The Grub Hut

Out in Kingston, where I live, there isn't much to the town. It has a ferry dock, and a lot of traffic, but it isn't a destination...it is just 'on the way' to the northern Kitsap Peninsula locations like Poulsbo, Silverdale, and Bremerton, and Olympic Peninsula locations like the Olympic National forest, Port Angeles, Sequim, and others.

The town doesn't have much of a life unto it's own. It has two grocery stores, a few gas stations, and a bunch of houses, including mine. It is quiet. There are maybe 4-5 restaraunts total in the vicinity, and only 2-3 of them could you find easily without hunting for them.

Don't get me wrong, I like the isolation. But it does get annoying to have to go AT LEAST to Poulsbo (about 10 minutes away) to get....anything.

Well, yesterday I had the day off of work, so I took the wife out to a new(er) resteraunt in Kingston that just opened last January called 'The Grub Hut'. Yes, I'm sure your mouth is watering with the mention of the name. I felt about the same way. But, the kids were in school, and I didn't really need to be anywhere, so I figured it was as good a time as any to try out a new place.

Before I go into the experience, it might be helpful to note the LAST experience we had in going out to a new local restaurant. It was called...well, I don't remember. But it was a Mongolian Grill type of place in Poulsbo. It has since closed, and for good reason.

The food there was....disgusting. And I'm being kind. The service was horrendous. Shana ordered a plate of fried rice while the kids and I did the 'mongolian grill'. The meat on the mongolian grill was terrible, and I think a little spoiled. The vegetables looked like they were picked months ago, and I think the guy manning the grill hadn't showered in a few weeks.

We got to our table, choked down our 'meal' (barely), and after about 15 minutes...the waitress (who we couldn't find) finally brought us our drink order and told us that Shana's rice "would be out in a few minutes". About a half hour later, we found the waitress again, and she went back and got the cold rice that had been sitting on the shelf getting cold for 10 minutes. I had hunt down and almost physically restrain the waitress so I could get her to give me the check so I could leave that dump. It was a horrible experience.

So anyway, having been burned before by 'local fare', we were cautious in approaching this new place, particularly with the name 'Grub Hut'.

We were pleasantly surprised. We walked in the door, and was immediately greeted by a friendly waitress that explained the procedure for the restaurant. We were to sit in any booth we liked, peruse the menus, and come up to order at the counter whenever we liked. Very old-school diner style. Nice.

We sat down at a booth and took our time with the menus, but never felt rushed. The atmosphere of the place was like a open and airy bar someplace tropical. It was a nice vibe. The kitchen was open (and clean!). The menu was a nice mix of gourmet burgers, and the largest selection of milk shake flavors I think I have ever seen.

We finally both settled on the same burger actually, and I went up to the counter to order. The burger that we ordered was a very large (at least a half pound) helping of meat, lots of thick sliced bacon, fried onion sticks, Gorgonzola cheese, with fresh spinach and a sliced tomato. All of it was served on a absolutely fresh bun.

In short, everything I love on a burger.

To go with the burger, I went with a Peach milkshake, and Shana went with a Caramel. The milkshakes were fresh, made with quality ice cream. And they were REALLY good.

Before I go, I just have to mention the way the meat was cooked. Too often when you go to a burger place, they over-grind and over-cook the meat and you are left with a 'burger hockey puck' that doesn't really taste like...meat. This burger was cooked perfectly and ground to perfection.

The fries that were served with the meal were perfectly cooked...almost crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and seasoned really well. The only (slight) complaint that Shana and I had was that the fries may have been a bit too salty. But certainly not enough to put a damper on a great meal.

A burger place doesn't sound complicated, but it is all too easy to get wrong. The Grub Hut isn't complicated at all, and it definitely doesn't get it wrong.

I will be back, and I will be taking people I like with me. If you are ever in town (on the way to somewhere else, I'm sure), I encourage you to stop by the Grub Hut. You will not be disappointed.

Lunchtime

I just got back from the Thai restaurant I frequent and yum...the chef was doing well today.

I love the 'Ferry Noodle House' because I walk in the door and the waitress greets me with 'Hi Paul, having the same thing today?'. I nod in the affirmative, sit at the bar, and she grabs my credit card and hands me a glass of water. No needless words exchanged. I generally despise small talk in all it's forms.

I always order the same thing: Chicken Pad Thai, 3 stars. I'm sure some of the other food they serve is excellent, but I can't help but order the Pad Thai. To me, it is the perfect dish. When you take a bite, your mouth is flooded with sensation: Sweet, Salty, Sour, Savory, Spicy, and Bitter...all in a single bite, perfectly balanced. The texture is a noodle dish, with the slight crunch of bean sprouts. Occasionally I take a bite of the shredded carrots that they garnish the dish with a swig of water just to cleanse out the palate. Afterward though, I jump back into devouring the dish.

The sweet comes from palm sugar in the sauce, salty comes from the soy sauce they use as the base as well as (what I think are) dried shrimp throughout. Tamarind provides the sour, you get spicy from hot thai peppers, savory from the peanuts and chicken, and pungent from the garlic/shallots throughout. Plus, add a litte scallion in there somewhere. The result is yummy.

The balance is subtlety different every time I taste it. It varies based on which chef is doing the dish, the time of day (busy times seems to give a different mix for some of the chefs) as well as (I imagine) my particular mood at the time. Sometimes the egg or meat might be a little overcooked, sometimes perfect. Sometimes the chef will squeeze a little lime (or include a wedge) on the noodles, other times not.

Personally, I like the inconsistency. I realize that I order the same dish every time I go, but in reality, since the dish is different every time I taste it, I have quite the variety. Oh, I could go to McDonalds or Quiznos if I wanted a consistent meal (I do go to both occasionally, but only do McDonalds when I'm in a hurry). But the ferry noodle house is delightfully inconsistent, and sometimes I just love not knowing what I'm going to get.

One day I might order a different dish, but I doubt it. I will likely have to go to a different Thai restaurant to order some of my other classic Thai favorites. If I go to the Ferry Noodle House, I'm getting the Pad Thai...otherwise I might miss out on the flavor that the chef is giving to me today. And we can't have that.

I also like just having to nod and grunt to order. I'm not a person who likes to engage with people over trivialities. When I walk into the Starbucks by my work, the barista says 'Hi Paul' and just starts making my drink. Sometimes I might want to change my order at Starbucks, but meh...its so much easier just to nod and let them make it. I love efficiency.

There have been a few times where I have gone into Cups, another downtown Coffee place. I love their Coffee (better than Starbucks), but I have to actually open my mouth and speak words in order to get them to make me the drink I want. This just seems like wasted effort.

I'll just go back to Starbucks to nod and grunt. Efficiency wins.