So many restaurants, so little time...

HouseValues Senior Media Buyer Jason Alfred has over 20 years of culinary experience under his belt, but moved to Seattle in late 2004 without his coveted kitchen gear. This forced Jason to eat out for almost every meal, giving him an understanding of the mid-range Seattle restaurant landscape that few other people had.

So what's a guy to do with all of that knowledge? Blog, of course!

Thus began Robotic Gourmand, Jason's well-visited site featuring great reviews and beautiful photos from restaurants around Seattle.

How does he do it?

"When visiting restaurants, while I primarily order food that appeals to me I also try and keep in mind what visitors to my site might enjoy from a particular restaurant," Jason says. "I use my cooking skills and abilities to break down how a dish has been prepared, the flavors that I taste, presentation and service.

"My goal is to provide both new-comers to Seattle, as well as natives, a resource that will help in decision making when it comes to dining out. With most dinners costing around $15 to $20 per person, finding the best places to spend one's dollar is very important."

He doesn't eat out for every meal anymore, but still posts 2-3 new reviews on Robotic Gourmand each week. Restaurants range from upscale to the unknown, hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese sandwich shop.

But regardless of the visit, readers can expect to see concise descriptions and clear photographs of great new eating opportunities.