Meatless Monday: Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies from HelloFresh

Meatless Monday is possible with HelloFresh. I prepared the Carb Smart Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies for dinner from our HelloFresh box, which arrived this morning.

Below is the rest of our meatless Monday menu:

• Breakfast: Creamy Asparagus and Spinach Orzotto with Goat Cheese and Almonds
• Lunch: Korean-Inspired Black Bean Noodles with Cucumber-Sesame Salad

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Carb Smart Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies

HelloFresh Description:

"This easy lower, carb vegetarian meal is filled with protein-packed tofu, wholesome veggies and swirls of soba noodles."

Carb Smart Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies

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I love how the umami of the soy sauce mirin blend clings to the silky and smooth soba noodles. It's perfect! It was my first time frying tofu which maintained its delicate firm consistency but was a bit crispy on the outside. The edamame adds a slight crunch, while the Shanghai bok choy provides a mild bitterness.

Carb Smart Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies

On top of everything, I drizzled chili-garlic sauce, adding a sticky element coating the ingredients. Meanwhile, the sprinkling of green onions provided freshness to the dish.

Carb Smart Tofu Bowls with Soba Noodles and Veggies

Croissant and Mocha from Elysian Coffee on Broadway

I am writing this post in Elysian Coffee on their Broadway Corner Ash location using my laptop which is a first. We decided to hang out here for a couple of hours for a change in scenery. It's also our first time trying their pastries and drinks.

Writing on my blog with my laptop at Elysian Coffee at their Broadway and Ash location

My mocha is more coffee than hot chocolate, and something tells me I won't be able to sleep right away tonight because it's stronger than I'm used to. The croissant is delicious. I wished I was asked if I wanted it warmed because it'll be mouthwatering.

A Butter Croissant from Elysian Coffee

A cup of Mocha from Elysian Coffee

Cappuccino from Elysian Coffee

Elysian Coffee on Broadway is busy and quite noisy. It's not conducive for working. They don't offer wifi, and I didn't see any socket for charging devices. Although, it's a great spot for grabbing coffee and a quick lunch. The location is excellent since it's a block from the Canada Line Broadway-City Hall Station.

Filipino Food from Lasa Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets

After a long day in Seattle and before heading back to our beloved Canada, we window-shopped at Seattle Premium Outlets. I was hoping to get a backpack I can use daily for work since, starting next month, I'll return to working in an office for at least 3 days weekly.

LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets, Tulalip Washington

On the south edge of the outlet store, there's a stall called Lasa Street Food. I was pleasantly shocked to see a Filipino store in the middle of an outlet store in Tulalip, Washington.

Kwek-Kwek from LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets
Deep-fried  battered quail eggs

I ordered Kwek-Kwek (deep-fried battered quail eggs) and Squid Balls (deep-fried squid balls), which are popular street food items in the Philippines. They're both worth it!

Squid Balls from LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets
Deep-fried squid balls

If you're looking for something more substantial, they have a wide array of menu items for lunch and dinner. They also offer Filipino beers like Red Horse and San Miguel Pilsner.

Lasa Street Food menu

Below is the menu of LASA Street Food. Prices are subject to change without prior notice and are presented in USD excluding taxes and tip.

LASA Street Food menu

Sabaw (Soup)	Price
Lugaw Rice porridge topped with scallion and fried garlic. Choice of: boiled egg, fried tofu, chicken, or kawali	$10.00
Ulam Entree served with rice and atsara	Price
Chicken Adobo Traditionally braised chicken in soy and vinegar	$14.00
Spicy Pork Adobo Traditionally braised pork in soy, vinegar, and chilies	$14.00
Lasa Express Pork in Coconut Milk and Chilies	$14.00
Bistek Beef and onions sauteed in soy and calamansi sauce	$16.00
Pulutan Street Food	Price
Crispy Pata Crispy, juicy fried pork hock	$20.00
Lechon Kawali Signature tender, fried pork belly	$16.00
Sisig Sizzling pork with fried egg	$14.00
Fish Balls Deep fried fish ball	$5.00
Kwek-Kwek Deep fried battered quail eggs	$5.00
Lumpia Deep fried beef spring rolls	$8.00
Side of Rice	$2.00
Beer & Wine	Price
San Miguel Pilsner	$4.00
San Miguel Light	$4.00
Red Horse	$5.00
Fremont Lush IPA	$4.00
White Wine	$5.00
Red Wine	$5.00
Drinks	Price
Soda Coke & Sprite	$1.50
Juice Mango, Calamansi, Guava, or Pineapple	$2.00
Water	$1.00

Halo-Halo and so much more from Chowking in Seattle, WA

My siblings and I are so giddy and excited to eat at Chowking again after four years. Although, I don't remember eating here in 2019 during our wedding vacation in the Philippines.

Anyway, I ordered a 1-entrée Lauriat with Chinese BBQ Pork as requested by my husband. While I got a 2-entrée Lauriat with 2 pieces of Chinese-style fried chicken and Lumpiang Shanghai. The Lauriat comes with steamed rice, Pancit Canton, and a 1-piece Buchi (a golden brown gelatinous dough ball coated with sesame seeds and filled with sweetened red bean paste). I also ordered a 4-piece siomai and halo-halo.

