More Foodie-ness in Seattle

So our 24 hours in Seattle comes to a close with more great sightseeing and more great food. Another title for these posts could be "Seattle: 1 Meal and Multiple Snacks" - which is exactly what me and my traveling/foodie companions, Ms. Chew Your Food and ButterScottch had, come to think of it. But it worked. Here's more highlights from our trip!

Through Twitter we found bbq truck Maximus Minimus, which was parked 2 blocks from Pike's. It's the most evolved of the food trucks I've visited - from a velvet rope to keep customers in line to the staffer in front with a hand-held device to quickly and efficiently take our orders (other food trucks should take note). They had a pretty limited menu - a few sandwich/side options, and posole (which wasn't ready.) We shared a pork sandwich with the less-spicy Minimus sauce, which was a sweet, tangy blend of honey, tamarind and molasses. We washed it down with a tart, refreshing ginger lemonade and a fruity, fragrant hibiscus nectar. Not to mention, the truck itself looks really cool.

We also made sure to visit Fran's Chocolates, home to the President and First Lady's favorite chocolates, who have been fans since they received a box during a Seattle campaign stop. The President likes the smoked salt caramels - which is a 40% milk chocolate-covered caramel sprinkled with sea salt that has been smoked over Welsh oak, while Michelle Obama prefers the gray salt caramels - made from 64% dark chocolate and a sprinkling of gray sea salt harvested off the coast of Brittany. We tried both and fell in love - this salty, sweet and buttery mouthful is meant to be eaten slowly, so that every single note is pronounced and every single bite, savored.

Next door was the buzzing (literally) University Village Starbucks, which is rumored to be the 2nd busiest Starbucks in the world (first is Tokyo). It is also one of only a few places were you can buy a cup of custom made drip coffee using its Clover Brewing System. At a cost of $11,000 a pop, this machine is design to create the perfect cup of coffee maximizing quality beans, water temperature and brew time. I'm no coffee afficionado but the coffee ($2.50 for a tall Kona drip) was rich, flavorful and strong. We were also tempted (but too full) to try the adorable Scone Wagon which was parked a few steps from Starbucks.

We also fit in a visit to chocolatier Chocolati, for one of the richest and most luxurious cups of hot chocolate I've ever tasted (it was like drinking a melted truffle) and a scone. And then we were on our way to Vancouver, but not before taking a final snack break for donuts at Frost in Mill Creek, right outside of Seattle. We shared a sweet Red Velvet, a boozy/nutty bourbon pecan, a flavorful salted caramel and my favorite, a luscious bacon-topped maple bar.

* Special Mention: Not only is Scott/ButterScottch my favorite person in Seattle, he's also the best tour guide ever. Who else could squeeze in so much into just one day, while making us laugh and feel like royalty along the way? Along with all the foodie stops, we also visited some great Seattle landmarks including the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle's Central Library and even the cemetary where Bruce & Brandon Lee are buried - all of which I'd highly recommend seeing. Thank you, BS!

SAMIWICH'S TASTE RATING