Time To Eat: Feeding old hungers, new passions and everything in between
Not me. I'm just hungry. It's been a decade since I landed a job whose description (Eat! Eat! Eat!) should go a long way toward keeping that hunger at bay. Fat chance.
Ten years of nonstop dining and I still find myself enamored of the wide world of eating, a world that keeps me hungry for the little joys in life: a great hotdog, a creamy ice cream cone, a fatty slice of blue fin tuna or a thin-crusted wedge of New York-style pizza. I regularly hunger for a taste of Asia, of Italy, of home. When those urges come, I go, responding at will to the time of day or the season, the mood I'm in or the person I'm with, ever grateful to live where I can satisfy my longings without spending too much money or traveling too far.
So come with me for a bite, a drink, a nibble, a nosh. I'm hungry.
Aren't you?
Good in the Mornin'
If I feel the urge to break the fast with a blast, I'll head for Crown Hill and the Wild Mountain Café to throw back a hell-fire-hot wasabi Bloody Mary, then settle into a platter of "Persian Sun" — French toast layered with sesame paste, drizzled with lemon-honey, draped with fresh pineapple and sided with a slab of country-style ham.
(1408 N.W. 85th St., Seattle; 206-297-9453)
When in the mood to start the day with big, homey food, I'm off to Kirkland and The Original Pancake House, where the ooey-gooey baked-apple pancake is the size of a standard apple pie, rising to hefty heights and wafting with the scent of Granny Smiths and cinnamon.
(130 Parkplace Center, Kirkland; 425-827-7575)
Others may beg to differ, preferring to get their big cinnamon rush at the Maltby Café. And who could blame them? Why fill up on pancakes, eggs, rashers of bacon and chicken-fried steak when you can have an enormous cinnamon roll whose star attractions are walnuts, raisins and icing?
(8809 Maltby Road, Maltby; 425-483-3123)
If a doughnut's more likely to hit the spot, we've got the national chains (Krispy Who?), and the locals' favorite (terrific Top Pot, whose brand-swanking-new flagship shop recently opened on Fifth Avenue downtown and whose rounds are available at retail outlets all over). Then there's that Mountlake Terrace strip mall delight: Countryside Donut House, where the doughnuts (love those glazed!) are handmade, served with a smile and worth the quick detour off I-5.
(21919 66th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace; 425-672-7820)
Speaking of dough, the talented hands that roll the dough that create the flake that responds when baked at Café Besalu inspire this thought: Paris has nothing on Ballard when it comes to satisfying our morning munchies with delectable croissants. And if that earth-shattering suggestion could for a moment be denied, one taste of pain au chocolat or a silken pastry embellished with sweet, ripe, seasonal fruits will prove otherwise. Come (early — on Wednesdays through Sundays only), stay (for coffee), and know what it is to see the City of Light in a single bite.
(5909 24th Ave. N.W., Seattle; 206-789-1463)
If a simple bagel is really all you need, good luck. Finding a great one — that's boiled, baked and given a generous schmear of cream cheese — is tough in these parts (must be the water). The closest I've come to the real deal are the rounds at Bagel Oasis. Best bet: pumpernickel.
(Ravenna: 2112 N.E. 65th St., Seattle; 206-526-0525; Fremont: 462 N. 36th St., Seattle; 206-633-2676)
Brunch Break
I'm often asked, "Where's the best place for Sunday brunch?" (Sunday brunch meaning a big buffet of breakfast goodies, made-to-order crepes and omelets, pounds of pastries, barons of beef and, if you're brunching at Salty's, heaps of all-you-can-eat seafood.) Truth be told, I have no taste for buffet brunches, save one: Sahib Cuisine of India. In addition to a Puget Sound view, this royal repast offers an extravaganza of freshly made and beautifully spiced dishes, a changing array of meat and vegetarian specialties including aloo gobi (owner Kabul Gill's lovingly presented potato pancakes), delicate vegetable pakoras, various curries, soothing paneer and moist tandoori chicken, the whole enhanced by salads, chutneys, desserts and fresh naan pulled hot and blistered from the tandoor. What's more: an abbreviated version of this bountiful buffet is reproduced Monday through Saturday at lunchtime (and it's a steal at $7.95).
(101 Main St., Edmonds; 425-775-2828)
Worth noting: Sahib's new Eastside sibling in Redmond Town Center boasts its own daily buffet.
