Tulalip Resort Casino is an exceptional get away, just north of Seattle and an hour south from Bellingham. Tulalip Resort Casino offers to entertain you, or you can entertain your friends. In the 1970’s progressive parties where all the rage, by the 1980’s these passé parties were as popular as disco music. As the saying goes, “what goes around, comes around”. Tulalip Resort Casino has at least five bars. If you can name it they can make it, or open it, and keep it coming. Cocktails, beer, wine, sake: They have it all! Tulalip includes eight distinctly different restaurants, each with its own culinary traditions, décor, and expertly trained staff. Have your progressive party at Tulalip Resort Casino!
Our host, Allan Aquilla, organized a Bacchanalia that began with facials and massages in at the luxurious T-Spa. Afterwards we met at Destinations Lounge in the resort lobby. Reminiscent of the 1950’s, this chic venue’s décor and retro furnishings are meant for relaxation and indulgence. Start with an array of shared hors d’ oeuvres and a few bottles of Domaine HUET champagne and 2010 Domain de Chevalier Passac-Leognan. These wines paired beautifully with the Mahi-Mahi Tostadas, Trio of Tapenades (caramelized onion and gorgonzola, olive tapenade and sundried tomato), and Savory Cheese Cake, four cheese blend served with baguette and assorted crudités. This wonderful first course was followed by the second course at a sports bar. The Draft Sports Bar & Lounge is a lively bar with plenty of televisions to watch your favorite teams. Our group enjoyed a flight of cider, and a seasonal spiced beer while watching WSU play. We crunched away at Curve Ball Shrimp, large prawns wrapped in won tons and fried golden brown, served with red pepper jam slaw and a peanut dipping sauce. Chicken and Parmigiano cheese poppers served with a zesty bbq sauce, rounded out our sports bar menu.
For our pre-dinner repast we made way to Journeys East. This is a comfortable and relaxing restaurant. At Journeys East the service, food, and beverages compete for each guest’s attention. Our pre-arranged menu included remarkable Steamed Halibut garnished with cilantro, ginger and scallions. Pork pot stickers, simultaneously savory, sweet and spicy, before succulent Shrimp Sushi and a deep fried VIP sushi roll that included eel, cream cheese, avocado, spicy tuna, rice, dressed with eel sauce. Three dishes that paired marvelously with Hou Hou Shu, sparkling sake and Kontiki Tears of Dawn sake.
Dinner was a lingering gastro-fest at Blackfish; one Tulalip Resort Casino’s fine dining restaurants. The lights are dim, the open kitchen on view, remarkable menu, comfortable furnishings and attentive staff makes dining here a memorable experience. We shared bottles of Evermore an old vines cabernet sauvignon. This Washington wine paired beautifully with the menu that Allan planed. Smoked pork belly glazed with crispy & sweet “holiday ham” glaze pared with a fantastic squash puree, toasted nuts and micro greens on a dark red slice of beet.
Succeeding this course was a King salmon cooked over an open fire served along an 8oz. Filet Mignon roasted fingerling potatoes garnished with lavender and fresh thyme and wild boar wrapped asparagus. Finished with Kona coffee demi-glace and drizzled with Kona coffee Beurre blanc and spiced hazelnuts.
Any party without dessert is called, “a meeting”! Don’t deny yourself the pleaser of the made to order rich Chocolate Soufflé, or the Triple Berry Crisp Sundae. Abandon your diet plans and lose yourself in the sultry flavors and aromas of these house-made confections. The next morning, enjoy a group brunch at Cedars Café, the coffee is strong, the food is awesome, and mimosas are served aplenty
For you next office party, special family event or get together with friends, forget about cleaning house and cooking all day long. Have a progressive dinner at Tulalip Resort Casino instead!