Maria "whatever" C.'s Profile

I like wood fires, and food cooked over wood fires, so much that I go camping every year just to build a roaring campfire to cook on. Okay, that's not the only reason, but it figures largely in my pleasures in life. Another pleasure is spending time with family. At Bambino's I got to experience both, but I still just can't go higher than three stars.

Wandering around that section of the city after taking in the Folklife Festival, we decided to take a whole bunch of hungry teens to Zeek's. Zeek's was expecting a party of 30 and told us it would be a 30 minute wait. That's like 30 hours to a teen. Moving on, we spotted Bambino's. Perfect.

Nice big table to fit all seven of us. Sis and I got the bench, most of the kids perched on the stools. Time to order drinks. No beer. Say what? A pizzeria with no liquor license? Okay, fine. Out of apple juice. Fine, whatever. We ordered four different kinds of calzones, 1 pizza and a large salad. The salad rocked. The Della Casa comes with mixed baby greens, dried cherries, Flagship cheese and balsamic vinegar, and it's a HUGE serving. In fact, most of it was left when we were done. The server asked if we'd like to take it home and we said yes, but I realized after that it was still sitting on the table when we left. They never boxed it up and we forgot. Strike three.

The Margherita pizza with the addition of artichokes and garlic was pretty good, and I love the subtle, dry smokiness of a wood fired pizza with a not-too-thin, not-too-thick crust. The tomato sauce wasn't too sweet either and the garlic still had a bit of a bite. Good job. Each of the four types of huge calzones, however, was so stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella that the other ingredients were drowned out and that much cheese was just too much cheese. And I'm a die-hard cheese fan. When even kids say it's too much, it's too much. That goes for all four types.

At the end of the meal, when asked if they take Amex and the answer was "sorry, no," it didn't come as a surprise. Whatever. The service was very friendly though, and they did bring a large pizza when we ordered a small and they only charged for the small, so I think they felt bad for saying "no" so often during our dining experience. That's a plus. So three stars for the roller coaster meal. It almost made up for the fact there's no roller coaster at the Seattle Center any more. You'd think that would be an apples and oranges comparison, but eating there was weird enough that I think I can get away with it.

"That's not truly love, Rosita dear..." That line from an Antigone Rising song kept running through my head as I left the restaurant.

Happy hour with the girls was lovely. The great big lime margarita served in a water-sized glass with a straw was nice. The "no surprises" Tex-Mex menu was comforting and there was enough to choose from on the bar menu. The green salsa with the chips was mild and good. The sopes were smothered in a huge pile of fresh toppings, although the sopes were just a little rubbery. Service was polite and adequate. Free and easy parking at Green Lake is a nice touch. They didn't pressure us to order more drinks even though we were there nearly 3 hours. My total bill, including tax and tip, came to $12. Nice, again.

All in all, it was nice and I'd go back again for happy hour, but we all know all about "Seattle nice." That's not truly love, Rosita dear.

Blue screen of death. Windows is corrupted. Safe Mode not working. Hyperventilation. Heart failure.

In a blind panic I dived under my desk like a 1950's student in a nuclear attack drill. There, on the floor, in a dusty back corner, I found an ancient Yellow Pages book. The archaeologist who discovered the first T-Rex skeleton could not have been more overjoyed. Trembling hands flipped the pages to Computer Repair and there I found PC Doctor.

Two hours after I called a tech was knocking at my door. He diagnosed the machine, told me what the problems probably were and how they might be fixed, explained clearly how they charged for services, told me when I could most likely expect get the machine back and reassured me that they could probably save all my data and programs.

Two days and two hundred dollars later, all of those "probably" "maybe" "might be" and "most likely" statements all became positively and absolutely true.

Now, I had anti-virus software, I backup my files on a semi-regular basis, I run spyware programs on the same basis and try to keep things updated and cleaned up. That's the extent of what I can do, so I really can't say I have a baseline for judging how reasonable the prices of PC Doctor are for what they did for me. I CAN say I think what I paid was reasonable, I'm happy my ancient PC is running at all, ecstatic that it's 10 times faster than it was before, thrilled they make quick house calls and show up when they say they will, floored to find people who are polite and a company that does what it says it will do, and I'm satisfied that every fix and change made to my machine was explained clearly. I mean, what the hell else could you want?

