PaqpIn's Profile
Bakery in Oakbrook/Glen Ellyn
At the last minute my family decided they do want a cake for my Mom's birthday this Saturday. We are all coming from out of town. Is there a good bakery somewhere near Oakbrook/Glen Ellyn that could do a cake on such short notice for about 15 people? I would prefer not to go the Jewel/Treasure Island route, but if I have to do so - which one has better cakes?
Thanks
Visiting my daughter and need advice
As a chef you really should check out Melrose Market then. Lots of places for you to enjoy. As for your son one suggestion would be Lunchbox Labratory. It is a good burger place with old lunchboxes on the wall and a great staff. http://lunchboxlaboratory.com/menu/ They do not sing, but they are nice. There is also Skillet Diner - which is a little more upscale, but still fun.
http://www.skilletstreetfood.com/diner_menu.php
For a divey place that is fun and more what you are looking for - but really does not have all that great food (and is kind of out of the way) there is XXX Root Beer. http://triplexrootbeer.com/ It is in Issaquah, but if you wanted to go to Snoqualmie Falls or something it could be a place to stop.
Visiting my daughter and need advice
Queen Anne tea serves a very nice tea in a traditional tea room setting.
http://queenmarytea.com/menu/
One suggestion for oysters would be Taylor Shellfish. There is a Homewood Suites very close to the Melrose Market (which has other good dining as well as Taylors). It is not really a full resturant, but they have a nice bar where they will shuck the oysters for you and have great oyster stew if you are in to that. http://taylormelrose.com/about/
If you are going for the oysters this is a good place to go.
Your son could grab a bit at Homegrown sandwichs in the market at the same time.
http://www.eathomegrown.com/flow
Mother's Day weekend in Seattle
Have a good time. Hopefully the weather will hold.
One place you should hit is the Melrose Market. You could go to Taylor's Shellfish for oysters. They will shuck them right there for you and have great chowder. You can also grab some great sandwiches at Homegrown or have a wonderful meal at Terra Plata - although if you want to have brunch there on mother's day you might want to make a reservation.
http://www.melrosemarketseattle.com/
http://taylormelrose.com/
http://terraplata.com/
En route from Grand Canyon to Phoenix - delicious bites?
If you want to head slightly into Flagstaff for a meal Beaver Street Brewing Co is nice and would be a good stop.
http://www.beaverstreetbrewery.com/
Rock Springs Café is fun. It is about 3/4 of the way from Flagstaff to Phoenix and is right off the I-17. It is fun and certainly has atmosphere, decent food and very good pie.
http://www.rockspringscafe.com/
If you make it all the way to Phoenix there is a great dive on the North end of the city. Also just right of the I-17. Chino Banditos.
http://chinobandido.com/
Another place near the airport where you could grab a fun bite is the Cornish Pasty Co.
http://www.cornishpastyco.com/menu/index.html
70th Birthday Party in early June
I am looking for a place to hold a 70th birthday party. I need a place with a private room on a Saturday night for an early dinner (probably starting 5:30-6). There will be between 20-25 people including several small children. Looks like the best location is in the West/Northwest suburbs. People will be coming from around O'Hare and Glen Ellyn. Most of the people are from out of town and I am planning this remotely. We will have cars, but would prefer not to travel too far
The leading candidate is Maggiano's in Oak Brook, but I am wondering if there is something that is not a chain. Price per person can be up to $40-50 per person for everything except alcohol, but it would be better if it was closer to $35-40 per person. A nice steak house would be a decent option as well. Prefer not to go downtown, but would be open to the possibility if there is something great.
Thanks for any ideas.
Downtown/walkable Solo Eating in Seattle?
Welcome. In addition to walking down Pike to PPM you can and should walk up Pike to the Melrose Market
http://www.melrosemarketseattle.com/
It is a really easy walk and has a great sandwich shop (Homegrown) http://www.eathomegrown.com/locations
a wonderful cheese shop where you could get some things to snack on in your hotel room (Calf and Kid) http://calfandkid.com/
Taylor Shellfish were you can eat a few oysters on the spot and/or get chowder http://taylormelrose.com/
and it also has a number of very good full service dining establishments that are wonderful including Sitka and Spruce http://www.sitkaandspruce.com/ and Terra Plata http://terraplata.com/
Long Provencial is a good bet and an easy walk.
You could also walk (longish) and/or take the South Lake Union Trolly (http://www.seattlestreetcar.org/) from near Westlake Plaza to the Dahlia Workshop for breakfast/lunch/biscuts http://seriouspiewestlake.com/index.php?page=dahllia-workshop or to Brave Horse Tavern for a fun place to hang out (and you would be fine there by yourself) http://bravehorsetavern.com/
If you do not want to walk all the way to the ID district you can also walk to Westlake and take the light rail a few stops to the ID district stop for more dining options. http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Central-Link-light-rail.xml
Affordable locale for holiday dinner for boisterous group of 15-20???
What about the Garage? It could be fun for you - perhaps a little to casual, but fun.
http://www.garagebilliards.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=45
Where to buy a free range turkey in Seattle?
