a massive bread bowl and could be considered an entree for one. However, the person hollowing out the bread didn't do a thorough enough of a job so there was not quite enough room for adequate soup. Meaning the soup to bread ratio was rather off. The chunky chowder was packed with tons of corn and was a pleasure to eat.

Na Awlins Salad ($10.99)

Needing some vegetables with our lunch, we chose to order one Na Awlin Salad. The salad is prepared upon ordering and came with soooo many candied roasted pecans!! Delicious! The slaw makes for a great dressing. Other toppings include plump Crasins and some mysterious black bean looking things. This salad also comes with cornbread. A good salad that could also be an entree for one.

Three dishes was the perfect amount to feed my family of four people. We just drank water with our meal, which is provided free of charge. However, French Market is known for their mint julep, so if that is of interest, I would suggest trying one! Oh, and the Mickey beignets.
 
On our way out of the restaurant after lunch, my dad took a peak at the dinner menu. He was immediately drawn to the red snapper entree and said he wanted to come back for dinner. So, here we are at French Market for the second meal in the park.

Chicken Caesar Salad ($10.99)

The salad choices didn't change so we tried the Chicken Caesar Salad. It was a typical caesar salad except it had black eyed beans! There was a plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons (my brother's favourite salad topping). The chicken was thin and rather lacking in portion. This salad comes with cornbread too. Does the trick for adding some vegetables but romaine lettuce does not hold much nutritional value. I liked the Na Awlins Salad more than this caesar one.

Panko-Crusted Red Snapper ($14.99)

And finally, we come to the goal of the night, Panko Crusted Red Snapper. We had two of this entree. The fish was borderline dry but still moist enough to enjoy. (Snapper is naturally not very oily) A tomato-y, creamy sauce (not as neon as the photo depicts) dressed this fish and the flavour is very strong, but tasty. It was something I hadn't tried before and I quite enjoyed the pairing. The frozen carrots on the side are bland and has that 'previously frozen' texture that isn't pleasant. Perhaps those that are used to eating frozen vegetables will not find a problem here. The charred corn niblets are good as well as the nicely roasted potatoes, though the potatoes could have been cooked for longer to be more soft. This entree came with a potato bun, but it didn't taste very fresh. We just used this as a vehicle to mop up some sauce. For $15, this is a very affordable dinner entree and provides a balanced meal.

The seating is all outdoors but is covered and very cool. My parents really appreciated the live band playing as we enjoyed our lunch and dinner. If you are able to snag a table by the railing, it's a great place to do some people watching as well. After dinner, we were able to find a great seat on the ground for the viewing of Fantasmic, a nighttime show at the Rivers of America, which is directly across from French Market.

Nothing was overly salty, the service is quick and friendly, and the location is beautiful. If you're looking for a reasonably priced, affordable, yet still tasty meal in Disneyland Anaheim, French Market is a great choice! 

Reviews on Yelp

Anaheim on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Shoop's Delicatessen

Our lunch in Santa Monica was an unplanned one. My parents didn't feel like having Sunday brunch at a fancier restaurant by the pier, we just missed the farmer's market on main street, and the popular Urth Cafe was 1) too expensive and 2) had a long line up. As everyone began to get a bit moody, we stumbled into Shoop's on Main Street to just get some food into our systems before anyone started arguing.

Shoop's Deli in Santa Monica

Half deli and half cafe, Shoop's serves burgers, sandwiches, and wraps with German influences. There are vegan and vegetarian options, as well as flavour inspirations from around the world. Select breakfast fare such as eggs and pancakes are also available all day. 
Seating is limited and we had to wait a few minutes for a table that could accommodate my family of four, even at 2pm.

The Clevelander ($10.50)

My brother ordered The Clevelander hot sandwich, which resembles a burger more to me. It had corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and an array of dressings. He gobbled this tall sandwich up in a jiffy, and still complained he wasn't full yet. Unless you're a growing teenage boy that had been starved since 8am that morning, this big sandwich should be filling enough. A small side of fruit came with all our orders, an appreciated side dish for a health conscious Crumpet. 

The Ranger ($9.95)

Sorry for the out of focus photo, growling stomach was calling. My parents shared The Ranger hot sandwich. How were they not still hungry afterwards? It was very similar to The Clevelander except with roast beef, grilled onion, and coleslaw. 

Aaron's breakfast wrap ($9.25)

I was craving a wrap and had a bit of difficulty choosing one. The Aaron's breakfast wrap was the perfect pick. It was a unique and unsual combination of barbeque chicken, egg whites, and yam wrapped in a large spinach tortilla. The chicken can be substituted with tofu for vegetarians and vegans. I really loved how the entire wrap was placed on the grill and charred; it heated the wrap thoroughly and was served extremely hot, so much so that my hands couldn't hold it for long. This wrap was of a very generous portion and the flavours were clean and worked well together. I was so full after scarfing down my wrap that even eating the fruit was a bit of a pain. I really liked this! Simple and satisfying, I want to recreate this at home!

