roll with jen

When you find yourself looking for the newest baking sensation to hit Seattle, go low tech by setting your smart phone aside and instead, let the smell of butter intuitively guide your nose to Neil Robertson’s petite bakery in Capitol Hill, Crumble & Flake. Located on the corner of a powerhouse block next to Rachel [...]

With all of the no-fuss, quick service, and sometimes cash-only deals in the International District, packing a lunch is so 1995. Here are my top five go-to spots: Thai Curry Simple (406 5th Avenue South):  Finally, a Thai place that doesn’t rely on ketchup as the key seasoning in pad thai.  Little Uncle’s takeout window in [...]

I have definitely slurped down my fair share of bubble tea and devoured many red bean-based desserts in the International District, but when I crave straight-up pastries, I hit up Fuji Bakery and Beard Papa. Fuji Bakery (526 S. King St.):  It is a rarity when a business originates on the East side and subsequently makes [...]

When I tell people I am heading to Austin for a long weekend, they often ask:  Do you have relatives in Austin?  Are you going for work? Nope.  In fact, I venture on an annual fall pilgrimage to this gem in the Lone Star state because it is essentially a larger, warmer version of Seattle’s [...]

Instead of starting off Sunday with the usual routine of hopping on my bike and heading to the Ballard Farmers market, I walk up Fremont Avenue to attend my first pig butchering class at  Dot’s Delicatessen with Dot’s owner Miles James and Il Corvo’s Mike Easton. Here are the 9 key learnings from the 11am-4pm [...]

Sometimes you crave a bit of ambiance to go along with your meal, but you don’t want to break the piggy bank. This is the second of a 3-part series on Whistler eats:  On a tight budget, in 25 loonies or less, and I don’t mind throwing down some bones. Araxi’s Happy Hour:  Fondue from [...]

Santouka:  Motomachi’s neighbor has a global ramen presence with longstanding roots in Japan’s northern island Hokkaido (where the first store modestly set up shop in 1988) and now a well-established franchise with numerous outposts throughout Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong and select parts of the US. The usual “full house” scene at Santouka, but rest assured, the [...]

I am not embarrassed to admit part of my motivation in planning a recent trip to Whistler was to make a food pit stop in Vancouver. This time, my target was a ramen-off (which sounds far more grand than what it really is – pretty much just me eating a bunch of ramen) and my [...]

There is no denying Whistler, British Columbia is a premier winter destination with world class slopes (did you know every Blackcomb run was designed on a computer so there would be less flat spots for snowboarders), extensive cross country ski trails, and now even an ice rink. Unfortunately, Whistler gets a bad rap from hard core [...]

Much as proud parents compile a scrapbook of their baby’s 1st year in this world, here is my tribute to Roll with Jen’s most photographed restaurant of the year:  Revel.  Note:  Art of the Table was a close second. Happy 1st Birthday, Rachel, Seif, Dale, Antoinette and the rest of the stellar Revel crew.  Thank you for putting [...]