The menu above the counter at Gyro Shop (1731 G St., Arcata) is as pared down as the place itself, with its metal chairs and narrow wooden counters. There’s the headliner gyro, chicken shawarma, falafel, all of which can come on plates or wrapped in warm, thick pita bread, along with seasoned fries and a […]
On the Table
Posted inEat + Drink
Farmers Markets, Summer Produce and Joy
And like that, it’s summer: The hallmark vegetables of the season are rolling in and each week brings new delights to this avid consumer. Zucchini have been available for some time, more recently eggplant have appeared and, as I am writing this, I am snacking on the first locally grown cherry tomatoes I purchased at […]
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Ale in the Castle
Built on Arcata’s H Street in 1885 as the former clubhouse for the Knights of Pythian, Pythian Castle has lived many lives and is currently inhabited by multiple clothing shops including a grand-papi of local thrift shops, the Vintage Avenger. But there has been a small restaurant space nestled in among the retail shops that […]
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Making a Home at Lily’s Thai Kitchen
Kim Pravong describes herself as a risk taker. One is inclined to believe her after hearing she took over Lily’s Thai Kitchen with only a little experience working for a friend at a restaurant years ago and a couple visits to scope the place out. “If I don’t do it, I never know,” she says. […]
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Strawberry Romanoff Cream Pie
For a simple summer dessert, strawberries Romanoff has elbow-glove style. The name hints at Russian aristocracy to which it has no actual ties, though the sketchy Old Hollywood restaurateur after whom it’s named supposedly traded on the association and lifted the recipe from the famed Escoffier. It’s kind of the perfect scammer backstory for humble […]
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Oyster Fest’s Rocky Return
An hour into the Arcata Bay Oyster Festival, the lines for oysters at the Obento stall stretched across the battered grass and under the red and blue striped tent where local food businesses were tabling. The shade was a relief on a sunny day that promised traditional Oyster Fest sunburns, but those in the queue […]
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Stuffed Wild Morels
Spring is here and seasonal mushrooms are popping up everywhere, including morels, some of my favorites. I first tried these tasty mushrooms not too long ago. Once I found out how pricey they could be, l knew why I had never heard of them before. I had to look up what they’re called in Chinese: […]
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Chef Rochelle Burgess Says Hello
Rochelle Burgess has worked in some big-name chefs’ kitchens in New York City and Brooklyn, including those of Daniel Boulud, Francois Payard, Tom Collichio and Dale Talde. But asking about the studio kitchen of the TV cooking competition Chopped will get you a groan and a laugh. If you manage to dig up her 2017 […]
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Back Together for Lao New Year
There’s a bit of a traffic jam at the wide doorway to the Humboldt Grange kitchen as men with traditional Lao checked sashes stop to talk — some on their way in to sample the buffet of home-cooked Lao dishes, others carrying full plates. A handful of women, some in bright silk sinh dresses, shift […]
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Arcada Gets Back in the Game
The orange and black pixelated sign for Arcada (660 K St., Arcata), reminiscent of Space Invaders, hung as a question for the past two years. The retro arcade bar for grownups opened in the last week in February of 2020 only to shut down two and a half weeks later when Public Health declared a […]
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Rice is Life
For many Asian people, rice is a staple in their diet. We often say, “Rice is life.” Many older Chinese still greet each other with, “Have you eaten rice yet?” I like my rice steamed, fried, braised, in soup or sweetened in a dessert. Lately, l have been trying to eat healthier by adding brown, […]
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Watch These Spaces
Curry Leaf to sprout at the former Gonsea Years of sitting empty have left the exterior of Gonsea run down and graffiti covered, a grim greeting upon entering Eureka from the north. Before its closure by the health department for refrigeration, storage and sanitation violations in 2017, the spacious Chinese restaurant at 2335 Fourth St. […]