When I was in college, I knew three roommates, all of whom had the middle name William. My movie tastes overlapped with all of them, though not in the same area. If all three of the Williams liked/disliked a movie, then the Venn diagram in my head indicated I should/should not see the movie, irrespective of what reviews or other people said. It was a fully calibrated review system that functioned well every time.
Unfortunately, I don't have as reliable 3-Williams system for restaurants. So, as a public service and to avoid doing what I'm actually supposed to be doing, I decided to post my list. Perhaps you can find two others and create your own triangulated system. Some day, I may elaborate on them. For now, I'm tracking them under the categories below.
Remember, what I look for in a restaurant is probably related to a) MY taste in food and b) MY standard for service and cleanliness ins a particular context. That means you may completely disagree. Generally, I prefer food at my or another's home now, so you should consider that fact. We eat better at home than most restaurants serve (and we spend the savings on scotch, port and cheese), so I'm less willing than most to pay for food. Plus, I'm cheap. I don't mind cooking or washing up, so restaurants really have to make it worthwhile.
I find Seattle's level of service to be among the worst in the world, so I'm probably biased towards places run like how I was taught restaurants should be run, but that's another story. (I'm betting most of you don't reflexively start clocking the time between being seated and "first greet," nor can you enter a restaurant and know by smell what's not being cleaned).
Most of the places listed are in Seattle and low- to mid-range, as we gave up on higher end restaurants after too many disappointments. In some cases, the food is fine but the service might be bad. Also, I don't care if something is "authentic." The fact that I can eat "Chinese food" in Seattle, Dallas, Bangalore, Paris, London and Beijing and have it be something completely different in each place is fantastic and interesting (except in London where it's bland and terrible and should always be avoided). I'm also willing to subdivide food to distinguish things like Mex-Mex from Tex-Mex from New-Mex-Mex from Cal-Mex and recognize the strengths of each. (For other-US-Mex, please refer to "Chinese food in London.")
I encourage you to do this yourself. It really underscores what a dining rut you can get stuck in. These places are in no particular order, and I've probably left off plenty of places.
Sitka and Spruce
Black Bottle
Local 360 (Had some very good things here and one miss that happened to be a house specialty.)
Huarichito's (Excellent margaritas, chips.
Mae Phim, downtown Seattle (#14)
Saltoro
Malay Satay Hut
Ray's Boathouse
Tamarind Tree
El Asadero, Rainier
Sichaun Chinese Restaurant on Jackson and 12th (get the fish soup. Yes, that's what it's called.)
Bizarro Italian Café, Wallingford
Zayda Buddy's (I do love a hot dish.)
Other Coast Café (Ragin' Cajun. And you only need a half sandwich. Really.)
Blue Ginger
Stellar Pizza (I haven't been back since it got new owners)
Rock Creek, Fremont (Most dishes were delicious. THE RESTAURANT WAS REALLY LOUD, THOUGH.)
Hunger, Fremont
Kabul, Wallingford (The lamb dishes were pretty good.)
La Carta de Oxaca
Chili Deli, University District
Coastal Kitchen (It's hit or miss, loud and unpredictable service).
Oak, Beacon Hill (It's dark, loud and service is mediocre. The burgers and fries are good.).
Tom Douglas restaurants (They have good service and good-but-not-great food, but the prices are too high for what you get. They're good options for a kinda-fancy lunch, though.)
Salumi (I don't eat much pork anymore, so it's kind of a waste of time for me.)
Boka happy hour (It used to be good, but I haven't been in a while.)
Senor Moose (Can be hot or miss. Esquites and margaritas are always good).
Smarty Pants (this place would rank higher if their service were better. Yes, it's bad service even for Georgetown.)
Shilla
Pecos Pit (sweeter, black peppery barbecue. I like going here every once in a while.)
Northlake pizza
Via Tribunali (I haven't been in years. the one in Cap Hill was great for a while, then it got meh. the Georgetown location was meh. Maybe they got better--who knows? I have better sources for this style of pizza.)
Flying Squirrel Pizza (Very kid-friendly without being kid-oriented.)
Tutta Bella
Efes, West Seattle (Really good food, but expensive for the portions.)
Maharaja, West Seattle (Used to be better. It'll do in a pinch.)
Joule, Fremont (Only ate here once. A couple dishes were delicious; a couple dishes were crappy.)
Crush (only went here once. It was disappointing in many categories.)
Barrio, Seattle (The margaritas and salsa are good. Avoid the sliders.)
