Slip Into Something Comfortable In Kirkland

------------------------------- Restaurant review / Kirkland

XX The Slip, 80 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland. Lunch, dinner ($2.75-$9.95) daily (11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday). Smoking on deck only. Major credit cards. Full bar. Wheelchair access. No reservations: 425-739-0033. -------------------------------

"Washington's Smallest Full Service Establishment" is so small that I hate to exploit this sweetheart of a burger-bar-with-booze, given the size of the kitchen (peanut), the number of tables (five) and the tush count for the stools fronting the action (four).

Small wonder that this puny Kirkland hot-spot with the Moss Bay view has no trouble playing the part of a hot-spot - though I'm convinced that owners Todd Ormsby, David Plumb and Rob Kettner could triple the size of their sugar shack and the joint would still rock.

Full-service license or no, most of the clientele come not for the chance to sip Glenlivet on the rocks nor to stock up on that au courant accouterment of cool, the stogie (they've got 'em, they flaunt 'em, but fear not, P.U.-meisters, there's no puffing indoors). Sure, the slip of a menu bows to less provincial appetites with spinach and artichoke dip, Cajun-smoked salmon-cake salad and grilled breast of chicken dinners; but it's apparent that a goodly number of local chowhounds are here to chow down on a burger, munch on "flame roasted fries" and knock back a pint or two instead.

As for those fries - which the busy fry-boys can't roast fast enough - they swelter under the broiler on the flat of a metal pizza peel (as opposed to being Fry-O-Latered to Bronzeville in a vat of oil). Available as an "appetizer" as well as part of the daily $4.99 lunch special, the leaner, meaner fries are meant to be dipped in homemade ketchup that tastes uncannily like Heinz's secret recipe jazzed up with smoky chipotle chilies and other peppery goodies. And I mean that with all due respect.

If you don't do red meat, you'll still find plenty to appeal to your burger-hungry senses, including a 'shroomy, homemade, mozzarella-draped Whole Earth Burger ($3.75). Sippers of the grape have a dozen by-the-glasses to choose from, in 3-, 6- or 9-ounce pours, no less. I'm already praying for warm weather, and plotting my return for a shot at a deck table where I'll take my Jack Daniel's straight - from a bowl of whiskey-blasted black bean chili.

CHILI SIZE SLIP DINNER: Move over chili dogs, your burger master's moving in! Grab some extra napkins because this humdinger is a mess. The smoky, boozy, Jack Daniel's-spiked chili dripping out the sides of the charbroiled beef-on-a-bun is irresistible. So were those fries. Olives and artichoke hearts fancy-up a side of grilled broccoli and cauliflower.

KIRKLAND SHRIMP BURGER: How they manage to get all those itty-bitty bay shrimp to bind with the herby breadcrumbs and sweet bell pepper to create such a delicate "burger" is beyond me, but they do. You could order the same griddle-browned shrimp cakes as a Slip Dinner (hold the bun, add a bed of tomatillo salsa; hold the tortilla chips, add fries and veggies), but then you'd need a fork.

ITEMIZED BILL/MEAL FOR TWO

CHILI SIZE SLIP DINNER: $7.95 KIRKLAND SHRIMP BURGER: $5.25 MOSS BAY AMBER BEER: $3 DIET PEPSI: 92-cents

TAX: $1.56 TOTAL: $18.68