We may not have as many bloggers out here in Seattle as in the Bay Area, but the Seattle foodies sure know how to have fun! :) Can you guess who these lovely ladies are?

tamarindtree 

So, drum rolls please… For the first time in food blogging history, unveiling the beautiful faces behind these amazing blogs - Archana of Archana’s Culinary Adventures, Mythili of Vindu, KayKat of Cooking from A to Z and yours truly! Hmm…does Mythili remind you of someone, the resemblance is uncanny! Don’t we look like we had fun? That is because we did, a ton of it!

It took us just two days and about 25 e-mails to plan this get-together, one of the easiest planning sessions I’ve ever been involved in! Normally there are as many different opinions about a venue as the number of people involved, and finding a date and time convenient for everyone is a nightmare! But not for this group - we zeroed in on a date through a very efficient elimination process and when Archana suggested Tamarind Tree as the venue, everyone unanimously agreed.

As usual, I was a bit nervous about meeting a bunch of strangers, You never really know what is in store for you in such situations. But as it turned out, I was worried for nothing! We hit it off like some long lost friends within no time at all. It was so surreal, we all already knew so much about each other through our blogs, it didn’t really feel like we were meeting for the first time. We talked about everything in the world, including a great discussion about our common trait - various levels of addiction to blogging. We had some super hilarious discussions around the topic, it almost felt like an AA meeting - not that I have ever been to one ;) .

Tamarind Tree is a Vietnamese restaurant tucked away in a little strip mall in the International District. I have been there before, but I still had to drive around a bit to find it. It really is in a dingy location, but once you are inside the restaurant, it is stylish and modern and buzzing with well dressed diners. We had the coveted table near the fireplace, the restaurant was already quite warm and crowded, so didn’t really get the idea of a fireplace there and an ugly one at that too. Anyway, the food and drinks were amazing.  The service, even though a little on the impatient side (as in - order fast and get out - attitude) was really good, friendly helpful staff. 

We didn’t really need alcohol to break the ice, we had all bonded even before these amazing drinks arrived, but a few drinks can only make a party better right? Tamarind Tree has a vast selection of cocktails and Asian inspired mixed drinks, it was way too hard to choose one. We started with the Tamarintini (Vodka, tamarind juice and fresh lime juice), Greenteani (Zen green tea liqueur, vodka, lime juice), Guava martini (Gin, guava juice, fresh lime juice) and Pomelo drop (Vodka, triple sec, fresh pomelo juice, fresh lime juice). My tamarintini was tart and sweet and delicious, and was on the lighter side as far as the alcohol content was concerned. Next I had the Greenteani, and that was a much stronger drink, and both absolutely rocked! All the cocktails were just $7 each.tamarindtree 006

We ordered a couple of appetizers to start with. Archana and I shared these amazing Quail grilled in tamarind - Grilled marinated quail in tamarind sauce served with fresh lime chili sauce and peanuts. Can you believe this was just $6.50! The quail was perfectly done, not too dry and the bones were soft enough to eat,. The sauce went so well with it, the tamarind flavor was not at all overpowering. An A+ dish, will be ordering this again for sure!

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M & K had the Lemongrass tofu satay - tofu marinated in lemongrass, onion, garlic, peanuts and seasoning served with mixed herb soy sauce. It sure looked great, you know tofu and I don’t get along so well.

 tamarindtree 004

We all ordered individual main courses. There are way too many items in the menu, it gets quite confusing to pick a single dish. My choice was the Lily blossom halibut - Steamed halibut in whole soybean sauce, fresh shiitake, oyster, straw and black mushrooms, dried lily blossoms, green onion, and clear vermicelli noodles. The halibut was very fresh, and the ingredients on their own very nice enough, but overall I wasn’t too impressed with this dish. I guess it was the steamed fish part that I didn’t like.

 tamarindtree 015

Here are the rest of the entrees. I was so wrapped up in conversation, don’t remember what everyone else ordered. I do remember everyone getting served two plates, the main dish with a side of plate full of greens! This restaurant is very concerned about the well being of the patrons, making sure everyone got a week’s serving of greens from a single meal! Most of the food was packed and taken home, since these portions were humongous!

tamarindtree 010 tamarindtree 011
tamarindtree 007 tamarindtree 008

The night was so much fun, we lost track of time and were sort of kicked out of the restaurant. When you are the last table at a restaurant, and they start cleaning the floor around you, that is the warning bell before the actual kicking out part happens. We said goodnight with the promises of doing this again real soon! Thank you girls for the great laughs, I can’t wait to do this again! Here is a final shot of the famous 4, err… the famous one and the rest of the us!

tamarindtree1  

www.tamarindtreerestaurant.com

Tamarind Tree in Seattle



Comments

50 Responses to “Bloggers Night Out at Tamarind Tree”

  1. sk on March 6th, 2008 8:01 pm

    Hey sig, you have cut and posted a picture of RR. Looks you girls had good fun…………… : :party:

  2. Nags on March 6th, 2008 8:08 pm

    hehehe.. awesome!!

