lemony

i've been absent from the board for awhile, just quietly lurking when i have a chance. still the liveliest NW food forum i know about! which is why i am turning to you for some help. my 40th birthday is approaching and party plans are underway. it's a bit of a fiesta theme, with specialty margaritas, a mariachi band, and other good stuff. i would like to rent a taco truck to be on-site, serving a few choices for guests (thinking tacos, tamales, perhaps quesadillas). has anyone here ever done such a thing? i am having a miserable time finding any party planning info that can help facilitate. so, two questions: 1. any tips on best way to go about this? 2. recommendations? we seem to have a bit of a taco truck explosion lately in seattle (yay!) and i could use some advice on the best. really looking for fabulous carnitas and nice folks. thanks in advance for any help you are able to offer.

I live right up the hill from Alki Beach and am happy to report that the Celtic Swell is a good addition to the neighborhood. I've been in a handful of times and have had great service at the bar, as well as in the dining area. Haven't had a lot of the menu offerings but the meat pies are rather tasty, they make a delicious burger and fries, and I'm fond of the leek soup. Good selection of beers and whiskey and I've heard that the open mic night (Monday) brings in all sorts of weirdoes and their instrumets (I mean that as a compliment). Plus, they offer a baked potato topped with Heinz vegetarian baked beans! For those of you that don't like a hazy pub, the Celtic Swell does not allow smoking until after 10pm. They seem to do a good amount of business for dinner and the one time I've been there for lunch was fairly busy. Lots of good looking Irish men seem to hang out at this joint, if that's your thing. The owner also seems to be present and is a friendly sort. lemony

i'm with you, mr. lucky. there isn't much romance to be had in a packed restaurant. sounds like your brunch is the place to be! lemony

as tradition dictates, i purchased a box of mint frangos this christmas. they are still hanging around the house because they really don't tate good. at all. stale, old, and dry (they used to melt so nicely in one's mouth). what happened to the candy i loved? growing up in seattle, frangos were a christmas staple. i don't think i'll ever buy them again. lemony

i'm with you. had dinner there this past summer with two friends and was very disappointed in the food. savories were far too salty, sweet dishes were terribly sweet, and it took a reeeeeeaaaaaaalllllly long time. the saving grace was an unknown beer, which i can't remember the name of. probably because we ended up drinking too many while waiting for our courses! lemony

i like to think of it as a milkshake for the elderly! never had the guts to try it myself, perhaps in 30 years when i'm in my sixties....meet you there?! lemony

i've eaten at the turf. i've had drinks at the turf, hell - i've been drunk at the turf. i have been propositioned at the turf, i've been offered drugs at the turf and, on one memorable visit, bought a cocktail ring off some shady dude at the turf. in short, the turf is sketchy but worth a visit. i have not been to the "new" turf (the old spot was on pike as well, but across the street and closer to first ave.). the "new" turf always reminds me of the exciting day downtown that the seattle police had a stand off with a man brandishing a broad sword. i worked at a record company up the street and we spent a good part of the afternoon watching the police yell at the sword guy. why they never threw a net over him, ala scooby doo, i'll never know. downtown used to be littered with dive bars and visiting them in my early 20's was the norm. they were always packed with characters, a slight hint of danger, and insanely strong drinks. it breaks my heart that all those joints have been shut down: the gay 90's, the old rendezvous, that place across from the court house where you could play shuffleboard while waiting for someone to post bail, steve's broiler....to name but a few. and abruzzi's pizzeria, the perfect spot to soak up some of that booze! i'm all for progress but downtown seattle could be any city, USA. directions are virtually the same everywhere ("go a block past the gap, turn by nike town, it's near pottery barn..."). there are numerous places to get a mojito or a cosmopolitan yet i can't think of anywhere in the downtown retail core that an old timer can belly up to the bar and order a bourbon and milk. except for the turf. lemony

i grew up in bothell (which we simply referred to as "hell") and can vouch for the ranch drive in. it's been years since i've been there but it was a staple as a kid and the top choice when leaving campus for lunch when i was in high school. i remember the ranch burger being a deliciously sloppy affair, crinkle cut fries, great tartar sauce, and soft serve cones dipped in chocolate. the corn dogs were popular, as well. it was a family owned and run operation and probably still is. on a trip to an estate sale out there a few years back, we stopped at the ranch and i actually recognized someone working there. it should be noted that i graduated from bothell high school in 1985 and left shortly thereafter. i would guess i've been eating at dick's for a good 32 of my 37 years and have never once heard of anyone getting a special order. i'm surprised anyone has even tried! it was one of those rules ingrained in your head if you grew up here: No Special Orders! it was always part of the appeal, particularly if you were a kid with a picky eater sibling. lemony

