Moving to Seattle

[Shalmanese]

So I've been accepted into graduate school at the University of Washington and I'm about to uproot my life and move halfway across the world. I'm hoping for some kindly egullet people to give me some pointers about the whole seattle culinary landscape. I'm more interested in the day to day food shopping stuff than restuarants or that sort of stuff.

So just a few questions I have at the moment:

* I'm planning on living without a car and taking the bus to UW every day. What parts of Seattle are close to public transport, has good food shopping and is affordable?

* I've heard that it's nearly impossible to get a rental with a gas stove. Is this true and is there any way to find one thats not 100 years old?

* What are some of the must visit food shops? I know about Pike Place market and theres meant to be a great spice shop which I unfortunatly never got to visit last time I was over. I've also heard there was a great cured meat place. What about kitchenware, are there any restaurant supply stores or the like? Where can I pick up a good knife?

* Ethnic supermarkets in Seattle. How easy will it be to find asian, mexican or other ethnic ingredients?

* As far as I can tell, I've been spoiled living in Australia to expect butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers to be de rigeur in every shopping district but apparently this is a rarity in all but the toniest neighbourhoods. Is this correct or am I mistaken?

* Whats the cost of living like in Seattle? I had a look at the eGullet Shopping Cart project and it looks like things are probably 25% more expensive in the US than I'm used to. Doing the conversion from AUD/Kg to USD/Lb is gonig to mess me up for a while though.

* Farmers markets, where are the good ones, which ones are not worth the trouble?

* Whats good, fresh, local and ridiculously underpriced for it's quality in the area? I love finding underappreciated gems.

* On a more general note, what are some good places on the internet to order stuff thats hard to find locally?

* Any reccomendations for good places to eat around the University district?

I'm going to be living on a grad student stipend so I won't have large wads of cash to be flying around but I intend to eat well and cook to my usual standards. I might have to sacrifice a few luxuries in my diet but I still believe it's possible to make incredibly delicious food even on a moderately tight budget.

Edited July 10, 2006 by Shalmanese (log)

[Shalmanese]

Also: How do the seasons work over there? When does stuff come into season and when does it go out again? Whats it like in Winter? Is everything either imported or preserved or is there still some decent local fresh produce?

[MGLloyd]

Hello from another former grad student at the UW! And undergrad too, for that matter. In terms of a good area to live with decent bus transport, think north of the Ship Canal for areas such as the U District, Fremont, Ballard, Roosevelt, Phinney Ridge, Ravenna or the like. If you are in a grad program where you have to work in the labs at all hours when the bus transport is out of service, living closer so that you can bike or walk may be a factor. Grad student housing is the best deal if you can get it. Rents in the Seattle area, and in the areas I just mentioned, are quite high.

It is somewhat unusual to find rentals with a gas stove. For many decades, the energy of choice in the Pacific NW was electricity. Especially in multi-family housing or in the older housing stocks, gas was never even plumbed into the residence.

The cured meat place you are thinking of is called Salumi. In downtown Seattle, two good kitchen stores are City Kitchen or Sur La Table. Outside of the Pike Place market, there are not that many freestanding butchers, fishmongers or greengrocers, although there are some. You will be entering America, the land of the mega supermarket, where everything is under one roof. We have lots of ethnic markets for all cuisines.

In general, Seattle is a pretty good food place. I hope you like seafood, since we have a lot of it.

[Abra]

Hey, Shalmanese, that's very cool news! Now we won't have to commiserate with you about being off-season to the rest of the Dinner thread.

Don't worry for a moment - when you get here, we'll show you everything. There are virtually no foods that are hard to find locally, you just need to know where to go. Well, if you use a lot of wattleseed, bring that with you. That's one I order online.

The U District is a culinary wasteland, however, and I personally find it to be not a very nice place in general. Fremont and Ballard are hip, funky, and fun. You really need to see the different neighborhoods to make an informed decision, since their styles are very individual.

When are you arriving?

