Recently reviewed
Kickin' Boot Whiskey Kitchen | Ballard/Crown Hill
Munchbar | Bellevue
Joule | Fremont
Volterra (Kirkland) | Kirkland
Sunday, January 20, 2013 - Page updated at 07:00 a.m.
A look back in hunger: The best bites of 2012
Seattle Times critic Providence Cicero takes readers on a tour of the tastiest items she encountered in a year of reviewing restaurants. From “best riff on fried chicken” to “best reason to eat your veggies,” here is a wrapup of her regional faves.
Recently reviewed
Kickin' Boot Whiskey Kitchen | Ballard/Crown Hill
Munchbar | Bellevue
Joule | Fremont
Volterra (Kirkland) | Kirkland
Dining deals
Chicago Willy's | Auburn
Heaven Sent Fried Chicken (Lake City) | North Seattle
Fish Cake Factory | Belltown
Ping's Dumpling House | International District
Restaurant closures and public health records
Seattle and King County Public Health Department regularly inspects restaurants.
The Food Protection Program | Current restaurant closures | Search inspection records
See how your coffee shop scores
The Seattle Times analyzed coffee-shop inspections from 2006 through June 2012. We included companies with at least two locations in the county and five routine inspections. Read the story | Interactive: Map and scores
Providence Cicero, Seattle Times restaurant critic, co-hosts "Let's Eat" with Terry Jaymes at 4 p.m. Saturdays on 97.3 KIRO FM. Listen to past shows at KIRORadio.com/letseat.
Nancy Leson, Seattle Times food writer, chats with Dick Stein on "Food for Thought" at 5:30 a.m., 7:35 a.m. and 4:44 p.m. Wednesdays and at 8:30 a.m Saturdays on KPLU 88.5 FM.
Friday, January 18
Kirkland’s Volterra has a familiar menu but a modern vibe | Restaurant review
Shiro's chef dreams of sushi, too; in fact he was Jiro's apprentice | Taste
Chicago Willy’s: Burgers and shakes with plenty of flavor | Dining Deal
Thursday, January 17
'Top Chef Seattle': Water cooler outrage | All You Can Eat
Wednesday, January 16
A chance to taste the world’s most expensive beer | Happy Hour
How Portland 'defied the gods of gastronomy' | All You Can Eat
Wine Adviser
Good wine at a good price, that's the standard of value in these tough times
In tough times, even the grandest of wines is getting caught in the cost crunch, but plenty of wineries are finding the ways to offer both good wine and good value. Washington state's Milbrandt Vineyards, which has the advantage of growing its own grapes, is one such winery.