The Sweet Nectar of Thai

Along a strip of Fremont that has, to some, slowly become a mecca of local emerging musical talent there rests two complementary date stops that, with their powers combined, make for one great date.  One, Kaosamai, a quiet home of a delicatessen offering the best standards of Thai cuisine, and, the other, Nectar, a rumpus room of live music and unique libations. While one supplies an evening of gluttonous serenity (filled with peanut sauce!), the other supplies the blast of energy often necessary for that memorable date experience.  Best yet, they’re right next door to each other!

On a personal note, for those that know me, it is no secret that I can never get enough Thai food.  Ever since I visited a small café like Thai restaurant, Cafe Indochine, in Federal Way on its opening week I have absolutely loved it.  In case you’re wondering, yes, that restaurant is still around, but in a different reincarnation.  They moved next door to a bigger building and the woman who owns it also setup another shop in downtown Tacoma (this restaurant will eventually make it onto this blog) as Indochine Asian Dining Lounge.

While I’ll admit Kaosamai is not the end all be all of Thai food restaurants, it has a number of features that lend itself as a good date restaurant.  First, the seating, it’s well laid out to allow for good separation between tables (this means less noise and awkward looks at strangers).  They have outdoor patio seating for those rare sunny days in Seattle.  The menu is not as extensive as some Thai restaurants, which means less strain in agreeing on what to order.  Wine by the bottle is cheap!  Lastly, there also happens to be a rose at each table (may this is a pre-Valentine’s Day thing, but it was nice none-the-less).  If you’re looking for recommendations on what to order, I always go with a curry and noodle combo with one savory dish and one sweet dish.  This form of ordering allows for a fairly complete palate filler.  I found their pineapple curry to be particularly delicious…that is, if you like the sweet stuff.  Prices run about $7 for an appetizer and $10 for an entrée (good size portions).  If Thai food isn’t your thing, I’d also recommend Dad Watson’s or Canlis Restaurant (if you’re willing to walk a bit or drive between venues).

Once you’ve satisfied your appetite it’s time to move on.  You can either cut the date short, if he’s talking about his mother a bit too much or she won’t quit talking about marriage, or you can move on to the entertainment.  While I would normally not recommend a concert venue for a first date, this setup lends itself to that possibility (although, it’s still probably a better second or third date).

Nectar is conveniently located (obviously, since it’s next door) and it’s one of those concert venues that you can just wander into:  no pre-purchased ticket, no wallet busting prices, and no artificial barriers preventing you from leaving when you feel like it (i.e. a sit down dinner).  I’d actually recommend going on a night where neither of you know the groups that are playing.  Look at it as an opportunity for both of you to venture into new realms of music.  If you don’t like it, then you can just walk out and laugh about how terrible the band was.  “Did you see that guys hair?  Who thought polka grunge would work?  Was that guy Moby’s twin?”

TIP The balcony is the place to be to start the night.  It provides the best view, seating options if you get tired, a personal booth in the back if you’re really not feeling the music, a bar (which no one ever uses), and the option of a bit of privacy for those moments of PDA no one else wants to see.  If the music lends itself to dancing (and you don’t happen to own my two left feet), then make your way to the stage for some acceptable PDA.

As a FYI, it’s best to park on the south side of 36th (near the canal).  We’ll just say I’ve had to pay the city for my compulsion to park on the north side of 36th and my inability to read signs.  Nectar also has a great outdoor area for those summer nights or even those raining Seattle days.  Much of the outdoor area has overhead covering and heat lamps.

Lastly, early arrival at Nectar can be a big help.  You might not have to pay for a ticket and you’ll get the balcony all to yourself for a while.  Enjoy!

SeattleDating’s Work Weekender for 1/29/10

As a means to provide a bit of relief to those who’ve been hammered by the grind of your average work week, we thought we’d throw out a date idea…or two, for this upcoming weekend (I’m weak. I can’t just pick one!).

Our recommendation this week happens to be a bit of a drive for the Seattlites, but right in the backyard of our friends to the south. If you love chocolate (really, who doesn’t) and enjoy wine, then the 2nd Annual Enumclaw Chocolate Festival is your best bet.  Complete with a wine garden, this event offers an entire exhibit hall filled with chocolate to taste and a number of demonstrations on how to “do it yourself”.  Think of it as good preparation for Valentine’s day!

The event is $8 per person ($5 on Sunday) and runs:

• Noon to 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday
• Noon to 5:00pm on Sunday

If that doesn’t pique your interest, then feel free to join us out in Fremont.  Nectar and the High Dive both have great shows lined up (indie rock and hip-hop respectively) and I can never get enough of Paseo’s sandwiches.