Edited July 10, 2006 by Abra (log)

[Eden]

If you can score a place in the U-district (univiersity district) that will be optimal transit wise, and will put you near the U-district Saturday morning farmer's market This is one of the best farmers markets in the city. Ballard has another great market, and ours runs all year round, which is a bonus. Most of the farmers markets will close for the winter since their customers usually want more variety of produce than they can provide and head for the grocery stores with their chillean imports instead...

Cost of living is high here, housing prices are among the highest in the nation but quality of living is pretty high too. blue water to the left of us, snow capped mountains to the right (just ignore the traffic jam in the middle) tons of ethnic markets & good food.

Start scrolling through the PacNW forum & you'll learn about tons of fab markets & restaurants in every price-range. There are also many kitchen supply stores & restaurant supply places to rummage about in, depending on what you're looking for. That spice shop you're thinking of is almost certainly World Spice Market. on western ave below PikePlace market. they rock!

don't be fooled by places advertised as "close to transit" check them against Metro's website to see where those buses run to & when. Our transit system is great if you want to get in & out of the downtown, but moving across town between neighborhoods can be a challenge, especially outside commute hours.

you're right that you will have trouble finding housing with a gas stove, but don't be knocking older houses, they have way more character than the modern edifices, and were designed with the assumption that someone would actually be cooking in the kitchen!

If you plan to garden you will need to cope with a low-therm growing season that is not encouraging to tomatoes, squash etc, but mighty fine for berries, which are in season right now. Over the mountains in eastern washington they have much warmer conditions so much of our "local" produce comes across the pass to reach us.

Oh and seattle has two seasons: the rainy season, and the construction season. We're in the construction season right now, which means there are tons of fresh fruits & veg available at the markets, and you just have to detour once or twice because of road work to get there

Congrats on being accepted into grad school. Get a good rain-hat & come join the fun. Who needs luxuries when you can gorge on Rainier cherries for two months a year?

[Shalmanese]

Hello from another former grad student at the UW!  And undergrad too, for that matter.  In terms of a good area to live with decent bus transport, think north of the Ship Canal for areas such as the U District, Fremont, Ballard, Roosevelt, Phinney Ridge, Ravenna or the like.  If you are in a grad program where you have to work in the labs at all hours when the bus transport is out of service, living closer so that you can bike or walk may be a factor.  Grad student housing is the best deal if you can get it.  Rents in the Seattle area, and in the areas I just mentioned, are quite high.

Good to know. What do you mean by grad student housing? All I can find on the UW website is residences where lots of people are packed into 1 building and all the food is catered for. Does UW offer freestanding apartments with kitchens?

It is somewhat unusual to find rentals with a gas stove.  For many decades, the energy of choice in the Pacific NW was electricity.  Especially in multi-family housing or in the older housing stocks, gas was never even plumbed into the residence. 

How do you people survive?

The cured meat place you are thinking of is called Salumi.  In downtown Seattle, two good kitchen stores are City Kitchen or Sur La Table.  Outside of the Pike Place market, there are not that many freestanding butchers, fishmongers or greengrocers, although there are some.  You will be entering America, the land of the mega supermarket, where everything is under one roof.  We have lots of ethnic markets for all cuisines. 

Damn, I was fearing that. But I guess you guys compensate with the supermarkets offering more choice and quality. Right? Right? Please tell me thats so. What about farmers markets?

In general, Seattle is a pretty good food place.  I hope you like seafood, since we have a lot of it.

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Luckily, I adore seafood although I don't know how much of it I can afford with my budget.

Hey, Shalmanese, that's very cool news!  Now we won't have to commiserate with you about being off-season to the rest of the Dinner thread.

Yeah, but on the downside, I don't get to gloat and taunt you guys all summer long with that glorious balcony and I live through 2 winters in a row.

Don't worry for a moment - when you get here, we'll show you everything.  There are virtually no foods that are hard to find locally, you just need to know where to go.  Well, if you use a lot of wattleseed, bring that with you.  That's one I order online.

Great, when I get settled in, I'll make a post in the ISO thread and we can organise a giant shopping expedition or something.

The U District is a culinary wasteland, however, and I personally find it to be not a very nice place in general.  Fremont and Ballard are hip, funky, and fun.  You really need to see the different neighborhoods to make an informed decision, since their styles are very individual. 