16474 N.E. 74th St., Redmond; 425-883-8989)
That's Some Dim Sum
At a buffet, the food stands still. At dim sum, the food comes to you. And I love the parade: Dim sum carts stocked with savory Chinese treats, including steamed and fried dumplings, congee ladled into broad bowls, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves, dancing squid tentacles and pointy-toed chicken feet. I love the sight — and taste — of shrimp-stuffed eggplant, bean-curd wrappers embracing crunchy vegetables, squares of pan-fried turnip cake and flaky egg-custard tarts. Dim sum: It's not just for weekends anymore, though that's when the crowds make for a festive feast and choice pickings are available at dim sum restaurants everywhere.
In Bellevue, I join the fun at that pastel-pink palace, Noble Court, keeping my eye open for delicate pork-filled pastries and skewers of garlicky fried prawns with dry, spicy salt.
(1644 140th Ave., N.E., Bellevue; 425-641-6011)
At the elegantly appointed Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant in the Great Wall Mall, I wait in hope of steamed lobster dumplings, garnished with fish roe, and small crocks of exotic seafood soup with shark's fin floating by.
(18230 E. Valley Hwy., Kent; 425-656-0999)
China Gate, in the heart of Seattle's Chinatown/International District, is Dim Sum Central, perfect for a quick weekday lunch (parking problems notwithstanding) or a leisurely weekend brunch, and now features cooked-to-order Shanghai-style dim sum in addition to its many excellent roll-by standards.
(516 Seventh Ave. S., Seattle; 206-624-1730)
Noodlin' Toward Noon
Once tapped into my hankering for Asian eats, it's only a matter of time 'til I'm hot on the trail of soup noodles — my idea of a perfect breakfast, lunch or anytime snack, particularly when I'm feeling low or slow. I have favorite soup-noodle stops throughout Greater Seattle, places that implore me to drive here — no, there! — for a bowlful of steaming goodness. These include such upscale destinations as Wild Ginger, whose spicy, seafood-enhanced Malaysian laksa has, for more than a decade, kept me exploring the recesses of my broad bowl for one last morsel of scallop, sliver of cucumber or spoonful of slippery rice noodles.
(1401 Third Ave., Seattle; 206-623-4450)
Super Bowl Noodle House is far from a high-end hangout, but no less appealing on a gut level. This small café's Thai influence is apparent, but the noodle-soup options go a long way toward crossing borders (locally and internationally) with such pleasures as Green Lake Noodles (with chicken, pork, fish balls, fried wontons, plus aromatic greenery); Old Faithful (whose Chinese accents include wontons and barbecued pork); and the palate-whomping, peanut-sprinkled M-80 Noodles (a heat-packed noodle bowl garnished with meats, seafood, sprouts, onions and herbs).
(814 N.E. 65th St., Seattle; 206-526-1570)
The Chinatown/International District and neighboring Little Saigon abound with soup-noodle options. My money's always well-spent here at Canton Wonton House a no-nonsense café where I slurp sui-kau noodle soup, fragrant pork-, mushroom- and shrimp-filled dumplings nesting over egg noodles in a serious chicken stock.
(608 S. Weller St., Seattle; 206-682-5080)
Noodles need not apply when the weather has me singing "Baby, it's cold outside." Instead, I may warm up over a heady cauldron of soon do boo, the soft tofu soup and specialty of the house at Hosoonyi Korean restaurant. Bubbling with meats, seafood, vegetables and custardy clusters of tofu, garnished tableside with dried seaweed and a whole raw egg, this heat-driven concoction is deeply satisfying. And if that's not enough to float my freezing boat, a complimentary bowl of steamed rice and an array of interesting-textured banchan — spicy kimchee, pickled daikon, rice vinegar-napped leafy greens, gelatinous kelp and tiny dried fish — precede the soup's arrival.
(23830 Highway 99, Edmonds; 425-775-8196)
Afternoon Delights
Have A Nice Time
Sometimes, a girl just wants to sit down to a nice lunch. I like to arrive early enough to snag one of two window tables at tiny Barbacoa, sip an agua de jamaica (or a margarita, if there's no need to get back to work) and tuck into a plateful of enchiladas verdes. Layered with love — and a salsa made with tart tomatillos and green chilies — this afternoon nap-inducing treat involves barbecued chicken and melted Jack cheese sandwiched between corn tortillas: The kicky, beer-enhanced borracho beans are a bonus.
