Hanna Raskin Loves Poquitos; Tan Vinh on Black Bottle 2.0

Hanna Raskin so enjoyed her first meal at Poquitos that she's tempted to cast aside the rules of restaurant reviewing and order the very same dish on a second visit. The margarita-heavy, nacho-free restaurant from the team behind Bastille "doesn't evoke old Mexico so much as it recalls a much-needed Mexican vacation."

Her favorites include the queso fundido, a "messy mix of molten cheese and pig flesh," and the guacamole. The carne asada consists of a properly prepared skirt steak that "struts with an unabashed beefiness." Raskin, however, spent the days after her first visit reminiscing about the chipotle shrimp:

The half-pound of plump prawns are shrouded in a maroon-hued chipotle garlic sauce that stings the fingers. While the curlicued critters are no doubt designed to be swaddled in one of Poquitos' cushy, housemade corn tortillas, it's tempting to treat them like Mexican crawfish, alternating swigs of draft Pacifico with brave gulps of saucy shrimp.

The fun, vacationy vibe makes it easy to overlook the imperfections: "The popular patio can feel cramped, the drinks are weak, and a number of dishes lack punch." While the ceviche was fresh, Raskin says the nomenclature was a stretch: "The nubbins of fish were buried under so much shredded cabbage that the appetizer should have been categorized as coleslaw." [Seattle Weekly]

Tan Vinh happy hours at Black Bottle Postern, the Bellevue offshoot of the Belltown wine bar. The original "has been a popular happy-hour spot without offering much of a discounted happy-hour menu," and the new location "aims to duplicate that success across the bridge." Portions are generous, and favorites like the pork belly and kimchi skewers, and roasted broccoli are on the menu, though Vinh urges you to "skip the acidic mess that is the prosciutto-wrapped baked potato." [Seattle Times]