What is Seattle missing?

[Really Nice!]

If you were to get into the business, and you had enough funding to do it right, what kind of restaurant would you open where everyone would say, "Finally! Seattle has x-style/type restaurant!"

[LaurieA-B]

My answer to this questions for years has been frites stand, so now I'll have to think again.

[cxt]

This is a fun question, Really Nice! In March I visited a delightful place in London called Chowki. This restaurant features 3 regions of India each month, making dishes that are typical of home cooking in those regions. When we were there they were highlighting Hyderabad, Mangalore and Rajasthan. We had the 3-course regional feast, for which one chose a starter and a main dish from the same region, with the chef supplying the geographically appropriate dessert. Each dish came with many small side dishes -- vegetables and dal and rice and sauces, so it was like having Indian tapas. The long, shared tables encouraged kibbutzing so we spoke with an Englishwoman whose family is Indian. She verified the claim of authentic Indian home-cooking and said she came to Chowki often since the featured regions change each month.

I love being able to sample many dishes and different flavors on a theme. Wouldn't it be great to have a place in Seattle that offered this kind of culinary virtual tour for India or any other country? I've also been intrigued by descriptions here and elsewhere of

El Bulli and The French Laundry. Well, we can dream...

(Look everyone, I've learned how to add links to my postings.)

[Fay Jai]

(cxt --- Yeah, I would like to do that! )

My dad has ALWAYS had a semiserious fantasy of opening a 50's themed Chinese Restaurant called "Wok Around the Clock" (Buh - dum -CHING!)

Mmmmmm....Fried rice with bacon for breakfast.....(didn't include eggs in the description, 'cuz when Dad made it, it ALWAYS had eggs in it anyway...)

Myself, I would LOVE to see a 24 hr Mexican place...(Hmmm a theme here...24 hours...too many years hanging around Dad's Denny's, I suppose...)

C-ya!

Jason

[MsRamsey]

If I could, I'd open a place with a really large selection of Belgian beers (like Hopvine in Chicago) and serve mainly mussels and frites.

[MGLloyd]

I would open up a pastry cafe selling a variety of fine desserts, coffees and teas. It would be open 24/7. Many is the time after coming back from the theatre, the game or the social event have we looked for a nice place to get a good coffee and dessert.

[kiliki]

A bbq oyster shack. I'd completely rip off the menu and funky, laid back style of the Marshall Store, on Tomales Bay, in northwest Marin County, California. They have 6 different styles of oysters, with bbq being the specialty, and a few other seafood dishes (can't remember what, exactly, since I only ever got oysters when I lived there last summer). You grab your own beer or soda out of the refrigerator and go sit on the deck or in the atrium and wait for your order. It was a perfect place and I can't believe we don't have anything like it here (The Baithouse is somewhat close).

[kiliki]

That pastry cafe is a great idea. Seattle has a dearth of good pastry. If you could buy beautiful cakes and tarts to go as you can in a french patisserie all the better.

[lala]

I third (or is it fourth) the pastry cafe. I have yet to find a decent brownie in this town. Something like Toy Boat in California in SF is my idea of a good time. A vast array of home baked treats, homemade ice cream, selections of teas and coffees, interesting sodas. Something for everyone.

On the flip side, an elegant patisserie would be lovely, too.

[tighe]

A higher end Middle Eastern/Eastern Med place like Oleana in Boston.

A crab shack kind of place serving good quality seafood would be good too....

[elswinger]

I would like the owners of La Taqueria in San Fancisco's Mission District to open up a franchise in the U-District or Ballard. La Taqueria has the best Carne Asada Tacos I've ever had! There almost as big as a Taco Del Mar burrito.

Barring that I wish Ooba Tooba's would open a restraunt in Ballard. I like the casual open air atmosphere and the food is great!

I also wish Ezell's (or someplace even better, would open in the U-District or Ballard.

(I want everything to be in the U-District or Ballard because I don't have a car, i work at the U, and will soon be living in Ballard).

[LainerX]

A good soup and salad place. You know, where the salads are interesting and ginormous and the soup options plentiful and made in house.

[Schielke]

Good coffee needs to make its way over the bridge to the Eastside. My ideal cafe would be very much like Vivace or Zoka. Firstly they have to make top notch espresso and microfoam milk drinks. And Secondly, it should be a place to hang out and read the paper or goof off on your laptop.

[rich]

Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) and Frasier!!

[elswinger]

Another thing I would like is more delivery options. I would like something besides pizza or chinese food. It would be great to get good mexican food, sushi/tempura/noodles, thai, or even a good hamburger/fries/shake to be delivered to my door.

[LEdlund]

I would love to have more small bites restaurants. Bin 941/2 in Vancouver is exactly what I am looking for. (Warning: web site has sound effects).

[kieran]

Another thing I would like is more delivery options. I would like something besides pizza or chinese food. It would be great to get good mexican food, sushi/tempura/noodles, thai, or even a good hamburger/fries/shake to be delivered to my door.

I second, third, and fourth this! More delivery!

I believe we've talked about this before here, but I'd love to see a really great Jewish deli open its doors here. I'd also like to see a good all-night diner open up. (Hey, I grew up in New Jersey.) I miss them.

Seattle has a couple of solid Italian places, but I'm always happy to get more.

[AccidentalHedonist]

If you were to get into the business, and you had enough funding to do it right, what kind of restaurant would you open where everyone would say, "Finally! Seattle has x-style/type restaurant!"

I'll second the need for more delivery places. And since I just moved here last year, I would love to see an east coast style Deli.

[rockdoggydog]

Ditto on the delivery but also a 24/7 beignet place with chicory coffee. mmmmmm

[sequim]

I believe we've talked about this before here, but I'd love to see a really great Jewish deli open its doors here. I'd also like to see a good all-night diner open up. (Hey, I grew up in New Jersey.) I miss them.

Ditto on the Deli. I miss chopped liver on hard roll. Real rye and black breads.

Decent Greek and Indian places - I know it helps though, to have the right local population to make this happen....

Mexican. The kind you can get in California. So maybe it's Cal-Mex.

[Sleepy_Dragon]

More street food from everywhere! Even though our summers are short, between their mildness, all the bodies of water, walking and bike paths, and the tourists, it seems like a seasonal thing that could work.

Seem to recall reading somewhere that local food regulations are what stop this from happening though.

More regional Chinese places too. Though agree with sequim about needing the right population to support it.

Pat

Edited May 10, 2004 by Sleepy_Dragon (log)

[Schielke]

We need a donner kebab place again...

[tighe]

We need a donner kebab place again...

AMEN BROTHER!!

I wonder where Bulent ended up. I'd donate body parts for another one of those sandwiches....

[Bruce Burger]

An upscale restaurant serving Royal Thai cuisine and regional Thai dishes rather than the standard Thai menu that every place in town has. But would there be enough interest? Beats me.

[Foodie-Girl]

A good Jewish deli where we good buy REAL bagels as well as cornbeef on rye sandwiches.

Also....a terrific little Northern Italian restaurant...light on the sauces...clear and delicate flavors.

Oh yeah...and maybe Armandino roaming around between the tables...LOL