What I Ate on Summer Vacation (Vancouver, Bellingham, and Seattle)

I returned recently from a whirlwind trip out west with stops of varying length in Seattle, Vancouver, and Bellingham. We were traveling to see family and a few friends,but I’m happy to say that we prioritized eating well also. What we found what so different than the food I know and love in upstate NY that I want to share a few highlights here. Vacation ciders are coming next, I promise. 

So, here are some of the best things I ate on my summer vacation.

Sun Bo Kong Vegetarian Restaurant: https://www.sunbokong.com/

This was my first ever experience with vegetarian Dim Sum (any Dim Sum really). I didn’t manage to get any good pictures, because once the food started flowing chaos descended. We reveled in a parade of dumplings, spring rolls, savory vegetables, stuffed buns, and delicious tiny faux chicken legs. Everything was different and moutwateringly good. Our friends know where to take visitors! Now I know that vegetarian Dim Sum is an experience to be sought out!

Mila Plant Based: https://www.milaplantbased.com/

I had the Cold Pho Salad, because conditions outside were sunny, dry, and hot. I needed something cool and refreshing. When I saw that this dish used cucumber, radish and asian pear along with udon noodles and just a hint of Birds’ Eye Chili Peppers. I don’t know if anything else I ate on the trip could rival this dish for complexity, flavor, and serving as the perfect counterpoint to an intense summer day. Both of my companions enjoyed their Dan Dan Noodles as well for the fun interplay of textures and zesty heat.

Cafe Rumba: https://caferumbabham.com/

Peruvian Yam Sandwich called a Peruano with Yam, avocado, mozzarella cheese, roasted tomato, spinach, aji huacatay, aji amarillo sauce. And we shared a small bowl of big Andean Corn Kernels, with Feta, and fresh vegetable salsa. Alex teased me for wanting potatoes as a side and as a topping, yet I remain undaunted. Ever since falling in love with La Feria in Pittsburgh, we seek out Peruvian food wherever we go, and this place is a casual gem!

Rock and Rye Oyster House:  https://www.rockrye.com/

My salmon craving was really directing us on our evening in Bellingham. The Tall one suggested a lovely narrow strip of a place in a lovely old brick building downtown. The restaurant was celebrating it’s tenth year of operation with several specials, some of which we chose for our dinner. I enjoyed the special smoked salmon with tomatoes and berries. Alex had the beet gnocchi. We shared an appetizer of Japanese street corn.

MeeT on Main: https://eatmeet.ca/main-street/

We tried loads of delightful things here including vegan poutine, Oyster Mushroom Calamari, a BBQ burger, and gnocchi with Romesco sauce. Everything was deliriously good. I tried a local cider that will be written abouNt in a future post, but having all the salty snacky comfort food as an accompaniment to good companionship and a fun cider really is hard to beat. I loved the menu, atmosphere, and palette of flavors that MeeT brought to the table!

Ignite Pizzeria in Mt. Pleasant: https://ignitepizzeria.com/

On our way into town we stopped at a cute little pizza spot for the Potato Gorgonzola Pizza. The place does stone fired pizzas, and ours had plenty of thinly sliced potato, mozzarella, loads of super flavorful gorgonzola, and just a sprinkle of rosemary. The other fun thing was trying our first ever Italian hot sauce. I’m a wimp about spice, but I love smokiness and peppers, so I was brave and tasted the Firelli Hot Sauce. It was delightfully flavorful, but I managed to handle it on a pizza simply created for such a pairing. 

Portage Bay Cafe: https://www.portagebaycafe.com/roosevelt

When I have the opportunity to order Shakshuka, I take it. That’s just a given for me. I love tomato-y, eggy, breakfasts with good bread and feta cheese. The Tall one ordered Lemon Ricotta Pancakes that included one trip to the berry bar. Yes, I said berry bar. It looked sublime. The pacific northwest is known for berries almost as much as for rainfall, so do not skip any opportunity to explore that reputation first hand. Both of our dishes came out exactly as we hoped. For me that meant rich, spicy, and hearty and for my companion it was light and fluffy sweetness. Add in eating outdoors on a lovely morning, and I’m all set. 

