Any restaurants you hate to admit you like?

C'mon. We all have at least one restaurant we'd hate to be seen in, especially by our friends, yet we make these sneaky trips there and hope nobody sees us actually enjoying a meal there.
For me, it's Billy McHale's. Oh my god! is that place out of date, so 80's, with it's tchochkes galore and the little train overhead and the fake festiveness. But you know what? I like the place. I know, most of the people who eat there are at least in their 60's, and the place maybe ought to be updated to at least the 90's, huh?
But the food is good, and it's a good value, especially the early bird dinner special, served 7 days a week from 2 until 5:30. That's blue hair time, but you get a large selection of entrees or entree salads that include dessert for 8.95!
The early bird specials, among other choices, offer steak, chicken, salmon, Cobb salad, Lasagna, and quite a few others. The dessert choices include hot fudge sundae, apple crisp ala mode, and a frozen, very rich and delicious peanut butter pie.
I know. The ultimmate hipster isn't supposed to dine until 10PM, then go out and hear music or something.
But if you want to know the truth, I haven't been hip since Joni Mitchell was in her heyday, and 10PM! That's almost bedtime!

Billy McHales
241 SW 7th St.
Renton WA 427-271-7427

Thai restaurants in Renton

I remember back in the day when Seattle had one Thai restaurant. We're talking 25+ years ago. It was in downtown Seattle, somewhere around 2nd and Virginia, and it was awesome. Shortly thereafter Thai restaurants started sprouting up like mushrooms after a rain, and not all of them were awesome.

Renton's got some good ones. Royal Orchid's been around for years and is consistently very good and kind of elegant.
Thai on Highlands up the hill on Sunset has also been around for years and serves up some mighty fine salmon curry. A few other places are not Thai restaurants per se, but serve Thai food.
And now there's a new kid on the block, Thai 65, in the Landing. The place is artistically done, both the decor and the food. Prices are less expensive than Royal Orchid but more expensive than Thai on Highlands. Food quality is great. The Garlic Prawns didn't skimp on the garlic or portion size, and the salmon curry held it's own.
I wouldn't say it's necessarily better than the other Thai places in town. But it's quite good, and likely worth repeat visits. I'll be going back.

Thai 65
920 N 10th, #A
Renton 425-207-8687

Dog & Pony Benefit for RUFF

On Saturday, June 13th, from 5-9PM, The Dog & Pony Alehouse and Grill will be hosting a benefit for RUFF, Renton's Unleashed Furry Friends. As of last night, tickets for the benefit were still available at thirty dollars a piece.
This is going to be a fun event, and the price of admission will include 2 beers and your choice of a hamburger, a cheeseburger, a Karma burger (dude!), or a hot dog.
Tickets are only available at the Dog & Pony, and parking for the event will be available at the Satori School, a few hundred feet away. The entrance to the parking lot is on N 4th Street, via a driveway directly behind the happy Hound. There is also a driveway entrance on Park Ave, just south of 4th Street, after the blue house at 336 Park Ave.

So why go to this event?

1. The Renton City Council is matching funds up to 50,000 dollars, and once 20,000 dollars is raised, that will assure a quick opening of the gorgeous new off-leash dog area at the old Narco site adjacent to the Cedar River trail, across from the Renton Community Center.

2. The Dog & Pony is a great place to go anytime, with a huge selection of beer, and far better than average pub food ( their burgers absolutely rock!).

3. Connect with your fellow dog owning freaks and build community!

Dog & Pony, 351 Park Avenue N, 425-254-8080 www.thedogandpony.com

RUFF www.rentonoffleash.org