had dinner at thaiku last night and am still perplexed this morning about how busy this place is. ambience is fine, i guess - a bit on the disneyland side of things but it's ok. i've been to private events in that sexy room downstairs, which is quite nice. the food was some of the most uninspired thai food i've had in ages. our table had a wide variety of choices and all were bland. service was terrible. i just don't get it. the place is always packed. am i missing something? is there a secret menu i don't know about? lemony

my only beef with serafina is the live jazz - too loud. i'm pretty much against live music in any restaurant, as it tends to be too domineering and the sound is rarely good. that said, i am continually impressed with their food and fine service. i love how they can be a special occasion place and a neighborhood joint all at once. lemony

thanks for the tip on fado. living in west seattle, i drive by fado nearly every day, as the columbia street on-ramp to the viaduct is right there. and, while i generally abhor ye olde timey irish pubs and binge drinking college kids, a visit is now definitely in order. there's nothing wrong with ice cream for lunch! lemony

more on the german deli mentioned previously: i drove by the spot yesterday, it is called The Continental Store and it appears to have either changed format or added a restaurant or...? i wasn't able to stop in but, if you're interested, the available phone and address info is here. in related news, the neighboring Tubs Seattle has apparently added espresso to its services, which conjures a simply awful image in my mind. lemony

roxy's on 1st ave (by the market) has blessedly closed. i'm with you, placebo, the joint was a bummer. do not sell knishes if you don't make them well! u.district deli: although it is not the complete counter you are looking for, there is a german/bavaraian store located just before 50th on roosevelt. i haven't been there for years (moved out of the neighborhood) but used to be hooked on their sandwiches - ham, swiss, a smear of some sort of mayo-mustard blend - served on delicious little rolls. cheap, as well. i can't remember the name of the place but i know it's still there. and, although you've got transportation limitations, consider a field trip out to west seattle to husky deli, located in the heart of the junction. excellent meats, cheeses, sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of imported treats (including maltesers!). good luck. it's hard to find a good deli counter in seattle. lemony

i was hooked on brown bread ice cream years ago when living in london. i've found what seem to be good recipes for it but i am not an ice cream maker. has anyone ever come across it in seattle? or know of a source that would maybe ship it to me? these fall days have me longing for roast dinners, followed by a bowl of brown bread ice cream. lemony

going out for drinks during the week is about a MILLION times better than visiting the same places on a friday or saturday night. weekend warriors ruin all the good spots so feel lucky you have a job that lets you experience better service and better ambience. on lower queen anne, try the mirabeau room, which is the old sorry charlie's spot. they did a good job with the room and offer a wide variety of entertainment. dunno about milk & bourbon, though. i also love the streamline tavern. it's one of the last remaining old-timer taverns within walking distance of downtown. lemony

dragonfish has a late kitchen and is one of my best late night eatery spots. plenty for vegetarians on the menu. not terribly astounding but good and somewhat cosmopolitan. cyclops is more casual but located not far from the clipper pier and has a fun atmosphere. good luck. late night, esp. on a monday, really sucks in seattle. lemony

well, lola was a regular e-gullet hang out this week, as i finally tried it for dinner on saturday night. there were three in our party, although we had enough food for many more! as previously mentioned by others, the six spread starter is great. i liked them all but the roasted red pepper was my fave. and, three cheers for the hot fresh pita! i loved the baked salt cod and the mussels were nice, too. i do think you have to be a bit of an idiot to mess up mussels – all you really need is a good dunk. contrary to the post above, my dining companion was not so thrilled with the seafood tagine. it wasn’t awful – just sort of bland (more on this below). the lamb tagine, however, was positively sublime – succulent, amazingly tender, and served with beans the size of a man’s thumbnail. lemony green beans were great, the lamb kebab was good, and the smashed garlic fried potatoes were amazing. we tried three desserts – the chocolate tart was rich and heavy on the cocoa, it was heavenly. i’m still not certain about the red wine infused ice cream that accompanied it – it was sort of delicious and also sort of tasted as if it had gone off. the goat milk turnovers were a hit. IMO, the much-discussed doughnuts are not nearly as good as the version across the street – lola’s are denser and, i felt, too leaden as a result. not bad, though. our meal was really quite delicious and the service was fabulous. our server overheard one of my companions pronounce the aforementioned seafood as “not that great” and removed it from the bill, despite the fact that the complaint wasn’t formally made – like i said, it wasn’t awful. just sort of boring. i was impressed with this action, just as i was impressed the with the extremely prompt and attentive service during the 7-9pm saturday crunch. it’s noisy in there but not really in a bad way. more like “hey, have a good time family style” loud rather than “what the hell did you say?” loud. i really like the interior, with the exception of those GOD AWFUL NEON FLAMES hanging in the lounge. what the?!?! they look like leftovers from the wing dome or something. thankfully, i sat facing the room. an added note for the ladies: the restrooms (which are located in the hotel lobby) include a private bidet. much discussion ensued on this point. all in all, i quite enjoyed lola and would recommend it. i was hesitant, as greek food doesn’t rank in my top ten, but was pleasantly satisfied with the menu and preparation. lemony