This link provides you with a list of stores in Seattle that can order one for you
http://marysturkeys.com/storelocationsheritage.htm
Rain Shadow Meats might also be an option.
Taqueria in Seattle?
Check out Barracuda on Denny
http://barracudatacos.com/menu/
Tacos Chukis on Capitol Hill might also fit the bill
http://www.seattlemet.com/eat-and-drink/articles/tacos-chukis-capitol-hill-september-2011/
Hot Turkey Sandwhich
Kenny and Zukes
http://www.kennyandzukes.com/whattoeatanddrink/carvingboardsandwiches/
It is close and I am sure they would be willing to modify it to make it even closer.
NW Seafood
Canlis is worth another shot, but not if you are really interested in seafood for this meal. Ray's and the Waterfront both have good service, reasonably good food and amazing views. I am not a huge fan of Ponti's, but it has been awhile and as people have mentioned the old chef is back, so it might be worth checking out.
Etta's is actually a good suggestion for NW seafood and I also like Blueacre a lot - although service there can range from very good to enthusiastic, but absentminded. Never had really bad service there - just untrained.
However, my current favoriate place for seafood in Seattle is Seastar. The decor is great, the service always very good and the food is excellent. We have not had a meal there that we have not really enjoyed.
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Canlis Restaurant
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Where to go for dungeness crab
There are many places you can go - some good places that will provide different kinds of experiences are:
If you are here on August 24th (Wed) Blueacre is doing their annual Dungeness crab boil. For $50 you get two pounds of crab, a tomato salad, keiebasa, potatoes, corn and a peach cobbler. Reservations are required. If you are not here on that date they also have good crab on the menu daily- but it is spicy. http://blueacreseafood.com/events/crab_boil.html
http://blueacreseafood.com/menus/dinner.pdf
In addition to Etta's which is mentioned in the thread posted below, right next door is another Tom Douglas place - Seatown, which has dungeness crab done well
http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=counter-lunch
Another fun idea is Taylor Shellfish in the Melrose Market (just East of Downtown). The Market is a cool place to look around and although Taylor is mainly a take home market they also have a few tables in the place and will happily clean the fresh crab for you to eat there- they usually have oyster stew as well. It is a fun place just to munch http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/stores or you could take it as a picnic.
Upscale Birthday Celebration
It is called the Cache http://www.canlis.com/dining/about_cache.aspx and dining there is wonderful. We did it about 3 years ago and are going to do it again this year. The service is impeccable and the food is very good. Plus there is the amazing view.
What's for lunch in Belltown and South Lake Union?
Brave Horse Tavern is very good. Also really like Petra http://petrabistro.com/ Great service and a very cool decor and wonderful food.
Seeking Seattle Opinions and Answers
1. Were you perhaps thinking of Senor Moose? They have good carnitas.
http://senormoose.com/
2. Of the two I much prefer Etta's. It is easier to talk in there I think and I do prefer the food and service, but both are good.
3. If you are looking for good pasta you probably cannot beat Spianssi. It is a bit North of downtown but not too bad http://www.spinasse.com/docs/Spinasse_Menu.pdf
4. Breakfast at the Georgian will be nice. We have dined there many times and while it is certainly upscale it is not really stuffy. The service there is always outstanding and really a nice without being snobby. There is also a great bakery - Belle Epicurean right in the hotel http://www.belleepicurean.com/ and for a fun, not stuffy breakfast try Lola' - another one of Tom Douglas' places. http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=lola-breakfast
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Senor Moose Cafe
5242 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Belle Epicurean
1206 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Lobster in Seattle for an ex-New Englander?
Just for this week Blueacre is doing a surf and turf with a whole live Maine Lobster for $39.95
http://blueacreseafood.com/
Also just last weekend I bought live Maine lobsters for $13.95 a pound from the new Taylor Shellfish store in the Melrose Market and they were excellent. http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/stores
The staff there was great and super helpful.
A week in Seattle
For a good combination of sushi and full Japanese, Maneki is a good bet
http://www.manekirestaurant.com/ it is only open for dinner and does not have the best sushi in Seattle, but it is quite good and for the overall experience it is a classic Seattle experience. For something a little higher end there is Chiso http://www.chisofremont.com/menu_lunch.htm which also has good sushi and a full Japanese menu.
For the crab/fish combo you could try Seatown http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=counter-lunch or Elliot's. Elliot's is more known for its oyster's but also has good crab and fish.
http://www.elliottsoysterhouse.com/menus/ As far as a view/location and casual outdoor eating experience for lunch you could try the deck at Ray's http://www.rays.com/café
For a lunch place (only during the week and it gets crazed) that both locals and tourists frequent you could try Salumi http://www.salumicuredmeats.com/ and if it is a nice day you could get the sandwiches to go and take them to the waterfront. You could also do the same thing with Paseo http://www.paseoseattle.com/
Wandering around Pike Place Market you will find a number of good places. For a casual breakfast you could try the Crumpet Shop: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-crumpet-shop-seattle
One of the new favorites on the scene is the Book Bindery http://www.bookbinderyrestaurant.com/menu/ and if you are looking for Italian you arguably cannot do better than Spinasse http://www.spinasse.com/ or for a casual lunch you can try the new pasta place on the hill climb right below Pike Place market. Very limited, but good: Il Corvo http://ilcorvopasta.wordpress.com/
You might also enjoy Poppy if you like ethnic: http://poppyseattle.com/about
Just a starting point, but I hope this gives you some good ideas.
