As a local foodie, I think about food a lot. I’ll admit that I never thought about Tulalip Resort Casino as a food destination. This summer, I stayed at the hotel and had a chance to try our many of their food and beverage options. Quite frankly, I was blown away. The food was well executed and expertly paired with beverages.

Disclosure: This post is not sponsored. Tulalip Resort Casino provided a complimentary stay, food, beverage, concert tickets, and spa credit. All opinions are my own.

Destination Lounge

We began our evening at Destination Lounge for drinks and appetizers. My husband and I met up with my Seattle Foodie Podcast co-host Nelson Lau and our good friend Annie Nguyen. We opened with a 2002 Guilio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore from Trento, Italy. I can’t imagine a better way to start the night. This sparkling wine was complex, sweet, and fruity. As we leisurely chatted, we snacked on a light veggie plate with tasty quiche bites. The lounge has a welcoming vibe complete with a cozy fireplace and a good variety of different seating options. It was the perfect place to begin our evening!

Blackfish Wild Salmon Grill & Bar

After an already exciting day, we were ready for a meal! Our next stop was Blackfish Wild Salmon Grill & Bar, a seafood centric dining option at the resort. The space is beautiful with high ceilings, low light, and has a traditional longhouse feel.

Our first course was a dungeness crab cake with lemon aioli, petite miso-apple watercress salad paired with Snoqualmie Falls Haystack Hefewizen. I don’t order crab cakes often because they are often made of fillers instead of lumps of crab. This was delicious and the crab was the star of the show! Generally, I’m not a fan of Hefewizen but this one really got me. It was very refreshing and light.

If you know me, then you know I love scallops but again, don’t order them often out of fear of being disappointed. The seared scallops with porcini dust and truffle oil over roasted cauliflower purée with succotash was a hit! The sear on the scallop was perfect and it was gloriously tender inside. This was paired with Betz Family Winery Old Vine Chenin Blanc “Quinta Essentia” from Stellenbosch, South Africa 2017. It tasted fruity and spicy, which went very well with the delicate scallops.

The petite salmon on a stick was a crowd pleaser! It was Alaskan Sockeye traditionally prepared and roasted over Alderwood coals on ironwood sticks. It was served with broccolini and corn fritter cakes. The smokiness of the juicy salmon was perfection! Watching it being prepared was magical as the flames danced off the fire pit. The corn fritter cakes had a bit of sweetness but rooted in savory flavors. The broccolini provided a bit of overall freshness to the dish. This was paired with Antica Terra Pinot Noir “Botanica” from Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon 2014. The wine was smooth and drinkable with this expertly prepared meal.

The petit filet mignon was as delicious as it sounds. It was served with roasted garlic-pecan crust, Twin Sisters bleu cheese, thyme demi, Tillamook potato hash laced with apples, and wild boar bacon wrapped asparagus. Generally, I don’t like bleu cheese with my steak but this one from Twin Sisters was flavorful and less pungent than others I’ve tasted. The overall experience was a lovely cut of beef with thoughtful pairings including a 2018 A.W.W “Private Barrel Auction” Rotie Cellars Tannat from Columbia Valley, Washington 2016.

Tula Bene

By the time we visited Tula Bene for dessert, wine and aged spirits, I can honestly say that I was feeling pretty good. The evening was still full of plenty of treats!

The wine and aged spirits selection was unbelievable but if I had to choose just one, it would be the Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-sec from Champagne, France N/V.

• Appleton Estate “Joy” Blend 25 year rare rum from Jamacia. This special blend commemorates Joy Spence’s 20th anniversary as a master blender. A combination of rums aged for between 25 and 35 years, this is rich and mouth filling with notes of espresso, clove, cinnamon and Demerara sugar.
• Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-sec from Champagne, France N/V, Laurent-Perrier is a Champagne house founded in 1812. This wine is intense and rich nose with notes of dried fruit, almonds, hazelnuts with its age a touch of honey and pine resin can be found as well. Chardonnay dominant.
• “Passito” Vignalta Alpinae Fior D’arancio, Veneto, Italy 2007. Concentrated and complex, this late-harvest orange muscat exudes notes of Satsuma and mandarin orange, exotic spice, and bitter almond with underlying acidity.
• Sparkman Cellars “Hallelujah” Port Wine, Yakima Valley, Washington 2014. Aged for 22 months in 25% new French oak, Hallelujah is hedonistic, balanced, rich and nuanced. 50% Touriga Nacional, 50% Souzao
• V.E.P. Green Chartreuse “Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolonge”, Voiron Rhone, France. Made with a secret recipe of alcohol, sugar and over 130 herbs, plants and flowers that dates back to the 16th century and nicknamed “the elixir of life.”

We had an excellent selection of desserts but my absolute favorite was the tartufo, which was well-balanced in terms of flavors and interesting textures.

• Tartufo, burnt caramel gelato tartufo, luxardo cherry, biscotti and hazelnut crunch, brandy caramel sauce
• Canoli, crunchy hazelnut and orange tuile, chocolate ricotta filling and orange supremes.
• Sugared ricotta fritters, made to order fritters, orange blossom honey gelato limoncello curd and blackberries.
• Chocolate and chianti brown butter cake, chianti poached cherries, cherry sorbetto with vanilla whipped cream.

Journeys East

After dessert at Tula Bene, we headed to Journeys East for a late night happy hour. We had sushi rolls, chicken karaage, and a few more drinks like yuzu sake and a tropical drink reminiscent of a mai tai. It was a nice way to end an evening of decadent dining and fun!

In-Room Dining

After a long day, I was ready to sleep in a bit. Luckily, Cedars Restaurant provides in-room dining and it was divine! I had everything I needed to start the day off right – eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit, bacon, and of course, a bloody mary! Everything was prepared well and really hit the spot. If there was a highlight, it would have to be the blackberries. They were completely mind blowing! I can’t imagine a more plump, juicy, sweet berry. It captured the essence of summer!

Headed Home

All good things must come to an end and after an epic food adventure, it was time to head home. I felt well fed and treated to an experience that was informative and delicious! Many thanks to Tulalip Resort Casino for the hospitality!