E & E's
RAIN CITY
Restaurant Reviews
Villa Paradiso (2220 Queen Anne Ave. North. 285-7949)--Reviewed 8/99
This newly-opened restaurant occupies the 2-story craftsman-style house where its predecessors, the Iron Gate Cafe, the Wild Hare, and Pirosmani, failed to attract much notice. Set back a little bit from the street, just a little bit North of the busy part of QA Ave., you better be hot if you're gonna make it at this address.
And the Villa Paradiso...just might be. We stopped in for Sunday brunch recently and found it to have the same relaxed, friendly atmosphere and service that its predecessors had. The food was creditable, if not outstanding, though keep in mind this was brunch and was just a single sample of two menu items. The wild mushroom-and-spinach omelette was done in butter, much to the chef's credit, and the "Dutch Baby," a type of oven-baked crepe, was very nicely done and beautifully presented. Portions were on the skimpy side.
We may well go back to try it for dinner. If we do, you'll read about it here!
Gordito's (NW 85th St. just west of Greenwood Ave.)--Reviewed 6/99
"Madre de Dios, I just died and went to Burrito Heaven!" I thought, as I sat down to fresh chips with 3 kinds of homemade salsa, a Modelo Etiqueta Negra, and a delicious fish burrito with salsa verde. Then I saw a waitress walking by with one of the "large" size burritos (makes Taco Del Mar look like Taco Bell) and I realized that this unpretentious, loud, friendly, and most of all authentic joint is not Burrito Heaven--it's Burrito Asgard. This is where Mexican Vikings go when they die--especially if they're short on cash--to feast on Burritos that would choke Chac and toregale each other with tales of being slain in glorious battle on pillaging exploits to Belize. Sorry for the rambling incoherence. Must be the chilis. In any case, Gordito's isn't (just) about big burritos. This is a place for people who would rather eat really good food and enjoy themselves than fuss around with the latest trendy yuppie ripoff (see below).
Figaro Bistro (11 Roy St. near corner of Queen Anne)--Reviewed 9/29/98
Some locations just seem cursed. Like for instance the old house-turned-restaurant on the block of Queen Anne Ave. N just north of Boston St.--the one that has housed 3 different restaurants in the last 4 years (Pirosmani, the Wild Hare, and soon to come, the Iron Gate).
I fear that 11 Roy St. may have the same curse. It used to be a parking garage, but was re-furbished to make room for the ill-fated "Shoo-Be-Doo Diner," a not-camp-enough-for-Seattle 50's throwback that lasted a year or two. Now in the same location comes the Figaro, a new establishment that seems to sit on the fence between down-home unfussy French bistro food and somewhat less down-home atmosphere and prices. They may make it...at any rate, they probably have a better chance than the "Shoo-Be-Doo."
The space is bright, open, with high ceilings and not much intimacy. Better suited for a celebration with friends than a tryst with your secretary. The staff are pleasant and helpful yet unobstrusive. One annoyance was the ear-splitting cordless phone which was kept near the front door and interrupted conversations all to frequently with its shriek--ask for a table at the back if you wish to retain your hearing.
Now for the food. Ah, the food! Not much to complain about here. We started with green salads and the terrine de legumes which were the only disappointments. They were really pretty lame, actually. Nuff said. Then the entrees: Coquilles St. Jacques was artfully presented and exquisite with very fresh scallops and an extremely rich cream/leek sauce. Eleni had the Magret de Canard, done just right--still pink in the middle, tender and flavorful--with a wonderful cassis sauce whose only fault was that there wasn't enough. If you order this, ask that the chef dole out an extra dollop. Our friends Thi and Chris (G) had the pork loin stuffed with spinach and gruyere and the daily special, Chilean Sea Bass with a shrimp bisque sauce, both of which were excellent. I thought the sea bass was underdone but Chris insists that's just who sea bass is ("it's an oily fish, it always seems underdone," he says, and he knows food). Desserts were a disappointment (lackadaisical chococolate cake and something whose name I can't remember with puff pastry, ice cream, and chocolate sauce). In fact, if you eat here, skip dessert, walk 1 block south to Mercer St. and about 2 blocks east to Pacific Desserts where you'll get more ecstasy for your dessert dollar.
The wine list seemed moderately extensive, not that we know much about wine, with more of an emphasis on French wines than you usually see in Seattle Restaurants.
The Figaro ain't cheap. Entrees were in the $12-15 range. Dinner came to $37/person including wine, dessert, coffee, tax & tip.