Enjoy your visit.
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Pike Place Market
1501 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Maneki Restaurant
304 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Spinasse
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA
Salumi
309 3rd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Chiso
3520 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Book Bindery
198 Nickerson Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Fast food Greek
Georgia's Greek up in Greenwood might fit your requiremets.
http://www.georgiasgreekrestaurant.com/menu.html
Rehearsal dinner options around Seattle University?
Most of the places in the area are probably not quite big enough. A couple of ideas- you are pushing the limits of Barrio, but that is very close and they would do a great job. Information on group dining there can be found here: http://barriorestaurant.com/group-dining.html
If you are willing to go a little farther you could head down James and go to O'Asian. They are really good at doing groups of that size and it is a nice setting: http://oasiankitchen.com/PrivateDining.htm
For something a bit more fun that is close you could go to the Garage: http://www.garagebilliards.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=59 It is right on Broadway and they will do private events.
For something more traditional there is the Hotel Sorrento: http://www.hotelsorrento.com/meetings-events/catering-menus/
Hope this helps a little and have a great event.
One Night in Seattle, plus the Olympic Pennisula
Japonessa is actually very good. Pricy, but worth it and the staff is really nice. Some innovative rolls and good food - if you are looking for sushi.
http://japonessa.com/
I like Art of the Table. Not a huge Sitka fan, but that is not its fault. Poppy is also very good.
In Port Angeles we really liked Toga's Soup house. It is small and casual with a great view.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/togas-soup-house-deli-and-gourmet-port-angeles
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Art of the Table
1054 N 39th St, Seattle, WA 98103
Steak and Seafood
Yes, and I like it better than most of the high end steak places in the area. The service is better, the steaks have always been done as specified (not always the case - even in the better places) and they have some really good sides. Also I think it is slightly quieter than some of the other establishments. Certainly the Met Grill. We were just at the Met again this week and were disapointed in the service and overall quality. They may have been having an off night, because it has been better in the past, but overall I still prefer John Howie. Even if it is in Bellevue.
Need help narrowing down eats for upcoming weekend
Since you are in Renton I highly recommend Copperleaf. It is not too far a drive, has a wonderful setting inside and great food.
http://www.cedarbrooklodge.com/copperleaf_restaurant.php
You might also consider Phoenecia
http://www.phoeneciawestseattle.com/Home.html as it has a nice setting and some good local foods. Herbfarm is good if that is what you want, but you might do just as well if not better at Poppy. But if you are looking for that kind of experience and you like the theme that will be in effect when you are here it is worth considering.
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The Herbfarm
14590 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA 98072
Copperleaf Restaurant
18525 36th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98188
2 nts in seattle
If you are looking for a Tom Douglas place I would do Lola's over Dahlia. They take reservations and it is fun. Also a good place for breakfast. Canlis is great as is Poppy. If you are looking for a nice view and good seafood you can get reservations at Ray's downstairs.
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Canlis Restaurant
2576 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Good restaurant near the ACT Theatre?
If you are going on a weekend Tango would work nicely. It is just up the hill and is open until midnight on the weekends.
http://www.tangorestaurant.com/
Serious pie= just serious OK
Honestly one of the best places in the Seattle area for this kind of pizza is Phoenecia on Alki
http://www.phoeneciawestseattle.com/Home.html
They have excellent wood fired pizza. Not quite as good as Bianco's when Chris was cooking, but much better than Serious Pie and better than Delancy's. In addition they have a great view, really nice staff, and a good menu of other items if there are people who do not like pizza. Worth the trip over to West Seattle.
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Serious Pie
316 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101
Barolo Ristorante, Lark, Lola, Dahlia or Poppy?
If you like Vij then I would highly suggest Poppy. If Salt is more your speed then Lark. Between Lola and Dahlia I would recommend Lola. Or try Lola for breakfast/brunch.
Dinner for 100 in Scottsdale
Been awhile since I have used a caterer, but Arizona Taste has done well for people I know in the past. I hope you do have a great event.
Stopsky's Deli?
I went on opening morning. Big mistake. Had basically nothing and the staff, while nice, took over 20 minutes to deal with 3 people waiting at the to go counter basically just to get take out coffee and some of the few baked items they actually had. No bagels at 9 am on opening morning? It was my error. I never go to places when they open, but I was so excited to try this place I violated that rule. Never again. But I will try them again as what little I did see was good. Just going to give them a month or two to shake things out.
Dinner for 100 in Scottsdale
How about the Desert Botanical Gardens? It is not that far away and they do great events. http://www.dbg.org/events-exhibitions/hold-an-event If it is in the evening it should not be too hot.