Yeah, no matter how bad it is, it still couldn't compare to the horror that is the University of Sydney. Still, I had a perfectly nice meal at the Flowers bar on the ave last time I was there.

When are you arriving?

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I should be arriving either September 4th is or September 12th. Still have to work some things out on this side.

[Shalmanese]

If you can score a place in the U-district (univiersity district) that will be optimal transit wise, and will put you near the U-district Saturday morning farmer's market  This is one of the best farmers markets in the city.  Ballard has another great market, and ours runs all year round, which is a bonus.  Most of the farmers markets will close for the winter since their customers usually want more variety of produce than they can provide and head for the grocery stores with their chillean imports instead...

Good to know, thanks

Cost of living is high here, housing prices are among the highest in the nation but quality of living is pretty high too.  blue water to the left of us, snow capped mountains to the right (just ignore the traffic jam in the middle)  tons of ethnic markets & good food. 

How high is high exactly? Looking through craigslist, a shared room goes for roughly $300 - $500 a month which is not much worse than Sydney. Then again, it's impossible to tell how nice these places are. Is $500 for a nice room in a decent neighbourhood reasonable or dreaming?

If you plan to garden you will need to cope with a low-therm growing season that is not encouraging to tomatoes, squash etc, but mighty fine for berries, which are in season right now.  Over the mountains in eastern washington they have much warmer conditions so much of our "local" produce comes across the pass to reach us.

How do herbs do?

Congrats on being accepted into grad school. Get a good rain-hat & come join the fun.  Who needs luxuries when you can gorge on Rainier cherries for two months a year? 

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Oh, I fully intend to!

[kiliki]

As someone who has spent the last five years in grad school, first, I'll assure you that you can eat quite well on a grad student income/stipend. I'll try to answer some of your specific questions:

I'm planning on living without a car and taking the bus to UW every day. What parts of Seattle are close to public transport, has good food shopping and is affordable?

Though the U District is convenient and affordable, if you're over 22, it's not a very interesting place. The University District Farmers Market is terrific, there is a Trader Joe's (and a Whole Foods just north of the neighborhood), and there are a handful of decent places to eat. But, in my opinion, most of the restaurants cater to young, broke students who aren't very picky about their food, and the main grocery store in the neighborhood (the Safeway) isn't good.

A lot of my grad student friends live on Capitol Hill, which is a very diverse, interesting neighborhood with a wide variety of housing options/price ranges, restaurants, shops, coffee shops, one or two natural food stores, a farmer's market, a Trader Joe's, and great bus service.

Fremont would be a great option as well, though pricier options will outnumber affordable ones. Fremont has good bus service, a bike trail to UW, a great natural foods coop called PCC Natural Market (there are 7 or 8 locations around the Seattle area, and membership is not necessary), and tons of restaurants and bars.

If you found a place in Ballard (great farmer's market and many good restaurants), Wallingford, Ravenna or Greenlake, you'd have good bus service and at least bus access to markets, food shops, etc.

Be sure to look at Craig's List for apartments or shared housing. The UW has a housing office with a great, very organized bulletin board but I'm not sure it's online. Often times landlords don't advertise so many people just identify an area that they want to live in and drive/walk around looking for "For Rent" signs.

Ethnic supermarkets in Seattle. How easy will it be to find asian, mexican or other ethnic ingredients?

Very easy. Most groceries carry a good selection of Asian and Mexican ingredients but you can find even more in the International District (for Asian-at Uwajimaya and many smaller places) and at the Pike Place Market (The Mexican Grocery-there are also many Mex. groceries in other neighborhoods).

What about kitchenware, are there any restaurant supply stores or the like? Where can I pick up a good knife?

In the U District at University Village, Mrs. Cooks. Downtown, Sur la Table (Pike Place Market) or City Kitchens (across 4th from Westlake Park).

Any reccomendations for good places to eat around the University district?

I'm fairly sure we've got a thread about this if you search. If you can't find it it might be worth starting another thread. My favorite is Than Brothers Pho. Agua Verde has decent Mexican food and a great view.