(2209 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle; 206-352-6213)
When a French accent, a view and a ladies-who-lunch date is on my agenda, there's always Maximilien, home to a buxom-breasted chicken whose luxurious, butter-drenched pan jus and crisp accompanying pommes frites are as heavenly as the Elliott Bay view.
(81 A Pike St., Seattle; 206-682-7270)
Romance is always on the menu at Serafina, where I'm easily seduced by the kitchen's signature dish, melanzana alla Serafina — a delicate composition of thin-sliced eggplant rolled with ricotta and basil, layered with Parmesan, baked in tomato sauce and draped over angel-hair pasta. Pair that with the house salad (butter lettuce cavorting with champagne vinaigrette), and lunch becomes a luscious luxury.
(2043 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle; 206-323-0807)
At fun, funky Blue Onion Bistro, I'm always in for a bellyful of goodness, along with an incredible bang for the lunchtime buck. Exceptional food — and too much of it — means there's no room for dessert, and no need for dinner. While I give the big nod to everything on the ever-changing menu (those fish tacos! that gnocchi especiale!), I'm mad for the signature Blue Ribbon mac and cheese, a heart-stopper if ever there was one.
(5801 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle; 206-729-0579)
Sandwich It In
When I want something simpler, and Old Hunger has me in its clutches, there's only one thing to do: Assuage it. This Philly girl takes her taste for cheese steaks to the only place in town that does it right: Philly's Best. Here the chop-chop-chop of man-handled minute-steak sizzles on the grill, the cheese is white and ooshy, and the classic Italian rolls come from Philly's own Amoroso's bakery. (Their motto: "We make the rolls that make Philly's sandwiches world famous.") Throw on some hot cherry peppers, and honey, I'm home.
(1400 23rd Ave., Seattle; 206-860-5000)
Ballard is home to the city's finest hot-pastrami sandwich: a classic New York-style reuben served at Roxy's Deli at CasCioppo's. This sandwich-deli extraordinaire shares space with the butcher (CasCioppo Brothers), resides next door to the baker (Larsen Brothers), and its reuben features thick-sliced brisket, fatty where it ought to be and spiced to impress. Heaped high with homemade kraut, melted Swiss and Thousand Island dressing, the grilled meat comes lodged between slices of good rye, served with a half-sour pickle.
(2364 N.W. 80th St., Seattle; 206-784-6121, ext. 3)
Speaking of rye, nobody does it better than Trudi Kahn White and her talented crew at Sweet Lorraine's Bakery. Their rye bread has turned this little corner of Interbay into a dream destination. Worth mentioning: Sweet Lorraine's babka, rugalach and poppyseed strudel — among other Jewish and Eastern European pastry specialties — make this place a godsend.
(3055 21st Ave. W., Seattle; 206-301-9100)
Woman Bites Dog
. . . and I bite mine at Matt's Famous Chili Dogs, where two dogs are always better than one. Its fame notwithstanding, I have little interest in Matt's chili-wearing dogs (but you should feel free to go right ahead), opting instead for his Cubs-fan classic, the Old Fashioned. I bark with enthusiasm after downing this tube of Vienna Beef cozying up to poppy-seed bun, lavished with mustard, onions, sweet neon-green relish, tomatoes, dill pickles, searing "sport" peppers and a sprinkle of celery salt.
(6615 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, 206-768-0418; 699 110th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, 425-637-2858; 7600 196th St. S.W., Lynnwood; 425-776-3220)
While Matt's is great for a quick stop, when I've got a hunger to settle in and hang with the, er, Dawgs, there's no better spot than Shultzy's Sausage, where it's you, a brew and the U-crew downing hot dogs and burgers, hot links and my main attraction: The Shultzy. This gonzo housemade sausage patty smacks of fennel and black pepper. Grilled with onions and sweet peppers, it's offered up on a French roll swiped with garlic, olive oil and butter. Ordered as a "basket," its supporting cast includes a mess of crunchy fries and a side of mighty fine slaw, leading me to ask: Who let the hogs out?
(4114 University Way N.E., Seattle; 206-548-9461)
Take me out for . . .
Dining on dogs may be the great American knock-it-back pastime, but surely barbecue, pizza and other fun fast food vie for the pennant.