In any case, we hope you have a great weekend!

Please feel free to comment below if you have any other recommendations for this weekend.

Dress to Im-Presse at Neumos

While Neumos has remained a rock in the Seattle music scene, Cafe Presse is the up and comer in our vast field of coffee merchants.  Neumos is that taste of Seattle music everyone who visits is looking for.  From the random disco ball and chandelier to the 21 and over bar & balcony make this spot a unique and enjoyable music venue.  Cafe Presse, on the other hand, is that touch of Europe within the Seattle scene.  While being one of the only coffee shops open until 2 a.m., this gem of Capitol Hill also offers Caffe Vita coffee, an amazing breakfast menu, and (for guy’s day out) a showing of every soccer game a futbol fan could ask for.   Neumos & Cafe Presse:  The perfect 1, 2 date combination!

Our city’s cultural landscape has long been defined by two things:  music and coffee (you could probably name a few others, but this intro wouldn’t make as much sense if I said “computers and airplanes”).  The former is largely due in part by the grunge movement of the early nineties and the latter is due to our corporate coffee culture (i.e. Starbucks).  Needless to say, this post was a long time coming.

Neumos has long been one of my favorite venues in Seattle.  If you happen to like music at all, this can make for a great date venue.  If you’re not particular about your music choice (i.e. must have top 40!), one of the best dates can be just going on a random night see who’s playing…although, as a word of warning, tickets can run up to $20 a piece, but are usually between $7 and $12.  If you don’t like the music, just hop over to Moe Bar and grab a drink.  Happy hour runs from 3pm to 7pm and offers $2 beers and wells.

As a warning, parking can be really bad around this area, so expect to fork over some cash for parking or be forced to drive around for 20+ minutes looking for the poor guy pulling out of his parking spot to end his night early.  I once spent 45 minutes looking for parking…and, yes, I do regret it.

TIP When you go to a concert at Neumos the balcony is the place to be!  For the most intimate concert going experience you should head straight upstairs (unless you’re a minor, in which case you’re probably not allowed).  You’ll get a sweeping view of the stage and the crowd with access to a bar sans the ridiculous lines…there will normally be a line, it just won’t be ridiculous, usually.  In addition, remember that music sets the mood for the evening.  If your date really likes the death metal band that’s about to rock your world, it will be a lot of fun, but don’t count on a lot of romance.  I can’t recall many dates I would classify as good that consisted of some guy in makeup yelling at me for an hour.  Lastly, concerts are usually packed.  You can use this as a great opportunity to get a little closer and institute some “I’m just trying to make sure that jerk won’t bump you any more” touching.

Once you’ve had your eardrums ruined by the booming bass your mother warned you about, it’s time to make a choice:  cut your losses and grab a street meat cream cheese hot dog to take home alone or move on to Cafe Presse for that new revival.  Honestly, I think both options are pretty tempting (mmm, cream cheese).

If your choice is “The Presse”, you will be pleasantly surprised.  This small dose of France has a cure for most of the post concert blues.  I’m usually (1) tired and (2) hungry.  They provide a full “breakfast to dinner” menu consisting of a few sandwich and breakfast classics (and not so classics) combined with an array of meat centric dishes (pan roasted semi-boneless quail, Penn Cove mussels, ground natural veal, Washington natural chicken…need I say more) that’s served until 1:30 a.m.   The OEufs Mayonnaise I’m told is amazing, but the combination of hard-boiled eggs and mayo doesn’t do much for me.  I’d recommend the Croque Campagnard consisting of hard sausage, gruyere and tomato served hot on country bread.  This post is really starting to make me hungry!

When it comes to coffee, just go with what you’d usually get at Starbucks, Tully’s or wherever else you normally get your cup of Joe, just don’t expect any crazy Frappuccino drinks.  Vita coffee rarely disappoints and the baristas at Presse use their coffee like Michelangelo used paint.

A few logistics, parking is normally pretty easy to find, especially late at night.  Prices run from about $4 to $16, but for a simple meal and coffee for two expect to pay around $30 with tip.  They have an enormous news stand, so if you’re running out of things to talk about on your date it may be time to grab that People Magazine.

Lastly, I’d like to add, while I’ve found most coffee shops provide pleasant service, the folks at Cafe Presse seem to go above and beyond.  From a warm greeting at the door to the delivery of your tall skinny cafe latte, for such a small eatery the staff always seem to be on the move and never seem to lose their smile.  We were asked several times if we needed anything else.  Just enough service to feel important, not so much as to be annoyed.

Enjoy!