The Streamliner Diner, which is mostly famous for its breakfast and lunch, recently started serving dinner too--mostly Italian style food with fresh home-made sauces. The meatballs are divine! It's also within walking distance of the ferry dock.

We went to one of the only restaurants open on Mon. nights in Columbia City and had a great dining experience, so I just had to spread the word. It's Island Soul on Rainier Ave. S. in the heart of Columbia City. The service was polite and efficient, and the oxtails are to die for! I ordered the oxtails because I know they are a real pain to make at home, and I would never get around to spending the 5+ hours you need to dedicate to making them. They were falling off the bone and served with delicious beans, collard greens, rice and beans and a coconut corn muffin. My husband ordered the "island soul in a bowl" which was jerk chicken, oxtails and curried goat with the same sides. Each dish was distinctly unique, full of flavor and done just right. They also give you a really really spice hot sauce on the side if you ask for it; I think there are loads of habaneros in there. We didn't try the dessert but they looked delicious too. A tad expensive but really worth it in my opinion.

If you love sweets you should definitely check out the Macrina Bakery, it's right on 1st, very close to your hotel and they do breakfasts too. The Dahlia Bakery downtown, is good too. Also pretty close is the Boat Street Cafe, which has really good quality food for lunch or dinner.

When I was in Rome and staying at my friend's house, his mom made a great salad with just tuna, fresh tomatoes and corn. I've found this only tastes good when you have good Italian tuna, so that's what I'd do!

I think Bimbo's Bitchin' Burrito Kitchen in Capitol Hill would be a good choice--it's all decked out with Mexican kitsch with tons of stuff on the walls to look at. Burritos are okay, too.

Samurai Noodle, around the corner from the Uwajimaya entrance, is pretty good. I've been there a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed my bowl of noodles. They have pork and fish broth; both are good, and offer noodles cooked hard medium or soft. Really good pork here!

I just went to Joanna's Soul Cafe and Jazz Club at 25th and Cherry in the CD last night with my husband and in-laws, and my husband proclaimed the ribs possibly the best he's ever had! His family is from Georgia and he once toured Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, trying out BBQ restaurants for Lonely Planet, so he's no novice. He claimed the ribs to be tender and moist, just the right amount of spicy and sweet. The restaurant says they serve St. Louis style BBQ. The rest of the food was great too--delicious candied yams and a huge portion of jumbalaya that doesn't skimp on the spicy sausage and succulent chicken. I regret I couldn't try the chicken and waffles and sweet potato pie. So I'm curious--are there any differing opinions out there? Are these really the best ribs in Seattle, or ever?

Check out Zha Pu Lu (乍浦路), known as "food street" in Shanghai--where locals go to get good Chinese food. Most of the restaurants here are a bit more upscale, and have private rooms. You can guarantee that most of them will have life seafood to choose from. Have fun!

I've only eaten here once, and wasn't all that impressed. I am willing to wait a while for excellent sushi, but I'd rather get a satisfying meal out of it, and not feel rushed to finish. When we ordered our sashimi, it arrived too cold. Temperature is one of things you don't notice until it's done wrong. It was a few degrees away from freezer burned. :-( If you're willing to wait, I'd go for Maneki in the I.D. instead--it's still quite affordable.

A few things: I cannot stand when people eat sushi with a fork and knife. The consistency and form of each individual piece should be preserved, not massacred and chopped up so that it's practically ABC (already been chewed) on the plate. Another thing: there needs to be a distinction when talking about using chopsticks with "Asian food." Not all Asian cuisines require chopsticks. For example, a common misconception is that Thai food is traditionally eaten with chopsticks. I can't stand it when people go to a Thai restuarant and think it's "inauthentic" because it doesn't have chopsticks on the table. Chopsticks are a Chinese influence and Thai eating habits are more derivative of an Indian tradition, and before a concerted effort by a Thai king Chulalongkorn to modernize Thailand and implement widespread utensil use (fork and spoon), Thais ate with their hands. Chopsticks are only used when eating Chinese-influenced meals, like noodles. Oh, and my mom eats steak with chopsticks, cut up into little pieces. Better portion control that way, too.

I know, I love East Ocean Restaurant in Emeryville--the dim sum here is exquisite, and a lot more delicate than the regular old greasy stuff you get in Manhattan Chinatown. I heard that Golden Unicorn (or Qilin Jinge) is good, although I've only been there for banquets so I can't vouch.

Try Place Pigalle in the market--a little bit hidden away, but just go past the pig and past Don & Joe's meats and you'll be there. It's a small place so try to make reservations. For breakfast, go to Geraldine's Counter in Columbia City. For lunch, try Baguette Box in Capitol Hill, and for dinner go for sushi at Maneki in the international district. Those are all great neighborhoods for tourists to explore too. Good luck and welcome to Seattle!

I've only been to Wild Ginger once, and after eating there, I had to wonder if these people know how to cook at all? When they served my bok choy, they cut off the dark green leafy, most nutritious, most flavorful part, and left the hard, unattractive butt of the white part. Why they would do this at such an expensive, upscale place completely baffles me, unless it was an accident. But I mean, come on, I can make better bok choy at home.

Excellent--thank you! I will check them out.

I grew up on the East Coast where mom and pop Italian and Greek joints that offered good grinders (or heros or subs or whathaveyou) were abundant, even in small towns with populations less than 20,000. Now that I've moved to Seattle I've found it really hard to find anyone that offers a good grinder, especially the hot ones. I'm talking big, hand formed meat balls with perfectly spiced sauce, baked in a fresh white bread bun with melted provolone or mozzarella cheese. Or chicken parm, eggplant parm, with grilled onions, etc. Does anyone know of a good, authentic, East-coast style grinder place?

I heard a radio story (I think it was KUOW) on this place once, does anyone know of a tucked away spot on Rainier that sells Italian cured meats like prosciutto and pancetta? I've never been able to find it, so any help would be very much appreciated!

Okay, I am a bit reluctant to reveal this secret here, but I will because the owners are a nice family and I want to see them do well. Vieng Thong on MLK is the only Thai restaurant I will go to in Seattle. All of my Thai friends say this is the only restaurant they will go to in Seattle. Go there and order the som tam or any of their laab or tom yum soup and you will not be disappointed. They specialize in northern Thai cuisine, so if you're unfamiliar with those dishes you may not like it. If you get the som tam ask for it 'thai style' since their 'lao style' is a bit too funky for most people. If you ask for it spicy they will give it to you spicy, as long as they trust you won't complain. It is so spicy it will give you chills.

Uptown China completely sucks, and I would not recommend going there. You're better off taking a short trip to the I.D. and getting some dumplings from Sichuan Noodle Bowl, or Seven Star Pepper, Sichuanese Cuisine or Malay Satay Hut. Sorry, I don't know of any good Chinese restaurants in Queen Anne. As for no good Chinese food in Seattle, it all depends on what you order.

Yes, you should definitely cook the potstickers in a different pot, so the broth doesn't become starchy and cloudy, and take care not to overcook them. Once they float to the top, they should be done. If you overcook, the wrappers will start falling off, and they'll become soggy and mushy. :-(