A dear friend of mine has great parking karma - something I don't possess. What I have is good people karma - the kind where I don't usually get the terrible waiters or surly store employees or run into the parents of screaming kids. I'm blessed, I know.

Karma failed me at this store.  

When you walk in, any employee foolish enough to glance your way will just as quickly glance away to avoid having to say anything to you until they're damn good and ready. When they are ready, they will make a beeline to the person standing in front of the most expensive phone, regardless of the order in which customers arrive. They will rarely make any significant eye contact while helping you.

Do not buy a GoPhone here. Do that online. If you want a GoPhone (that's a pre-paid phone) you are the lowest of the low. Why you want a prepaid phone in the first place is irrelevant. When you buy a new phone and have them switch over the phone number and give you a new SIM card because the old one jumped into a swimming pool along with its phone and owner, you will ask about the $50 airtime credit that comes with the new phone. They will tell you that the credit only comes with new phone activations. 15 minutes later in the car on the way home a message will appear on the new phone stating the $50 credit is now active. Yay for that. Boo for the employee.

Oh, and of course, since karma failed me in this store, we also had to endure 15 minutes of a mother with 3 very young children running around and screaming in the store while knocking things off racks and playing under counters while mommy said things like "oh you precious poppets" and "you are such sweet muffins." This isn't the fault of the AT&T store, but it does make me wonder if this store is indeed a swirling vortex of bad karma.

According to researchers at Yale University, the ability to delay gratification is a sign of high intelligence. I've been delaying eating at Pair for so long I must be a freaking genius. I like that explanation better than being a moron for waiting so long to enjoy the likes of Salt Cod & Ricotta Cakes with red pepper aioli and kalamata olives, Gougères (herbed cheese puffs), Smoked Wild Salmon Toasts, watermelon with feta cheese and a rich, meltingly scrumptious chocolate & coffee pot de creme.

Really, though, waiting a long time to go didn't do anything for my appreciation for the interior of Pair. I would have loved the cute, cozy, casual French country-ish decor just as much a couple of years ago. The out of the way neighborhood location and wide open doors on a sultry summer night would have charmed me just as much then as it does now. On the other hand, it makes me smarter, so who am I to complain?

The only things keeping this from a five-star review are the tables that are just this side of too small, seating that could be just a skooch bit comfier and the Potato Leek Gratin that, while good, had way too much salt. Service was good but not outstanding. There are several menu items I still want to try that will bring me back to Pair. I think that's an intelligent choice.

I love Salvadoran food. Ok, I've only had it once. And ok, I was born and raised here so I have no reliable baseline for judging Latin American cuisine. To be entirely accurate, I love the pupusas at Guanaco's Tacos Pupuseria. Pupusas with cheese, loroco and chicharrón. Those stuffed corn pancakes are savory, filling and addictive. Curtido - a slaw - was good but a little too spicy for me. A few bites was enough, but I'm a complete chile wimp so 98% of you will think it's quite tasty. The pastelitos ("flash fried corn flour pocket filled with beef, onion, carrots") taste like comfort food, and fried yuca tastes better than potatoes to me. They must be cousins though. I obivously ordered the Sampler Platter #1. If you're trying new foods that's the way to go, don't you think? Just say yes.

It's warm inside the restaurant - warm colors on the walls, warm temperature, warm smiles - and you will smell the cooking oil and hear a background of Spanish being spoken in the kitchen. I'm getting all warm and fuzzy thinking about it. Order at the counter, pour your own water and wait for your food to be delivered. Eat everything on your plate (except all of the curtido if you're a wimp like me). Then go back to the counter and order another pupusa, because at $2.10 each, why the hell not?

