check out the book West Coast Road Eats for the best regional foods in Washington, Oregon and California.

I love Calvin Trillin's style. Once you read The Tummy Trilogy you realize how much Jeffrey Steingarten (who I also have a soft spot for, despite myself) took from him.

I know it's fairly recent but I like Ruth Reichl's early books too, especially Comfort Me With Apples, which is more about being in your twenties/falling in and out of love than about food, but her portrait of the food world in SF back in the day is fascinating.

planet java is a weird little diner/breakfast place in pioneer square. and grand central does a great breakfast, though i'm not sure they're open on weekends. but yeah--it's probably worth a trip to the market.

I second this. One of those experiences where you look at the sandwich and think, there's no way I can eat this, and then proceed to devour it because you just. can't. stop.

Also: Bakeman's in Pioneer Square does an amazing day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. Get it with cranberry sauce.

There is this list on Citysearch...
http://seattle.citysearch.com/roundup...

The Portage Bay Cafe, in the U-District on Roosevelt, is only a little bit away and is worth it. Organic, tasty, you won't feel like crawling back into bed after you've finished it. The wait is never too, too bad there, and they give you coffee while you wait.

A great dive-y place is Voula's Off-Shore Cafe, down by the Northlake on the water... pretty greasy, and the coffee is what you'd expect, but still--it's cheap, and you can usually get a table. a slice of old Seattle.

I think it depends on your expectations--like all other food, there's a wide spectrum of quality. Mushashi's is the Dick's of sushi; sounds like you want the Kobe beef burger experience.

Personally, I'm there often because it's near my house, cheap, and--while certainly not amazing--completely fine. The servers don't give a damn about you and you don't have to ooh and aah over the cuts of fish. Sometimes I'm in the mood for the high class sushi bar, but more often than not, I just want a quick sushi fix and Musashi's is better than QFC.

But I wouldn't go out of my way to visit it, no way...

Ok. I went to Red Mill the other night and, while I completely enjoyed my meal, I thought that the fries could have been kicked up a notch and I wasn't completely sure why. The salt? The crispiness? Since then I've been on a mini-quest to find the perfect french fry in Seattle--and I need your help. I've been to Frites and it's amazing, but what else comes to mind?

The Luau in Tangletown. Kind of cheesy, but great (and superlong) happy hour w/ outdoor seating. Can't beat it.

There's truth to it. Canlis is Old School and still fantastic. It's not trendy like the other places you've mentioned, but that's why I like it. The food is always good. The truffle fries are a must, and I can't recommend the crab cake enough. They also have really delicious--and fairly innovative--cocktails.

Seconded. 35th Street Bistro does an incredible job, and I am a bit of a cheese board freak. It's the best I've found in town.

Also, the Sitting Room on lower Queen Anne does a nice cheese plate, and it's only $6 during happy hour.

These days, I am a big fan of the bread from the Wild Wheat Bakery in Kent, sold at Ballard Market & Whole Foods. Great for sandwiches and as a side for pasta--generally a good loaf to have around for the week and it doesn't go stale instantly. Have had whole wheat and peasant loaf and both were excellent.

And what about good, old-fashioned Como Bread from Grand Central? Still one of my favorite loaves in town.

I, too, am a lifelong diehard Ezell's fan. But I've heard that the fried chicken at Kingfish is pretty amazing too. Has anyone tried it?

I just had a chocolate chip cookie from the Dahlia Bakery today that made me remember why I love them in the first place: Large but still moist, flavorful, nice chocolate-to-cookie ratio. I'd all but given up getting them because they're usually so hard and sugary; I generally get oatmeal raisin. But today's chocolate chip experience has made a believer out of me again.

Where else in Seattle has a great cookie?

Caffe Umbria in Pioneer Square, in Occidental Park. It's a third-generation, from-Italy operation and they make amazing espresso.

If it's drip you're after, I'd get yourself to ZOKA near Green Lake... Dark, complex and the best drip in the city in my opinion.

The new Zephyr Grill, from the owners of the Icon Grill, in Kent Station might be a good bet--it's "American" food. Also the Imperial Garden Seafood restaurant at the Great Wall Mall near IKEA has great dim sum.

Help me! I'm craving a serious chocolate dessert, preferably something oozing and much too decadent to finish, like lava cake or a terrine. Truffles are ok, but I really want something I can eat with a fork or spoon. Thanks!

head to Roxy's Diner in Fremont--they make a mean one there. And have fab pastrami sandwiches to boot.

I love oatmeal in the morning, but in restaurants it's usually pasty mush. Just had the soy-chai Oatmeal at Portage Bay Cafe and it's so good, it makes me forget my "never ordering oatmeal out" rule. Where else has good oatmeal?

Stix Billiards & Brewhouse, just opened on South Lake Union, is doing a special breakfast with games. I haven't been there yet, but sounds promising.

Also might want to look into SPORT by Seattle Center.

Chutney's on 15th has the best Indian food on the Hill, in my opinion. Very well executed, beautiful sauces.

the red potatoes at the Portage Bay Cafe in the U-District are out of this world. This from a fellow potato lover.

Also, when in the mood, I really dig the spicy hash browns at the Coastal Kitchen on Cap Hill.

for brunch, you can't do better than Six Seven in the Edgewater Hotel on the waterfront. Gorgeous view, all you can eat (with mimosa included) with all the benefits of Salty's but with actually good food. They have lots of NW accents, like smoked scallops and salmon, oysters, prawns, along with very well-done breakfast favorites like eggs benedict. and the view, across the Sound, you're basically ON the water, it's totaly worth it.

there are a lot of cute, tasty little sandwich and soup spots in Ashland, Oregon, right by the California border. Easy access on and off the freeway too.

go to Gordito's in Greenwood--it's very kid-friendly and also delicious (and cheap). Mexican food with mondo-size burritos.

the spot-of-the-moment in the ID is Green Leaf... great Vietnamese food, extremely cheap, right by the House of Hong. Get the pho and the bahn xeo.

And Canlis, btw, has a new cocktail and bar menu that's amazing and affordable. Might want to give that old chestnut another try...

You'd be best off at UNION, at First and Union downtown by the market. Really excellent Northwest cuisine, nice atmosphere. The menu changes daily.

Seriously folks. Is La Carta de Oaxaca the best we can do?

Does anyone know ANYWHERE (that's a sit down restaurant, not a taco truck) that has delicious, authentic Mexican food?

Or do I have to head to Los Angeles when I've got a serious jones for it?

Try the Mediterranean Kitchen, a little down Roy street almost at the end of Seattle Center. Get the chicken wings. They're garlickly and amazing.

Try looking for food in Ashland--it's by teh CA border and they have lots of little sandwich-y options PLUS it's a way cute town. Can't remember where I ate, but it's all good there...