Good restaurants near Seattle airport

[halland]

Anyone have a recommendation for where is good down in the Southcenter / Sea-Tac / Burien area? Need to take my father to dinner.

Hal

[tighe]

You're in my neighborhood now!...

For a higher end place, I think Spencer's in the SeaTac Hilton is definitively the best restaurant in the area. The steaks there are as good, or better, than what I've had at Union Square, El Gaucho, etc.

There's a good neighborhood Italian place on Des Moines Mem Dr, just north of 518, called Filiberto's. Their brick-oven pizzas are some of the best I've had and they have a huge menu of pasta dishes.

For a low-priced option, Taqueria El Rinconsito on Pac Hwy S in Tukwila has delicious, authentic Mexican food.

[girl chow]

Ditto Tighe's suggestions of Spencer's and Filibertos. Both are excellent for birthday celebrations. Taqueria El Rinconsito is fantastic for a low-key celebration dinner.

Spencer's has really really great steaks. It's more expensive than most SeaTac restaurants (which isn't saying much), but very well priced considering the quality rivals some of Seattle's great places for steaks, as Tighe said (steaks are priced at $20 and above and everything is served a la carte).

Also, in Southcenter, I like Grazie. It's an Italian restaurant. It's simple and elegant and the food is good, although I think Filibertos might be a touch better. Still, I think Grazie is a restaurant that shouldn't be overlooked. It's directly across the street from Southcenter Mall.

Also, in Des Moines (not as close to the airport), some people might recommend a French restaurant called La Bonaparte. I know a lot of people who love this restaurant, but I've never been a huge fan. My meals there have never been quite right, always over or under cooked or something promised is missing from the plate. I believe they have a sloppy kitchen staff.

If you're willing to expand your search area to Renton, there are some wonderful restaurants there. I love Jubilante, which is an eclectic restaurant with a world flavors menu. I also really like Gene's Ristorante, a classic Italian restaurant with a really attentive chef. Also, I think that the Melrose Grill is a decent place to get a steak. The owners of Melrose also have Armondo's in Renton, which is decent Italian with wonderful pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Hope these suggestions help you find a great place to take your dad for his birthday!

[tighe]

Also, in Southcenter, I like Grazie. It's an Italian restaurant. It's simple and elegant and the food is good, although I think Filibertos might be a touch better. Still, I think Grazie is a restaurant that shouldn't be overlooked. It's directly across the street from Southcenter Mall.

Also, in Des Moines (not as close to the airport), some  people might recommend a French restaurant called La Bonaparte. I know a lot of people who love this restaurant, but I've never been a huge fan. My meals there have never been quite right, always over or under cooked or something promised is missing from the plate. I believe they have a sloppy kitchen staff.

If you're willing to expand your search area to Renton, there are some wonderful restaurants there. I love Jubilante, which is an eclectic restaurant with a world flavors menu. I also really like Gene's Ristorante, a classic Italian restaurant with a really attentive chef. Also, I think that the Melrose Grill is a decent place to get a steak. The owners of Melrose also have Armondo's in Renton, which is decent Italian with wonderful pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven.

There must have been others that agree with your assesment of Le Bonaparte because its out of business now. I wanted to try it a while back, but the phone number was disconnected and last time I drove by it looked like there was a Thai restaurant in the space.

I also like Grazie, it is a more refined ambiance and style than Filiberto's, but I think Filiberto's is better at what they do.

I liked the Melrose the one time I went and its a little less expensive than Spencer's, but not as good either. I'm afraid that when I went to Jubilante it made me vow to never go back. Part of that is probably about me though, I'm just philosophically opposed to the words 'ecclectic' and 'restaurant' (or 'menu') being used together...

Edited July 22, 2003 by tighe (log)

[girl chow]

Hey Tighe, I definitely see your point about Jubilante, but surprisingly I've never been bothered by Jubilante's weird menu. I can see how you'd have to be a certain kind of person to like it because the menu is all over the place. I found Jubilante after I read about it on a "Top 10" list by John Hinterberger eons ago (like 1997?). I was skeptical on my first visit, but went back, and then kept going back.

I loved the rustic artichoke tart, which was on their lunch menu for years. The women in my office continue to order the smoked salmon cake salad, even though it's been off the menu for years (the chef still makes it for them).

Their pastry chef/baker produces some pretty decent stuff in their display case. The fresh baked bread still sells out really early in the day Ok, enough about Jubilante. We'll just have to agree to disagree

Oh, one thing I forgot to say about Melrose: it's been evolving into a "see and be seen" joint on the weekends. Read: pickup joint. Weeknights, I hear, are still safe.

[tighe]

Oh, one thing I forgot to say about Melrose: it's been evolving into a "see and be seen" joint on the weekends. Read: pickup joint. Weeknights, I hear, are still safe.

There's a "see and be seen" joint IN RENTON??? Is the apocalypse upon us?

[girl chow]

Tighe, I know! It's extremely frightening. Renton, as a whole, is pretty frightening. Even more frightening: Kent.

[DRColby]

There a Thai resturant just north of the airport in an old A&W building, it is on a corner (about 148th) on the west side and is quite good. Rumor has it that this was a resturant started by Thai Airways in a motel across the street to fed its flight crews back in the '70s.

If you want to travel further there is a good dim sum/fish resturant in the Great Wall shopping center at East Valley and about 180th.

In des Moines and often over looked place is Wally's Fish and Chips which is priced reasonanly and has great fried fat (French fries and cod) and does a good job on salmon.

dave

[tighe]

There  a Thai resturant just north of the airport in an old A&W  building, it is on a corner (about 148th) on the west side and is quite good.  Rumor has it that this was a resturant started by Thai Airways in a motel across the street to fed its flight crews back in the '70s.

