One of These Things is Not Like the Other {Top Pot, City Fish and Le Panier}

Friday (during the day, at least) proved to be a bit of a pastry affair. We ate late Thursday night, but it didn’t stop us from getting an early(ish) start Friday morning. Afterall, we had touristing to do. B and I haven’t had many visitors since arriving in Seattle almost five years ago. In fact, A was our only third visitor (I’m counting our first two couples as one each). There’s one consistency to each of our bouts as tour guide in our city, though.  Top Pot Donuts. We love Top Pot, but don’t visit often. No matter how delicious, no one needs more than a couple donuts a year. If I tried really hard, though, I’ll bet I could justify one at least a little more often.

In addition to being one of the coolest looking donut shops around (literally decorated like a library), the whole place is always super busy and bursting with energy, their employees are super friendly and the donuts are awesome. B and I went with our usuals. A Cinnamon Sugar ring for me and a Bavarian Cream Filled Bismark for B. A kept her selection classic with a Chocolate Old Fashioned.

Cinnamon Sugar Ring

Bavarian Cream Filled Bismark

Chocolate Old Fashioned

Truly, there isn’t much to say about Top Pot except that they’re awesome and you should stop in if you’re in the neighborhood and have ever enjoyed a donut in your life. Anything you choose at Top Pot is certain not to disappoint. Trust me.

From Top Pot, we parted ways with B. Poor guy actually had to work and left us to enjoy our unusually sunny Seattle day. After a nice walk through the Olympic Sculpture Park, we headed down along the waterfront to Pike Place Market. I was especially glad we were able to brave the Market on a Friday instead of Saturday. They’re always busy on weekends, but when the sun decides to grace us with its presence, jam packed doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I swear we didn’t eat right away, but that’s the part we’re trying to get to, right? We wandered for quite awhile, but even with Top Pot fresh in our minds, it was time to think about lunch. Neither of us was particularly hungry, so we perused our options slowly. We considered Pike Place Chowder (always a favorite), The Athenian (great chowder and a Sleepless in Seattle hotspot) and a couple other places. Nothing was really striking us, though. I really like the Athenian, so I tended to lean that way, but as we wandered around, looking at all the Market has to offer and considering our options, we kept coming back to one very specific option. Seafood cocktails. Almost all the fish vendors, in addition to their fresh fish, serve a variety of ready to eat seafood cocktails… Crab, Shrimp, Oyster shooters. At one look, I determined I wasn’t up for the oyster shooter. That was way more oyster than I needed or wanted. The crab cocktails looked great, though. After a little debate, we each chose one from City Fish. King crab for me, regular for A. They didn’t look big when we started eating, but there really was lots to them. A didn’t even finish hers. I, on the other hand, didn’t have such a problem.

King Crab Cocktail

Of course, Crab Cocktail does not a complete lunch make. What’s next? Something to wash it down with, of course. I swear that’s what we were after when we walked into Le Panier Very French Bakery. I sort of wanted an iced tea. I got one, but I also got a Champignon pastry and a slice of Tarte de Pomme. A said she’d have a taste of my tarte (she had her own Champignon pastry), but somehow two slices of tarte landed in the box and we couldn’t let good tarte (and it was good tarte) go to waste…

I love mushroom, so the pastry wasn’t a hard sell to me, but it was really, really good. Super light and delicate,with just the right amount of mushroom. The tarte was also very good, but a little thick on the custard.

Champignon Pastry

Tarte de Pomme

We finished our piecemeal lunch just in time to clear out of our table (leaving it to one of the other patrons in the very long line), head back to pick up the car and get on the road to Salish Lodge and Spa. Our six (turned five) course meal at Salish? That deserves a post all its own…