Noah's is a chain. We went to the one in University Village (inside QFC).
She said:
Other than Zatz a Better Bagel, this place is the closest to "east coast authentic" bagel we can find here in Seattle. I definitely do not like their bagel "mits" as much as the bagel sandwiches at Bruegger's (an everywhere but the Pacific Northwest chain), but I don't really have many other options. On this particular visit, I did not get a bagel mit because I did not want to have any eggs. I just ordered an everything bagel, toasted, with smoked salmon schmear (this is what they call cream). We also brought our own mugs of coffee with us because I am not particularly a fan of Noah's coffee.
They screwed up our order and put my smoked salmon schmear on Travis' sun dried tomato bagel and his bagel mit on my everything bagel. This has never happened before. I brought our order back up to the counter and the problem was resolved in a few moments. My bagel was very yummy. I don't really like this location, as it is in a supermarket. I prefer the Noah's on top of Queen Anne hill for the ambiance. I have to judge this restaurant based on all my Noah's experiences and, in that case, I give it an A- (for the bad coffee).
He said: I'll save the long commentary for a real restaurant. Michelle wouldn't let me comment on Wendy's in Ballard even though we actually got an entire meal there and we only got bagels at Noah's. (We had already made our own coffee at home and had it with us for grocery shopping.) The review: bagels good, service bad (screwed up order - vida supra). B-.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Winchell's Donuts
Winchell's is a chain (apparently, although I have never seen another one). We went to the one on 45th N in Wallingford.
She said:
I had a horrible experience. The only reason I chose to go to this place (since I do not eat donuts) was because I heard they had breakfast sandwiches. So, I ordered an egg and cheese bagel sandwich, and the lady said "do you mind if I take the meat off of one?" I was in shock, so I uttered something like "that's fine." Then I watched her (in horror) go over to a fridge, remove a plastic container, open it, pull the "meat" off it, put it in the microwave, and put the "meat" back in another fridge. I ordered a coffee with my sandwich. The coffee was God-awful and my sandwich was worse. It tasted like rubber and fake cheese. The coffee tasted like water with a hint of caffeine in it. I hated this place (of course I didn't have any donuts) and I never want to go back. F.
He said: I had a blueberry fritter and a chocolate donut with chocolate icing. Both were delicious. I also had coffee. On the picture above you see a sign proudly proclaiming fresh brewed coffee. If they did in fact have fresh brewed coffee they did not give it to me. Half the reason to go to a donut place is for the coffee, something that Dunkin' Donuts figured out a long time ago. The donuts get a B and the coffee gets an F, averaging these gives Winchell's a C- overall. Only go here if you plan on getting only donuts and then stopping at Tully's for a decent cup of coffee afterward.
She said:
I had a horrible experience. The only reason I chose to go to this place (since I do not eat donuts) was because I heard they had breakfast sandwiches. So, I ordered an egg and cheese bagel sandwich, and the lady said "do you mind if I take the meat off of one?" I was in shock, so I uttered something like "that's fine." Then I watched her (in horror) go over to a fridge, remove a plastic container, open it, pull the "meat" off it, put it in the microwave, and put the "meat" back in another fridge. I ordered a coffee with my sandwich. The coffee was God-awful and my sandwich was worse. It tasted like rubber and fake cheese. The coffee tasted like water with a hint of caffeine in it. I hated this place (of course I didn't have any donuts) and I never want to go back. F.
He said: I had a blueberry fritter and a chocolate donut with chocolate icing. Both were delicious. I also had coffee. On the picture above you see a sign proudly proclaiming fresh brewed coffee. If they did in fact have fresh brewed coffee they did not give it to me. Half the reason to go to a donut place is for the coffee, something that Dunkin' Donuts figured out a long time ago. The donuts get a B and the coffee gets an F, averaging these gives Winchell's a C- overall. Only go here if you plan on getting only donuts and then stopping at Tully's for a decent cup of coffee afterward.
EZ'N Cafe
EZ'N Cafe is in Zillah, WA. Zillah is a town in the Rattlesnake Hills section of Washington's wine country.
She said:
This restaurant was listed in the Rattlesnake Hills informational brochure. The description said something like "come and enjoy lunch or dinner in an old fashioned cafe, minus the weak coffee." I enjoyed the description, and I was starving, so we decided to take a break from the wine tastings and go have lunch.
When we walked in, I felt like I was intruding on the normal Saturday crowd. Everyone kind of turned to look at us, and the meeting of the Shriners was obviously not fond of our presence. Whatever. Our waitress had a 'tude (which disappeared later and I will explain that). I ordered a turkey melt with jo-jo's. I had no idea what jo-jo's were, and Ms. Tude had to give me the low-down. She said "they're potato wedges." Alrighty - thanks for your help.