Whats good, fresh, local

We have fantasic local seafood, produce, cheeses, and at the farmer's markets you will also find a good selection of locally raised meats. I'm not sure any of it's ridiculously underpriced, though. Maybe the mussels? This site tells you what's fresh and when: Puget Sound Fresh

As far as I can tell, I've been spoiled living in Australia to expect butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers to be de rigeur in every shopping district but apparently this is a rarity in all but the toniest neighbourhoods. Is this correct or am I mistaken?

Mostly correct, though there are good fish stores in non-tony neighborhoods (there is a good one in the U District-University Seafood). Butchers are rare. There are so many farmer's markets now (btw, I haven't been to a bad one yet)that it won't be hard to find great produce.

Hope that helps-that's all I can get away with here at work!

[little ms foodie]

How fun Shalmanese! it will be great to have you in town. I have MANY friends who moved here from Australia and just love it!

I agree that living in the U Dist has it's ups and downs- Ups- transit, rental pricing and the farmers marktet. Downs- can be a bit trashy and loud but that seems to be changing a bit. My husband and I lived there for a few years recently.

I think that once you get use to the 'everything under one roof' you will be surprised at the things you can get here. And of course there are many single type food shops that we love- the University Fish Market, The Cheese Cellar, Salumi, mutiple venders at Pike Place Market, Cafe Besalu, etc.

[kiliki]

Is $500 for a nice room in a decent neighbourhood reasonable or dreaming?

Perfectly reasonable-I think it's what most people I know in shared housing pay. I'll also add that the UW is a bus hub-if you look at www.metrokc.gov for the Metro link, you'll see how many buses go there.

Herbs do great here, as so most veggies, including tomatoes as long as you get varieties that ripen before October. I've never been to an Australian grocery so I can't say how supermarket selections compare, but I don't have any trouble finding what I want-free range chickens, naturally raised meats of all kinds, good cuts of beef, etc-in a decent supermarket.

How do you people survive?

I never had gas until we remodeled last year. Yes it's better and easier but if you can cook, you can cook on either gas or electric. Marcella Hazan has only electric in her Florida condo so if she can deal with it...

[rockdoggydog]

So just a few questions I have at the moment:

* I'm planning on living without a car and taking the bus to UW every day. What parts of Seattle are close to public transport, has good food shopping and is affordable?

For easy bus access I would reccomend living in the U-District, besides downtown it has the most bus options to anywhere else in Seattle.  Have you looked at campus housing?  There are some very nice options that are not in the dorms and give grad students priority like Nordheim Court, Commodore-Duchess, and Radford Court.  The nicest thing about living in campus housign is that you won;t have to deal with bad landlords and that all of your utilities, internet access, and cable are included in your utilities.  The only thing not included is phone service.

* I've heard that it's nearly impossible to get a rental with a gas stove. Is this true and is there any way to find one thats not 100 years old?

Unfortunately, unless your're willing to pay for a luxury apartment the chances of finding gas are slim to none.  There are a lot of apartments in the U-district quite a few of them newer.  Stay away from any place run by Tag or Coho, I had some pretty bad experiences renting from them in the past.  Again, I would say to consider campus housing. UW single student housing

* What are some of the must visit food shops? I know about Pike Place market and theres meant to be a great spice shop which I unfortunatly never got to visit last time I was over. I've also heard there was a great cured meat place. What about kitchenware, are there any restaurant supply stores or the like? Where can I pick up a good knife?

There are a ton of places for all of your questions.  Salumi is the proably the cured meat shop you're thinking of though.  It's a shrine for local foodies and we all stop by to worship often.  There are several kitchenware store scattered through out the city and most restaurant supply stores are open to the public.  I buy my knives through Amazon.com for the best price after I've tried them out at any number of kitchen shops. 

* Ethnic supermarkets in Seattle. How easy will it be to find asian, mexican or other ethnic ingredients?

Most ethnic ingredients are pretty easy to find in Seattle and the surrounding area.  There are a number of asian, mexican, ethiopian, and european stores.  Uwajimaya and Ranch 99 are the two big asian stores, there are tiendas scattered all over the place though my two favorites are Guadalupe Market and Carniceria El Paisano. Bavarian Meats and the Continental Store have a lot of supplies for european cookery.