BBQ PDQ
In the case of barbecue, the fight rages on. Depending on one's state of origin, that fight can get fierce. I stay out of the fray, preferring to do battle with my own inner-barbecue demons, hungry little devils whose fires are fueled by my state: of mind. Which shall it be? Chicken and ribs? Korean bulgogi? A Texas-sized sandwich? Sky's the limit! When the Southern-style 'cue jones comes calling, it's likely to send me to Beacon Hill for a visit with Willie Turner, whose custom smokehouse, Willie's Taste of Soul on Beacon Avenue, remains a beacon for folks like me. We seek satisfaction in soulful Southern style: a combo plate heaped with tender smoked chicken, pork ribs with some tooth left to them, and homemade hot links (among other options). "Dinners" like these are supported by a side of sassy beans, potato salad or slaw — though it's always a good idea to mine the "Sides" menu for candied yams or greens in pot likker. (Do save a sweet spot for sweet-potato pie.)
(6305 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle; 206-722-3229)
A constant craving for Chinese barbecued duck sends me directly to King's Barbeque House in the Chinatown/International District. Clean and compact, King's, which has a twin in Beacon Hill, is a takeout-only spot beloved for its butchers' careful work with the cleaver, bargain-priced box-lunches (with rice, nice), glistening heads-on ducks, soy-basted whole chickens, glazed spareribs, hunks of pork tenderloin and various innards and appendages sold by the pound.
(518 Sixth Ave. S., Seattle; 206-622-2828; 303 12th Ave. S., Seattle; 206-720-4715)
Pecos Pit BBQ has long been the answer to my barbecue-sandwich prayers: tender slabs of alder-smoked beef anointed with "medium"-hot sauce, embraced by a soft-yet-sturdy onion-spiked bun. Prayers answered when I pat my full belly, promising not to eat another bite for at least a week.
(2260 First Ave. S., Seattle; 206-623-0629)
A Slice Of Pizza
Nothing beats it. Scratch that: A terrific whole pie beats a fraction thereof, but the economic justification (monetary as well as physical) of a slice or two allows a "little" pizza to go a long way. East Coast sensibilities sway my direction, sending me in search of a thin-crust, quality mozzarella and tomato sauce neither too spicy nor sweet. Oh — I give extra credit to joints (and they must be joints) whose pies ooze just the right amount of oil and whose condiment counter houses a shaker of dried oregano.
At A New York Pizza Place, Brooklyn-born owner Todd Peltz tawks the tawk and wawks the wawk, adding aural ambiance to go along with a slice of classic cheese pie.
(8310 Fifth Ave. N.E., Seattle; 206-524-1355)
Up in Edmonds, Old Milltown Pizza provides a much-needed local alternative to the popular pizza chains and a quick stop for shoppers and day-trippers. This street-side hole-in-the-mall also appeals to locals whose only quibble is that owner Ricky Andrews (a former pro-football player and Husky team captain) and his pie-producing boys don't deliver. What they do deliver is consistently good pizza by the slice or pie, with swell options including my favorite, the Greek.
(in Old Milltown, 201 Fifth Ave. S., #4, Edmonds; 425-670-6702)
Long-lived, much-loved Piecora's New York Pizza beckons with its neon likeness of Lady Liberty, inviting the huddled masses in for a slice of the best New York-style pizza in town (says me). I'll take two, please, with sausage, and could you bring me a beer with that?
(1401 E. Madison St., Seattle; 206-322-9411)
Good, Cheap, Fast
With apologies to the International Slow Food Movement, I'm a sucker for cheap fast food. And it doesn't get much faster, more enticing or less expensive than the Vietnamese takeout at Seattle Deli. Here, it pays to peruse the goods piled high in cases and on counters, and only a fool would leave without grabbing a pair of salad rolls, a half-dozen sesame-sprinkled sweet-bean balls and a trio of hot, crunchy spring rolls. Seattle Deli's bahn mi (baguette sandwiches) are so good and so cheap I can buy a bagful and barely dent a 10-spot. Best of all are the steam-table offerings — a mesmerizing display of Vietnamese home-style eats dished up and piled high in Styrofoam containers.
(206-225 12th Ave. S., Seattle; 206-328-0106)
Pike Place Market is full of terrific fast-food enterprises, but my kid's affection for chicken adobo and hardworking "Aunties" Lila and Joy, coupled with my affection for their mother, Mila "Mom" Apostol and bowlsful of bony fish soup, lead me to the kitchenette counter at Oriental Mart, where the Apostol family has been plying Seattle with Filipino foods for 30 years.
