Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels: Seattle

[elswinger]

Anyone else watch it? For the most part I agreed with her choices (Top Pot, Dahlia Lounge, The Crocodile, Crush, Beth’s (for a cheap late night eat), and a wine bar that I was unfamiliar with.

But Ivar’s Salmon House? The building and view might be nice but the food is bland and there are so many better seafood restaurants in Seattle.

My main gripe was Dick’s. Not that the food is bad, but when Rachel talked about the place (I don’t think she really went, they cut to a picture of a thick-pattied burger an a whole grain roll served with palm frittes.

[Ling]

What? They have pommes frites at Dick's? (I've never eaten there but realize it's a Seattle institution.)

I remember catching a bit of that episode a few months ago. Not familiar with The Crocodile or Beth's, but Top Pot's is a good choice, if only for their old-fashioned glazed!

Edited June 17, 2006 by Ling (log)

[tighe]

There's no reason to ever eat at the Crocodile, see bands and drink, yes, eat, never.

[pgtips]

It's difficult to believe that la Ray has been to Beth's.

On our last visit, we were instructed to stand outside on Aurora at 2am, as they have a strict policy of not seating until the *entire* party is present, and have no waiting area. There were empty tables inside.

The food was subDenny's--pallid, limp hashbrowns, cold white toast, greasy bacon.

Beth's is a great institution, as long as you never actually eat there.

Edited June 18, 2006 by pgtips (log)

[MGLloyd]

I think part of the appeal of Beth's is that for many years, it was one of the very few places open late at night in the North End. Consequently, everyone headed to Beth's when the taverns and bars closed, especially the frat boys. Large amounts of greasy food is what that demographic craves, and Beth's delivers.

[hhlodesign]

My main gripe was Dick’s.  Not that the food is bad, but when Rachel talked about the place (I don’t think she really went, they cut to a picture of a thick-pattied burger an a whole grain roll served with palm frittes.

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I haven't seen the episode, but I really hope they didn't show a good looking burger. Dick's is crap! It would have been great to show on national television what Seattlites consider a "great" burger. When I was first taken there, I was horrified! Not to mention the fact that I bit into 2 pieces of bone or cartilage, out of two burgers. That's right; 2 for 2. This place is so ridiculously bad, I have no ideal what people from Seattle see in it. They even rave about the fries. The over-fried soggy mess that they make out of potatoes that Seattlites call "the best fries in Seattle!"

Huh?!??! What am I missing?

Edited June 18, 2006 by hhlodesign (log)

[hhlodesign]

I think part of the appeal of Beth's is that for many years, it was one of the very few places open late at night in the North End.  Consequently, everyone headed to Beth's when the taverns and bars closed, especially the frat boys.  Large amounts of greasy food is what that demographic craves, and Beth's delivers.

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Who does the scouting for that show?! Beth's is crap also! I don't care how many eggs they use in an omelet. Quantity does not overcome quality!

Is she only out after the good places close? I always thought she had the demeaner of a vampire!

This brings to mind a big problem about Seattle, no good places to eat after 1:30am.

[noambenami]

Rachel Ray's target audience is not real foodies; the one tasty travels show I watched (on a plane ride) showed a lot of atrocious looking food and felt like an infomercial. It was pretty offputting, to be frank. She targets the lowest-common-denominator...and why not: Thats where the money is, just not the quality.

[Ling]

Dick's is crap!

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Thus spaketh the man who enjoys cream cheese hotdogs.

[hhlodesign]

Dick's is crap!

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Thus spaketh the man who enjoys cream cheese hotdogs.

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Yeah! She should have gone to First Ave. in Belltown!

[Abra]

Beth's is a great institution, as long as you never actually eat there.

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That's so well said, although I've never been to Beth's, but it's exactly what I think about Dick's. I'm pretty sure we all agree, it's not about the food. People love Dick's because, well, I have no earthly idea. I just know that they do, and that it can't possibly be about the food. And no, they don't have frites. They have sub-par fries. Ok, I'm enrolling in the witness protection program now.

[tighe]

The psychology behind liking Dick's is impossible to explain. I went to high school on Capital Hill and was a regular at the Broadway Dick's for a 3+ years. To this day, there are times when I simply have to have a Deluxe and a vanilla shake and, trust me, it doesn't have anything to do with it being a good hamburger. The fries are a different story, I've never liked them.

[LEdlund]

Dick's is crap! It would have been great to show on national television what Seattlites consider a "great" burger. When I was first taken there, I was horrified!    Not to mention the fact that I bit into 2 pieces of bone or cartilage, out of two burgers. That's right; 2 for 2. This place is so ridiculously bad, I have no ideal what people from Seattle see in it. They even rave about the fries. The over-fried soggy mess that they make out of potatoes that Seattlites call "the best fries in Seattle!"   

Huh?!??!  What am I missing?

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You're missing the memories of your youth growing up in Seattle and hitting Dick's on the way home from the clubs. You do that enough times and then you become nostalgic for it. We recently went there with SeaGal who, in the past, shared your confusion over the love of Dick's. We were at the Wallingford location just before 2 AM, the place was packed, and we were starving. As we ate our burgers and watched "the show" she said, "Now I understand the appeal of Dick's"

But I want to know which Seattlite calls Dick's fries the best in Seattle........That's just crazy talk.