* As far as I can tell, I've been spoiled living in Australia to expect butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers to be de rigeur in every shopping district but apparently this is a rarity in all but the toniest neighbourhoods. Is this correct or am I mistaken?

Sort of true, true butchers and fishmongers are hard to find but they do not necessarily operate in the nicest neighborhoods only.  Produce stands are scattered thoughout the city though and are growing in popularity.

* Whats the cost of living like in Seattle? I had a look at the eGullet Shopping Cart project and it looks like things are probably 25% more expensive in the US than I'm used to. Doing the conversion from AUD/Kg to USD/Lb is gonig to mess me up for a while though.

High   

* Farmers markets, where are the good ones, which ones are not worth the trouble?

The U-District has the grand daddy of them all when it comes to farmer's markets.  None of the markets in Seattle are bad though and a few will be operating year round this year.  Seattle's Farmers Markets

* Whats good, fresh, local and ridiculously underpriced for it's quality in the area? I love finding underappreciated gems.

Do you mean places to eat or ingredients? 

* On a more general note, what are some good places on the internet to order stuff thats hard to find locally?

The mind boggles, I'll get back to you when I finish the list in my head. 

* Any reccomendations for good places to eat around the University district?

This where I disagree with Abra.  There are a number of great little cheap eats type places in the U-District.  Thai Tom's is hands down my favorite Thai food in the city and Thai-ger Room down the street isn't bad either.  Mandarin Chef isn't bad and they have hand shaven noodles.  Hawaiian BBQ on the Ave is great for Hawaiian food, which if you've not had is one of my favorite genres of food.  (I tell a lie, most genres are my favorite.  )  Taqueria Morelia which has a different name now, has solid real Mexican food.  Aladdin's has good gyros at both locations on the Ave, Cedar's has wonderful falafel at the window near the University Bookstore.  Taste of India and Bombay Grill have good Indian food, there are any number of teriyaki and pho places that don't suck, and there is always Pagliacci's.  Pagliacci's is one of the best pizzas in Seattle.

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Rocky

Edited July 10, 2006 by rockdoggydog (log)

[jkonick]

Welcome to Seattle and the UW! I'm currently an undergrad there, and I lived in the dorms there last year. As other people have said, the food in the U. District is more or less crap, aside from the farmer's market. That is, unless you love lots and lots of Korean-run Teriyaki places Edit to add: I forgot about Aladdin's, which has really good Falafel and Gyros, and is open until 3 a.m.

Luckily there are lots of busses that go through the U. District, and you can get something called a U Pass from the UW. If you don't know what it is already, it's basically a bus pass that's good for I think the whole year, and comes automatically with your tuition. I'm not sure if it's the same for grad students though, it might not be. I'm sure you'd still be eligible for one though. It costs something like $40, so it's a great deal if you're only using the bus.

As far as ethnic markets go, there are a lot of great Asian places in Chinatown/International District, and Little Saigon to the east. There are a couple busses that go there from the U. District. Lots of good and hard to find produce for pretty cheap. Also, Vietnamese Sandwiches are available everywhere for about two dollars; big, delicious and perfect for a student budget. If you go a little further south of there to Rainier Valley you'll find more Vietnamese and Mexican places.

In terms of finding a rental place with a gas stove (or a decent kitchen at all) - good luck. I'm currently looking for a place for next year, and the one house we found with a gas stove was a total dump. I wouldn't be surprised if the stove didn't even work. I think a couple other people mentioned looking outside of the U. District in places like Wallingford or Fremont which are still pretty close, but have nicer houses. A little more expensive, but definitely nicer than your average U. District place. I think someone else mentioned the UW's housing, but it's really expensive. Something like 600-700 a month. Definitely not worth it in my opinion.

PM me if you have any more questions, or if you'd like to meet up for a tour of the... err, delicious U. District eateries next year. And good luck with the gas stove!

Edited July 10, 2006 by jkonick (log)

[mizducky]

I'm no longer a Seattle resident, and most of the current residents on this thread have much fresher info. But I would like to put in a good word for Flexcar--this car-sharing enterprise can be very helpful to those going car-free in Seattle (and a growing number of other cities as well). These folks, along with a bus pass, allowed me to comfortably do without a car in Seattle for several years.

