Downtown seattle lunch

[Blue Heron]

Anybody have any favorite lunch places downtown (or heard of anything good)?  I'm looking for something not expensive, but all recommendations are welcome.   If anyone knows of anything near the Elliott Grand Hyatt Hotel, 721 Pine St., that's a plus.  Thanks!

[mamster]

What, no 727 Pine?

My first choice starting from the Elliott would be Zaina, on third between Pine and Stewart.  It's a middle eastern sandwich shop, and a really good one.  You know how at most places when you get a falafel sandwich it comes with falafel, lettuce, tomato, and tahini?  Well, here you get falafel, fava beans, hummus, lettuce and tomato, hot sauce, tahini, and probably other stuff I'm forgetting.  And all of it is good.  They grill the pita for you and hand-wrap it.  It's a total mess, so don't walk anywhere with it.

Other than that, I don't really know of anything worthwhile in that Pike-Pine desert.  Does anyone else?

[mamster]

Laurie gave me a couple of other ideas (what, no Cheesecake Factory?). The Six Arms is a McMenamin's pub right across the freeway on Pike.  Just a couple blocks walk uphill.

You can also hop on the #7 bus on Pine and ride free directly to Salumi or take the bus tunnel, also free, to Uwajimaya.

[heyjude]

You just ate at Le Pichet. Remember how good it was? It's good for lunch,too.

[Blue Heron]

Thank you for the recommendations.  It turns out my out of town lunch companion had never been to Pike Place market, and asked to go, so that's where we went, (however I'm going to Zaina's next chance I have...I have never had falafel before and would love to try).  So we did the market walk, got her picture taken with the "Caution, Low Flying Fish" guy, and stopped for fish n chips at Jack's Fish Spot across the street.  We agreed they were on the greasy side (and not as good as Sunfish), but it was convenient and the market ambiance was nice.

Any other rec's for future lunches downtown?  Last time previous to today I went to Wild Ginger for a lettuce wrapped spring roll...delicious, but a little messy.  I've also heard their udon noodle soup is good for lunch.  Also had a nice lunch salad at Etta's awhile back.

[mamster]

The bar at Typhoon! is also a good place--they have a number of different noodle dishes to choose from, and it's quite inexpensive for a "name" restaurant.  Last time I was there I had the Chiang Mai Curry Noodles (khao soi), which was a nice bowl of noodles in spicy coconut broth with some fried noodles on top.

Zaina is a great place for a first falafel.  It won't be unadorned, so you won't necessarily be able to tell which is the falafel taste and which is the other stuff, but the whole thing is so good, you'll get the idea.  It's a weird little restaurant, too, so plan to sit.

[tsquare]

5 of us had lunch at 94 Stewart. All were happy and full. The lamb cassoulet wasn't typical, but it was very tasty. Skinny lamb sausages, lots of white beans, pancetta, and mixed braised greens. The salads are huge, the crab mac n cheese looked very rich, and they have a crab sandwich too.

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1? With Matt's closed for the expansion and staffing changes at Market Grill, I had to branch out.

[bkaplan]

With Matt's closed for the expansion and staffing changes at Market Grill, I had to branch out.

What staffing changes at the Market Grill?

[tsquare]

With Matt's closed for the expansion and staffing changes at Market Grill, I had to branch out.

What staffing changes at the Market Grill?

←

Shane left town this fall - more sunshine, Mark quit as of New Year's Day....he's selling vegetables and fruits at Franks for now.

[LEdlund]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

[tsquare]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

[kiliki]

Shane left town this fall - more sunshine, Mark quit as of New Year's Day....he's selling vegetables and fruits at Franks for now.

I am trying to be cautiously optimistic about this, though when I saw they now have a salmon caeser "wrap" on the menu I got scared. My husband eats there 2-3 times a week and reports that after an initial breaking in phase, the sandwiches are still good.

[tighe]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

That's really good news, I'd heard that he had left Oceanaire, but didn't know what he was doing. I attended the Boomtown dinner he did; it was fantastic and certainly not out of the Oceanaire playbook.

[GourmetLight$]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

Wow, that menu looks great, and he has the Caviar Pie from the Oceanaire menu - yay!

[LEdlund]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

Wow, that menu looks great, and he has the Caviar Pie from the Oceanaire menu - yay!

←

Flash Fried Beecher's Cheese Curds? That can't suck!

So is this in the old Vivanda spot?

[dandelion]

So is this in the old Vivanda spot?

Yep... glad to see someone finally moving in there. It's been depressing to walk by and see the dust grow ever thicker on the bottles of alcohol that they never removed from the bar shelves.

[GourmetLight$]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

Wow, that menu looks great, and he has the Caviar Pie from the Oceanaire menu - yay!

←

Flash Fried Beecher's Cheese Curds? That can't suck!

So is this in the old Vivanda spot?

←

Just got off the phone with Kevin Davis (kind of a funny story...). Anyway, per my suggestion, there is a possibility for Poutine on the menu!!!!

Cheers,

[tighe]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

Wow, that menu looks great, and he has the Caviar Pie from the Oceanaire menu - yay!

←

Flash Fried Beecher's Cheese Curds? That can't suck!

So is this in the old Vivanda spot?

←

Just got off the phone with Kevin Davis (kind of a funny story...). Anyway, per my suggestion, there is a possibility for Poutine on the menu!!!!

Cheers,

←

What he really needs to put on the menu is the killer Peruvian tiradito that he served at the Boomtown dinner!! Hint, hint....

[GourmetLight$]

I am looking forward to the opening of Steelhead Diner - February 1?

I don't think I know of this place......tell me more?

←

Kevin Davis:

opening Feb 1?

←

Wow, that menu looks great, and he has the Caviar Pie from the Oceanaire menu - yay!

←

Flash Fried Beecher's Cheese Curds? That can't suck!

So is this in the old Vivanda spot?

←

Just got off the phone with Kevin Davis (kind of a funny story...). Anyway, per my suggestion, there is a possibility for Poutine on the menu!!!!

Cheers,

←

I just went to the website to show hubby the menu for Steelhead Diner, and noticed that Kevin Davis has indeed added Poutine to the menu!!!!

Cheers,

[jeancho]

Purple Wine Cafe is at 4th and University--interesting wine flights (Yes, I know you said lunch) and good salads, bruschetta, bar type of food--not fussy and fairly reasonable (i.e. $10 large entre salads)

I also like Cafe Campgne near Pike's Market for lunch (though not inexpensive)

[hummingbirdkiss]

Just up from Harborview is Malay Satay

nicely prepared fresh Malaysian food for extremely reasonable prices

nothing upscale just good food prepared there

Edited February 9, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)