Oh third place, how I miss thee. You literally built a wall between your old magical, intangible, peaceable community vibe and your customers. Where are the tables scattered between the stacks? Your half wall looks like a pen. Are you keeping people in or out? Vios Cafe has great food and friendly if uninformed staff, but it's like they're only in the building because they had no choice. Like they don't really want to be part of the Third Place vibe. The vibe that is now gone. Maybe it will change in summer when people can sit outside, but I don't think so.

What used to be a perfect "third place" is now a great bookstore, a great pub and a good cafe all under one roof. That doesn't sound terrible, you say. It isn't. It just isn't magical any more.

South Lake Union is a nice little neighborhood to work in - close to the heart of downtown, but far enough away to still find street parking. It has at least one of most things you would need in a neighborhood - pubs, restaurants, Vivace coffee, a nice park, dentist office, REI... - and like most city neighborhoods it's missing a couple of things - a bank, affordable housing... - and it has its share of controversy - SLUT, Paul Allen... - but the one vital, essential, necessary element of any neighborhood - a "go-to" store that stocks everything from gourmet chocolates to tampons - it possesses. This is the Cascade Specialty Market.

I'm not quite sure why the Market is never, ever crowded. Granted, its location is a little obscure next to Feierabend, but a place that sells good, hot empanadas, homemade sandwiches, gourmet chips, Theo chocolate bars, individual packages of Emergen-C, cat food, toilet paper, wine and ice cream should be busy. Throw in espresso, homemade egg salad, Ritz crackers, packages of safety pins, cans of tomato paste, Mountain Dew, fresh chicken and dumpling soup, deli meats sliced to order, frozen Amy's burritos, one of those little, high fee, freestanding ATM machines, tables outside on a patio and really nice people behind the counter and the place should be overrun. It generally isn't and I reap the "fast service" benefits of its obscurity.

Yes, working here is rather nice, but all the Vivace beans in the world couldn't make up for not having a good deli/market in the 'hood. Luckily I have both.

Reading my first review of this place makes it sound like I've never actually eaten at Senor Moose. I will have you know that when this place first opened it was called 'Cafe Moose' and there were only a few Mexican offerings. So there.

Things have changed in the 3 YEARS since I wrote that first review, except that this place still fits me when I'm in a comfortable, no frills mood. Now, however, I want really good Mexican when I'm in that mood. Sopes con huevos for breakfast (I love those masa cakes and green salsa)  and manchamanteles for dinner (I want to bathe in that mole for the pork and pineapple and plantains) are my current favorites.  

Oh and yes, I am aware that because I was born and raised here I have no idea what really good Mexican food tastes like because there's never been anywhere to get it in this city. Well. There is now. So there.

Answer this: Can you be a "foodie" and still enjoy lowbrow meals? Specifically, can you be in love with the experience and food of Supper Club at Art of the Table as well as crave a Dick's burger every so often? Even more, can you rave over a salad containing grilled peaches and hazelnuts and a course that includes corn flan and micro-greens and gush about a vegetable tian and perfectly seared halibut and then the next night at home cook a tuna noodle casserole made with canned mushroom soup and potato chips because once or twice a year you really need to eat it even though your mother never made it when you were growing up? Can paper thin slices of heirloom tomatoes, balsamic reductions and lemon verbena ice cream share the same space in your heart as canned asparagus and Lifesavers sugar free Popsicles?

In my case the answer is yes to all the above. Sue me. I'm a complex person.  Unlike Art of the Table which is clean, fresh and deceptively simple. At Supper Club Chef Dustin will sound a gong between courses and in his own unique way will tell you stories about himself and his food and where and who the ingredients in your meal came from. It's refreshing and unpretentious - both his delivery and the meal. Expect to spend 3 hours in the warm and cozy place, but you'll be welcome to step into the kitchen and watch the masters at work or go outside to the patio between courses. Order the wine flight with dinner. It's well thought out and perfectly paired. Go with friends. Reserve your own table (there aren't many) or be adventurous and dine at the community table. Prepare to be enchanted. And quit worrying about whether or not you're a foodie. You can have your Twinkie and eat it too. Trust me on this.