2-piece Chinese-style Fried Chicken + Lumpiang Shanghai Lauriat
2-piece Chinese-style Fried Chicken, 5-piece Lumpiang Shanghai, steamed rice, half-serving of Pancit Canton,  and 1-piece Buchi

Let's start with the neutral. The experience feels like being in the Philippines. The crowd - there's a long line both in Jollibee and Chowking - is available just as you would experience back in Manila. Sticky and dirty floors are also present. "Ah. Just like back home."

Chinese BBQ Pork Lauriat
Chinese BBQ Pork served with steamed rice, half-serving of Pancit Canton, and 1-piece Buchi.

The good - the Pancit Canton, Buchi, fried chicken, and Lumpiang Shanghai tastes like the one in the Philippines.

4-piece Siomai
4 pieces steamed open-faced dim sum made of savoury pork filling in a special flour-based yellow wrapper

The bad - that Chinese BBQ Pork is a weird mess. It's bad. Don't order it. While the siomai tasted different. My younger sister agreed that it's unlike what we remember from the Philippines. It's possible that we've had better dumplings; that's why our expectations are higher.

Halo-Halo
Sweet shaved ice dessert topped with a mixture of sweetened preserved fruit and beans, ube jam, tapioca pearl, caramel flan, and ube ice cream.

Lastly, the halo-halo is disappointing. It has the usual shaved ice, a spoonful of leche flan (caramel custard), a scoop of ube ice cream, and evaporated milk. However, there's barely any of the sweetened beans or jelly. There needs to be something more inside to be worth the USD 6.00. I guess this is the fast food halo-halo experience. If you're trying halo-halo for the first time, go elsewhere.

Seattle Dog from Dog in the Park | Seattle Center

It's most likely that you've heard of New York Pizza and Chicago Dog, but I doubt if you're familiar with "Seattle Dog." If you're looking for that one place to try near the Space Needle for lunch, head over to the Dog in the Park food stand before or after the Space Needle.

What is a "Seattle Dog"? It starts with your usual hotdog sandwich of, well, a hotdog in a bun but topped with grilled veggies and cream cheese. Yes, CREAM CHEESE on a hotdog sandwich. It sounds outrageous.

Seattle Dog from Dog in the Park near the Space Needle
The grilled hot dog is served in a toasted bun topped with cream cheese and grilled veggies.

How did it taste like? The hot dog is perfectly cooked, which is always a good start. I surprisingly love the slight char and bitterness from the grilled vegetables. The cream cheese did add creaminess like cheese would, but the smoothness and slight tanginess were offputting for me. I prefer my cream cheese as a dip and on top of a toasted bagel.

My First Crumpet from The Crumpet Shop | Pike Place Market

We need to talk. Why have I never heard of crumpets before researching places to try in Pike Place Market?! What's wrong with me and my limited knowledge of food? Honestly, there's still so much to eat!

Let's start with what's a crumpet. It is a British tea-time treat with round, fluffy, and slightly dense bread-like cakes with a distinctive bubble texture. It is made from a batter of flour, yeast, and milk cooked on a griddle or stovetop in special circular moulds.

Egg, English cheese, & Ham Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Organic eggs served on a hot & toasty crumpet

My younger sister ordered the Egg, English cheese & Ham while I chose an Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese on top of a hot & toasty crumpet.

Egg, English cheese, & Ham Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Organic eggs served on a hot & toasty crumpet

It's soft, and the eggs are perfectly cooked. While the smoked salmon cream cheese provided a creamy and salty topping.

Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Local smoked salmon blended in house with cream cheese.

I love it! My younger sister said she prefers English muffins since she eats them at work. The difference between the two is in texture and taste: crumpets have a spongy, porous texture with a mild flavour, while English muffins have a denser texture with a more pronounced bread-like taste.

Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Local smoked salmon blended in house with cream cheese.

Do you have any suggestions on the best place for crumpets in Vancouver? I'm also heading to London, UK, on October and want to try crumpets there. Let me know of the best places to try it in London.

Maple Bacon Mini Doughnut from Daily Doughnut Company | Pike Place Market

My mom is celebrating her birthday on the same weekend as Father's Day, so we decided to take a road trip to Seattle, WA.

We arrived at Pike Place Market shortly before 10:00 AM, and I lined up for the Daily Doughnut Company. You can totally spend a day in Pike Place Market lining up for the many good places here.

I ordered a half dozen of the Plain Doughnut and another half dozen of Maple Bacon.

Plain Mini Doughnuts from Daily Doughnut Company inside Pike Place Market

My younger sister, the baker in the family, loved the doughnut. She accurately described it as a savoury deep-fried doughnut that's not sweet. I got the plain because I always worry about doughnuts being too sweet, but not in this case. I think adding the sweet topping is the way to go.

Maple Bacon Mini Doughnut from Daily Doughnut Company inside Pike Place Market

I enjoyed the crispy exterior of the plain mini goodness while I loved the balance of sweet and salty of the Maple Bacon mini doughnut.

This is the best way to start in Seattle.