(1506 Pike Place Market; Seattle 206-622-8488)
If you think the words "cheap" and "great sushi" should never be uttered in the same sentence, then you've never shopped at Maruta Shoten. Though this Japanese supermarket boasts an adjoining Asian food takeout, I head straight for the refrigerated case inside the market for the best cheap sushi around.
(1024 S. Bailey St., Seattle; 206-767-5002)
The way I see it, we all need a Persian grandmother — a mamabozorg whose kitchen is scented with saffron and dried Persian limes, whose torshi (pickled vegetables) is homemade, whose bademjan (roasted eggplant) is kissed with mint and topped with creamy kashke, and whose hand-rolled dolmeh (stuffed grape leaves) leave a sweet taste in your mouth. Which is why I love Pacific Market, where I frequently stop for a Persian food fix. I could take a seat at a cafe table, sip chai and practice my fractured Farsi with the hardworking mamabozorg. Instead, I inevitably opt for takeout, knowing that her handiwork will taste every bit as good at home as part of a quick, something-different dinner.
(12332 Lake City Way, Seattle; 206-363-8639)
Even those who choose to sit and eat may end up taking out at Gordito's, where the Burrito Grande is a meal for two or two meals in one. Oversized tortillas work as lunch and dinner, arriving stuffed with a choice of grilled chicken, steak, pork or tofu (I'll have the beef), a scoop of black beans, another of rice, a healthy hit of lettuce, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. I'm happy to avail myself of the complimentary salsa bar and warm tortilla chips while waiting in the spacious, dual-level dining room for this gut-blasting exercise in excess. Got leftovers? Styrofoam and paper bags are stocked along the back wall.
(213 N. 85th St., Seattle; 206-706-9352)
Getting My Just Desserts
The sweet tooth can start aching at any time. When it does, let me eat cake . . . and please let it be the green tea tiramisu at Hiroki, whose layer of sponge, soaked with green tea and plum wine, makes this little slice of heaven lighter-than-light and translates as Japan's answer to the ubiquitous Italian-dessert question.
(2224 N. 56th St., Seattle; 206-545-8472)
If chocolate's in order, Simply Desserts rises to the occasion — as it has for more than 20 years — with a luscious lineup of layered lovelies (make mine a slice of chocolate espresso cake) that beg for a tall glass of milk.
(3421 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle; 206-633-2671)
When my eye's set on pie instead, there's nowhere I'd rather be than the Dahlia Bakery, where Triple Coconut Cream Pie — a cloud of coconut, pastry cream and flaky crust — may be had by the bite (really), the slice or (be still my beating heart) in its entirety.
(2001 Fourth Ave., Seattle; 206-441-4540)
It's hard to stop screaming for ice cream once you've tasted Vivian's Pride Gourmet Ice Cream at Theno's Dairy. Back in the days when the suburbs were still considered country, this rural sugar shack made its superior product from its own dairy cows. Then, as now, Theno's had "Sunday drive" written all over it. But suburbanization has its costs, and I'm not talking about the traffic on Bell-Red Road. Though the ice-cream recipe still relies on all-natural ingredients and hormone-free milk, that milk comes from a small farm residing elsewhere. Today, Theno's bovine beauties offer only kitsch-appeal: toy cows and other tchotchkes decorate the storefront at this ramshackle candy store-cum-dairy-stop. But Theno's still draws crowds for its season's greetings: ice cream made with Washington peaches, Oregon huckleberries and (the local fall favorite) pumpkin, all blended with care and sold for a relative pittance. Sure there's vanilla and chocolate, and ready-to-go quarts packed in the deep-freezer. There are also friendly scoopers who'll offer tastes of caramel coconut cashew, raspberry blast or mocha almond fudge, and picnic benches on which to enjoy a couple scoops in a big waffle cone.
(12248 156th Ave. N.E., Redmond; 425-885-2339)
If all I need is a quick espresso and a sinful cup of gelato — offered separately or married as affogato (two scoops plus a shot of espresso) — newcomer Bottega Italiana has it all. Using a traditional gelato base and seasonal fruits, owner Luca Guerrieri — recently transplanted from Milan — offers dreamy inspirations at his minuscule gelateria just south of DeLaurenti's in Pike Place Market. I'm mad for the pistachio, the amaretto, and ooh, that lemon sorbetto! Better still is the charming, stately presence of his scoop-wielding mamma.
