New Man in Town

Jonathan Kauffman's the new food writer over at Seattle Weekly..and I adore him! He skips the highbrow and the hot & trendy....and goes straight for the ethnic side of life. This is my kind of guy....

Jonathan's seductive reviews have sent me into areas of the city I never knew existed. Based on his recommendations, I've ventured new territory in search of damn fine Mexican food (Yes, it can be had in Seattle!), as well as Indonesian, Korean, and Taiwanese.

He's also managed to expose the city to salumi--beyond Mario's dad. When the lines get the best of you over at that other place, consult Jonathan's list. Da Pino and others are waiting for you with open arms!

I follow Jonathan's reviews like a crack addict lookin' for a fix.

This week it's Eritrean and Ethiopian:

"The scent of fresh ginger glimmers in the mild turmeric-tinted split peas and brings out the sweetness of carrots and cabbage. Okra is stewed with berbere until the pods' slimi-ness melts away, and the red lentils are imbued with even more of the ruddy spice mixture. Enough spice, in fact, to make you reach for your beer."

After a description like that, I bet you can guess where I'm going for lunch!

Even if you don't live in Seattle, if you've got an interest in foods from around the world, Jonathan is your man. His descriptions are so vivid and informative, they're worth a read....wherever you are.