mr.nelso's Profile
Seattle Help - I've done my homework first, just needs refining
George's grilled Reuben.
Say no more.
This, and the Pacific Inn Pub, totally pwn the grilled-Reuben scene hereabouts. We look forward to years of research to refine the comparison between these two, but see few actual head-to-head competitors. 74th St has an interesting entry, as does ILNY, but there simply must be more out there. I know I'm looking for a gilded Lily, at this point, as these two are tremendous, but what ya' got out there???
Caribbean Food (SEA)
We were leaving an event downtown this evening, hungry, and I dimly remembered this post, so we headed down Rainier to see if we could find it. By the time we got to Columbia City, we were getting desperate (dimly remembered, remember) so we popped in to Full Tilt for directions. Even though we rarely get to Columbia City from our home in North Seattle, we've become (semi) regulars there, and confident of good advice. Sure enough, the owner said "oh, yeah, just 3 blocks down and to the right," which was a good thing, as the good wife was fading from cold and hunger. Tucked immediately into a hot buttered rum (egad, was that just $4.50?) and a plate of stuffed-plantain (with great sauce), she will live. Wow. Warm and colorful room, clean and spacious, great service (OK, so we were alone in the room, yow). The oxtail stew was a little less well-rendered than it could have been, I suppose, though tender, rich, and tasty, and the goat had a few more little baby goat bones in than might suit just every sensibility, but the flavors and presentation were top-flight, and incredible at the price. Simply incredible. We plan to explore many more unfamiliar titles on this menu. A winner.
Seattle Help - I've done my homework first, just needs refining
A person can only eat so many (fabulous) salami sandwiches, it turns out, especially after enduring long lines in the rain. Note, though, that Salumi has a sandwich (sic) board out front, with the daily specials - usually a pasta, a vegetable, a soup, and something from the family grab-bag. Just slip along the wall, past the line of folks waiting for their salami sandwiches and go right back to the big table. You'll see the weekly specials in a glass window as you slip past the line, and when you get back to the big table, you can order them up from the kitchen staff there. No lines, great Italian family food, good company. This is the common table, so uncommonly accomplished in Seattle. The sandwiches are definitely worth meeting, and I ate my way through the sandwich menu, to be sure. Do try to persevere to meet the Prosciutto and goat cheese with fig confit (summer only), the meatball (I like with gorg), and the porchetta. If the waiting experience is not for you on a day, just slip back to the Kitchen and ask the staff what's for lunch and pay on you way out.
Best liquor stores in SEA
Vanilla, I'll just insert here: "aren't people wonderful?"
Laws like that are made by people, "concerned citizens," who, through lobbying, initiative, or other involvement, bring them about. Because government is created by people, no, it is not wonderful.
New Yorker in Seattle for 3 days - What can't I miss?
Grass, that was great.
I'll aver, though, that an Easterner might benefit most from a first experience of the sweet meat of Dungeness, with little else (a little lemon-butter, or, if cold, an aioli). It's a whole new thing, if you come from soft-shell country. A trip to Jack's to get a crab cooked on the spot from the live-tank is mind-expanding. Eat it at the park. Preparations one can find, as you mentioned, are fabulous, to be sure, but it's always good to get a base-line, especially with Dungeness. You may never leave the base.
Another local seafood best enjoyed as simply as possible = Halibut. Mmmmm....
Seattle Sri Lankan ?
A friend asked if there is any Sri Lankan food hereabouts, and it took me a whole ten seconds of thought before I gve her a flat "NO."
Can anyone help me with a clue if there really is any Sri Lankan foood in the region, so my friend can take her Sri Lankan visitor to a place with familiar food?
thanks
Shrimp Cocktail - Seattle
I'd start with Dungeness Crab Cocktail at Jack's Fish Spot.
SF Foodie going to Seattle - Etta's for Seafood?
Get Seared Scallop chowder at Pike Place Chowder, then walk down Post Alley to Pike Place and get some Dungeness Crab cocktail at Jack's Fish Spot, maybe some oysters and Cioppino
Lilikoi / Passion Fruit Juice - Seattle
I've seen pasion fruit juice at Big John's PFI
Crab Pot & Benz - Seattle
Back when I was in college, Beth's was a sheap way to get a WHOLE lot of calories (12 egg omelet and hash-browns in a pool of grease) really CHEAP. That is all. Don't expect food.
We have a great Chinatown and Pike Place market is cheap, easy, and fun.Go there.
Buying raw fish
Mutual Fish, on Rainier
The Wild Salmon, at Fisherman's Terminal
Uniiversity Seafood, in the U-District
Jack's Fish Spot, in the Pike Place Market
You will enjoy a visit to Uwajimaya
Favorite salmon (smoked/kippered/jerky) at Pike Place Mkt Seattle
Take home some Alder smoked salmon from Jacks' Fish Spot, in the Pike Place Market. They are right across Pike Place from Uli's Famous Sausages, where thew will grill you up a sausage or two, if you can ever decide which variety to have (they're all good). Go the full German route and have it with a local ale and some fries in their bierstube.
I agree that Chinook's is a reliable nearby place for salmon. Matt's in the Market is also good. Right downstairs from Matt's, and across the street from Pure Foods Fish is Jack's Fish Spot, where you can get a quick cup of truly fine Cioppino, as well as oysters on the half-shell, and steamed clams and musells.
