The Northwest Cider Association’s executive director, Emily Ritchie, is in town from Portland, fresh on the heels of the 2025 Cider Cup Awards! We sat down with her to learn about why Washington leads the nation in both apple and cider production, then dig into the juicy details on what makes a cider competitor-level. Plus Meg’s dreaming of a Jurassic Park for apples, Mark's shipping off to Big Apple country, and we get apple-cheeked on this year's Cider Cup winners—one of which is a perry! 🍎🍐 Check out the Northwest Cider AssociationFollow Northwest Cider Association on InstagramMentioned in this episode:Empyrical CiderPress Then Press Cider ShopSchilling CiderKingstonGreenwood CiderBauman’s Cider CompanyLittle BeastRadiator WhiskeySchooner StreetGol MokCockrell Cider FarmCommunity GroceryField BarMezzanotteMusangSouth Lake Union MarketNata SeattleThe Masonry00:00 Intro03:29 NW Cider Award Winners08:26 PNW is a Cider Mecca23:10 This Week’s Restaurant News32:43 Trends in Cider36:45 Emily’s Cider Origin Story40:35 Thanks, I Ate It

Fermentation gurus Michelle Pogostkin and Jaimon Westing join us to talk vinegars, misos, garums, and more. We learn about Michelle’s anthropology background, her fermentation lab internship at the legendary Copenhagen restaurant Noma, and how those experiences inspired her to start Symbiotic Cultures—their retail line of bottled/jarred koji-based ferments.We also talk about how the lessons Jaimon learned as a young, fast-rising chef inform his approach today with Amino—the monthly (-ish) dinner pop-up that balances ancient fermentation techniques with modernist cooking—and how Jaimon and Michelle met and began their partnership. (Not, it turns out, as passing ships in the night at Noma, where they both worked within months of one another!)Plus Mark and Meg lay off the workahol just long enough to get to a few great restaurants and tell you all about them.Check out Symbiotic CulturesFollow Symbiotic Cultures on InstagramFollow Amino on InstagramMentioned in this episode:Nell’sMarvel Food & Deli Oyster CellarHuman People Beer Café 
La MariaTaurus OxSingle ShotCornellySaarsThe Penalty BoxPortland SyrupsCheeky & DryBlue BeardGlo’sBa SaFainting GoatEl Maestro del TacoLayers00:00 Intro6:00 What is Amino?16:08 Noma24:05 Meg’s Treat30:15 This Week’s Restaurant News37:23 Pop-up Vs. Permanent Location50:43 Symbiotic Cultures Products Tasting1:06:27 Amino Dinners1:10:18 Thanks, I Ate It1:28:31 Coming Up Next

Competitive barista Gray Kauffman joins us in the O.C. this week to drop some serious coffee science on our asses. Alongside being the new Coffee Education and Innovation Lead at Hitchcock Restaurant Group, Gray recently competed at the U.S. Coffee Championships, and they talk about how they did in the Olympics of Coffee, their background in food science, their previous gig in product development at Caffe Vita, and what it was like to travel to a coffee farm in the mountains of Colombia—the origin of the beans they used in the competition.Plus Meg and Mark are always working for the weekend, but they’re not too weakened to tell you about what they ate on their lunch breaks! Dig in!Mentioned in this episode:CanlisDe La SoilLenoxAnanas PizzaGeorge’s Polish DeliRain Shadow MeatsSankakuCafe SulimanNarrativeEspresso VivaceSlow DayCardoonChelsea FarmsGinger & ScallionSurrealDevium WineJude’s Old TownThe ShamblesLenoxTaco TimeRamieSpice SPC Indian Grocery DeLuxe Bar & GrillMeyer Bar00:00 Intro4:26 How Gray Got Started13:14 What’s the Barista Competition Like?18:50 Milk Innovation and Coffee Mixology22:51 Choosing Music and Beans for Competition31:37 Meg’s Indian Bodega Treat37:39 This Week’s Restaurant News51:07 Evolution of Seattle Coffee Culture59:52 Re-thinking Freshness1:08:28 What’s Next for Seattle Coffee?1:11:12 Mystery LaCroix Tasting1:14:18 Thanks, I Ate It!1:29:28 Coming Up Next

