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John Howie Steak happenings

January 27, 2012


Chef John Howie is keeping busy this month. From launching a new Sunday Supper menu to the Great Steak Giveway promotion, we could have a reason to stop in and eat some delicious steak almost every night. To keep track of it all, we’ve compiled all of the John Howie Steak happenigs for you below.

Sunday Suppers
Sunday evening is a time to gather as a family at the table, enjoy a long leisurely meal and catch up. Why not skip the cooking prep and let Chef Howie’s team do the work for you? The Sunday Supper menu serves four and is certain to please all members of the family. For a total price of $138-$180 (depending on entree selection), each guest has their choice of soup or salad. The table then chooses a shared steak dinner entree, two sides and two desserts. View the Sunday Supper menu here.

Evening Land Vineyards Wine Dinner with Master Sommelier Larry Stone
When former film producer Mark Tarlov established Evening Land Vineyards, he assembled a team of Burgundy fanatics, including two superstars: famed winemaker Dominique Lafon and James Beard award winning master sommelier and former GM of Rubicon Estate, Larry Stone. What was to be a hobby soon became his second career. Evening Land’s distinctive Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, based on estate vineyards on the Sonoma Coast, Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills and Burgundy, have placed the winery on Wine & Spirits 2011 “Top 100 Wineries of the Year”, garnered raves from Wine Spectator’s Harvey Steiman and scores in the mid to high 90’s.

On Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30 p.m., twenty-four lucky guests will get red carpet treatment at John Howie Steak’s exclusive Evening Land Wine Dinner. Chef John Howie and Chef Mark Hipkiss have designed a sumptuous six-course dinner alongside these incredible wines. View the full menu here. Cost is $150 per person (does not include tax & gratuity). Space is limited. Reservation can be made by calling (425) 440-0878.

The Great Steak Giveaway
The Great Steak Giveaway provides diners with weekly opportunities to win thousands of dollars in prizes!

Dine at John Howie Steak anytime through April 17 and you will be entered into a weekly drawing to win a gift card for the value of your meal (three drawings per week: one lunch – up to $200, one lounge – up to $250, and one dinner – up to $400).

Just for dining you’ll also be entered into the final drawing to win a trip to New Orleans with Chef John Howie for the 2013 Taste of the NFL or a $5,000 gift card to John Howie Steak!

And be sure to visit John Howie Steak’s Facebook page to recieve bonus contest entries. All you have to do is “Like” the page, or if you already do, post a picture of yourself at John Howie Steak on the wall to receive up to two additional entries weekly.

Café Cesura is waking up downtown Bellevue

January 5, 2012

Residents of downtown Bellevue are fortunate to have a wide variety of culinary options at their fingertips. However, when brother-in-laws Shawn Nickerson and Leon Douglas moved to town they saw a small void in downtown’s food scene. They sought to provide access to more authentic, gourmet coffee and locally purveyed grab ‘n go options, and did so last November with the opening of Café Cesura.

From its conception, Café Cesura was created with the downtown Bellevue demographics in mind. It boasts a clean, contemporary interior reminiscent of Seattle’s independent cafes, but don’t let the ultra-modern aesthetic fool you. Café Cesura is centered on quality cuisine and gourmet coffee.

Cesura uses Stumptown beans exclusively. Stumptown was hand-picked as supplier due to its meticulous attention to bean quality and passion for making great coffee. Cesura spares no expense in ensuring that your morning latte is perfectly executed. From specialty small batch, regional and ethically grown coffee beans to expertly trained baristas and homemade syrups, Café Cesura has all the authenticity of a sidewalk café in Paris. It’s worth a visit just for the coffee, but it would be a mistake to leave without sampling the unparalleled edibles.

With extensive culinary training at LA’s Lucques, Chef Leon Douglas created a menu that more than lives up to Cesura’s top notch coffee. Centered on fresh, seasonal produce, Cesura’s menu is both appetizing and surprising, combining unexpected flavors with the freshest ingredients around. From the beginning Douglas and Nickerson were adamant about bringing customers ethically grown and prepared food from local farms, and they have done just that. Cesura’s eclectic menu boasts items like a kale salad with roasted pumpkin and spicy peanut dressing and grilled cheese with caramelized onion on sourdough. Breakfast items are no less intriguing with choices like an eggnog muffin and a raspberry and cream cheese croissant. All menu items are made fresh from ingredients in season and the taste reflects it.

