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Jai Thai, located in a nicely decked-out storefront on the main drag of Fremont Ave (just north of the bridge), offers an excellent variety of thai dishes, including the old favorites (Pad-Thai) and...
Jai Thai, located in a nicely decked-out storefront on the main drag of Fremont Ave (just north of the bridge), offers an excellent variety of thai dishes, including the old favorites (Pad-Thai) and some you may not be familiar with (Swimming Rama). But for my money, you can’t beat the red curry—a perfect balance of veggies, basil and a sauce so rich and creamy, you don’t even want to think of all the sugar and coconut milk that's in there. Perfection . . . suck it up. The lunches are very reasonably priced.
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I went to Northlake Pizza looking for great pizza. Even though it was ranked near the top of the best of- list in Seattle, I didn’t find it. So the hardscrabble location under the University Bridge...
I went to Northlake Pizza looking for great pizza. Even though it was ranked near the top of the best of- list in Seattle, I didn’t find it. So the hardscrabble location under the University Bridge was appealing, as was the dated décor (puffy red vinyl booths, caricatures of 70s and 80s sports stars on the walls, tons of Huskies memorabilia), and oddly, the heavy cigarette smoke. It has a sublime, lost blue-collar Seattle vibe to it. But the pizza is terrible. The crust is tasteless, flat and soggy, the sauce has no presence whatsoever and the “signature ” way they heap toppings on the pie just doesn't make up for it. I loved it until the food came—big disappointment. Hey . . . go for beer and darts!
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Pizza Brava is a cramped, unkempt, greasy-looking little joint in the University District, and in my opinion, offers the best pizza in Seattle. Pizza here suffers from an advanced case of...
Pizza Brava is a cramped, unkempt, greasy-looking little joint in the University District, and in my opinion, offers the best pizza in Seattle. Pizza here suffers from an advanced case of Californication—an unhealthy obsession with esoteric, high-end toppings that obscures a dangerous misunderstanding of the fundamental building blocks of a great pie: crust, sauce (and a distant third) cheese. The most popular pizza places don’t have these things right. Pizza Brava does. I’m sure there are other little mom & pop places in this fair city that are just as good, and hopefully I’ll find them.
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Dick’s Drive-In is a Seattle institution. I moved here from Atlanta, where The Varsity is king, luring in townies and tourists with grease-soaked fries and overloaded chili-dogs for the past 75...
Dick’s Drive-In is a Seattle institution. I moved here from Atlanta, where The Varsity is king, luring in townies and tourists with grease-soaked fries and overloaded chili-dogs for the past 75 years. The Varsity is disgusting. Dick’s is awesome. Where else can you go for dirt-cheap cheeseburger that tastes this good! And the slim cut, crispy fries are delicious (though very greasy). But for my money, nothing compares to the vanilla milkshake—so simple and perfect and creamy, it’s fast food heaven. NOTE: The lines are very long any time of day or night, but the food is worth it, so get over it and wait.
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Big Time brewery seems to get a brisk business after evening church services on Sunday. And I’m not criticizing. I try to make a regular habit of joining friends after my Protestant worship in the...
Big Time brewery seems to get a brisk business after evening church services on Sunday. And I’m not criticizing. I try to make a regular habit of joining friends after my Protestant worship in the U-district for their thrifty Sunday special—any large pizza ($15.99?) and pitcher of their craft-brewed beer for ONE DOLLAR. Let His grace shine upon all that is good (I’ve particularly enjoyed the fresh, malty Blonde Ale on recent summer nights).
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Grand Central bakery is one of the small Seattle bakeries that building the city’s national reputation for artisan bread. Thick crusty loaves with names I can’t even pronounce. You find the bread at...
Grand Central bakery is one of the small Seattle bakeries that building the city’s national reputation for artisan bread. Thick crusty loaves with names I can’t even pronounce. You find the bread at local grocers and at Grand Central’s cafes, one of which is on Eastlake Ave. The café is large and airy, with a good number of patio tables and chairs outside with a great view Eastlake Ave and a sidelong glance at Queen Anne hill on the other side of Lake Union. The coffees and teas are consistent (they have a good iced passion fruit tea during the spring and summer), and the pastries are delicious. They also do a very brisk lunch business. WARNING: If you are cold-natured, sit outside during spring and summer—they keep the air cranked so high you’ll be shivering through your ciabatta with proscuitto and roasted red peppers.
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Larry’s market is a small local chain with loyal shoppers. It’s no wonder, given their good selection of fresh, high-quality produce, meats and packaged goods (including may health-conscious,...
Larry’s market is a small local chain with loyal shoppers. It’s no wonder, given their good selection of fresh, high-quality produce, meats and packaged goods (including may health-conscious, organic and vegan foods). The first time I went to Larry’s I was looking for Dungeoness crab. I had relatives in town, and wanting to impress them, hoped that Larry’s could give me a decent price on the crab and tell me how to cook them without screwing it all up. The guy at the seafood counter did even better—for the same price as the fresh, uncooked crab ($5.99), they pulled them out of the tank and cooked them for me while I waited, packed them in ice, and told me how to reheat them in a pot at home. The crabs were cooked perfectly, meaty and delicious and my place didn’t smell half as bad as it would have.
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I can’t fairly rate a dining experience at Djan’s Contemporary Thai Restaurant. I’ve never been there. But since we found one of those paper take out menus at our apartment complex THE DAY WE MOVED...
I can’t fairly rate a dining experience at Djan’s Contemporary Thai Restaurant. I’ve never been there. But since we found one of those paper take out menus at our apartment complex THE DAY WE MOVED IN, Djan’s has been feeding us well at home. The service is very fast—I’m sure it varies by location but we usually get our food in around 30 minutes at our place in Eastlake—and it’s consistently delicious. The tofu is fried to perfection, the curries are very good, the noodle dishes are delicious and the calamari appetizer is great. Drop by for a meal or just grab a take-out menu and tack it to the fridge. All major credit cards and checks accepted (I believe).
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Agua Verde Paddle Club, located on Portage Bay in the University District, rents kayaks by the hour that fit one, two or three people. The boats are in good repair and the staff is very helpful if...
Agua Verde Paddle Club, located on Portage Bay in the University District, rents kayaks by the hour that fit one, two or three people. The boats are in good repair and the staff is very helpful if you’re new to paddling (as long as you let them know). But the best thing is the location—from Portage bay you can either head right under the Unviersity Bridge to paddle around lake Union and take in the seaplanes and downtown sights, or take a left to head past the UW campus and Arboretum onto Lake Washington. Either way, you can take in an awful lot in an hour. I don’t know how the pricing compares to other rental places, but in the summer a one-seater kayak is around $15/hr. and a two seater is $18/hr. (I believe).
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Eastlake Grocery and Deli is conveniently located on the main drag in Eastlake, offering patrons the standard convenience store fare—snacks, drinks, smokes, grocery items, beer, etc. They also have...
Eastlake Grocery and Deli is conveniently located on the main drag in Eastlake, offering patrons the standard convenience store fare—snacks, drinks, smokes, grocery items, beer, etc. They also have a deli with sandwiches billed as “the best in town,” though I’ve never given them the test. I usually stop in for common grocery items that I may have forgotten to pick up. It’s an enjoying walk over there and the property has a beautiful view of Lake Union.
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