We’re having another amaro party, this time with Gillian and Joey Diedrick, the husband-and-wife team behind local amaro producer SennzaFinne. The lovebirds tell us about their creative approach in crafting SennzaFinne’s four season-themed amari, and how their fifth amaro—Always—fits into the mix. We also talk about how far the boundaries of an amaro can be pushed while still being recognizable as an amaro, and why the Seattle area is such a hotbed for the bittersweet botanical liqueur.Plus Meg is in her auntie gardener era, Mark is in his raw scallops era, and we’re all in on bringing you the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.Mentioned in this episode:VoyseyBad ChanclaFolioHomerRichard’s Too Good BBQPopPop PizzaTop Dead Center CafeDordlofvaOutsider HamdiGreenwood American BistroFair Isle BrewingMaster BingLa MareaL'OursinDeLaurentiGiddy SlothPizza PaesanoSchilling CiderGreenwood Cider CoStoneburnerMoxie Mule0:00 Intro06:42 What is SennzaFinne?13:56 The History of SennzaFinne24:33 Meg’s H Mart Snack33:37 This Week’s Restaurant News46:17 The Boundaries of Amaro55:14 Thanks, I Ate It!1:13:15 Coming Up Next Week

Yalla’s chef/co-owner Taylor Cheney joins us fresh off a trip to Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Italy with her life and business partner, Matt Mitchell. We talk about how serving dishes from another culture requires you to understand much more than just recipes, and the importance of engaging with people and places. She also gives us some international travel tips and tells us what new things are simmering  at Yalla.Plus Meg reps the Tacoma Night Market, Mark and Taylor rep the 1991 Bill Murray comedy What About Bob?, and we all rep the local restaurant news—and our favorite bites—of the week.Mentioned in this episode:Nils FrahmTacoma Night MarketGrit City MagazineKosharyAura BoraLaCroixPolarWaterlooCantina del SolTemple PastriesMixed Pantry RumbaTacos ChukisSugar HillManekiItsumonoTN TrangThe AtticThe Red Onion TavernThe George Coffee and PastriesHellenikaBang Bang CafeTamari BarHigh LifeBaitenMakotoCorbeauWoven0:00 Intro8:43 Catching Up with Yalla17:35 Yalla Window’s Storied History25:28 Meg’s Shell Station Mystery Treat31:59 This Week’s Restaurant News 40:27 Why Travel is Important48:08 Thanks, I Ate It!1:07:11 Coming Up Next

We’re talking tasting menus, Washington wines, and restaurant biz literacy with Aaron Tekulve, chef/owner of Surrell! Aaron tells us how he took Surrell from a pop-up to one of Seattle’s most thoughtful and intentional dining experiences, and how he paces a tasting menu so diners don’t feel like test subjects. He also shares some wisdom about how to open a restaurant—including using key resources offered by the Small Business Administration and the Washington Hospitality Association. Plus Meg concludes her cider sojourns (for now!), Mark celebrates another sojourn around the sun, and we all sojourn around the city for the current restaurant news—and best bites—of the week!Follow Surrell on InstagramCheck out SCORE business mentoringSmall Business Administration Seattle branchWashington Hospitality AssociationWHA Education FoundationMentioned in this episode:CottontailScrewdriverWigOutSingle ThreadLauren ThompsonSouth Seattle CollegeSmall Business Administration’s SCORE programWashington Hospitality Association Darby WineryCook WeaverLatta WinesReynvaan Family Vineyards  Gasworks Brewing Jak’s GrillLady Jaye ZeigteistBen ParisFinn RiverBushel & BarrelShadowlandBruciatoLucy’s Bottle ShopSiembraAash FarmsLuka’s Tacos ExtranjerosMaripili  Mioposto0:00 Intro4:05 Surrell   8:58 Michelin Stars & WA Wines18:05 Surrell’s Origin27:12 Meg’s Mini Mart Dubai Chocolate 33:51 Aaron’s Wine Tasting38:50 This Week’s Restaurant News49:31 In Defense of Tweezers!  53:22 This Week’s Restaurant News, Pt 257:30 Business Education & Financial Literacy1:08:12 Thanks, I Ate It!1:17:16 Coming Up Next Week

Spice Waala’s “chief feeding officer,” and all-around mathmagician, Uttam Mukherjee joins us for a fascinating cha(a)t! Uttam explains how he crunches the numbers on kathi rolls, the availability of legit Indian food in the U.S. and Seattle, and how to try out new menu concepts at your restaurant (and when to take the L). We also learn about the ways in which he and his wife/Spice Waala co-owner, Dr. Aakanksha Sinha, support their community through cheap and free meals. Plus Meg’s got treats from working the orchard beat, Mark's still chasing that sweet ocean beat, and we all three beat feet on the street to bring you the freshest local restaurant news—and our most elite eats of the week. Mentioned in this episode:Pidgin CooperativeRoyal RoomRockridge Country Market Hitchcock BakeshopThe Wayland MillThai SiamResonate BreweryCloudburst BrewingBellevue Brewing CompanyKathakaliIndian-Nepali KitchenCafe SulimanKen’s MarketGrannCafe AllegroMonorail EspressoBar MiriamGreenwood Cider CompanyThe MasonryPop PopBob’s Java JiveSeñor CarbonGeorge Coffee and PastriesLaurel0:00 Intro07:47 Spice Waala and Fried Chicken15:35 Bhojan: Spice Waala’s Free Meal Program17:33 Expanding Locations and Tracking Metrics23:58 Google Review Ghosts28:33 Meg’s Rockridge Country Market Treat39:33 This Week’s Restaurant News45:58 Misunderstandings of Indian Cuisine57:50 How Can the City of Seattle Help Small Businesses?1:04:38 Thanks, I Ate It!1:20:51 Coming Up Next Week