With its attention to detail and uncompromising adherence to quality, it is no surprise that Café Cesura already boasts a substantial community of regulars and growing business despite having been open only two months. Cesura’s seamless intermingling into the fabric of downtown is further facilitated by its active involvement in the community. Located on the first floor of the Ashton Bellevue apartment complex (1015 108th Avenue NE), Cesura has catered brunch to its residents (as well as residents of TEN20) and regularly hosts coffee brewing classes. So what’s next on Café Cesura’s agenda? A barista contest!

On January 8 Café Cesura will be hosting a contest specifically for Eastside baristas. Buy in is $10 for baristas who want to show off their barring prowess and half of the proceeds will benefit Hopelink. For more information visit Café Cesura’s website or Facebook page.

If you’ve never enjoyed expertly crafted coffee, don’t you think it’s about time? Hop on down to Café Cesura and experience coffee the way it was meant to be brewed!

Doing New Years in true downtown Bellevue style

December 30, 2011

It’s that time of year again. Break out the party poppers and champagne, pin up a brand new calendar and maybe a list of resolutions—it’s New Years! Luckily for Eastsiders, downtown Bellevue is a New Years party hot spot. The following is a list of downtown restaurants and entertainment venues gaurenteed to help you ring in 2012 right.

Pearl Bar and Dining
Pearl Bar and Dining is well established as one of the best dining options on the Eastside, so it comes as no surprise that they will be hosting a fabulous New Year’s Eve celebration! Join Pearl on December 31 for a gourmet three-course dinner followed by a nightclub style party and a champagne toast to ring in 2012. Pearl’s New Year’s Eve Ball will include multiple bars, a DJ and even party favors. Tickets are $30 per person through Brown Paper Tickets or $40 at the door. Valet parking is provided free by The Westin Bellevue. Come celebrate a gem of a year at Bellevue’s own restaurant jewel, Pearl!

Pogacha
Early birds rejoice because Pogacha is celebrating all day long on December 31! Starting at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Eve day Pogacha Bellevue will be serving its breakfast and lunch menu until 3 p.m. Starting at 5 p.m. Pogacha will feature a special New Year’s Eve menu in addition to a host of new winter specials like Hawaiian blue prawns and a variety of featured wines including Ross Andrew’s Boushey Syrah and Soos Creek Sundance Red.

Purple Café and Wine Bar and Lot No. 3
If you didn’t get your fill of New Year’s Eve festivities, Purple and Lot No. 3 have the perfect solution—New Year’s Day brunch. On January 1 both restaurants will be serving a New Year’s brunch to welcome in 2012. Items include hearty morning favorites like seasonal omelets at Purple and bagel sandwiches and waffles at Lot No.3. So put off cleaning up your New Year’s Eve party mess, just for a bit, and enjoy a New Years day brunch! Purple Café will also be open for New Year’s Even festivities. In addition to the full menu, Purple will feature unique food and drink specials.

The Melting Pot
New Year’s Eve is all about fun and the celebration of another successful year gone by—and nothing says fun like fondue! Join the Melting Pot this New Year’s Eve for a special four-course New Year’s dinner complete with featured seasonal wines and cocktails. Dinner is $75 per person and guests who book reservations between 3 and 5 p.m. will receive $100 in Melting Pot gift certificates for a delicious 2012! End the night with The Melting Pot’s signature chocolate fondue and get a sweet start to the New Year.

Wild Ginger
Creative cocktails and delectable dining are the name of the game this New Year at Wild Ginger! On December 31 Wild Ginger’s menu will include a vast array of creative cocktails, as well as a decadent dinner menu available all night. Diners can look forward to Wild Ginger’s Asian fusion favorites such as Thai chili beef, green curry chicken, squash and sweet potato stew as well as a satay bar. Wild Ginger will also serve a host of delicious cocktails like the cracked coconut martini, lychee cooler, vanilla passion sidecar and mango mojito. With options like that, who needs champagne?

Z’ Tejas Southwestern Grill
Can’t wait until the 31st to star your New Year’s celebration? You’re in luck. Z’ Tejas at the Bellevue Collection is starting their New Year’s festivities early too. December 30 through January 1 Z’Tejas will be serving a special New Year’s menu. Featured items will include an ahi ceviche with seasoned tostados, Southwestern chicken achiote and a molten chocolate cake for dessert. A trip to Z’ Tejas can be a delicious precursor to your New Year’s Eve!

