Casual attire, quality dining not mutually exclusive

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• El Agave spices up familiar Mexican formula

  El Agave spices up familiar Mexican formula

  BELLINGHAM - El Agave has enlivened a former McDonald's outlet on Samish Way with some creative twists on the familiar Mexican bill of fare.

  When I moved to Bellingham in 1980, Mexican restaurants were almost non-existent. In fact, any ethnic food beyond pizza and Cantonese generally meant a trip to Seattle or Vancouver, B.C. in those days.

  Now there are more Mexican restaurants around the area than I will bother to count. It seems as though each one of them has a faithful following, but to me it's a challenge to tell them apart in many cases.

• Well-stuffed sandwiches make Jeckyl & Hyde a solid lunch option

  Well-stuffed sandwiches make Jeckyl & Hyde a solid lunch option

  BELLINGHAM - The new Jeckyl & Hyde BBQ and Deli is likely to become a popular spot for a quick and tasty lunch in a busy section of town.

  This is the second Jeckyl & Hyde restaurant. The first one, at 709 W. Orchard St., has a more extensive menu, with pizza and burgers. The new place, off James Street across from Hardware Sales, is a smallish nook, with a counter, a few small tables, and walk-up ordering.

  If you want to spend $12.99, you can get a combo plate with smoked brisket, chicken and pulled pork. We decided to make do with sandwiches. Pulled pork is $9.50, while the brisket goes for $9.99, with one side dish included.

• Whatcom Locavore: 20 delicious ways to enjoy broccoli stems

  Whatcom Locavore: 20 delicious ways to enjoy broccoli stems

  It's weird, I know. Broccoli stems are often trimmed and discarded. But I really like the flavor, especially if the stems are peeled first. I think stems taste sweeter and less bitter than the florets. They also don't have the grainy floret texture that children and others sometimes find objectionable.

  Here are some interesting ways they can be eaten:

  1. Simplest of all is to peel off the thin fibrous outer stem and cut the center into sticks to eat raw (like carrot sticks).

• Rethinking the meat we eat

  Rethinking the meat we eat

  Note to reader: This column addresses the "100 Days of Real Food" mini-pledge series, which details 14 weekly steps for cutting out highly processed food.

• Winter escape: Wander from Westport to Tokeland

  Winter escape: Wander from Westport to Tokeland

  Westport, and the drive south to Tokeland, offers more than enough things to do for a packed winter day trip. Bonus: There are no lines of tourists waiting to buy ice cream or take boat tours. • PHOTO GALLERY: Images of the Cranberry Coast