  3. archana, mama of twins on March 6th, 2008 8:11 pm

    Hi Sig,

    What a great review!! I had a blast.. love that fireplace huh? The quail was ***YUMMMYY***

    LOL, xo
    Archana

  4. archana, mama of twins on March 6th, 2008 8:12 pm

    ps. I had the bowl of fried catfish with tomato noodle soup. The broth and noodles were good, the catfish was mediocre but a dash of their sauce and lime juice balanced it out. ;) :nerd:

  5. Suganya on March 6th, 2008 8:17 pm

    You kept it a secret till the last minute :O. You gals looks cute (including the famous one ;))

  6. archana, mama of twins on March 6th, 2008 8:25 pm

    PS>, Mythilli, nooooo, you are a RR fan!? OMG.. Next meetup, I will have some words for you. :)

  7. RedChillies on March 6th, 2008 8:28 pm

    Oh wow look at that! This is awesome and is making me a tad jealous :sad:
    So glad that you all had fun!

  8. Shankari on March 6th, 2008 9:14 pm

    Awesome…looks like you had loads of food and fun!

  9. sra on March 6th, 2008 9:24 pm

    Ah, so you quietly planned and met. That’s a really happy looking crowd there, good to see all of you. Sig, have you lost some weight? Keep up the good work!

  10. sra on March 6th, 2008 9:25 pm

    I mean, you look like you’ve lost some weight, let me make it clear! :smile:

  11. revathi on March 6th, 2008 10:23 pm

    Woww you were soo tight lipped about it. It sure does feel different about meeting new people… But man I totally understand how it feels to meet like-minded people…

  12. Raaga on March 6th, 2008 10:29 pm

    Now all we Dilliwalis will also plan one :-) WHat fun :party:

  13. saswati on March 6th, 2008 10:59 pm

    hi Sig!! it seems you all had gr8 fun but why have you pasted RR’s face on mythili?the dishes look delicious:)

  14. Manasi on March 6th, 2008 11:04 pm

    :drool: U guys sure seem to have had FUN! :(Martini):

    But…. errrr… RR’s face ? Kuch samajh mein nahi aya….

  15. Kaykat on March 6th, 2008 11:06 pm

    This was a serious blast! As judged by the zillion post-meeting emails we’ve exchanged already! :grin:

    I had the curried catfish - it was fabulous. And huge portions, the leftovers made for another meal!

    I have to say everything was truly *yummy*! Don’t you think, Sig? :razz:

  16. Srivalli on March 7th, 2008 12:04 am

    now where is that I have seen of you guys?.. :razz: ..looks like you gals had a fab time…

  17. Padmaja on March 7th, 2008 12:28 am

    Wow Girls you all seemed to have loads on fun and so its surreal to meet our virtual friends right!!
    With those dishes dishes, its definitely a memorable night :smile:

  18. sunita on March 7th, 2008 3:17 am

    Wow!You girls do seem to have had an awesome night…good pasting on M’s face :grin:

  19. sia on March 7th, 2008 3:59 am

    lol… all u cute girls seems like had gr8 fun… :(Martini):

  20. Purnima on March 7th, 2008 4:29 am

    Wow..loved to see you gals had whale of time, Mythili seems to hv reservations wt going pubic..hence morphing? I know the fourth one, lottttt more famous to me! Sig = Fun + Party! :party: Happy Intl. Women’s day to you four, SIG u ROCK!!

  21. Asha on March 7th, 2008 4:33 am

    Kewl! Why that “EVOO” girl’s face? I bet Mythili is lot better looking than her!! :wink:

    Looks like a great restaurant, y’all ladies look great!:)

  22. Happy Cook on March 7th, 2008 4:42 am

    Did you chop of mythilli hed
    It looks like you all had good fun

  23. shilpa on March 7th, 2008 5:03 am

    I am just feeling so jealous of you all Sig :(. I want to be in one of those meets :cry:

  24. Laavanya on March 7th, 2008 5:07 am

    That sure sounds like a blast and all you of look so happy :) Sig, pretty dress…

  25. indosungod on March 7th, 2008 5:11 am

    On first glance I thought you met up with RR :)
    It is fun just reading about it!