Seattle: Help a Homesick Texan
When Lynn owned Wild West BBQ, in the Columbiua Tower Food Court, she served up a good Frito pie. I don't actually know if the new management knows anything about real chili, or gets it from a can, but it's the only Frito Pie I've seen hereabouts.
wedding favor ideas? special to washington or seattle.
Alder smoked salmon from Pure Foods Fish (North of ULI's sausages)
Oakland to PDX on 5, where to eat/stop??
We drove down the coast last year, hit The Stand in Seaside (and what a trip the Candy Man was - I still hear that annoying song), Fulio's, in Astoria, Shark's, in Newport, where the Rogue brewery runs the cafe in the Oreon Coast Aquarium, New Sammy's in Talent OR. Then on down 101, staying a couple great nights at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse hostel (state of CA), where we ate at Duarte's across 101 at Pescadero, and continued to the Monterrey Bay aquarium. In Berkely, we enjoyed Vik's Chaat House, Tacubayo, and an oddball Buddhist(?) outdoor venue - very fun. We returned from Oakland by way of Castroville, where we ate fried artichoke (heh) at The Big Artichoke.
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best bakeries/pastries in seattle
Thank you for the nuance, christy, with which I agree. Our group had a tasting session, at which we tried to compare pastries taken out from Nuveau and Besalu, but it was so close we could't tell how much the difference in travel time was skewing the result, so now we are planning a patisserie tour. For the record, Nuveau took "best croissant" and Besalu "best fruit tart" (wow, what a pear) and "Best chocolate croissant," but every bite of every pastry from both establishemnts was great food, and there were no complaints.Fournil seems a little "chain-store," but does a great job of pretty fruit and nut tarts and, on a good day, other goodies, as well.
Not exactly pastry, but Irwin's, on N. 40th St, in Wallingford, has a fantastic blueberry muffin and Marionberry scone.
Looking for early bird specials in Seattle
A few notes about transportation in Seattle:
Buses are free in the RIDE FREE zone, downtown, weekdays 7am-6pm
(http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/ridefree.html)
There is an attended transit information booth beneath Macy's, where you can get daily bus passes.
Water Taxi is operated by Metro Trasit and a bargain at bus-fare price with a free shuttle on the other side to let you cruise all of Alki. Have Fish and Chips at Sunfish (I like the Halibut).
The Pike Place market has a lot of genuine bargains and is worth a wander. I like the Cioppino at Jack's Fish Spot, and Mee Sum pastry on Pike Place, but the place hums with good food.
best bakeries/pastries in seattle
Belle's is good. Also Cafe Besalu, in Ballard, Bakery Neuveau, in West Seattle, Boulangerie, in Wallingford, and Le Fournil, on Eastlake, Dahlia Bakery and Macrina, downtown. It's hard to go wrong in that crowd.
Advice on taking a day trip from Eugene
If you can get to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, near Newport, do. They are doing great work there (and have a cafe fun by the Rogue brewery, as well - get some Shakespeare Stout).
Consider a dinner at New Sammy's, outside Ashland, if your time and wallet permit..
From other notes:
West Bros. BBQ, especially the brisket.
Marche in the 5th Street Public Market. $$ but good and local
Chef's Kitchen - seafood - check this oddball out
Cafe Zenon- another eclectic place that can be good
Jake's Place - steaks
Eastern Washington Road Trip
We enjoyed lunch at the Yellow Church cafe last week. Fun bread (the "house" is cheesy and good), and good soups and salads.
http://www.yellowchurchcafe.com/
Fabulous food for an in-city honeymoon
Elemental at Gasworks is a lot of fun, in a demure way, as is Pasta Freska, in a noisier-livelier way. Others: Senor Moose, Bizarro, Wild Mountain Cafe, Stumbling Goat Bistro, Perche No, Persimmon, 35th Street Bistro. I can feature honeymoon dining at any of these, though you'll want to give good attention to finding the atmosphere that will work best for you, as some are noisier than others.
Food & wine recs - Oregon coast and a little inland
The Stand, in Seaside is a wonderful little taco joint. Everything we ate their was the best in its class. Fresh thick tortillas especially.
Anyone been to CANLIS lately?
Always in favor of directness, I say: If you know the recipe, or even feel confident you can match it, please post it. Please. Pretty, pretty please
Delivery near University of Washington?
You might call Trattoria Roma, at 47th and Aurora. I do not see their delivery radius on their website, but the UW is just 2-3 miles and you may qualify. Check out their website.
www.romatrattoria.com
Looking for best Italian in Seattle area?
Pasta Freska is a great idea. A very informal, nearly wacky, place, with good food and a fun, informal atmosphere.
Your Favorite Bakery...
Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle and Cafe Besalu in Ballard are top notch. In a recent tasting, tasters preferred Besalu's pain chocolate and sweet pastries and Noveau's croissant, but it was a very close call for each. Nouveau sports the World Cup of Baking, which it earned for bread, but the pastries are good, too. Don't miss Macrina, Tallgrass, Essential, and I'm just sure I'm missing somebody.
Looking for Best Beer & Food Joints in PacNW
PDX, please report back - Apparently, World Class Chili is challenging for some folks and I look forward to the reflections of a fellow "chilihead."
Latin Grocery Stores in the Seattle Area?
In South Park (across the 12th Ave bridge from Marginal Way) is the unfortunately named Mexi-Mart, and on up the hill behind it to Burien and White Center are a bunch of places, many of which have been mentioned here.
