the Factoria zone

[ScorchedPalate]

I'm meeting up wth friends next Tuesday for dinner, and we'd like to keep it as close to Factoria as possible. Any suggestions?

(Most of the places I know in Bellevue are up near Bellevue Square, or over near 148th and 520.)

~Anita

[tighe]

The food at The Calcutta Grill at The Golf Club at Newcastle is pretty good and you can't beat the view, not that it matters this time of year. I don't think there's much other than chain restaurants at Factoria proper.

Edited December 16, 2003 by tighe (log)

[laurel]

I like Shanghai Shanghai. It's in a strip mall near the mall and movie theater. Make sure to ask for the Chinese menu with the pictures; all the good stuff is on there.

Edited December 16, 2003 by laurel (log)

[girl chow]

I can't agree more about the Calcutta recommendation (up on the hill above Factoria, technically in Newcastle at the Newcastle Golf Club), the view is great. Not now, of course, but during the very short al fresco season here next summer, they'll open the patio for dining. The experience is wonderful. Love that view.

Another possibility is Grazie in Factoria. Simple Italian food prepared fairly well. Atmosphere is warm and inviting. Pesto sauce is fantastic.

On the other side of I-90 in the Eastgate area is a nice little family Italian place called Cucina Mama Mia. It's in the strip mall where Safeway recently departed (I think a car dealership is moving there).

[tsquare]

Any new thoughts on this subject? (I have reasons to be spending some time nearby, including easy movie access!)

[shelby'smom]

Any new thoughts on this subject? (I have reasons to be spending some time nearby, including easy movie access!)

←

There is a small diner called Lil' Johns near the Toyota dealership in Eastgate. It has been there 40 years. Fast service and decent food, reasonably priced. Usually very busy for weekend breakfast/lunch. It is typical diner food though, so manage your expectations, but give it a whirl. In the Factoria Mall, there is a Goldberg's Deli that is not bad, again not a fine dining place, but a good BLT and corned beef. Both places have full bars too. For a fast lunch, the greek place in the Mall by Target has a good gyro. Our fav Chinese is Maple Leaf, corner of 148th and 8th. Ask for Empress Chicken, it's not on the menu. Bell Square is faster to get to if you go down Bellevue Way as opposed to fighting 405, lots more choices there.

[rockdoggydog]

Near Factoria is Yea's Wok, definitely worth going to.

Rocky

[tsquare]

Thanks for the suggestions. Anything else along the 1-90 corridor would be great - east side of Bellevue?

[creepygirl]

My favorite places in Factoria are Shanghai Cafe (across the street from Factoria Mall) and Tasty Thai (in the Loehmann's shopping center). Shanghai Cafe's house special barleygreen noodle chow mein and pork w/dried bean curd & pickled cabbage are pretty good. Tasty Thai has excellent mussaman curry and panang curry.

Closer to Eastgate, there's South Gate Korean BBQ, which is good (but not quite as good as the places on Aurora.)

If you're willing to venture a little farther away from Factoria, there's a couple of places in the Trader Joe's shopping center (NE 20th and 156th). Zenyai noodles is an upscale Asian place (seems to be a mixture of Thai, Vietnamese, and a few Japanese dishes.) It's relatively pricey but very tasty. Mayuri has really good lamb biryani and ginger chicken.

[tsquare]

Goldberg's (Factoria) is pretty good - very pleasant and good value.

Bennett's (Mercer Island) has a lot going for it. Kind of weird with the deli case, bistro and bar. But the food is good and the eavesdropping is a little different that I am used to!

A quick (and boy are they fast) dinner at the Thai place (Tasty Thai) across from the theaters was very good.

Keep the ideas coming...and thanks.

[tsquare]

There is a Torero's tucked away by the mall - okay, as for overall recommendation, eh not so much.

But they make flour tortillas in the lobby! These are wonderful - fluffy, fresh, warm. It's a machine made product, hand fed with little dough blobs. I forgot to check to see if you can buy them by the bag. I would think so.

Do they have these at all of their restaurants? What is best to order to go with the tortillas?

Edited June 18, 2007 by tsquare (log)

[tsquare]

"Top Gun" - behind the movie complex at Factoria. Eat there - the take out menu is boring (or maybe we just didn't read carefully,) but the stay and eat menu is remarkable. We had delicious spareribs, complex singapore noodles, and a mildly hot cod with vegetables. Enough for 4, about $35.

Saw another table with a beautiful plate of greens - maybe chinese broccoli? Also, oysters on the half shell! The menu offers lobster two ways...some great sounding banquets / family dinners...

While we were there, two parties of Bellevue's police came in to eat - a 3 top and a 4 top. Not sure what that adds, but it was interesting.

This place is huge and is supposed to have great dim sum, but I haven't managed to get there early in the day. It is also difficult to find.