  If you want to travel further there is a good dim sum/fish resturant in the Great Wall shopping center at East Valley and about 180th.

  In des Moines and often over looked place is Wally's Fish and Chips which is priced reasonanly and has great fried fat (French fries and cod) and does a good job on salmon.

dave

The Thai place in question is Bai Tong, very good by all accounts although its been a long time since I've been there.

The dim sum place is Imperial Garden, best Chinese food I've had in the Seattle area.

[beans]

Tighe, I know! It's extremely frightening. Renton, as a whole, is pretty frightening. Even more frightening: Kent.

I've stayed many a night near Southcenter getting bumped on standby with good ole Alaska Air.... If my next flight isn't in the wee hours of sunrise, I usually tend to hop to the city, but more often than not I'm stranded walking around the shopping center to pass the time.

I've been to Spencer's ( oops, sorry, name drifting!), Grazie and Filiberto's. Good food.

Enjoy!

[Blue Heron]

There  a Thai resturant just north of the airport in an old A&W  building, it is on a corner (about 148th) on the west side and is quite good.  Rumor has it that this was a resturant started by Thai Airways in a motel across the street to fed its flight crews back in the '70s.

If you want to travel further there is a good dim sum/fish resturant in the Great Wall shopping center at East Valley and about 180th.

In des Moines and often over looked place is Wally's Fish and Chips which is priced reasonanly and has great fried fat (French fries and cod) and does a good job on salmon.

dave

The Thai place in question is Bai Tong, very good by all accounts although its been a long time since I've been there.

I had dinner at Bai Tong on Sunday. I wasn't sure what to expect as I had heard mixed reveiws, but my friend and I were really happy with our dinner.

I can recommend the Satay (6 skewers of chicken served with peanut sauce & cucumber salad), Gai Hor Bai Toey (aprox. 6 or 7 chicken pieces of boneless thighs I think) that tasted similar to teriyake, however the chicken is cutely wrapped, cooked and presented in toey (herb) leaf which also imparts a subtle flavor and served with dipping sauce, Squid Salad (spicy squid mixed w/ lemon grass, spices, mint leaves, chili and lime juice)... great, but ask for lime wedges on the side, as it needed a little extra fresh lime juice in it, Phad Ka Prau Pork (stir fry pork w/ basil leaves)... this was an ordinary but tasty dish that I would choose something else maybe next time. We were recommended to try their Pan Fried Whole Fish with hot and spicy sauce but with just the 2 of us we decided against it. I would try it next time.

For all 4 dishes plus a bottle of their most expensive white wine (which was good) the bill came to only $57 before tip, a real bargain. It's located at 15859 Pacific Highway So, at the corner of 160th and Hwy 99 right on the main drag. It was half full when we got there and packed when we left. tel. 206-431-0893. There is also a Bai Tong II at the Red Lion Inn. I asked the waiter about it, and he said the manager of of the original Bai Tong has opened a location there. It is not recommended to be as good though.

[DRColby]

"There is also a Bai Tong II at the Red Lion Inn. I asked the waiter about it, and he said the manager of of the original Bai Tong has opened a location there. It is not recommended to be as good though."

How does this happen so often with Thai resturants?

There is another good one south on highway 99 in Federal Way called Indochine. The original is small, has a french Pastry bakery and has very good food. The young man who owns - or runs - it came to Federal Way via Lyon and apprenticing in France. There is a second IndoChine right across the parking lot in a former Korean resturant, much bigger and (in my opinion) nowhere near as goof. My guy says, "Oh, that's my uncle." His, the origina, l is now "Cafe Indochine."

dave

[girl chow]

Agreed! Indochine is great Thai. I used to work a block from there. I also used to eat at a place on 312th, out toward Saltwater, called Roncella's. Very good small Italian joint, but can't confirm if it's still there. I haven't been there in eons. Maybe you or someone else knows?

The assessment of Indochine is dead on... the original location (the one with the green awning) is much better than the new location next door.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

The Dude & I ate at the Melrose Grill last night, and came away with a very good experience. The concept seems to be a lot like the JaK's restaurants - once price for the entree, which comes with a salad, your choice of potatoes, and vegetables.

Tasty (if pricey) cocktails - a Manhattan for The Dude, an Orangesicle for me (Vanilla Stoli & Orangina - yum). Very good bread, and good butter (very important!). I opted to pay extra for the beefsteak tomato & blue cheese salad (rather than the standard green salad that comes with the entrees), and it was well worth it. Served with carmelized onions and balsamic, it was a great flavor combination. The Dude also "paid up," but for a Caesar (with real anchovies), which he enjoyed

For entrees, The Dude had a 15-oz top sirloin; I had one of the evening's specials - a petit filet with tiger prawns. The steaks were very, very good - tender, juicy and cooked perfectly. The prawns were very flavorful, but could have been sauteed for about another minute. Sides were cooked well - potatoes and vegetables had nice flavor. Also had a half-bottle of Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon. (After the cocktails, and anticipating a 25-30 minute drive back home, we didn't think a full bottle was the best choice for us. That being said, their wine list wasn't too bad. The half bottle selection wasn't the best (6 or 7 to choose from), but given that we're talking about a small place in Renton, hey - it was a nice surprise that they had some half-bottles. I'm not complaining!). They had a nice selection of desserts - which, according to our server are baked daily on the premises - but we were just too full. And, speaking of the server, ours was great. Knowledgeable, friendly and attentive, but not intrusive or obsequious.

All that that being said, I've never eaten at Spencer's so I can't compare the two, but the Melrose Grill - on its own merits - would be a fine choice to get a good steak. It's not cheap, but we'd have paid about 70% more for a comparable menu at one of Seattle's premier steak houses.