Fonda La Catrina (terrible service, loud, hit or miss food. Good drinks, though).
Chutney's
Dixie's BBQ
any steakhouse in Seattle
Shanghai Garden (Used to be good. not anymore)
All Purpose Pizza (Good sauce and pizza if you can manage to get there during operating hours, but $50 for a pizza, salad and a pitcher? The pizza isn't *that* good, and that style of pizza is easy to make at home.)
Traveler's Indian Beacon Hill (People say this is "authentic Indian". The pani puri was good, but everything else lacked body. Near as I can guess, it's run by some guys who lived on an ashram. We never see Indians in there. I might give it another try some day.)
Quetzel, Beacon Hill (used to be a nice, family-run place. Now they have booze, a bar, bad service and mediocre, over-priced food.)
Ezell's or Heaven Sent Chicken (My fried chicken is superior.)
Hawk's Nest (Drink here. Don't eat here.)
Purple Café (Or anything from the Heavy Restaurant Group. It's just not that good.)
Molly Moon's (I don't like this style of ice cream)
Revel (I've been here at least three times. All three times, I had one good dish, two boring dishes and a bad dish or two. Also, why is the bar, Quoin, so dirty?)
The Georgian at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel
Palomino (or any of those big upscale chains around downtown Seattle or Bellevue, unless noted above)
Maggiano's (Brinker International--what is WRONG with you? This food is DIRE. I get stuck here for work functions.)
Hector's in Kirkland
Any food from Cannon Bar (the drinks are fine, though)
Von Trapp's
Cold Stone Creamery
Unfortunately, I don't have as reliable 3-Williams system for restaurants. So, as a public service and to avoid doing what I'm actually supposed to be doing, I decided to post my list. Perhaps you can find two others and create your own triangulated system. Some day, I may elaborate on them. For now, I'm tracking them under the categories below.
Remember, what I look for in a restaurant is probably related to a) MY taste in food and b) MY standard for service and cleanliness ins a particular context. That means you may completely disagree. Generally, I prefer food at my or another's home now, so you should consider that fact. We eat better at home than most restaurants serve (and we spend the savings on scotch, port and cheese), so I'm less willing than most to pay for food. Plus, I'm cheap. I don't mind cooking or washing up, so restaurants really have to make it worthwhile.
I find Seattle's level of service to be among the worst in the world, so I'm probably biased towards places run like how I was taught restaurants should be run, but that's another story. (I'm betting most of you don't reflexively start clocking the time between being seated and "first greet," nor can you enter a restaurant and know by smell what's not being cleaned).
Most of the places listed are in Seattle and low- to mid-range, as we gave up on higher end restaurants after too many disappointments. In some cases, the food is fine but the service might be bad. Also, I don't care if something is "authentic." The fact that I can eat "Chinese food" in Seattle, Dallas, Bangalore, Paris, London and Beijing and have it be something completely different in each place is fantastic and interesting (except in London where it's bland and terrible and should always be avoided). I'm also willing to subdivide food to distinguish things like Mex-Mex from Tex-Mex from New-Mex-Mex from Cal-Mex and recognize the strengths of each. (For other-US-Mex, please refer to "Chinese food in London.")
I encourage you to do this yourself. It really underscores what a dining rut you can get stuck in. These places are in no particular order, and I've probably left off plenty of places.
Solid
7 Star(s) Pepper, 12th and Jackson (Order hand-shaven dan dan noodles, green onion pancakes, chon jin chicken, at least)
Ben Than Pho on Rainier (nice people, cheap and fast)
Red Mill Burgers (I even like the veggie burgers)
Little Uncle (either location)
Yumiko's Teriyaki, Redmond (none better(
Tippe and Drague, Beacon Hill (We can cook most of these things well, but we love this place. Don't get the steak sandwich or the Field Roast, though. Not good.)
Hana sushi, Cap Hill (reasonably priced and fresh. Nothing fancy, but the staff is unfailingly nice.)
Taco Wagon, 12th and King (get a burrito. Possibly best value in Seattle)
Good Enough to Go Back
Café Turko, Fremont (Really, really nice Turkish food)Sitka and Spruce
Black Bottle
Local 360 (Had some very good things here and one miss that happened to be a house specialty.)
Huarichito's (Excellent margaritas, chips.
Mae Phim, downtown Seattle (#14)
Saltoro
Malay Satay Hut
Ray's Boathouse
Tamarind Tree
El Asadero, Rainier
Sichaun Chinese Restaurant on Jackson and 12th (get the fish soup. Yes, that's what it's called.)