(1425 First Ave., Seattle; 206-343-0200)
The Evening Song
C'mon, Get Happy
What, no mozzarella sticks? No, but there's fried calamari at the fancy-pants happy hour at Cascadia, an evening break that makes me really, really happy. After work, before the show or "just because," I can show up from 5 to 7 p.m. to partake of a $1 mini-burger or three (the most astounding deal in town) knocked back with a well-concocted martini served at dive-bar prices. What's more, I might snack on that lightly fried calamari elegantly served in a paper-lined silver cone while sipping one of the sommelier's selections: a choice of fine wines sold at very happy prices.
(2328 First Ave., Seattle; 206-448-8884)
You can take a Manhattan. My cocktail cure comes in the form of more adventurous alchemy. At the small, candlelit bar at Gitano, Latin flavors spark such colorful concoctions as a brandy-stoked and sugar-rimmed Maricuca's Sidecar, bright with passion fruit, lime and orange. Here, a refreshing Caipirinha blends lime juice, tangerine and sugar-cane liquor while the Gitano offers a deep-purple haze made with blood orange, lemon, tequila and crème de cassis.
(2805 E. Madison St., Seattle; 206-709-8324)
Sexy, sophisticated, elegant and alluring, the bar at Place Pigalle provides my perfect poison: the Mariana Cocktail, a memorable mix of vodka, lime juice, Campari and orange liqueur.
(81 Pike St., Seattle; 206-624-1756)
When I'm on an airport run and looking to kill time, the bar at nearby Bahama Breeze offers a kitschy, kick-in-the-pants "island vacation" (hold the Coppertone tan) and a drinks list of biblical proportion. I happily shun the best-selling frozen Bahamarita, opting instead for a "Week at the Beach," among the many Technicolor-tasties mixed and matched by bartenders who've watched Tom Cruise in "Cocktail" one time too many.
(15700 Southcenter Parkway, Tukwila; 206-241-4448)
Aware that there are occasions when a cocktail must be a mocktail, I find myself in teetotaler's heaven at Restaurant Zoë, whose specialty-cocktail list includes such booze-less gems as the Clear Conscience — a savory seduction composed of fresh tangerine, lime juice and soda perfumed with lemon verbena and garnished with cucumber.
(2137 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-256-2060)
Hors D'oeuvres, Anyone?
Oysters are the perfect way to start a meal. And I'm always searching for the perfect oyster: shimmering, quivering, iced-down and carefully shucked. And while I'm happy to eat mine standing up, over the sink, courtesy of my local fishmonger and my own practiced shucking hand, when I need to sit down to the art of the oyster, that seat is waiting at Elliott's Oyster House. Here, fronting Elliott Bay — and a selection of crassostrea gigas, ostrea lurida, crassostrea sikamea and ostrea edulis (translation: Pacific oysters, Olympia oysters, Kumamoto oysters and European flats) — I'm living large. That's the good news. The bad news is that after a trip to the oyster bar, so is my credit card. But then, what price glory? Glory being a half-dozen gorgeous Westcott Bay Flats from San Juan Island, or a sampler starring Pacific pearls from throughout the region.
(Pier 56, Alaskan Way, Seattle; 206-623-4340)
Grab a Crab
Call me a crab, then say I'm full of it. You won't be wrong on either count, given my fondness for Dungeness crab. Crab in salad is a natural combination. When offered at Nell's it's an artistic masterpiece — a tongue-tantalizing composition that tempts with freshest crabmeat sparked with red radish and tart with Braeburn apples.
(6804 E. Green Lake Way N., Seattle; 206-524-4044)
When it comes to crabcakes, I like mine plump, sweet, buttery and pan-fried — and please hold the filler! And that's exactly what I get from the folks at Anthony's Restaurants (perched on waterfronts throughout Puget Sound, see www.anthonys.com for particulars).
At my neighborhood crab-trap, T&T Seafood Restaurant, whole crab is plucked from a live tank before kicking its way into the kitchen. Cooked to my specification in a variety of sauces (sometimes steamed with ginger and green onion, perhaps fried with garlic and chilies), it's disjointed, rearranged and presented with the proper tools for making haste with no waste.
