Joe M.'s Profile

The "Burger of the Gods" I had 2 years ago during my first visit to the original Lunchbox Laboratory in Ballard still ranks as the best hamburger I've ever had anywhere.

I experimented with "Ms Fancy Pants" during a recent visit to the new Bellevue lab (had goatcheese on a lamb burger), which was good, and sampled the Dork burger (duck + pork) ordered by a friend, and that was very good, but neither was as good as the Burger of the Gods. That's what I like about the "laboratory", though: it encourages experimentation.

There were three of us, and we each ordered separate sides: sweet potato fries, tater tots and homemade chips. None were particularly outstanding, but the sweet potato fries was my personal standout.

As others have noted, this place can get very busy during peak lunch hours. As in other scientific (and culinary) experimentation, the timing of experiments is important. We were warned of a 1 to 1.5 hour wait during our first visit around 1:00pm on a Friday two weeks ago, and the hostess suggested we come back earlier in the week, or earlier / later in the day on a Thursday or Friday. We went back at 11:30 this past Friday, and there was no wait.

I look forward going back and experimenting again; I'm particularly eager to determine whether the new lab can replicate the results of the original lab in producing a heavenly Burger of the Gods.

This is one of the tastiest and healthiest options on Concourse C (near gate C17), especially for vegetarians. I have tried and highly recommend the tossed salad and the portabella wrap.

This place is not as tiny as I'd expected, based on other reviews. It has a least a dozen tables, and there is sufficient space between each one as to provide a conducive ambiance for deep conversations. The music is at just the right volume to provide sufficient conversational "boundaries" between tables. A good friend and I spent two hours there, engrossed in conversation, and never felt rushed or pressured in any way.

Another reviewer also commented on the Pad Kee Mao. While I also found that while the Pad Kee Mao was a bit unusual - the noodles were thinner than in other places I've had it - my 2-star serving had plenty of kick, and was very flavorful.

Finally, another reviewer noted that the water glasses were refilled frequently. I believe part of the reason for this may be that the glasses are rather small. I didn't find the refilling to be distracting (once I moved the glass more toward the outside edge of the table). I like the fact that the water is served without ice.

I would give this place 4.5 stars if I could. I'm trying to be more reserved about assigning 5-star ratings to a smaller set of favorite places, but for me a 4-star rating still means I would highly recommend a restaurant, and would go there again.

This is one of the best wine bars / bistros I've ever visited. They have a great selection of wines at regular retail (store) prices, a mix of small plates (tapas) and entrees, a cozy atmosphere indoors and outdoor seating on a spacious patio with no traffic nearby.

I was there with two friends. The roasted beet tapas plate was outstanding; the gourmet cheese platter and charcuterie platter were good (but not great). If I go back, Among the entrees, the wild mushroom orzo was very good, as was the coq au vin. I did not try - and forgot to ask about - the mac and cheese, but I didn't hear any complaints about it.

The wine selection was fantastic! They have what amounts to a wine shop in the center of the restaurant with a very good good selection of wines. Right now they have the 2007 Saint Cosme Gigondas, but it probably won't last long. They also have The Prisoner, an amazing blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cab Franc - one of the best wines I've discovered in the last year (first tried at Davinci's in Salem, OR last month).

Outdoor seating was very pleasant, and the service by Lena was outstanding. We were the last to leave, and they were extraordinarily accommodating in allowing us to stay until the last possible moment.

I split two burgers with a friend: an Angus beef burger with blue cheese and bacon on a wheat bun and a marinated portabello mushroom burger with [extra] mushrooms on a white bun. The beef burger was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and both were delicious. The sweet potato fries were slightly overcooked, but very good.

Having recently been disappointed by an overcooked Blue creek bison burger at Ted's Montana Grill - with the same toppings - I was pleased to have the same burger ordered here, cooked just right, and costing a little more than half the price.

One of the little things I liked about Big Buns is that they have lemon wedges, which I always enjoy with my water.

My only complaint with this place is that all the tables are bolted to the floor, so it's not a good place to go for a group of more than four. The six of us crammed around a table in the back, but it was rather challenging, given the inherent messiness of eating burgers.

I had the weekday all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. The fish is sliced wafer thin, and is just plopped on top of a big glob of rice (no wasabe or anything in between). The rolls are a bit more interesting, but not much. There are a number of non-sushi choices as well, none of which were better than average.

I was able to sit outside on a nice March afternoon, but that was the only remarkable aspect of my dining experience

Pretty good burger, but not great.

I ordered the Blue Creek bison burger, with blue cheese and bacon, medium rare. It came out medium and I could only find traces of blue cheese. It was pretty good, but I was expecting more.

The fries were also pretty good, but not very warm. I liked the bowl of pickled cucumbers the waiter brought out right away. The beer selection was just OK.

I liked being able to sit outside on a March evening, and while there is a fair amount of traffic by the intersection, I didn't find it disturbing.

The restaurant espouses a theme of "eat great, do good", including a commitment to eco-friendly measures (99% plastic-free, water conservation measures, biodegradable to-go containers). A place that specializes in hamburgers could do even gooder by using only organic, grass-fed beef (and bison). However, I'll give them an extra star for doing good, even if their burger wasn't as great as I'd hoped.

My wife, daughter and I had lunch here recently. We liked the range of vegetarian selections. The food was good, but not great.

I had the Mixed Vegetables with Mushrooms in Black Bean Sauce, my daughter had a dish with Broccoli and Chinese Noodles (Chow Mein?) and my wife had Sweet & Sour Tofu.

The service was prompt and attentive, the decor was very nice, and the prices were very reasonable.

My wife and I ate here to celebrate Valentine's Day, a week later. The food, decor and service are all outstanding.

The restaurant has several different sections. A wine bar, a cozy dining room near the back surrounded by wines and another dining room near the front. There is also an upstairs dining area, and a jazz band that plays on weekends next to the wine bar.

The menu says it "reflects our commitment to using seasonal organic meats & produce that are available from our local farmers". We had the Pear Salad, the Roasted Beet Napolean Salad, the Misty Isle Filet Mignon and the Rack of Lamb. We tried several wines from the wines by the glass list; our favorite was The Prisoner, by Orin Swift, but we also enjoyed a couple of Aussie Shiraz's. All the wines - and food - were outstanding.

Our waiter, Jonathan, was also outstanding. At one point, we expressed some curiosity about a menu item that involved hedgehog mushrooms, which we'd never heard of. Jonathan went back to get clarification from the chef, and on his way back, searched for and found a photo of hedgehog mushrooms on his iPhone that he showed us.

I've uploaded photos of several aspects of our dining experience.

The French toast is pretty tasty, even without syrup ... which is a good thing, because they don't serve real maple syrup ... and pouring what is, in effect, high fructose corn syrup over the thick homemade bread slices rolled in granola would only spoil them. I'd rate the French toast 4 stars.

The club sandwich was good, I'd rate it 3 stars. The potatoes / hashbrowns with mushrooms, scallions and cheddar cheese were also good (3 stars).

The portions are very big, as others have noted, and prices are pretty inexpensive (especially given the size of the portions).

The radio playing is a local rock station, and the music and commercials can become rather intrusive at times.