[dandelion]

Can I please, please, please blame Rachel Ray for the fact that I had to wait in the world's longest line at Top Pot for a dozen doughnuts to bring to my dad yesterday morning? It's been my Father's Day tradition for 3 years, and this was the first time I had to wait for more than a couple minutes. The place was mobbed with tourists!

[elswinger]

Regarding Dick's, it's for those of us, on occasion, have nostalgia for the hamburgers they used to serve in the high school cafateia. I doubt Rachel went there, nor to Beth's. They used footage from a previous show (Top 10 American Houses of Gluttony...or something like that). Beth's was

number six.

I think the hamburger pictured was actually one from the LC Kitchen.

[Blue Heron]

I got into my Dick's habit when we'd stop there on the way home from girl's night out at the clubs. We really only stopped for the fries, as I don't care for the relish (sweet pickle?) they use on their burgers. I stop in there (either Broadway or 45th location) if I'm in the area maybe once a year to get my Dick's fry fix. Yes they are sub par, yes they are greasy... but I like that they are thin fries, salty, and they hit the spot sometimes! Dick's qualifies as a guilty pleasure...

[SusieQ]

There's no reason to ever eat at the Crocodile, see bands and drink, yes, eat, never.

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Sorry, I have to chime in here and say that sometimes their soups are really good. They're homemade. Of course, I also have to add that the soup I ordered two days ago -- split pea with tofu -- wasn't that great because the peas weren't cooked all the way. Then when the server asked (and I said) how the soup was, he offered to bring me the other soup -- cream of asparagus with three cheeses. Which was tasty, but some of the asparagus pieces were the part that should have been snapped off and left in the garbage. Totally non-chewable.

(I go in there sometimes when I'm downtown on a job and have to find some place to hang out for a few hours with my work.)

SusieQ

[hhlodesign]

There's no reason to ever eat at the Crocodile, see bands and drink, yes, eat, never.

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Sorry, I have to chime in here and say that sometimes their soups are really good. They're homemade. Of course, I also have to add that the soup I ordered two days ago -- split pea with tofu -- wasn't that great because the peas weren't cooked all the way. Then when the server asked (and I said) how the soup was, he offered to bring me the other soup -- cream of asparagus with three cheeses. Which was tasty, but some of the asparagus pieces were the part that should have been snapped off and left in the garbage. Totally non-chewable.

(I go in there sometimes when I'm downtown on a job and have to find some place to hang out for a few hours with my work.)

SusieQ

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Not the best endorsement; as it sounds like you were 0 for 2 on your last trip.

[SusieQ]

There's no reason to ever eat at the Crocodile, see bands and drink, yes, eat, never.

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Sorry, I have to chime in here and say that sometimes their soups are really good. They're homemade. Of course, I also have to add that the soup I ordered two days ago -- split pea with tofu -- wasn't that great because the peas weren't cooked all the way. Then when the server asked (and I said) how the soup was, he offered to bring me the other soup -- cream of asparagus with three cheeses. Which was tasty, but some of the asparagus pieces were the part that should have been snapped off and left in the garbage. Totally non-chewable.

(I go in there sometimes when I'm downtown on a job and have to find some place to hang out for a few hours with my work.)

SusieQ

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Not the best endorsement; as it sounds like you were 0 for 2 on your last trip.

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Very true!

But I *have* had good soups there.

[tamiam]

And, besides the badfood, Dick's charges for ketchup. That's why they call them Dick's.

Sorry, but we almost lifelong locals have been saying that for so long that I had to make sure it was included here.

[MGLloyd]

My best memory of the Broadway Dick's was from a couple of years ago. My wife and I had seen a play at Seattle Central, and stopped at Dick's for a quick burger and shake fix on the way home. While I was in line, and in plain view of the uniformed SPD officer there for security, a disheveled and chemically-enhanced woman staggered up to me, and in a loud voice, offered to perform a very personal act in the back of the parking lot for $ 15. My wife didn't think it was that funny when I turned to her behind me in line and asked if I could borrow $ 15!

[mizducky]

Can I please, please, please blame Rachel Ray for the fact that I had to wait in the world's longest line at Top Pot for a dozen doughnuts to bring to my dad yesterday morning?  It's been my Father's Day tradition for 3 years, and this was the first time I had to wait for more than a couple minutes.  The place was mobbed with tourists!

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Heh. So maybe y'all should be glad that Rachel hit Dick's and Beth's, instead of, say, Red Mill Burgers and Mae's.

(I confess that Dick's and Beth's were occasional guilty pleasures of mine, too, when I lived in Seattle. Sometimes, ya just gotta have a serious greasy-spoon fix ... not just for the grease, but for the atty-tude. )

[elswinger]

There was no evidence that she actually went to either Dick's or Beth's. All the other places depicted she was shown there or actually interviewed the chefs.

[syrah girl]

On another board there was a big debate on Burgerville vs. In n Out. Dick's was mentioned and now I must try it, next visit to Seattle.

[little ms foodie]

On another board there was a big debate on Burgerville vs. In n Out.  Dick's was mentioned and now I must try it, next visit to Seattle. 

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Dicks is no where near either of those other 2 burger joints I'd save your money unless you are drunk and it is late- very very late!