(18320 Aurora Ave. N., Shoreline; 206-542-3438)
Late summer, when the fish are jumpin' and a plastic chair awaits at a dockside table, is the perfect (though far from the only) time to appreciate a gooey, cheesy, open-faced crab sandwich at the Baithouse Café. Served with a stellar view of Shilshole Bay and a side of snappy Caesar salad, this crab melt is capable of putting me into a trance: until the bill arrives. (I've been shocked out of my reverie by the tally for a "market-priced" sandwich. Last visit, $16.95!)
(5517 Seaview Ave. N.W., Seattle; 206-297-9109)
Salmon-Chanted Evening
I love living in the Pacific Northwest, where every night is salmon night, somewhere. I like my salmon raw, smoked, salt-cured, curried, simply grilled, steamed in parchment and tossed with pasta, among other popular preparations, but my dream dish is dished out at Etta's Seafood: a spice-rubbed and pit-roasted king salmon paired with cornbread pudding and garnished with shiitake relish.
(2020 Western Ave., Seattle; 206-443-6000)
Toro, Toro, Toro
I'm a sucker for toro — tuna in its palest, fattiest form, a prized cut (and an expensive one) enjoyed by sushi aficionados the world over. Sorry, Charlie, but I seek perfection as often as possible, and I always find it at Saito's Japanese Café & Bar, where I live for blue fin tuna offered as toro in raw, buttery form, or briefly broiled and sprinkled with coarse salt.
(2122 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-728-1333)
The coziness factor does factor in at tiny Taka Sushi, where toro tempts from a well-stocked seafood case and leaner tuna impresses in a well-built "sashimi tower."
(Center 3 shopping mall, 18904 Highway 99, Lynnwood; 425-778-1689)
Bellevue's aptly named Tuna House toys with tuna in forms traditional and not-so, offering toro sushi, toro katsu, seared tuna salad, tuna "tartar" (tuna sashimi with tartar sauce), tuna carpaccio and the house specialty: a California roll gussied up with tuna and albacore.
(15015 Main St., Suite 101, actually148th and Main, Bellevue ; 425-746-0123)
Heads, You Win; Tails, Too
Sure, it's billed as a platter "meant to be shared" but the whole fish at Flying Fish is a signature sensation I'd gladly attack alone. That finny fish fantasy — perhaps a rockfish, often enough a snapper — is sold by the pound, fried to a finger-lickin' crisp and presented (with a nod to Vietnam) with rice-paper pancakes. Those chewy translucent wraps are used to enfold the crackling skin that clings to meaty morsels picked from the bone and garnished, to taste, with an array of fragrant herbs, fresh lime and crunchy bean sprouts.
(2234 First Ave., Seattle; 206-728-8595)
Steak Your Claim
OK, so the fish is fine, but where's the beef? Glad you asked. It's at the Buenos Aires Grill, where I can sink my teeth into an extraordinary (and surprisingly affordable) center-cut filet — a towering hunk of burning love that cuts like butter and could easily feed two.
(220 Virginia St., Seattle; 206-441-7076)
Meanwhile, Canlis sets the standard with its retro recipe for steak tartare, made with raw Wagyu beef.
(2576 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle; 206-283-3313)
At Two Bells Tavern even the "Basic Burger" is far from basic, reigning among the city's best when charbroiled, piled onto a sourdough roll and sold with a choice of swell sides.
(2313 Fourth Ave., Seattle; 206-441-3050)
And who can resist tri-tip steak encrusted with coarse salt, impaled and roasted on long skewers, offered by handsome Brazilian men who heft those meat-bearing swords (among other delectables), serving them tableside at Rio Brazilian Grill. Not me!
(5259 University Way N.E., Seattle; 206-526-7123)
And Pass The Pasta
The Americanization of Italian food has given rise to such famous foodstuffs as uh-oh Spaghetti-Os, Michael Angelo's frozen lasagna, Tombstone Pizza and the Olive Garden, but when a real taste of Italy is on the agenda, it's comforting to know it's close at hand.
Life is indeed beautiful at La Vita è Bella Café where, come early morning, I might sit at the bar sipping an expertly pulled caffe latte. In summer, a sidewalk seat is the perfect perch when lunching on pasta with pesto. Dinner brings superior salads (and the opening of the café's adjoining pizzeria) as well as pasta and seafood specials that augment the brief, modestly priced menu. Any time is right for an exceptional panini, and what better way to unwind than with a glass of sweet dessert wine and a housemade cannoli?