Oh yeah--second on Uwajimaya in the International District. Plus there's a whole cluster of Asian (mostly Vietnamese) groceries and restaurants spreading out from the intersection of 12th Ave. S. and S. Jackson St.

[rockdoggydog]

I think someone else mentioned the UW's housing, but it's really expensive. Something like 600-700 a month. Definitely not worth it in my opinion.

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For a single person after you add up all the utilities, internet access, and cable, the $600-700 really isn't that bad. That and UW Housing is much better to deal with than the apartment management companies we have in the U-District. I still live in the U-district since I work at UW after going to school there and I occasionally toy with the idea of selling my place and moving back into UW Housing. If only they had gas. The single resident apartments that grad students and staff get priority for are pretty nice.

Rocky

Edited July 10, 2006 by rockdoggydog (log)

[dandelion]

Grocery stores: Luckily, in the U-District, Safeway isn't your only option. There's a Trader Joe's (mentioned above as being on Capitol Hill, but there's also a branch right in the U-District), a Whole Foods just a little north (easily bus-able, although not exactly in a student's budget all of the time) and a giant QFC just to the east, with a lot of specialty foods mixed into all of the normal stuff.

In the U-District itself, there is a butcher/fishmonger called University Seafood & Poultry. It's rather old fashioned, but stays in business because people like it....

A great website to check out is lostinseattle.com -- you can put in a business location and see on a map what else is nearby. Here's an example.

As far as the area around the U-District being a wasteland & gross... I don't buy it. I lived around there for years, and if you're used to cities, you're used to these parts of town. It's a college neighborhood, so there's a lot of cheap eateries and kids hanging out on the streets. It's not pristine... it's an old neighborhood that's never really had a lot of money/gentrification. You'll find very few chains in the area, although you will find a lot of great clothing stores (especially vintage/funky/ethnic stuff), shoe stores and book stores (used and new). It's also THE neighborhood in Seattle for movies, with five theaters in the area that show the best indie and mainstream titles.

There are a few diamonds in the rough as far as restaurants go, but ownership changes hands often so we can probably recommend places a little better once you get here.

And I'll second the recommendation for Flexcar. I'm a member, and it's a great option if you just need to drive occasionally or take a weekend trip to the mountains. There are several car locations in the area.

[jkonick]

As far as the area around the U-District being a wasteland & gross... I don't buy it.  I lived around there for years, and if you're used to cities, you're used to these parts of town.  It's a college neighborhood, so there's a lot of cheap eateries and kids hanging out on the streets.  It's not pristine... it's an old neighborhood that's never really had a lot of money/gentrification.  You'll find very few chains in the area, although you will find a lot of great clothing stores (especially vintage/funky/ethnic stuff), shoe stores and book stores (used and new).  It's also THE neighborhood in Seattle for movies, with five theaters in the area that show the best indie and mainstream titles.

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I definitely agree with this - the U. District has great shopping and about five movie theaters. It's not the nicest neighborhood, but it definitely has character. And that goes for the restaurants too - they aren't the greatest places, but there are definitely some U. District institutions with bad food but a good atmosphere. The IHOP on 42nd will always have a place close to my heart, not for the hundreds of pancakes I ate there, but for the dozens of times I went there at four in the morning after studying all night to goof around with friends.

[heather s]

FYI, you can find gas stoves in Seattle - Over six years I have rented 3 capitol hill apartments and one house in Ravenna (north of U district), and all but my current one had gas. A lot of the older places have it - but I am in a brand new building now, so no luck! I had actually never used an electric stove before - it has taken some getting used to, but I am ok with it now.

As far as neighborhoods go... Depending on your lifestyle, Capitol hill is a great place to live when you are new to the city, plus it is very easy to get to UW from here. Especially if you don't have a car, it is unlikely you will find yourself going to pike's place for groceries unless you are easily accessable. I shop at pike's about once a week or so. The downside is it is a little more pricey than areas north of UW (though cheaper than belltown!), but it may fit in with your concept of "city life" more. Just my two cents!