Believe it or not, these are just the highlights and not an exhaustive list of all of the great food finds on our trip. And I promise we did loads more than just eat. Next up, cider!

Cider Review: 2 Towns Ciderhouse Sidekick Non-Alcoholic Cosmic Crisp

When sitting down to write today, I noticed that in this blog’s history that I’ve posted 600 times. That feels shocking to me. It’s so many. And though I promised experimentation in addition to a new posting schedule back in February, I’ve mostly stayed to the tried-and-true descriptive review format. My desire to try new things hasn’t changed, so I’ll redouble my efforts. 

Today, I’m happy to share one more non-alcoholic cider review in Two Town’s Ciderhouse Sidekick Non-Alcoholic Cosmic Crisp. This cider and it’s companion the Pacific Pineapple have been sweeping all sorts of awards for cider innovations, non alcoholic drinks, you name it. 

Here’s the complete roundup of all of my 2 Towns Ciderhouse reviews from the past 10 years. More background on the cidery appears in several of the earlier posts.

Sidekick Pacific Pineapple: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/05/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse.html

Apricot Cosmic Crisp: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2024/02/cider-review-2-towns-apricot-cosmic.html

The Baddie: https://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2023/03/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouses.html

Crimson Bliss: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/10/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/09/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-hollow.html

Two Berry Dream: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2022/08/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-two.html

10th Anniversary Cider Pacific Northwest Heirloom Blend: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2021/01/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-10th.html

Good Limes Roll: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2020/07/cider-reviews-two-towns-cider-house.html

Cosmic Currant: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/12/cider-review-two-towns-cosmic-currant.html

Hollow Jack’d: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/10/cider-review-two-towns-ciderhouse.html

Afton Field: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/06/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-afton.html

La Mûre: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2019/02/cider-review-albemarle-ciderworks.html

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/12/cider-review-eden-ciders-siren-song-and.html

Cidre Bouche: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2017/11/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouses-cidre.html

Pearadise: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/05/very-perry-may-2-towns-ciderhouses.html

Pineapple: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2018/02/cider-review-portland-cider-company.html

Bright Cider: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2016/07/cider-review-roundup-common-cider-co.html

Hop and Stalk: http://alongcameacider.blogspot.com/2014/12/cider-review-2-towns-ciderhouse-hop-and.html

Here's where to find 2 Towns on the web: https://2townsciderhouse.com/

And this is what 2 Towns has to say about the Sidekick Cosmic Crisp. 

Crafted with Washington grown Cosmic Crisp® apples, this galactic shredder will have you hucking craters and airing it out big in zero-G. Using exclusively sourced Northwest apples, each batch is fresh-pressed with a custom blend of ingredients. After fermentation, the alcohol is gently removed low and slow until it reaches less than 0.5% AB. The newly dealcoholized cider is finished and blended to create a crisp, clean cider that always has your back!

Appearance: hazy, the color of a hawk’s yellow cream feathers,

Aromas: green apple, yogurt, yeast

Something sharp and crystalline that implies both green apple fruit and sweetness. A richer yogurty note supporting that. It’s a bit of yeasty fermented aroma that helps differentiate this from a soda or fresh juice. 

Sweetness/dryness: Sweet

This is sweet. I think it’s very much like the alcoholic version of the Cosmic Crisp, so the sweetness is balanced with high acidity.

Flavors and drinking experience: high acid, bubbly, fruity with apple, elderflower, pineapple, peach and pear notes

This nonalcoholic cider manages to stay absolutely true to the fruity and approachable acid driven style that has made 2 Towns so successful. There are fermented notes; it’s not just sparkling apple juice. It’s full bodied, super tropical and juicy, and pleasantly bubbly. I quite like it, especially on evenings like tonight when I want to have a treat, but need to be 100% sharp.