(2411 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-441-5322)
On special occasions I set my sights on Café Juanita, whose oft-changing Northern Italian menu presents such riches as risotto mantecato, ravioli with fonduta, herb-roasted rabbit with Ligurian chickpea cake and whole-roasted branzino.
(9702 N.E. 120th Pl., Kirkland; 425-823-1505)
If it's Friday, it's time to see Aunt Izzy at Salumi, where abbreviated hours are this sandwich-shop and salumeria's only shortcoming. Friday's the day that Aunt Izzy's magic fingers can be seen working in the window, where she rolls and pinches gnocchi dough, soon to be boiled, sautéed in butter and scented with sage by her brother, proprietor Armandino Batali. Not one to leave Salumi empty-handed, I make it a point to procure some house-cured meats, and wouldn't think of leaving without a pound of Armandino's unparalleled finnochiona.
(309 Third Ave. S., Seattle; 206-621-8772)
A glass of rosso, a cup of zuppa, thin-sliced prosciutto with housemade piadina (flatbread, straight off the grill) or a simple plate of delicate handmade pasta: that's what brings me to the rustic recesses of Osteria La Spiga. La Spiga, unaffected and inexpensive, impresses at both lunch and dinner.
(1401 Broadway, Seattle; 206-323-8881)
Whether dressed in summer finery (vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil), alla Napoletana (with anchovies) or fancified with fontina, radicchio and pancetta, the pizzas at La Medusa, coupled with great service and an all-Italian wine list, make this Columbia City neighborhood favorite destination-worthy.
(4857 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle; 206-723-2192)
So, Go It Alone
Dining alone is one of my guiltiest pleasures. Whatever the hour, you may find me enjoying my own company at Le Pichet, where perfection says "bon jour" via a silky slice of gateau au foie de volaille: chicken liver terrine offered with crusty baguette.
(1933 First Ave., Seattle; 206-256-1499)
I'm never really alone while dining alone at the tapas bar at The Harvest Vine. Here, rubbing elbows with like-minded pleasure-seekers, strangers become friends, sharing tales of meals past and tastes of meals present. And it's here that I sit, satisfying my every desire on those special evenings when I treat myself to tapas: tush-tender pulpo de feira (Galician-style octopus and potatoes); grilled fresh sardines showered with lemon and sea salt; wild-boar bacon garnished with trout roe; and piquillo peppers stuffed with potatoes and salt cod.
(2701 E. Madison St., Seattle; 206-320-9771)
When in need of a homey hangout, a light supper and some spirited camaraderie, there's always the bar at Saltoro. With a glass of wine in one hand and a fork in the other, I can eat my sweetbreads without having to face the grimaces of companions who've yet to learn to appreciate these delicate lobes, dusted with flour, swiftly fried and served in a moat of fruity olive oil with a crown of capers, parsley, lemon zest and garlic.
(14051 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle; 206-365-6025)
When All Is Said And Done
What with bars and bistros everywhere, Belltown is a must-stop when in search of late-night bites. My abbreviated list of hot-spots includes Marjorie , where Miss Marjorie's Steel Drum Plantain Chips vie for nosh-of-choice with the pouffy Bombay-style onion pakoras — finger food whose dippity-do's include housemade curried ketchup and coriander chutney.
(2331 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-441-9842)
From Moroccan steak sandwiches to steak frites with Cabrales butter, cataplana fish stew to Spanish fried squid, they've got quality covered in the bar at Brasa. (Noshers note: Stop in to imbibe at the bar or in the lounge from 5 to 7 p.m. nightly and the intriguing list of bar eats is half-price with a drink.)
(2107 Third Ave., Seattle; 206-728-4220)
At Axis, it's all about the action, but I come for the fried pickles and the Jamaican-jerked chicken wings — blackened beauties whose heat quotient is high and whose flavor profile is mighty.
(2214 First Ave., Seattle; 206-441-9600)
I was hooked on the fried sage leaves at Marco's Supperclub from the day the doors opened.
(2510 First Ave., Seattle; 206-441-7801)
But if the idea of fried herbs does nothing for you, consider a trip to Shorty's Coney Island. Here you and a pal can each play pinball single-handed while carefully clutching a Chili Cheese Bigtop (I'll stick with the Chicago-style hot dog).
(2222 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-441-5449)
Now, if that's not enough to satisfy us, well, there's always tomorrow.
Nancy Leson is The Seattle Times' restaurant critic.