Shoop's would have never made it on my researched restaurant lists but I am very glad we discovered this little establishment. The staff where patient and friendly and our orders arrived very quickly. The cafe was full the whole time we were there, even in the afternoon! People were eating salads, pancakes, German breakfasts, while reading the newspaper or chatting with a friend. A very local place with reasonable prices for the portion size. Their breakfast menu was very appealing to me, but for once it wasn't the pancakes! The array of wraps and savoury items sounded exciting and new. If there is ever a time you're strolling down Main Street in Santa Monica and pass by Shoop's, hopefully you'll remember this post and give Shoop's a bit of consideration.

Reviews on Yelp

Santa Monica on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Ingrid's Village Cafe

Ingrid's Village Cafe

In the middle of the Village Stroll in Whistler lies this tiny cafe that is loved by both locals and visitors alike. Although I walk past this cafe at least six times a day, I would have never thought to go in if it weren't for the good reviews seen on the Internet. The cafe is not very noticeable as there's no big sign displaying their name and their small patio section is attached to three other restaurants. Look for the 'home cooking' neon lights or an A-frame sign that says stuff like "vegan! hot chocolate!" (Sorry, that's all I remember...), or a patio full of people enjoying burgers out of plastic red baskets.

Garden Veggie Burger ($6.95)

I got the Garden Veggie Burger which is a patty of shredded vegetables in a multigrain bun with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, green bell pepper, shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, salsa, and mayonnaise. This was an absolutely massive burger. Tall and thick! 

The patty was labeled is gluten free and vegan but it also was 'with mozza'. I'm not sure if mozza meant mozzarella cheese, so if you're vegan you may want to double check with an employee. And also tell them 'no mayo' (which I forgot to do...) When eaten, I thought the patty was a bit too wet, being on the verge of tasting undercooked. The mushy texture made the feeling rather strange. As with most vegetarian burgers or low-fat meat patties, the flavour relies heavily on spices. Which is healthier because the spices substitute the lard's job of providing flavour. But for those new to vegetarian burgers, just be prepared. Let's just say the Garden Veggie Burger looked appealing but the taste was rather anticlimactic. The Superior Veggie Burger made of lentils and vegetables could potentially taste better as apparently, Ingrid's is famous for that.

A short mention for the toppings: I'm glad the avocado was thickly spread on the bottom bun; nothing worse that looking forward to some creamy avocado but just getting a tiny sliver. However, the alfalfa sprouts were a totally different story. There are like three sprouts sticking out in the photo, and that's about how much was actually in the burger. Smaller than a pinch. -insert unimpressed face here- All the other vegetables were (I think) present in the burger. Even though the whole patty is made from vegetables, I like to include as much veggies into each meal as possible. Can't go wrong with more cellulose right?

Ingrid's Village Cafe is a great place to pick up a breakfast wrap or a simple soup and sandwich lunch for under $10 inside the village. Sandwiches, burgers, and wraps are all built to order. The prices are extremely reasonable and affordable, great for a day where you don't feel like spending a ton of money to dine at some fancy five-star restaurant or just need something quick and easy. I would love to come back and try some of their other items. Maybe their daily soup or the new Avocado Breakfast Wrap. Ingrid's is like Subway, but with more exciting choices.

The menu and prices can be viewed on their website. 




Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Quick and Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup

This quick and easy broccoli soup has quickly become a family staple at the Coconut's Home. My mom has already made this soup at least three times in the last 2 weeks already. It came be put together in less than half an hour. Serve a big bowl of this thick green goodness along with some bread and you've got yourself a meal!

It all started when we snagged an awesome deal of two or three dollars for a massive bag of ready-to-eat broccoli florets at our local supermarket. I looked to my folder of recipes on my computer to search for ways to use all the broccoli in time. One should aim to have a serving of dark green vegetables (and orange too!) per day and broccoli is one of the best ways to meet that rule of thumb. Broccoli is packed with nutrients like fibre, calcium, and iron. This soup makes it easy to have a large intake of broccoli in one sitting, yum~ 

This healthy and basic recipe would make great base for any other vegetable puree soups. Swap out the broccoli for another vegetable like carrots and viola! another soup. 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Adapted From Cooking Light

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• Oil for pan frying 
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 generous cups of broccoli florets
• 2 ½ cups milk
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. 
2. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
3. Combine milk and flour, stirring until no lumps remain. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender until desired consistency.

P.S. The flower over the soup in the photo was drawn on with photoshop. It seemed awkwardly blank without something on top. A bit of decoration on top really helps with presentation if serving guests. 

 Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