Not everyone’s New Year’s Eve celebrations center around a meal out. For party-goers that prefer their night out with a little more action, downtown Bellevue has plenty of exciting options.

Munchbar will be hosting an angels and demons costume party on New Year’s Eve complete with guest DJ, celebrity host, champagne and of course prizes awarded to those with the best costumes. If you’re interested in something a bit more formal, consider New Year’s Eve at Piano Bash. Piano Bash will be holding a black and white themed attire party on New Year’s Eve featuring a prefix dinner, champagne toast and live jazz band.

Down the street in Old Bellevue The Spot Off Main will be hosting a New Year’s Eve party of its own. Don’t have a New Year’s Eve date? Play their “Match Ups” game and leave a message for that certain someone you’d like to stand by when the clock strikes twelve. The pinnacle of the night will be a champagne toast at midnight and a drawing for a trip to Hawaii! Doors open at a 8 p.m. and happy hour prices will be offered all night long.

520 Bar and Grill is known among locals for hosting festive holiday parties and New Years is no different. 520 will open at 8 p.m. on December 31 for a pre-funk and DJ and dancing begin at 9 p.m. Celebrate with your close friends at 520 all night!

For those with athletic flair, head to Lucky Strike Lanes! They don’t call it “the ultimate playground for adults” for nothing. In addition to a bowling, Lucky Strike features an arcade, billiards room, dance lounge and bar, making it a great choice for your New Year’s Eve venue. Lucky Strike’s New Year’s celebration will also include an appearance from UFC Octagon Girl and Brittney Palmer.

However you like to welcome in the New Year, downtown Bellevue has all the venues to make it happen. Here’s to 2012!

Give the gift of good eats and holiday treats

December 16, 2011

Shopping for friends and family is one of the most enjoyable parts of the holidays. However thinking up gift ideas that are both creative and personal can sometimes be a chore. Don’t fall into the shopping rut of neckties and mittens this year—below is a list of easy gift ideas from downtown Bellevue restaurateurs that will add that personal touch!

Does your friend, co-worker or family member have that one special restaurant they rave about? If so, you may want to consider purchasing them a gift card to their favorite dining spot. Some of downtown Bellevue’s best eateries are offering up gift cards for holiday gift giving this year including Red Robin, Blue C Sushi, Flo Japanese Restaurant, Palomino, Wild Ginger, Pearl Bar and Dining and Z’Tejas. And several feature bonuses for the gift giver too! For instance Blue C Sushi offers $10 off the price of every $50 gift card purchased and Z’Tejas offers a $5 bonus gift card for every $25 in gift card purchases.

If you need gift cards in bulk, Vovito Caffe and Gelato features a “buy five get one free” deal; a great option for office gifts as well as stocking stuffers! Gift cards are perfect for anyone on your list that lives or works in downtown Bellevue.

John Howie, owner of John Howie Steak and Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar has a creative solution for the foodies in your life. In addition to gift cards at both of his fantastic restaurants, Howie will be selling his famous seasoning rubs and specialty salts; an ideal gift for the chef in the family or just fans of John Howie’s restaurants. In addition, Howie will be offering both small and large cedar roasting planks; a great gift for the family gourmet who thinks they have everything. Another idea is John Howie’s new book Passion and Palate—a collection of Howie’s own stories and recipes.

For those on your list with a sweet tooth, swing by Specialty’s Café and Bakery and pick up a box of their cookie mix. Specialty’s is famous for delicious, gourmet cookies and they make a great gift for kids or as an enticing snack to set out at a holiday gathering. Mixes are just $12 each and come in three delicious verities; white chocolate, milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Mixes are available both online and in Specialty’s locations.

Specialty’s isn’t the only place with holiday treat offerings. In addition to retail wines, gift cards and holiday catering platters, Purple Café and Wine Bar offers boxes of sea salt caramels. These delicious confections strike the ideal balance between sweet and salty, making them a great accompaniment to your holiday party appetizers.

