I have shopped for wine at Portalis during the day, but had yet to come in on an evening when I could try out the wine bar side of this Ballard establishment. Tonight was such an opportunity, where I was joined by a friend for a very enjoyable food and wine experience. Portalis offers a great space to either shop for wine, enjoy a glass at the bar, or sit down at a table for something to eat. We arrived at around 6 pm with the place about half full, but by the time we left every seat was...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:12 PM | Permalink

Last August, I blogged about my experience at Vino Volo, a new wine bar located at Sea-Tac Airport. As a result of this review, I was interviewed a few weeks ago by a travel writer, Susan Catto, who was working on a New York Times article about fine dining in airports. The article, And Now, Foie Gras for People on the Go, appeared in today's edition as part of a special section on business travel with a feature on Vino Volo. After chatting with Susan, I started thinking more about how air travel today remains a study in contrasts....

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Smash, a wine bar located in the Wallingford neighborhood. Opening earlier this year, Smash has joined a growing list of wine bars in the Seattle area. Based on various reviews, it appears Smash is not without some controversy when it comes to people's food and wine experiences there. Folks seem to have had either a great or a dismal experience at Smash. I figured it was time to see for myself what all the debate was about. Although service was good from the time we entered until the time we left,...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:49 AM | Permalink

With all the frustrations of air travel today, it is good to know some folks are trying to make one's experience inside the airport more enjoyable. Over the last few years, Sea-Tac Airport has gone thru extensive renovation, with a new terminal marketplace created to provide travelers a great spot to cool their jets before boarding their flight. Last Friday, with my flight delayed, I discovered a new wine bar called Vino Volo while strolling thru the terminal marketplace. Vino Volo is not only a wine bar, but also a retail shop where you can purchase a bottle of wine...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

When I can't get out to connect to the people and places making wine in the Pacific Northwest, where do I turn? Or when I want something different from the experience provided in a winery or at a tasting event, where do I go? A local wine bar! Seattle has been fertile ground for wine bars over the past few years. In fact, I was surprised to see how many new places have sprung up after reading an article entitled, Wine of the Times, in Seattle Metropolitan magazine. I've had the opportunity to dine at a variety of wine bars...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:51 PM | Permalink