The food arrived very quickly and I enjoyed my meal. This was a step above lunch at Friendly's, in the taste department. I tried a bite of Trav's onion rings and they were GOOD. I expected this place to have ice cream and shakes, that sort of thing, but the only "sweet" item was Italian Ice. Boo - I wanted an ice cream twist (baby cone size).
After we ate, we meandered into the Antique Store, which was attached to the restaurant. They actually had some cool stuff and we bought this "coffee" sign for our kitchen (you'll have to see it to understand what it is). Oh yeah, I forgot the Ms. Tude story. So, she was not a happy camper to us throughout the whole meal. Then, as we were walking into the store, I handed her the tip. I gave her slightly more than 20% (because I was not about to get out coins), and she obviously does not get good tips from the locals, because she beamed from ear to ear. After that, all of our interactions with her (including when she had to run the cash register for our antique purchase) were very pleasant. Apparently, people can be bought. B.
He said: Quaint small town diner. We came here for lunch during our wine tasting tour on the Rattlesnake Hills Trail in Yakima Valley. Yes, the waitress was a *itch, but if I was living in Yakima on a permanent basis and working at a diner, serving a bunch of Shriner's who looked like they may have been there for several hours, I too would be a little crotchety. They proclaimed to have good coffee, but it was lunchtime, so I didn't get a chance to assess the coffee for myself. I had a hamburger (with the usual fixin's) and substituted onion rings for po pos or whatever they were. The burger was good, the onion rings were really good, and the waitress was sour. B+ overall.
She said:
This restaurant was listed in the Rattlesnake Hills informational brochure. The description said something like "come and enjoy lunch or dinner in an old fashioned cafe, minus the weak coffee." I enjoyed the description, and I was starving, so we decided to take a break from the wine tastings and go have lunch.
When we walked in, I felt like I was intruding on the normal Saturday crowd. Everyone kind of turned to look at us, and the meeting of the Shriners was obviously not fond of our presence. Whatever. Our waitress had a 'tude (which disappeared later and I will explain that). I ordered a turkey melt with jo-jo's. I had no idea what jo-jo's were, and Ms. Tude had to give me the low-down. She said "they're potato wedges." Alrighty - thanks for your help.
The food arrived very quickly and I enjoyed my meal. This was a step above lunch at Friendly's, in the taste department. I tried a bite of Trav's onion rings and they were GOOD. I expected this place to have ice cream and shakes, that sort of thing, but the only "sweet" item was Italian Ice. Boo - I wanted an ice cream twist (baby cone size).
After we ate, we meandered into the Antique Store, which was attached to the restaurant. They actually had some cool stuff and we bought this "coffee" sign for our kitchen (you'll have to see it to understand what it is). Oh yeah, I forgot the Ms. Tude story. So, she was not a happy camper to us throughout the whole meal. Then, as we were walking into the store, I handed her the tip. I gave her slightly more than 20% (because I was not about to get out coins), and she obviously does not get good tips from the locals, because she beamed from ear to ear. After that, all of our interactions with her (including when she had to run the cash register for our antique purchase) were very pleasant. Apparently, people can be bought. B.
He said: Quaint small town diner. We came here for lunch during our wine tasting tour on the Rattlesnake Hills Trail in Yakima Valley. Yes, the waitress was a *itch, but if I was living in Yakima on a permanent basis and working at a diner, serving a bunch of Shriner's who looked like they may have been there for several hours, I too would be a little crotchety. They proclaimed to have good coffee, but it was lunchtime, so I didn't get a chance to assess the coffee for myself. I had a hamburger (with the usual fixin's) and substituted onion rings for po pos or whatever they were. The burger was good, the onion rings were really good, and the waitress was sour. B+ overall.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Gorditos
Gorditos is a Mexican restaurant a few feet from the intersection of Greenwood and 85th, in the Greenwood neighborhood.
He said: This place was pretty sweet. I must say it was a bit dumpy looking from the outside, and I was expecting a small cramped dining area but it was actually pretty cavernous once you get in. There were two levels and it looked like an outside area in times of better weather. The ordering process was very speedy and well organized, and we sat down with a small basket of chips and some salsa. The salsa looked very unappetizing; it was brown and not very chunky, almost like applesauce, but it tasted pretty good (a little bit too strongly of olives). I got a fajita style burrito which was enormous and tasted good, but not great. There were a lot of whole peices of tomato which seemed to be pretty unripe and way too much sour cream. I only got through half of it, but it was very filling for the price. (6$?) There was also a sign on the bathrooms proclaiming "Now open on Tuesdays" which I thought was amusing, and the order numbers you take back to your table are little burros with names on them (we had Silvester). It was good for the price and the quaintness made it interesting, but its not exactly on my favorites list. B.