Chef/owner Trinh Nguyen (Ramie, Sucres, Ba Sa, Pho T&N) joins us for a wide-ranging conversation on Vietnamese cuisine. Learn how she went from putting her college dreams on hold, in order to run her parents’ pho shop at age 19, to finally fulfilling her passion—serving cutting-edge Viet dishes—at Ramie. Are Seattle diners ready to explore the evolution of Vietnamese food the same way they’ve embraced the evolution of Italian, Japanese, Filipino, and other international cuisines? What barriers are still in place that need to be overcome?We also talk about local seafood, as Trinh wonders why the PNW doesn’t cultivate a wider variety of native fish and shellfish. Plus Meg’s reppin’ cozy cideries, Mark’s reppin’ live music, and we all rep the local restaurant scene with the latest news—and our favorite bites—of the week.Places mentioned in this episode:Little JayeBa + MeWoodshop BBQTemple PastriesMenya MusashiMee Sum PastryKaroo CafeCopa CafeHellinka Cockrell CiderMezzanotteLetterpress DistillingPidgin CooperativeTaz00:00 Intro07:08 How Trinh Started15:19 Ba Sa and Expanding Pho T&N23:21 Ramie33:20 Meg’s La Huerta Numero Dos Mystery Snack39:49 This Week’s Restaurant News53:19 Why Isn’t More Native Seafood Cultivated Here?59:34 Ramie and Evolving Vietnamese Cuisine1:11:39 Sucres1:16:42 Thanks, I Ate It!1:30:46 Coming Up Next Week

The Seattle Times food writer (and friend of the pod) Jackie Varriano swings by to talk neighborhood restaurants, the difference between a food writer and a food critic, and the perils involved when writers are responsible for their own food photography. She also tells us our new favorite Mitch Hedberg joke!Plus Meg critiques the American theater, Mark loves documentaries, we list our favorite bites of the week, and we’ve got all the restaurant news that’s fit to podcast about.Check out Jackie's writing at The Seattle TimesRestaurants mentioned in this episode:TamraMoto Taste of YemenFoundry VineyardsTake 5 Urban MarketBlazing GrillStumbletown SandwichesShark Bite CevicheLupoKiligVindicktive WingsTriangle SpiritsGiddy SlothMurphy’s PubRobin’s Restaurant and MarketUnion SaloonEvents mentioned in this episode:SoukSeattle Jazz FellowshipAhame OluoFood and Country00:00 Intro07:59 Jackie’s Role at The Seattle Times19:45 Meg’s H Mart Mystery Snack24:56 This Week’s Restaurant News33:45 What Food Writers Do and Don’t Do46:42 Thanks, I Ate It!01:08:23 Coming Up Next Week

We’re talking Italian American comfort food with Darkalino’s owner/entrepreneur Marcus Lalario and Chef Sean Russo! Marcus and Sean tell us about how their nostalgia for the classic “red sauce joint” inspired a menu update that reclaims corporation-brutalized dishes like chicken parm and sausage and peppers. Could Darkalino’s be Seattle’s entry in the West Coast trend of new restaurants treating old-school Italian American mainstays with a sense of both craft and approachable fun?We also share our big love for Pioneer Square and discuss where it is in post-lockdown recovery. And Marcus gives us the details on the upcoming concert and event series he’s organized for Occidental Square, which he’s also restyled (unofficially!) as Brick Park.Plus we chat about Meg’s must-read story in The Stranger about the Virginia Inn lease dispute, and—of course—this week’s restaurant news and our best bites of the week. Follow Darkalino's on InstagramLearn more about Brick Park events 00:00 Intro02:48 Darkalino’s Tangletown vs. Pioneer Square16:06 The Story Behind the Name “Darkalino’s”20:04 Meg’s Grocery Outlet Mystery Snack25:20 This Week’s Restaurant News36:28 Pioneer Square49:17 Thanks, I Ate It!01:03:39 Coming Up Next Week