i had some friends in town from l.a. last weekend and had the pleasure of shopping, poking around neighborhoods i often ignore, and eating a tremendous amount of good food. as a longtime resident of seattle, i often get tired of the "same old choices" but being able to see them through the eyes of a non-resident was a real treat. a brief re-cap of the places we went: -matt's in the market: lunch. catfish sandwich, of course. still one of my all time faves. - kingfish: dinner. had the mac & cheese for the first time ever. still swooning. -dahlia lounge: dinner. a meat lover's paradise on our table that night (duck, steak, lamb). couldn't resist the doughnuts, which our server brought us to try (at no charge) after hemming and hawing over dessert. TOM DOUGLAS FOR MAYOR. -macrina bakery: breakfast. that french toast should be illegal. - viceory: drinks. it may be a bit sweet but i still love the seersucker. -garage: bowling & snacks. they also make a hell of a bloody mary. -mirabeau room: drinks. fantastic lemon drop. the only stinker of a meal was the burger at red robin out by the airport, but i knew what we were getting into. anyone have a similar campaign of eating they would like to share? lemony

well, i'm going against the grain herre but i still believe shiro's to be the best. i find their quality to be the most consistent, i like the service, and the no-nonsense approach to sushi is appreciated. that said, saito's is also fantastic. i'm not wild about the space, though - it feels haunted or something to me. i will also confess to having a soft spot for wasabi (also there on 2nd avenue). it's a meat market at times and service is hit or miss but they have some good specials and the sushi, for the most part, is fabulous. they do a lot of stuff i don't approve of (fruit in sushi rolls, weird combinations of ingredients) but i had some fatty tuna there recently that makes me forgive them their sins. lemony

expensive but worth every penny. i agree with a previous post re: scott carsberg's genius way with food. he may be tempermental, over the top, and effusive at times but the best usually are. service is kind of cold at times but somewhat refreshing. i really don't ever need to know my server's name, nor do they need to know mine. i'm there to enjoy the food, not make new friends. go. enjoy. you will not be disappointed. broke, perhaps, but you can always make more money. lemony

as i said in the el gaucho thread, i think it's one of the sexiest rooms in town. let's have some fun today: what are your faves? i'm talkin' about good lighting, ambience that makes you purr, spots where you just can't help but slip your foot out of your shoe and rub it against your companion's leg. not meat markets or pick up joints but rather spots that just feel so....sexy. my top choices include il bistro, the aforementioned gaucho, the upstairs deck at the swedish club (food sucks but the view is amazing), and luigi's place in pioneer square. but nothing comes close to the old cafe sophie on 1st ave. i miss it. lemony

i think el gaucho is one of the sexiest rooms in seattle. plus, the service has been stellar each time i've been there. lemony

how could i have forgotten the steingarten essay?! one of my favorite books, thank you for reminding me. tsquare, i am in complete agreement re: a stand in the market. that and another frites stand would just be an excuse to make tons of money. the lobster salad i had came from the Lobster Pot, located in provincetown. i actually managed to eat lobster nearly every day i was there and, although i can see where lobster salad may offend some, it was a damn fine lunch. twice. equally delicious from the Lobster Pot: tim's clam chowder, shellfish algarve, portugese soup, fried clam strips (wonderfully light), and the bloody marys were sublime. lobster pot lemony

just got home from an amazing, relaxing week in cape cod, where i had my first ever lobster salad roll. i've been wanting to try one since reading a glowing piece by jane & michael stern in gourmet a while back. i know it's mainly an east coast thing but does anyone know of somewhere in seattle that serves a fine lobster salad roll? the lobster salad shouldn't be difficult to replicate, it's the squishy white roll that i fear will be elusive. lemony

go to viceroy and have a SEERSUCKER. if quentin is working (definite on thursday after 9pm), tell him THE RIZZLE sent you. if he questions it (which he won't), tell him RHODE ISLAND sent you. you will have a great time and the drinks will be delicious. quentin is one of this city's finest, no doubt. lemony