Bizarro Italian Café, Wallingford
Zayda Buddy's (I do love a hot dish.)
Other Coast Café (Ragin' Cajun. And you only need a half sandwich. Really.)
Blue Ginger
Stellar Pizza (I haven't been back since it got new owners)
Rock Creek, Fremont (Most dishes were delicious. THE RESTAURANT WAS REALLY LOUD, THOUGH.)
Hunger, Fremont
Kabul, Wallingford (The lamb dishes were pretty good.)
La Carta de Oxaca
Chili Deli, University District
Tolerate
Jones BBQ (It's perfectly acceptable food. BBQ is sweet, so if you like dry and smoky, it won't be for you. Prices keep going up.)Coastal Kitchen (It's hit or miss, loud and unpredictable service).
Oak, Beacon Hill (It's dark, loud and service is mediocre. The burgers and fries are good.).
Tom Douglas restaurants (They have good service and good-but-not-great food, but the prices are too high for what you get. They're good options for a kinda-fancy lunch, though.)
Salumi (I don't eat much pork anymore, so it's kind of a waste of time for me.)
Boka happy hour (It used to be good, but I haven't been in a while.)
Senor Moose (Can be hot or miss. Esquites and margaritas are always good).
Smarty Pants (this place would rank higher if their service were better. Yes, it's bad service even for Georgetown.)
Shilla
Pecos Pit (sweeter, black peppery barbecue. I like going here every once in a while.)
Northlake pizza
Via Tribunali (I haven't been in years. the one in Cap Hill was great for a while, then it got meh. the Georgetown location was meh. Maybe they got better--who knows? I have better sources for this style of pizza.)
Flying Squirrel Pizza (Very kid-friendly without being kid-oriented.)
Tutta Bella
Efes, West Seattle (Really good food, but expensive for the portions.)
Maharaja, West Seattle (Used to be better. It'll do in a pinch.)
Joule, Fremont (Only ate here once. A couple dishes were delicious; a couple dishes were crappy.)
Avoid
Wild Ginger at Dinner. Wild Ginger at lunch is OK in a pinch.Crush (only went here once. It was disappointing in many categories.)
Barrio, Seattle (The margaritas and salsa are good. Avoid the sliders.)
Fonda La Catrina (terrible service, loud, hit or miss food. Good drinks, though).
Chutney's
Dixie's BBQ
any steakhouse in Seattle
Shanghai Garden (Used to be good. not anymore)
All Purpose Pizza (Good sauce and pizza if you can manage to get there during operating hours, but $50 for a pizza, salad and a pitcher? The pizza isn't *that* good, and that style of pizza is easy to make at home.)
Traveler's Indian Beacon Hill (People say this is "authentic Indian". The pani puri was good, but everything else lacked body. Near as I can guess, it's run by some guys who lived on an ashram. We never see Indians in there. I might give it another try some day.)
Quetzel, Beacon Hill (used to be a nice, family-run place. Now they have booze, a bar, bad service and mediocre, over-priced food.)
Ezell's or Heaven Sent Chicken (My fried chicken is superior.)
Hawk's Nest (Drink here. Don't eat here.)
Purple Café (Or anything from the Heavy Restaurant Group. It's just not that good.)
Molly Moon's (I don't like this style of ice cream)
Revel (I've been here at least three times. All three times, I had one good dish, two boring dishes and a bad dish or two. Also, why is the bar, Quoin, so dirty?)
Never to Dine In or Out From, Even if It's Your Friend's Birthday and Her Favorite Place Ever
Any food at a hotel or a country club, if you can avoid it (unless listed above).The Georgian at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel
Palomino (or any of those big upscale chains around downtown Seattle or Bellevue, unless noted above)
Maggiano's (Brinker International--what is WRONG with you? This food is DIRE. I get stuck here for work functions.)
Hector's in Kirkland
Any food from Cannon Bar (the drinks are fine, though)
Von Trapp's
Cold Stone Creamery
Memorial: Please Bring Back this Place
The Silver Fork
La Cabana (OK--it wasn't great Mexican, but I loved the paintings, the portions were enough for a week and the family was really nice. sometimes it just hit the spot. Sad to see it's gone.)
Preet (The only Indian food I've had outside of India or someone's home that tastes "correct" to me.)La Cabana (OK--it wasn't great Mexican, but I loved the paintings, the portions were enough for a week and the family was really nice. sometimes it just hit the spot. Sad to see it's gone.)