She said:
I "found" this place by looking at the "Cheap Eats" list on CitySearch.com. Since we're going to the wine country tomorrow, we decided that dinner tonight had to be affordable. At first glance, we didn't see the small parking lot next to the restaurant. Luckily, we had no problem finding street parking, but the mere fact that there is a parking lot - however small - in this neighborhood is a plus in my book. When you walk in the door, you order at the counter. The menu is posted behind the counter and it seemed to contain all the Mexican standards. I chose the chicken fajitas. You move on down the counter and someone has your drinks, (free) chips and (homemade) salsa, and small pinnata donkey waiting for you. Yes, that's right, we got the pleasure of carrying a germ-soaked, pinnata-esque donkey back to our table with us. How gross.
The chips and salsa were really good. The chips were baked and warm, which I like, and the salsa was homemade and very yummy. Plus they were free, and that works for me. Our food came soon after we sat down and the waitress took the donkey back to the counter with her - thank God. Our plates were enormous and filled with food. We both ended up taking about half our meal home, so really this place is a 2 meals in 1 establishment. The fajitas were so-so. Nothing to rave about, but not horrible. Next time, I will try something else. You have to get your own napkins, silverware, etc., which is not ideal when you have Mexican food dripping down your arm and you're out of things to wipe it on. The tables and chairs and general atmosphere were kind of dirty-looking and I didn't find it all that appealing. Next time I will get my food "to go" because I didn't really like the eating in the restaurant part of this meal. B-
He said: This place was pretty sweet. I must say it was a bit dumpy looking from the outside, and I was expecting a small cramped dining area but it was actually pretty cavernous once you get in. There were two levels and it looked like an outside area in times of better weather. The ordering process was very speedy and well organized, and we sat down with a small basket of chips and some salsa. The salsa looked very unappetizing; it was brown and not very chunky, almost like applesauce, but it tasted pretty good (a little bit too strongly of olives). I got a fajita style burrito which was enormous and tasted good, but not great. There were a lot of whole peices of tomato which seemed to be pretty unripe and way too much sour cream. I only got through half of it, but it was very filling for the price. (6$?) There was also a sign on the bathrooms proclaiming "Now open on Tuesdays" which I thought was amusing, and the order numbers you take back to your table are little burros with names on them (we had Silvester). It was good for the price and the quaintness made it interesting, but its not exactly on my favorites list. B.She said:
I "found" this place by looking at the "Cheap Eats" list on CitySearch.com. Since we're going to the wine country tomorrow, we decided that dinner tonight had to be affordable. At first glance, we didn't see the small parking lot next to the restaurant. Luckily, we had no problem finding street parking, but the mere fact that there is a parking lot - however small - in this neighborhood is a plus in my book. When you walk in the door, you order at the counter. The menu is posted behind the counter and it seemed to contain all the Mexican standards. I chose the chicken fajitas. You move on down the counter and someone has your drinks, (free) chips and (homemade) salsa, and small pinnata donkey waiting for you. Yes, that's right, we got the pleasure of carrying a germ-soaked, pinnata-esque donkey back to our table with us. How gross.
The chips and salsa were really good. The chips were baked and warm, which I like, and the salsa was homemade and very yummy. Plus they were free, and that works for me. Our food came soon after we sat down and the waitress took the donkey back to the counter with her - thank God. Our plates were enormous and filled with food. We both ended up taking about half our meal home, so really this place is a 2 meals in 1 establishment. The fajitas were so-so. Nothing to rave about, but not horrible. Next time, I will try something else. You have to get your own napkins, silverware, etc., which is not ideal when you have Mexican food dripping down your arm and you're out of things to wipe it on. The tables and chairs and general atmosphere were kind of dirty-looking and I didn't find it all that appealing. Next time I will get my food "to go" because I didn't really like the eating in the restaurant part of this meal. B-
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Thai Tom
Thai Tom is a very small restaurant located in the U-district on University Way NE just north of 45th street.
She said:
Thank you Seattle Magazine. This week they had a pull out section on "best places to eat," and they had all kinds of weird categories - like "where to go to close a deal." One of the categories was "where to go when you're both broke." Of course I cut out the article and put it (and others) on the fridge. We referenced the "where to go when you're broke" list and Thai Tom was on it.
My first impression was that the restaurant was very small (maybe held 16-18 people at one time) and well-run. As soon as I opened the door, I was met by an employee asking for my name and number in my party. Obviously they don't like people walking into the restaurant when they're full because there is no where to comfortably stand. On a not-so-nice day out, it would stink to have to wait outside (the only option at this place), but the weather was holding out so it was fine for us. We only had to wait about 10 minutes (maybe less) and then we got a table.
I kind of wanted to sit at the "bar" so I could watch the cooks at work - they were literally setting fires that shot up 3-4 feet into the air about 2 feet from the customers - but I took the table graciously. (This is not the kind of establishment where you should attempt to be any sort of pain in the ass. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have said anything if I had found a rat in my food - that is how intense the owners/employees were) The menus are on boards of wood - painted on there - so cool! Nothing on the menu was more than $6.50. We got veggie springrolls (a bit too greasy, and they had a weird sauce) and two orders of pad thai for $20. Amazing.
The pad thai was really good. I would have been satisfied if I had paid $10 for it, but, since I only paid $6.50, I was more than satisfied. Of course they only take cash. I refer you back to the "intense" comment from above. (When we return to Paseo and blog about it on this website, it will remind you of this review) This is a great example of an authentic place to eat. I will take tourists here. The food is amazing and the prices match. A.
He said: Lets get the poor remarks out of the way to begin with: tiny, dark, a little smoky from the "kitchen". This place was awesome. Its small for sure, but the food was fantastic. I didn't really venture out of my comfort zone with Chicken Phad Thai, but I haven't really had good Phad Thai in Seattle until this restaurant. The kitchen and dining area can't be more than 12 feet wide and 25 feet deep, so we were breathing in a lot of the fumes from the prep area (the prep counter seemed like it could double as a kitchen counter.) The tables and chairs looked like they were borrowed from the pub scene in the first "Lord of the Rings" movie. The food was spicy - I got 1/5 stars and that was just enough for me. And cheap. 6.50 for the generous helping was the best deal I've seen on The Ave (University Way NE in the U-District for you out of towners). Its not a good place if you're more than two people due to the size, but we're definitely going to make a return trip here. Better ventilation is the only thing keeping this place from getting an A+. A.
She said:
Thank you Seattle Magazine. This week they had a pull out section on "best places to eat," and they had all kinds of weird categories - like "where to go to close a deal." One of the categories was "where to go when you're both broke." Of course I cut out the article and put it (and others) on the fridge. We referenced the "where to go when you're broke" list and Thai Tom was on it.
My first impression was that the restaurant was very small (maybe held 16-18 people at one time) and well-run. As soon as I opened the door, I was met by an employee asking for my name and number in my party. Obviously they don't like people walking into the restaurant when they're full because there is no where to comfortably stand. On a not-so-nice day out, it would stink to have to wait outside (the only option at this place), but the weather was holding out so it was fine for us. We only had to wait about 10 minutes (maybe less) and then we got a table.
I kind of wanted to sit at the "bar" so I could watch the cooks at work - they were literally setting fires that shot up 3-4 feet into the air about 2 feet from the customers - but I took the table graciously. (This is not the kind of establishment where you should attempt to be any sort of pain in the ass. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have said anything if I had found a rat in my food - that is how intense the owners/employees were) The menus are on boards of wood - painted on there - so cool! Nothing on the menu was more than $6.50. We got veggie springrolls (a bit too greasy, and they had a weird sauce) and two orders of pad thai for $20. Amazing.
The pad thai was really good. I would have been satisfied if I had paid $10 for it, but, since I only paid $6.50, I was more than satisfied. Of course they only take cash. I refer you back to the "intense" comment from above. (When we return to Paseo and blog about it on this website, it will remind you of this review) This is a great example of an authentic place to eat. I will take tourists here. The food is amazing and the prices match. A.
He said: Lets get the poor remarks out of the way to begin with: tiny, dark, a little smoky from the "kitchen". This place was awesome. Its small for sure, but the food was fantastic. I didn't really venture out of my comfort zone with Chicken Phad Thai, but I haven't really had good Phad Thai in Seattle until this restaurant. The kitchen and dining area can't be more than 12 feet wide and 25 feet deep, so we were breathing in a lot of the fumes from the prep area (the prep counter seemed like it could double as a kitchen counter.) The tables and chairs looked like they were borrowed from the pub scene in the first "Lord of the Rings" movie. The food was spicy - I got 1/5 stars and that was just enough for me. And cheap. 6.50 for the generous helping was the best deal I've seen on The Ave (University Way NE in the U-District for you out of towners). Its not a good place if you're more than two people due to the size, but we're definitely going to make a return trip here. Better ventilation is the only thing keeping this place from getting an A+. A.
Fresh Flours
Fresh Flours is a Bakery/Coffee shop on Phinney Ave N near 60th street in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood.
He said: A pleasant experience. This is a pretty new establishment and for its small size had a variety of different baked goods. They have a bakery on-site so I can only assume that they made all this stuff themselves. I had a Savory Pithivier which I had never heard of before, nor did I know how to pronounce. I avoided this discomfort by kind of pointing at the item and grunting, and the clerk seemed to understand what I wanted. The item was a pastry pot pie, with cheese, crumbled Italian sausage, mushrooms, and leeks in the middle. The crust was very flaky and buttery (almost making is a little too greasy) much like a croissant. The coffee was good, and served in actual porcelain cups. The decor of the place was what would have been considered very modern at the beginning of this decade, but now just looked like it was trying too hard to catch up to the young and hip Seattleite coffee bar scene. I'm being very picky here, and overall this place gets an A- and its up on my list of good places to get a lazy weekend nibble and a cup of decent coffee. I don't know what the wifi situation was here, but the seating area was cozy enough where wifi probably wouldn't be a benefit.
She said: We have driven by this place so many times and never went in until yesterday. I really like the Phinney Ridge neighborhood so I might be a bit biased already! This place was your standard coffee/bakery restaurant without being a chain. The food was great. I had a quiche, and it was yum-o. Everything is baked on site, which is a major plus in my book. There is free wi-fi (a sign on the door told me this) and nice seating. If I lived close by I would go there all the time. The only "issue" was that there was a long wait. At first I thought it was annoying that there was no menu posted (presumably because the food changes all the time, but they could have a chalk menu and update it daily), but it took the entire time that we were in line to look at all the bakery items and try to read the labels on them. This made the wait go by much more quickly! I enjoyed the coffee as well but the huge mugs made it get cold a little too quickly. A-
He said: A pleasant experience. This is a pretty new establishment and for its small size had a variety of different baked goods. They have a bakery on-site so I can only assume that they made all this stuff themselves. I had a Savory Pithivier which I had never heard of before, nor did I know how to pronounce. I avoided this discomfort by kind of pointing at the item and grunting, and the clerk seemed to understand what I wanted. The item was a pastry pot pie, with cheese, crumbled Italian sausage, mushrooms, and leeks in the middle. The crust was very flaky and buttery (almost making is a little too greasy) much like a croissant. The coffee was good, and served in actual porcelain cups. The decor of the place was what would have been considered very modern at the beginning of this decade, but now just looked like it was trying too hard to catch up to the young and hip Seattleite coffee bar scene. I'm being very picky here, and overall this place gets an A- and its up on my list of good places to get a lazy weekend nibble and a cup of decent coffee. I don't know what the wifi situation was here, but the seating area was cozy enough where wifi probably wouldn't be a benefit.
She said: We have driven by this place so many times and never went in until yesterday. I really like the Phinney Ridge neighborhood so I might be a bit biased already! This place was your standard coffee/bakery restaurant without being a chain. The food was great. I had a quiche, and it was yum-o. Everything is baked on site, which is a major plus in my book. There is free wi-fi (a sign on the door told me this) and nice seating. If I lived close by I would go there all the time. The only "issue" was that there was a long wait. At first I thought it was annoying that there was no menu posted (presumably because the food changes all the time, but they could have a chalk menu and update it daily), but it took the entire time that we were in line to look at all the bakery items and try to read the labels on them. This made the wait go by much more quickly! I enjoyed the coffee as well but the huge mugs made it get cold a little too quickly. A-
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Blue C Sushi
Blue C Sushi is on Fremont Ave in Fremont, very near the Fremont bridge. We go to this restaurant at least twice a month, if not more.
She said:
I love Blue C. I love that we can walk there. I love that everything on their menu is on a conveyor belt and you just pluck off items as they pass you by so that you can begin eating as soon as you sit down. I love that every item is on a colored plate and you need to just look at their handy-dandy chart to figure out what each color plate costs. I love their drink, the Mandarin Cooler. It is strawberry guava juice (from the PCC next door), vodka and something else. It is so good and so light and so low in calories (for a mixed drink). I love that they have happy hour twice a day, once in the afternoon and once at night. It makes me happy to go to Blue C. And go we do. Nearly every week.
Their sushi is no where near the best sushi you can get in Seattle. Not even close. But, you know what? Their prices aren't bad. It is a funky, eclectic atmosphere. You can eat as soon as you sit down (and since I am usually starving by the time we get to a restaurant, I greatly appreciate this). The food is always the same -- you can count on it. It is within walking distance from our house and it is in the self-proclaimed "center of the universe" (Fremont). I give it a consistent B+ (sometimes it's an A and sometimes it's a B- depending on the day, my mood, etc.)
He said: Yes, normally a good "safety" sushi joint. This particular trip wasn't my best experience. We got there early enough for the "Happy Hour Above the Belt" special. Michelle got normal off-the-belt items but I figured that since I in the bar area I should try something from the bar menu. I got the chef's sashimi special. In my own head I guess I was expecting nigiri. Regardless, all I got was some tastefully cut and displayed slices of raw fish. Delicious but not filling at all. By the time I waved down the waiter to order something with substance it was 6:05pm and past the happy hour. The happy hour specials are not really that good to begin with unless you want the avocado roll, and typically its only $0.25 off of what the plate would normally cost on the belt. At least if you're sitting at the belt you don't have to wave down the waiter to get you a roll once you've mistakingly ordered sashimi. My poor experience was completely my fault, but I'm not above letting that reflect on my opinion of the restaurant and wait staff. C.
She said:
I love Blue C. I love that we can walk there. I love that everything on their menu is on a conveyor belt and you just pluck off items as they pass you by so that you can begin eating as soon as you sit down. I love that every item is on a colored plate and you need to just look at their handy-dandy chart to figure out what each color plate costs. I love their drink, the Mandarin Cooler. It is strawberry guava juice (from the PCC next door), vodka and something else. It is so good and so light and so low in calories (for a mixed drink). I love that they have happy hour twice a day, once in the afternoon and once at night. It makes me happy to go to Blue C. And go we do. Nearly every week.
Their sushi is no where near the best sushi you can get in Seattle. Not even close. But, you know what? Their prices aren't bad. It is a funky, eclectic atmosphere. You can eat as soon as you sit down (and since I am usually starving by the time we get to a restaurant, I greatly appreciate this). The food is always the same -- you can count on it. It is within walking distance from our house and it is in the self-proclaimed "center of the universe" (Fremont). I give it a consistent B+ (sometimes it's an A and sometimes it's a B- depending on the day, my mood, etc.)
He said: Yes, normally a good "safety" sushi joint. This particular trip wasn't my best experience. We got there early enough for the "Happy Hour Above the Belt" special. Michelle got normal off-the-belt items but I figured that since I in the bar area I should try something from the bar menu. I got the chef's sashimi special. In my own head I guess I was expecting nigiri. Regardless, all I got was some tastefully cut and displayed slices of raw fish. Delicious but not filling at all. By the time I waved down the waiter to order something with substance it was 6:05pm and past the happy hour. The happy hour specials are not really that good to begin with unless you want the avocado roll, and typically its only $0.25 off of what the plate would normally cost on the belt. At least if you're sitting at the belt you don't have to wave down the waiter to get you a roll once you've mistakingly ordered sashimi. My poor experience was completely my fault, but I'm not above letting that reflect on my opinion of the restaurant and wait staff. C.
Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger is located near the intersection of 65th and Roosevelt in the Ravenna neighborhood.
She said:
My awesome friend Julia and her boyfriend Hareesh were kind enough to take our order and go pick up a yummy dinner from this restaurant. They brought it to our house. We laid out the spread on our kitchen table, filled our plates buffet style, and converged in the living room for a mass feeding. It was about 9pm at night so we were all very hungry. I would say that this was one of the best - if not the best - Indian food meals I have had in Seattle. We have been hard-pressed to find good Indian food here and, since Hareesh is half Indian, he suggested this location. We trusted that he knew what he was talking about :)
I had some saag paneer and some chicken tikka masala (two of my favorite things). They were both very tasty. The only thing I have to "complain" about is that I have had better naan. The naan wasn't bad, it's just that I have had better. I'm not sure what the total bill was, exactly, but Julia told me it was around $50. That was enough food for 4 people to eat a lot and have tons of leftovers. Good deal in my opinion. I give this place a B+.
He said:
We didn't really eat here, so its not like we can give it a proper review. Regardless, the food was great (I had a bit of everything, saag paneer, tikka masala, lamb curry, and tandoori chicken) and I have to say this is the best Indian food I've had yet in Seattle. Hareesh is half-indian after all, so he ought to be able to sniff these places out. The naan bread was a little cold and soggy by the time it got to us, but I've never had naan stay very fresh when you get take out. I'll save a proper grade for some time in the future when Michelle and I actually eat at the restaurant, but based only on the food I give this place an A.
She said:
My awesome friend Julia and her boyfriend Hareesh were kind enough to take our order and go pick up a yummy dinner from this restaurant. They brought it to our house. We laid out the spread on our kitchen table, filled our plates buffet style, and converged in the living room for a mass feeding. It was about 9pm at night so we were all very hungry. I would say that this was one of the best - if not the best - Indian food meals I have had in Seattle. We have been hard-pressed to find good Indian food here and, since Hareesh is half Indian, he suggested this location. We trusted that he knew what he was talking about :)
I had some saag paneer and some chicken tikka masala (two of my favorite things). They were both very tasty. The only thing I have to "complain" about is that I have had better naan. The naan wasn't bad, it's just that I have had better. I'm not sure what the total bill was, exactly, but Julia told me it was around $50. That was enough food for 4 people to eat a lot and have tons of leftovers. Good deal in my opinion. I give this place a B+.
He said:
We didn't really eat here, so its not like we can give it a proper review. Regardless, the food was great (I had a bit of everything, saag paneer, tikka masala, lamb curry, and tandoori chicken) and I have to say this is the best Indian food I've had yet in Seattle. Hareesh is half-indian after all, so he ought to be able to sniff these places out. The naan bread was a little cold and soggy by the time it got to us, but I've never had naan stay very fresh when you get take out. I'll save a proper grade for some time in the future when Michelle and I actually eat at the restaurant, but based only on the food I give this place an A.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Dragonfish
Dragonfish is the restaurant located in the Paramont Hotel in downtown Seattle.
He said:
We went to Dragonfish in celebration of Michelle's birthday, so there was a fairly large party of people. (9 of us) I got a beer and a rib eye steak, which was smothered in what tasted like the sauce you get in a side of Lipton's beef stroganoff. For the price I would have expected something a little better than what tasted like previously frozen steak. The appetizers (veggie and duck springrolls and chicken potstickers) were tasty but a bit greasy. Aside from the steak which came with no side dishes at all, I sampled a bit of some chicken yakisoba and that was it. For the amount of money I set down, I felt thoroughly ripped off. One of the other people there with us assured us that this was not typical of the previous times they had visited, however if you've got 20$ entrees you need to be on the ball every time. The bathroom and layout was also a bit mysterious. There were no restrooms in the restaurant itself, you had to go through a door, into the hotel lobby, up the elevator to the 2nd floor and then down the hall. For all the potential this was a disappointing experience. C.
She said:
Yes it was my birthday dinner, and yes I was drinking so I had a much better experience than my husband! I was baffled when we arrived, though, because a friend suggested this place to me for the food and the "view." Ummm, the restaurant was on the ground level. There were only a few windows and they looked out onto the city street. Not sure what he was talking about, and I have to remember to ask him about that.
My drink (which I had 2 of) was DELICIOUS! Ruby raspberry something or other. Basically it was real, crushed raspberries, raspberry lemonade, and vodka. Yum! The springrolls and potstickers were too greasy. But the poke appetizer was great. I had two sushi rolls for my dinner, and they were great as well. I think you have to order the right stuff at this restaurant in order to have a good experience. Four of the people we were with had been there before for happy hour, and they raved about that aspect of the restaurant. So, my suggestion is to go for happy hour.
One MAJOR downfall is the bathroom situation. I was wearing heels and I was drinking. I did not, in any way, expect to get up from my seat, ask where the bathroom was, and be told that I had to exit the restaurant, go into the hotel lobby, get on the elevator, go up one flight, and then go down a hallway. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? You can't be serious!!!! This restaurant NEEDS to put in a bathroom that is within 30-50 feet of the tables/bar area.
High prices + bathroom mayhem = C+.
He said:
We went to Dragonfish in celebration of Michelle's birthday, so there was a fairly large party of people. (9 of us) I got a beer and a rib eye steak, which was smothered in what tasted like the sauce you get in a side of Lipton's beef stroganoff. For the price I would have expected something a little better than what tasted like previously frozen steak. The appetizers (veggie and duck springrolls and chicken potstickers) were tasty but a bit greasy. Aside from the steak which came with no side dishes at all, I sampled a bit of some chicken yakisoba and that was it. For the amount of money I set down, I felt thoroughly ripped off. One of the other people there with us assured us that this was not typical of the previous times they had visited, however if you've got 20$ entrees you need to be on the ball every time. The bathroom and layout was also a bit mysterious. There were no restrooms in the restaurant itself, you had to go through a door, into the hotel lobby, up the elevator to the 2nd floor and then down the hall. For all the potential this was a disappointing experience. C.
She said:
Yes it was my birthday dinner, and yes I was drinking so I had a much better experience than my husband! I was baffled when we arrived, though, because a friend suggested this place to me for the food and the "view." Ummm, the restaurant was on the ground level. There were only a few windows and they looked out onto the city street. Not sure what he was talking about, and I have to remember to ask him about that.
My drink (which I had 2 of) was DELICIOUS! Ruby raspberry something or other. Basically it was real, crushed raspberries, raspberry lemonade, and vodka. Yum! The springrolls and potstickers were too greasy. But the poke appetizer was great. I had two sushi rolls for my dinner, and they were great as well. I think you have to order the right stuff at this restaurant in order to have a good experience. Four of the people we were with had been there before for happy hour, and they raved about that aspect of the restaurant. So, my suggestion is to go for happy hour.
One MAJOR downfall is the bathroom situation. I was wearing heels and I was drinking. I did not, in any way, expect to get up from my seat, ask where the bathroom was, and be told that I had to exit the restaurant, go into the hotel lobby, get on the elevator, go up one flight, and then go down a hallway. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? You can't be serious!!!! This restaurant NEEDS to put in a bathroom that is within 30-50 feet of the tables/bar area.
High prices + bathroom mayhem = C+.
Ebb 'n Flow
The Place:
Ebb 'n Flow is located on 45th St. N in the Wallingford neighborhood.
He said:
We came here for breakfast/brunch on a Saturday morning at around 11 am. There was no wait and we were seated promptly although my seat was a bit awkwardly positioned. I was on a bench in the back of the restaurant which was up against a wall and the bench had an armrest on it which required me to sit off the end of the table. The waitress we had was attentive although a little demeaning at times, as she would compliment me on how well I cleaned my plate later in the meal. "Wow, you did a good job!" Thank you, eating is part of my expertise.
The coffee was from Lighthouse Roasters, a normally good brand of coffee, however, we must have received the bottom of the pot, as my coffee was lukewarm at best and contained about a teaspoon of coffee grounds which I discovered after several sips. I did ask for and received a new mug without grounds in the bottom, but this was only after she tried to refill my old mug first, after I had already explained the coffee grounds problem. The meal was good, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon: the bacon was particularly good, thick cut and cooked to the perfect crispiness. The menu was not very extensive and was particularly lacking in bread items like pancakes; almost exclusively variations on eggs, bacon and potatoes. We were also told by the waitress that if we paid in cash we would receive a 10% discount. I found this to be a tad sketchy but not so much as to not take advantage of the discount, no matter what the motivation was. Aside from the bacon I see no reason to go back there, and give this location a C-.
She said:
We had been to this location for breakfast before when it was under a different name. I thought that, since the name had changed, it was a new and different restaurant. Apparently I was wrong. Everything was the same, except the name. Anyway, we were seated right when we walked in the door and we did have a young, friendly, attentive waitress. Our coffee was horrible. Mine was luke-warm at best and filled with coffee grounds. I never asked for a new mug because after my first sip I had every intention of going to Tully's next door and getting a real cup of coffee right after breakfast.
I had the Italian scramble, which came with potatoes and toast. It was good. Normal breakfast food. The potatoes were a little over-cooked and a bit too greasy, but everything else was to my liking. Considering we can walk to this restaurant from our house and the price was decent, I would say that I would go back sometime. I did find the 10% off deal, for a cash payment, to be shady. But, hey, we're not rich so we took the bait! You figure we get 1% back on our credit card purchases, so this was 9% more than that!
Overall, the horrible coffee knocked this score down to a C for me.
Ebb 'n Flow is located on 45th St. N in the Wallingford neighborhood.
He said:
We came here for breakfast/brunch on a Saturday morning at around 11 am. There was no wait and we were seated promptly although my seat was a bit awkwardly positioned. I was on a bench in the back of the restaurant which was up against a wall and the bench had an armrest on it which required me to sit off the end of the table. The waitress we had was attentive although a little demeaning at times, as she would compliment me on how well I cleaned my plate later in the meal. "Wow, you did a good job!" Thank you, eating is part of my expertise.
The coffee was from Lighthouse Roasters, a normally good brand of coffee, however, we must have received the bottom of the pot, as my coffee was lukewarm at best and contained about a teaspoon of coffee grounds which I discovered after several sips. I did ask for and received a new mug without grounds in the bottom, but this was only after she tried to refill my old mug first, after I had already explained the coffee grounds problem. The meal was good, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon: the bacon was particularly good, thick cut and cooked to the perfect crispiness. The menu was not very extensive and was particularly lacking in bread items like pancakes; almost exclusively variations on eggs, bacon and potatoes. We were also told by the waitress that if we paid in cash we would receive a 10% discount. I found this to be a tad sketchy but not so much as to not take advantage of the discount, no matter what the motivation was. Aside from the bacon I see no reason to go back there, and give this location a C-.
She said:
We had been to this location for breakfast before when it was under a different name. I thought that, since the name had changed, it was a new and different restaurant. Apparently I was wrong. Everything was the same, except the name. Anyway, we were seated right when we walked in the door and we did have a young, friendly, attentive waitress. Our coffee was horrible. Mine was luke-warm at best and filled with coffee grounds. I never asked for a new mug because after my first sip I had every intention of going to Tully's next door and getting a real cup of coffee right after breakfast.
I had the Italian scramble, which came with potatoes and toast. It was good. Normal breakfast food. The potatoes were a little over-cooked and a bit too greasy, but everything else was to my liking. Considering we can walk to this restaurant from our house and the price was decent, I would say that I would go back sometime. I did find the 10% off deal, for a cash payment, to be shady. But, hey, we're not rich so we took the bait! You figure we get 1% back on our credit card purchases, so this was 9% more than that!
Overall, the horrible coffee knocked this score down to a C for me.
Our idea...
We recently decided to do a blog together about our dining experiences in the Seattle area. We eat out enough (too much sometimes) to have developed a pretty keen sense of which restaurants are good/bad and why. We thought that it should be in a he said/she said format so that our audience could hear from both of us and get a male and female perspective.
We hope you enjoy reading it!
We hope you enjoy reading it!
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