Freddie's Club?

Omigod! Have I never reviewed the food at Freddie's Club in Renton?
Well, it's time. The food is better than one might expect, the service is pleasant, comfortable and quick, and the prices are generally pretty good.
It's normal American food, Vietnamese food, and sushi. I had something great there today, the beef short ribs sub. Something you never see anywhere else, and awesome. A tad pricey at eleven dollars, but it came with excellent house made waffle fries.
You know what else? They have a happy hour, 5-8 Monday thru Saturday, with three dollar nigari and sashimi, and four dollar rolls. I had the Seattle roll: smoked salmon, cucumber, and avocado, and it was a helluva deal for four bucks. california Rolls and Spider rolls beckon on future visits. Breakfasts are available 24 hours a day, so technically you can get pancakes, pho, and raw tuna together. I don't know who'd want that combo, but hey, it's available.
I like the place, the food quality is above average, and it's pretty mellow for a casino.
Freddie's Club
111 S 3rd St.
Renton 425-228-3700

Izakaya Sushi in the Landing

First, full disclosure: I'm not Freddy--although I certainly wish I was :)

Second, my wife and I are currently obsessed with Izakaya Sushi in the Landing. It's a kaiten-zushi bar and they also serve Yakitori -- basically barbequed meat skewers (which we have not tried yet).

We love to sit at the kaiten which is, quite literally a "Sushi train" (this is also what we call the resturaunt--i.e. "want to go to sushi train tonight?"). It's a conveyor belt of increasingly interesting sushi selections, everything from salads to exotic rolls (Boeing Roll anyone?) sushi, and even desserts. Each plate has a different price (from $1-5) and you just pay by the plates at the end of the night. The food is really really good (although, I'm not sure if it surpasses Renton staples like New Zen). The novelty and the atmosphere are amazing, however. We'll definitely be back to try the tempura and the Yakatori.

I see it's getting some mixed reviews on Yelp. Anybody else been there? What do you think?

Naan N Curry's New Menu

Of all the Renton eateries that Freddy has discovered and shared over the years of writing Displaced Hipster, my #1 favorite hands-down is the fabulous Naan N Curry in downtown Renton. We were for years a loyal Pabla customer, shunning the red-and-yellow McCurry looking awning that cried out "food court Indian". But Freddy convinced me to try it when he first wrote about it in 2006 in his post "Moses and Krishna vs. Mohammed".

We've never looked back. We eat there regularly and sample widely -- Chicken Tikka, Lamb Handi, Gobi Gosht, Kareli Gosht, Chicken Jalfraizi -- good lord, they are all good. So very, very good. Part of what makes it so good is the attention to the spices, part is the dedication to broadening the standard Indian restaurant fare through numerous Pakistani dishes (cf. Lamb Handi).

Lately they have built on this strength by adding a one sheet of new recipes, which I've ordered from both the last times we were there. Tonight I ate the Achra Gosht, a curry with a mango base and chunks of tender lamb. Although the first bite I thought it might be a touch on the sweet side for me, three bites in I was hooked. Also notable is the Chicken Tikka prepared with a green sauce -- mint and coriander -- a delicious departure from the also excellent Chicken Tikka on the regular menu. The one and only downside is the steady creeping up of the dinner prices.

If you are a fan and haven't checked out the new menu, it's definitely worth a trip. Or two. Or three. Additionally, if you are a fan, Naan N Curry has been nominated for Best Indian in Western Washington -- you should add your vote!
http://best.king5.com/naan-n-curry/biz/137555

I voted from my table, as I sopped the last bits of Achra Gosht with my naan.