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If you've ever had a plumbing emergency, you know what to do: call your trusted, always on-call, ever-responsive plumber immediately. What happens if he doesn't answer though? That's the dilemma I...
If you've ever had a plumbing emergency, you know what to do: call your trusted, always on-call, ever-responsive plumber immediately. What happens if he doesn't answer though? That's the dilemma I was faced with when a busted cast iron pipe began spewing water inside an interior wall of my house. Faced with the less-than-confident exercise of rifling through the yellow pages, South West Plumbing received the call.
South West caught my eye only in the sense that they claimed no trip charge or estimate charge, and they specialized in old plumbing. After a couple hours, the two-person crew showed up. While completely pleasant and quite professional, the explanation of the requisite work and an estimate style akin to scratching your head with pencil before writing down a random number left me less than excited.
Having said that, the work was done within the committed time frame and they left the work area as clean as they found it. All in all, if the explanation of their proposed work was a bit more thorough, illustrating nothing more than a time and materials type of bid, I would be much more comfortable given them a positive review. I've found it hard to come away from a plumbing experience feeling "good,", but if professionalism, relatively quick response (even during the evening hours) and quality work are your only criteria, you' should be satisfied with South West. I suppose in an emergency, that's about all you can ask for.
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Another little gem in the neighborhood, this is the place to come if you're looking for an old fashioned, BIG breakfast with a few updated twists. The daily special board has more regulars on it...
Another little gem in the neighborhood, this is the place to come if you're looking for an old fashioned, BIG breakfast with a few updated twists. The daily special board has more regulars on it than true daily specials, but you'll usually find one or more creative breakfast interpretations bookended by meat-lovers and vegetarian options. Pancakes are notoriously good, especialy the buttermilk oat. And it's hard to go wrong with some of their fresh baked goods, although Louisa's down the street is really the place for bakery items. Part of the charm comes from the monthly rotations of local artists' creations as well as watching Terri, the owner, work the register (and the crowd) and roam the tables making everything is up to standards. 14 Carrot also does lunch, but they're definitely more known for the breakfast scene. Plan on standing outside for a bit if you come on a Sunday morning.
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Mark's been my go-to guy for about six years now and recently moved into larger, nicer digs in the medical dental building on Olive Way downtown. So far, I've been nothing but please with he and...
Mark's been my go-to guy for about six years now and recently moved into larger, nicer digs in the medical dental building on Olive Way downtown. So far, I've been nothing but please with he and his staff, and they've all done excellent work. He's big into pain management, and although I've not personally needed any work that might require those talents, I've heard from other patients of his that rave about just how easy and pain-free even some major procedures can be. Mark has a great "chair-side manner" too, especially if you appreciate a dry, sarcastic sense of humor.
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I was sent Kevin York's direction by a friend of mine, and relatively long-time Car Tender customer. To borrow from one of Andy's early posts, I don't love them...I like them. Don't get me wrong,...
I was sent Kevin York's direction by a friend of mine, and relatively long-time Car Tender customer. To borrow from one of Andy's early posts, I don't love them...I like them. Don't get me wrong, they're friendly guys and quite knowledgeable, but maybe it's the experience of trying to maintain a classic Rover that has me a bit jaded on all garages.
While things can get a bit expensive, they do go the extra mile with shuttles to nearly anywhere within reason, a freshly-washed vehicle when it's ready for pickup, and they're always hunting for constructive feedback. The key for me was their knack for explaining, in non-technical language, precisely what the issues are with your vehicle...honestly, almost as if it were their own car. To that end, they've actually steered me away from what would have appeared to be costly repairs on several occasions, or suggested reasonable alternatives.
Bottom line, I wouldn't use them for a basic oil change if you don't have to. But for anything more serious, give them a shot.
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Serafina
Category:
Restaurants
2043 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, Washington 98102
(206) 323-0807
OK, so it's more "Italian-inspired" than truly Italian, but rustic European definitely applies. Serafina has been an Eastlake institution since long before I moved to the neighborhood several years...
OK, so it's more "Italian-inspired" than truly Italian, but rustic European definitely applies. Serafina has been an Eastlake institution since long before I moved to the neighborhood several years ago, but it continues to be a consistently good experience overall.
The menu is inventive and interesting while including the typical staples, although unless you happen to be fluent in Italian, you might need some explanation from the very attentive staff on some of the more creative dishes, especially the daily/weekly specials.
Atmosphere is friendly, very romantic, and yet still somewhat casual, although on Friday/Saturday when the live music gets going, don't plan on hearing anything from your date unless you're a lip reader. In other words, it's cozy in there and the sound fills the space. In good weather though, the outdoor patio is a nice touch if you can wait long enough for the table or manage to get the right reservation. Music is just the right level out there.
The bar area is off to one side, and fine to hang out in while waiting, but it can get VERY crowded in there. Be comfortable rubbing elbows.
Last, but not least, the wine selection has been somewhat sparse in the past, but they seem to do a decent job in the "staff selection" area and have one in varying price ranges. The list does lean to the more expensive end though. The owner lives just a few blocks away in Eastlake and her garden supplies the restaurant, so she's obsessed with quality and her guests' overall experience.
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A sibling of the 74th Street and Columbia City Ale Houses, you'll find a much more interesting menu here than typically associated with "pub fare." The chicken sandwich, always a staple, was given...
A sibling of the 74th Street and Columbia City Ale Houses, you'll find a much more interesting menu here than typically associated with "pub fare." The chicken sandwich, always a staple, was given the "Best of Seattle" award by one of our local publications, and I can see how it earned high praise. Other fixtures include amazing fish tacos and Jambalaya that's definitely spicy enough to cure what ales 'ya...I know, pardon the pun. Check the chalkboard to see what catch of the day is jammed into those monster fish tacos.
Beer selection is generous with a few regular showings, yet plenty of rotating taps to keep the menu fresh.
Service has been somewhat inconsistent at times, but on balance is pretty good and quite knowledgeable when looking for a beverage recommendation.
Lastly, watch out for weekend nights or during Sonics/M's games when it can get a little crowded.
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Two words: no menu. What a great experience to have the chef/owner sit down at your table, bottle of wine in hand, and ask what we absolutely wouldn't eat, what we could be allergic to, and how...
Two words: no menu. What a great experience to have the chef/owner sit down at your table, bottle of wine in hand, and ask what we absolutely wouldn't eat, what we could be allergic to, and how spicy we could handle things. From there, it's all a surprise. Five courses later, including dessert, we left stuffed to the gills with some amazing Italian-inspired home cooking. The only downside to the "no menu" format is the wine, which you can certainly limit to a glass at a time, but a bottle is clearly "suggested" as the chef uncorks a fresh one at your table as you're seated. And this certainly ratchets up the bill. Still, well worth it for the experience.
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