Traveling to Yakima, WIAW style

While in Yakima, I sun bathed,

and burned myself.

I also enjoyed lots of delicious food. I’m going rogue for WIAW this week, offering up a travel edition, yet again. Only this time I didn’t document everything I ate, as four and a half days of eats was way too much to put in one post. Would you continue reading? Yeah, I wouldn’t either.

When I was in high school there were only 4 options for dining out: Red Robin, Olive Garden, Zesta Cucina, and Mexican food, (including tons of taco trucks). Applebee’s didn’t show up to the dining scene until I was in college. It was insanely exciting.

I’m happy to report that Yakima now has a lot more to offer these days. When I arrived Friday evening, my family and I hit up the new(ish) restaurant Creekside West.
You know you’re in Yakima when the entry way is lined with wine and the wine booklet is so thick the grommets holding it together fall off…

We split an order of sweet potato fries to start, which were served with an amazing aioli concoction: garlic and saffron. Mmmmhmmmm

My dad and I both ordered the rock crab cakes, with both the garlic saffron aioli and a tomato relish. The relish was not up my alley, it was too sweet and to tomato-pasty.

I also had a few bites of my mom’s ahi. Mmmm, perfectly pink.

And maybe a few of Libb’s beer battered fries…

The next morning, and each morning that followed, I enjoyed deck dining, fresh fruit, and raw cold oats.

Fun fact: my mom is a potter, (and I keep trying to get her to sell her stuff on etsy, hint hint again mom). Her best friend, Trudy, is also a potter. Each Christmas and birthday they exchange unique, fun or pretty mugs or bowls. I wish I had the cupboard space to hold the massive amount of fun mugs my mom has. Trudy actually hangs hers from the exposed beams in her kitchen. If I had a low enough ceilings I might do something like that.

Saturday night I taught my mom how to make quinoa, as I whipped up a Mexican(ish) quinoa salad (recipe tomorrow) to pair with grilled chicken marinated in my favorite dressing/marinade.

Sunday night I had a craving for real Mexican food, so we decided to go to El Mirador for dinner. I was in heaven when my tortillas arrived.

mmmm, I’m drooling just looking at this picture…

I ordered something new: pollo a la parrilla. I ususally order fajitas or arroz con pollo. I was quite pleased with my choice, and will have the hubs re-create it for me on the grill sometime soon.

On my final night in town, Libb (I guess I should call him Jake now, hmm?), grilled up some burgers.

Bachelor and Zoe waited expectantly.

They were denied.

With my burger, I enjoyed some watermelon, corn on the cob, a salad and some Jones of Washington Viognier.

Dogs, again, drooled and begged,

but, again, were denied. I love Bachelor’s expression, he reminds me of the talking dog:

What is your must-eat while in your hometown?

Mine is Mexican food. Yakima has a very large Hispanic population, therefore we have real Mexican food. Spokane’s idea of Mexican food is Azteca. While I enjoyed the occasional Taco Tuesday in college, Azteca isn’t really Mexican food.