Addendum from 5/99--we've been to the Figaro a couple of times since we wrote the review above. It's remained consistent in the quality of the cooking (except for limp pommes frites, ostensibly a bistro staple) and in the laid-back, friendly ambience and service. Looks like the curse may be lifted--we hope!
Barbacoa Carribean Grill (N. 85th street acroos from Fred Meyer)--Reviewed 3/7/98
This tiny storefront enterprise was still in its "grand opening" phase when, on a whim after a particularly grueling trip to Freddy's, we decided to pop in for dinner. The bright lights, unpretentious decor, and soukous music drifting across the small dining room made us hopeful that the food would be un-fancy, down home, plain old good cooking. It turned out to be un-fancy, down home, plain old bad cooking. Eleni's jerk chicken was the remains of what had no doubt been a particularly unhealthy specimen whan alive, baked until bone dry then slathered with a viscous brown substance that had about as much similarity to true Jamaican jerk sauce as Michael Bolton's rendition of "When a Man Loves a Woman" does to the original Percy Sledge version. As for Eric's "Woowoo fish," suffice it to say that it did not make him say "woowoo."
Wolfgang Puck's (2nd Avenue downtown, kitty-corner from the Seattle Art Museum
This trendy addition to the downtown eating scene is noisy, hip, expensively decorated, and yet manages to serve good food! The pizzas (we tried the spicy shrimp pizza & the basil-pesto pizza), baked in a wood-fired oven, were winners as was the mixed greens salad, replete with the foofy fancy greens that Eleni loves so much. The tortilla soup was ok but didn't have the zip that the other dishes had.
Il Gambero (1st Avenue in the 2100 block)
Signor Gaspare, whose first restaurant, Gaspare's in Lake City, is one of Eleni's all-time faves, has just (as of Autumn '97) opened this new venture in the heart of Belltown's Yuppiezone, in the former location of Casa U-Betcha. Like Gaspare's, the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, and the menu is quite similar too. I don't know what region of Italy this cuisine comes from, but it's a bit different from the spaghetti-and-meatballs fare that I (Eric) grew up with in NY. When we went, I had the veal with mushrooms (pretty good); Eleni had the lemon grilled chicken (nice); our friend Thi had some kind of fancy raviolio with cream sauce topped with crabmeat. Started with the bruschetta--great; finished with tiramisu--pretty good. Overall about B+ food. The wine list is pretty good with some interesting Italian wines which we didn't try, like a couple of Barolos.
Maharajah (15th Avenue West on the East side of the street 1mi s. of Mag. bridge)
Who would have thought that this noisy arterial, lined with warehouses and small industrial buildings would be the home of one of the brightest in Seattle's dim firmament of South Asian cuisine? The humble setting belies the pleasures inside.
We haven't tried the lunch buffet in a long time but we can comment on the dinner menu. Our favorites include the samosas, with a nice flaky, non-greasy crust, with a perfect blend of spices for the filling. Eleni likes the bartha, one of the many vegetarian choices. The mixed grill is pretty good too. Eric's favorite is probably the vindaloo. The chana masala is also very good. Try the rice pudding for desert.
Raga (Boston St. just east of Queen Anne avenue)
This upscale addition to Seattle's Indian restaurant scene opened just last week on 4/15. Eleni and I went on opening day, unable to resist the temptation of a new Indian joint. Definitely upscale in atmosphere, the food at least on our initial visit was not quite to match. We began, as usual, with samosas, which were a bit oily and flat on the palate. Eleni had the bartha which, despite the fancy copper dish perched atop a candle-warmer thingy, was bland and too smoky-tasting. Eric had an interesting chicken dish, a creation of the chef's, which was actually pretty yummy. He can't remember the name. It had a red cream-based sauce. Eleni didn't like it.
Malena's (McGraw St. and 7th avenue West or something like that)
In a drowsy corner of Queen Anne, far from the glitz and neon of the "Ave" with its chain restaurants climbing over each other for your business, lies this hole-in-the-wall burrito joint which consists of an open kitchen, one table, and a counter. The prices are reasonable but not rock-bottom (around $5.99 or something like that for a big overstuffed burrito). They feature some interesting options, like chili verde and chorizo. Nothing earthshaking but good honest homestyle food.
Teahouse Quan Yin 1911 N. 45th Street.
A haven from the crazy world, a peaceful, airy refuge with the best tea I've ever had (dozens of varieties, directly imported from all over the world, served by the pot). Good snacks too. Wonderful for a few hours of studying.
We have started adding reviews of most of the new places we go out to eat, so check back frequently for more! We even have a card (we're so vain!): it looks like this:
