News

First Looks: Lantern Brewing and Ming China Bistro

January 6, 2015 6:40am

We made our first stops at a couple of area spots recently, one that was new to us and another that’s brand-spanking new to the neighborhood. Here are a few initial thoughts on Lantern Brewing and Ming China Bistro.

The tasting room. Image via Yelp

The tasting room. Image via Yelp

Lantern Brewing. As I’ve mentioned to you before, since moving here to Seattle the hubby and I have taken up a brewery-hopping hobby. Breweries are super casual, kid-friendly and well, we like our brewskis. But, it can be tough to find a balance of good atmosphere AND good beer. For example, Stoup is a fun place to hang out with their fun patio and big screen TVs, but their beer isn’t our favorite. And Ruben’s beer is fantastic but the brewery is in, well, a garage.

Of course, I had this little hunt of ours in mind when I suggested that we check out Lantern Brewing in Greeenwood last weekend. Despite the fact that the location is most definitely in well, a garage (that was apparently formerly inhabited by a landscaping company!) the space felt cozy and homey as soon as we walked in. Part of that was the decor, and the other part was the warm hospitality. The “hello” had barely left our lips before two beer tastings and a bowl of pretzels for our little one (in a bright pink plastic bowl, of course!) appeared in front of us.

And not only was the space wonderful, but the beer was awesome. My husband is a fan of all beers Belgian, so he really enjoyed the Witbier, and my lager-loving self was very happy with the Tripel. In fact, we left with a growler of the Tripel that was devoured in short order (I’m pretty sure I let the hubby have a glass or two but he begs to differ). We’ll definitely be back to Lantern.

Lantern Brewing is located at 938 N 95th St., and is open Thursday 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. http://www.lanternbrewing.com/

Image via Yelp.

Image via Yelp.

Ming China Bistro. When Cafe Momo on Woodlawn shuttered abruptly (so abruptly a friend told me she’d breakfasted there the day before I dropped by to find it completely empty), I was surprised to see Ming China Bistro pop up soon after. And what a beautiful space to appear out of thin air! After wandering past the sleek, yet cozy looking spot a few times, we were welcomed warmly after swinging by for a quick dinner on a recent rainy Saturday night.

After settling in with some edamame and hot tea, we perused the expansive menu. My husband, lover of reliable standbys, picked the Sweet & Sour Chicken, while I decided to go for the Korean Style Kim Chi Hot Pot. The Sweet & Sour Chicken arrived first, and was everything you want and expect out of that dish; crispy, sticky and sweet. Our little one devoured it, and she generally dislikes most non-Goldfish cracker cuisine.

Soon after, the hot pot made its entrance. The massive soup pot took up most of our table, and was filled with tons of yummy stuff like chicken, fish cakes, and veggies. As we tucked in to the stew, we adored many of its components; the broth, while spicy from the kim chi, was not quite as fishy or flavorful as I would have expected. That said, the space was cozy and the service was great, so we’ll definitely be back.

Ming China Bistro is located at 7119 Woodlawn Ave. NE, and is open 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 9 p.m., closed Tuesdays. http://mingchinabistroseattle.com/

Category: