UTMC

My little sister and I are tooling up to Seattle for September 3-7. Anyone from around there want to recommend good places for us to grab our dinners while we're in town?

Sonic Rob wrote:My little sister and I are tooling up to Seattle for September 3-7. Anyone from around there want to recommend good places for us to grab our dinners while we're in town?

Where are you staying? What do you like?

Little bit more info on everything would help out. I could go on and on about good places to eat in this town.

Fair enough. We’re staying at a hotel right next to the space needle; it’s reasonably close to the convention center where our expo is being held. We’ll have wheels, though, and I’m willing to go a ways for a truly good meal.

My sister is in training for a triathlon, so we’re looking not so much for deliciously greezy burgers or heart-clogging fried cheese. She’s big into good salads and healthy carbs; Italian is good.

We’re both fans of salmon, so if there’s a place you know that does well with that, I’d be keen to hear of it. Actually, I like seafood generally.

I’m sure there are lots of places in the Seattle area that are good, but hopefully you’ve got a favorite you could steer us towards. Someone recommended Ivars; thoughts?

My personal Favorites in Seattle:

catfish corner- casual, delicious southern goodness
gallerias- central Mexican cuisine, lots of unexpected ingredients, with a much more refined presentation than your typical American style with tons of cheese and grease

paseo- Cuban style grilled sandwiches, tiny space with open air facade

Mesob- Ethiopian fare- share a "mesob platter" and a couple of sambusas. The coffee is top notch, too.

Fisherman's terminal has my favorite traditional fish and chips.

Tutta Bella, and Via Tribunali both have gourmet, true Italian style woodfire pizzas.

Calamity Janes in Georgetown has a seared tuna salad with champaign vinaigrette that I eat at least once a week. They also have terrific desserts.

There's really tons of great eatin- I haven't even started on brewpubs and such!

+1 on Paseo. They have one on Shilshole now, so you can pick up sandwiches and eat on the Beach.

Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard is one of my favorite Mexican places. Oaxacan cooking is very different from the northern Mexican that most places serve up here and it is amazing.

Another good Mexican place, that is a little different and fun for tourists (and locals) is Agua Verde, on Boat Street. Great tacos (including some fish varieties) and other food. They rent kayaks downstairs so you can paddle around the lakes if you like.

Chinatown is always fun for wandering around and snacking.

Rabbit_Fighter wrote:Chinatown is always fun for wandering around and snacking.

PORK DOUGHNUTS!!!

Very kind thanks to you folks for responding - I think we have some good ideas for where to go now.

As an addendum: if anyone can reccommend a decent drinking establishment in the aforementioned area, I'm reliable for a round and a few stories.

My personal favorite for knocking back a few is Shorty's on 2nd and Bell. Kickass punk dive bar with a 12 or so pinball (WOO PINBALL!) machines and a handful of arcade games. Beltown has some rad little places all within walking distance. Then of course there is the Georgetown strip down here near the Haus. Smartypants and Jules Maes have tasty grub.

I think it may be a shorter list of where not to go. Seattle is a kickass town.

Is there anything wacky going down the week Rob's there? Cretins party? Weirdness at Hanta Haus? Somebody mentioned Vashon...

(Awww, listen to me! I sound like I want to... live there...)

Since you're staying practically across the street, drinking at the 5 Point (if you like true un-contrived dives) is a must. Their motto is "Alchoholics Serving Alchoholics Since 1929" Their Fish and Chips rocks at 2am.

Also in the area:

The Mediterranean Kitchen - Middle eastern, mmm good
Palace Kitchen - Better local fare
Noodle Ranch - Pan Asian Noodle specialties, and next to Shorty's and Lava Lounge
Volterra - My buddy Don Curtiss' fancy Italian fusion restaurant in Ballard. Pricier but if you like the best, Volterra kicks ass. Wine Spectator called Don "One of America's Most Innovative Chefs"
Last time I had the Wild Boar..(insert Homer drooling here)

The Night Light - True retro-kitsch, featured in the River Phoenix movie "Dogfight" Tell Sandy and her beehive hair-do, I said hey.

The Sunset Tavern - In Ballard, beers and local music
Tiger Tail - also Ballard, great atmosphere, good drinks, asian fusion. The Tin Hat bar is almost next door, or stop in to Slave to the Needle and get some ink.

Seattle is a foodies (or drunken punk's) wet dream

Seconded about the 5 Point. That's my afterwork grub place. If you like chicken fried steak, get it. It's effin big and tasty. Also, mac and cheese wedges. Deep fried breaded cheezy goodness. Let them cool for a moment or you'll have molten cheese in your mouth. Totally worth it.