  26. coffee on March 7th, 2008 5:14 am

    Ah…. you all gorgeous ladies….. seem to have had a hell lot of fun there! It was great reading about it. :)

  27. TBC on March 7th, 2008 5:30 am

    Sure does look like u had fun! :cool:

  28. Rachna on March 7th, 2008 5:46 am

    heee wow, so coooool, you guys had lotsa fun!!

  29. Lavanya on March 7th, 2008 5:57 am

    You guys should have had more Fun along with more Food.. :idea:

  30. mallugirl on March 7th, 2008 6:17 am

    looks like a meeting of long lost friends..: :cool:

  31. sreelu on March 7th, 2008 6:56 am

    looks like the bay area meet did start some thing. We had a blast when we girls met, yes as you said it was like meeting girl friend after a long time.

  32. Eskay on March 7th, 2008 7:42 am

    Seems like you gals sure did have a blast. Everyone including the celebrity chef in the pic
    :-) is cute!

  33. richa on March 7th, 2008 8:31 am

    sounds like fun!
    which one is you :wink:

  34. Latha on March 7th, 2008 9:50 am

    sounds like fun! u guys all look lovely - even the Rachel look alike! :-)

  35. musy on March 7th, 2008 10:32 am

    That sure looks like LOTS of fun! He he, and the resemblance of Mythili’s face is sure uncanny :-D

    Girls, i am jealous ;). The food and drinks look really good! I would love some tamaratini :)

  36. Mona on March 7th, 2008 12:38 pm

    Nice to see you all in the pic! Looks like you all had lots of fun! :smile:

  37. Ramya's Mane Adige on March 7th, 2008 5:01 pm

    oh wow!! you guys actually met up!??!?! Glad to know you guys had a wonderful time… and the 2nd one from the left does look familiar!! :razz:

  38. Mamatha on March 7th, 2008 5:26 pm

    How fun! Makes me wish I were a blogger - but am too lazy for that.

    This restaurant is very concerned about the well being of the patrons, making sure everyone got a week’s serving of greens from a single meal!

    LOL!!!

  39. Uma on March 7th, 2008 5:37 pm

    Wow! You girls had Rachel Ray as your chief guest! You lucky gals. Glad you all had fun. Nice to read all the fun. You all look gorgeous!

  40. Deepa on March 7th, 2008 11:06 pm

    This is so cool!!You girls must have had a great time!!

  41. Jyothsna on March 8th, 2008 4:37 am

    Is Mythili an EVOO fan? :) Does look like you girls had good fun!

  42. Vani on March 8th, 2008 6:41 pm

    Hey, nice to be able to put faces to names! Looks like you guys had loads of fun!

  43. sig on March 9th, 2008 2:10 am

    Thanks all for your sweet words… Yep, we sure had fun… :)

    Regarding the RR drama, Mythili doesn’t want her cute face out there for the public view, so I gave her the face of the celebrity chef that resembles her the most, only in looks though… :)

  44. Mythili on March 9th, 2008 3:44 pm

    Archana -
    No one alluded to the fact that I was a RR fan. The 3 recipes she knows aren’t worth falling for her :)
    Just that the resemblance - as many point out - is uncanny! What to do :razz:

  45. Mythili on March 9th, 2008 3:50 pm

    Oh Oh.. and I had the Vegetable Crepe, with a side of several pounds of greens - mints, lettuce and cilantro. Yes a forest it was!

    It was fun!! Like Sig mentioned didn’t feel like we needed alcohol to break the ice…conversations flowed until latee late night…

    The the soap water pail right beside us looking at rather sadly and the broom too can attest to that(since it was almost midnight when we got out..) :evil:

    A, K, S - you totally rock !!

  46. Vindu » RCI - Gujarat : The Round Up on March 9th, 2008 5:58 pm

    […] the homefront.  Apologize for the delinquence.  I know you must be thinking that I had time to go gallavanting with my blog friends … trust me I had to really break myself from the grinding pressure I have been going through, […]

  47. Cynthia on March 14th, 2008 3:46 am

    Yeah, we can definitely tell from the expressions that you gals had a fab time! So happy that you all got a chance to meet.

  48. Akay on March 26th, 2008 8:48 pm

    Wow - that looks like quite a meet. Eventually, I hope we can plan a West Coast blogger meet - if not the entire country :smile:

  49. Madhuram on April 4th, 2008 5:44 pm

    I envy you guys.

  50. Tidbit Bistro : Live To Eat on August 16th, 2008 12:47 pm

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