A few spots I visited in Bellingham this weekend:
Rocket Doughnuts (downtown Fairhaven). I just had a mocha, which was fine, but I am told the doughnuts are excellent. The decor is amusing, with 50’s science-fiction movie posters.
Netos Grocery and Bakery (northwest Bellingham). Mexican grocery and bakery (as the name says!), but there is also a menu and a small dining area, including outdoor seating. I went twice.
Had the special the first time: beef stew - big chunks of very tender beef, large pieces of potato and zuchinni, a piece of corn cob (how to eat?), in a thin but tasty broth. They bring shakers of oregano and chili to the table. The corn tortillas are made in-house (it looks like they grind their own masa), and are excellent - tender and pillowy. They sell packs of them.
The second time: pambazo, which I had never heard of. It is a sandwich, on the same sort of bread as a torta, but the bread is dipped in a mild chili sauce and grilled before assembly: a fork-and-knife sandwich. There is queso anejo sprinkled over the top. Mine was with adobada. I would order this again. I picked up a La Michoacana brand cucumber and chili paleta and some baked goods also. The paleta was not so impressive as the house-made ones I have had in California, but it would be a nice refresher on a hot day. The pastries came home for my wife and have not been tried yet.
Goods Nursery and Produce (Northwest Bellingham). This is an interesting spot - a small garden store which turns into a food-truck gallery in the evening. There is a barber in a truck, two food trucks, a beer bar, and picnic bench seating with abundant umbrellas. It seems to be popular. People eating with their kids, people drinking beer, lots of conversation. I went twice.
First time to Dumpling Girls. They have a very limited menu (chicken or beef dumplings, spring rolls, a rotating noodle special). I had beef dumplings, which were thick-chewy-rustic (they are pan-fried, til nearly scorched) with nice flavor, and some of the best dumpling dipping sauce I have ever had.
The second time to Que Taco. I had three tacos - lengua, cabeza, and buche. Lengua and cabeza were both very good, though the cabeza approached over-salted. Buche was less flavorful, and bouncy. I am guessing that is what to expect from buche, as I have never had it before. I was not in the mood for salsa, so I can’t report on that. The tortillas were good, but not near Netos quality!
Finally, the Community Food Co-op (downtown Bellingham). I stopped here to pick up snacks for the train trip home. They have the groceries you’d expect in a co-op, what looks like a good hot / cold deli, a big selection of local beers (Bellingham is beer-mad), and what I was looking for: small pieces of good cheese and single rolls. I got a local pretzel roll, which was perfect for the bit of cheddar I picked up.