[MT-Tarragon]

I agree with the U-District recommendations as a living space if you are going to be relying on the bus for transportation. It's hard to beat for bus options. So even if you end up not liking the food options there, it's easy and relatively fast to get to most other parts of town.

I really like University Seafood in the U-District. In addition to seafood, you can also get thing like duck, rabbit, quail, chicken, free-range turkey, venison, pheasant, squab, etc. Their display area is small, but they have a lot more in back. If you don't see something, ask them. They're really good about answering questions and cutting things the way you want. The store is about a block from the location of the Saturday farmer's market.

There are a number of ethnic groceries on University Way as well, mostly Indian and middle-eastern. Some restaurants also have small grocery sections like Continental (Greek) and Cedar's (Indian/middle-eastern).

Definitely get the U-Pass through the University if you're relying on bus system. It is by far the least expensive way to ride the bus.

You should definitely be able to get a decent room in a shared housing situation for $500. At about that price you start getting into studio apartment range as well.

My wife is in grad school at the UW, too. Can we ask what you're studying? Good luck!

[olivina]

Back in the day when I lived in an apartment equipped with a quirky electric stovetop I bought myself an electric griddle from Target. I can't sing the praises of this homely appliance loud enough!

The very even heat helps make perfect pancakes, flat BACON that doesn't burn around the edges and the best crostini ever. My husband has seared scallops on one and gets an amazing rich carmelization.

They are coated in teflon however. But the griddle does not heat up over 300 degrees, supposedly teflon is at it's scariest when it heats to 700 and above. And if you are super careful about using only plastic utensils on it, ehhhh...I don't know...

Short of installing a wood-fired oven in your apartment, I'd recommend buying one if your electric stove is less than perfect.

Good luck and welcome to Seattle!

[Peter Johnson]

Easy solution, which has worked for Matt's in the Market for years--buy yourself a couple of butane cooktops (also used for hotpot in Asian restaurants). You can get them at Bargreen Ellingson or other restaurant supply stores, together with canisters (which last a surprisingly long time).

[rockdoggydog]

If you go the butane burner route, go to Ranch 99 to get them. They're constantly on sale for like $10-12.

Rocky

[Shalmanese]

Hrmm... is there likely to be any issue with butane burners in a rented apartment? What sort of BTU's do those things get up to? I might just bite the bullet and treat myself to a full blown induction hob. I've always wanted to play around with those.

[rockdoggydog]

There shouldn't be a problem with a butane burner in an apartment. As far as BTUs go, uhm, hot? Seriously mine gives it's measurements in cubic feet per hour, so it's possible to convert that to BTUs, which I did at one point, but it's a pain. If I remember correctly mine came to around 12,000 BTUs.

Rocky

[Shalmanese]

So I'm wondering which of these things is best bought from Amazon and which is best bought in person at stores or at garage sales or whatever in Seattle:

High end Japanese Chefs Knife (either Hattori, Tojiro, Shun or Mac)

Cast Iron Pan, new or second hand

Chopping board, plastic

Stock/pasta pot

Saute Pan, SS (probably a Sitram or something similar)

Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Roasting pans and other bakeware

Glasses, Plates & Cutlery

Decent wine glasses (not riedel but a step down)

I'm bringing my boning knife, kitchen shears, paring knife, peeler and a few other small things over. I pretty much only need to buy the stuff too bulky or annoying to bring over.

Edited July 31, 2006 by Shalmanese (log)

[kiliki]

I think you'll have good luck buying those things from local stores. There are very good kitchen stores-City Kitchens and Mrs. Cook's, for example, that have great big sales a couple times per year, and they always have some specials or clearance items. It seems like Le Creuset is ALWAYS on sale at these places-there is a Le Creuset outlet north of Seattle, though, if that interests you. Macy's downtown has good cookware/dinnerware and it seems like they are always having a sale. For things like cast iron cookware and plastic cutting boards (or maybe even a stock pot if you want a cheaper one), go to a Fred Meyer-this is a sort of large variety store, a NW chain that has good prices (you won't find high end stuff here)

Edited July 31, 2006 by kiliki (log)