And not to be outdone, Trophy Cupcakes is offering a variety of new, seasonal cupcakes inspired by holiday flavors. Stop by any of their three locations to sample the chocolate candy cane, gingerbread, bourbon eggnog and candied yam cupcakes. Buy a few to try or a dozen for your next party or get together.

Gifts are only one aspect of your holiday giving. If you’re stressing over what to bring to the holiday office party, look no further than Tap House Grill. Through the holidays Tap House club members are eligible to receive a free Tap House Growler just by swiping their member card. Growlers can be filled with any of  Tap House’s 160 varieties of beer. Growlers are great for sharing with friends, family and co-workers and make a unique gift for the host of the party.

The holidays are meant to be a time of relaxing with family and friends but as we all know, it is easy to get caught up in the obligations this time of year brings. Sometimes a good laugh can provide the perfect cure for all that seasonal stress. Luckily for frazzled holiday shoppers The Parlor Collection has a fresh new December lineup of comedy acts. And in addition to top notch comedy shows, The Parlor Collection offers weekly events like Roadhouse Wednesdays, Karaoke on Thursdays and a daily happy hour. For a full list of Parlor Collection events check out their events calendar here.

If comedy isn’t your thing, The Spot Off Main offers a more down-home line up of events with activities such as beer pong on Thursday and a poker tournament every Tuesday. Come relax and watch the game after a hectic day at the mall or just stop by for a night out with a few good friends.

Downtown Bellevue also has a variety of dining options available the 24th and 25th of December. Bellevue’s own Palomino will be open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. on December 24 and from noon to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day. Its special menu will include Puget Sound clams, roasted prime rib, rotisserie pork loin, warm pear bread pudding and an extensive menu of specialty wines.

Joining the lineup of restaurants open on Christmas are Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, making for a truly A-list holiday dinner lineup!

Make downtown Bellevue your haunt this Halloween!

October 25, 2011

The 31st is rolling around again, so for kids that means putting on their spookiest garb and scaring up a bucketful of Halloween treats. With its candy and costumes, Halloween is a holiday made for kids, but before you resign yourself to handing out candy this year, take a look at the many adult activities downtown Bellevue has to offer.

Old Bellevue’s The Spot Off Main will be holding two costume parties (October 29 and 31) complete with all night drink specials and prizes awarded to those with the most creative costumes. The lucky individual with the best costume will win a trip to Las Vegas!

Munchbar is joining the costume party bandwagon this year and for those with a competitive edge, a costume contest. On both October 29 and 31 Munchbar’s “Nightmare on M-Street” bash will include a $2,500 cash giveaway, so put on your scariest game face and indulge your competitive side at Munchbar this Halloween!

Not to be outdone, 520 Bar and Grill will be holding its 6th annual Halloween costume party on the 29th from 9:00 p.m. until midnight, so pick up some friends (and some face paint) and come party and dance the night away with 520!

Costume parties and contests make for an excellent Halloween night for adults, but let’s not forget the kids! Downtown Bellevue has a variety of kid-friendly events perfect for making this Halloween one to remember.

This year Trophy Cupcakes will be combining two time honored Halloween traditions – sweet treats and crazy costumes! Participating is as easy as dressing up as your favorite Trophy cupcake and visiting any one of  Trophy’s locations on the 31st  for the chance to win a $25, $50 or $100 Trophy Cupcakes gift card. All participants will get a free cupcake so everyone is a winner!

Have kids who just can’t wait for the big day? No problem! The Bravern will be hosting their Little Bookworms Spooktacular on Wednesday the 26th. This all day event will run from 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and include face painting, cookie decorating, a magic show and much, much more! Participants are welcome to drop by for a few events or make an entire day of pre-Halloween festivities. More information and a complete list of events can be found here.

Still have a bad case of Halloween fever? Your Local Market has the cure! Although it is not officially open for business until November 11th, Your Local Market will be hosting a Halloween carnival in the parking lot of their future store on October 30th from 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and on the 31st  from 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The carnival will include a bounce house, pony rides, pumpkin painting and a drawing to win $1,000 in free groceries from Your Local Market. Best of all, the carnival will be taking donations for Camp Korey- a camp that serves children with life threatening and serious illnesses and their families at no cost. So join Your Local Market to support a great cause while indulging in festive family fun!

Although trick or treating and pumpkin carving are Halloween staples, for a truly unforgettable Halloween let downtown Bellevue take care of the entertainment!

 
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