My Eldorado is a brand new supermarket in Skyway, at 68th and Renton Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by Saar's, and many other businesses before them.
It's a clean and pleasant place to shop. prices are not especially low, but they have a large variety of meat and produce, and a fairly large selection of Russian and Kosher foods.
It is going to become a member only store, with a multi level marketing approach, so that if you sign up new members, you get a kickback and additional discounts.
On the face of it, it sounds weird to me. For the first month or so, memberships will be one dollar, and then go up to thirty five.
To me, it's a pain in the ass to "join" a supermarket, and I'm not about to recruit people to go by their cornflakes at a particular store. For that very reason, I let my Costco membership lapse a while back, and this place ain't Costco.
However, for the time being it is a pleasant place to shop, the quality of goods is decent, and the folks working there are friendly.
I wish them luck.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Viet Wah and other tidbits
Viet Wah has recently opened a Renton outpost, at 2820 NE Sunset, aka SR 900, in the Renton highlands.
Viet Wah is a fun place to shop. Seattle has long had Uwajimaya as it's giant Asian supermarket, and Viet Wah is similar. Yes, you can buy eel or yam noodles or many varieties of soy sauce, but Viet Wah also carries kleenex and hot dogs and milk.
Viet Wah also caters to the neighborhood. In this case, a nice selection of Mexican cheeses, meats, and spices.
Viet Wah has fresh seafood, including fresh salmon, smoked salmon, shrimp, crab, etc.
And a butcher counter with very reasonably priced and decent quality steaks, chops, and ribs.
And plenty of stuff unfamiliar to many of us.
On another note, Aloha BBQ (2439 Maple Valley Hwy) remains open. They have had landlord troubles and family illness, and are looking for someone take over their lease and then perhaps find another location.
Hours are 3-6PM Monday, 3-10PM Tuesday-Friday, and 4-10PM Sat and Sun. Phone # is 425-271-4451.
The place remains an excellent and very reasonably priced place. It is a Filipino and Japanese influenced Hawaiian restaurant with daily specials. Last time I was there the specials were Southern style BBQ ribs and pulled pork with beans. The beans were right up there with the best I've ever had.
Alas, Cocina Marina in Skyway is gone, at least temporarily. The big windstorm of December caused damage to their kitchen (tree crashed through the roof). Repairs are being done to the place, but it's unlikely the same folks will return to run it.
Gabby's Q is open in the 12600 block of Renton Avenue in Skyway, 7 days a week from 5PM, between the nail shop and the Beachcomber Tavern. This is a foodie find. Not the most savory of neighborhoods, but definitely savory food.
Viet Wah is a fun place to shop. Seattle has long had Uwajimaya as it's giant Asian supermarket, and Viet Wah is similar. Yes, you can buy eel or yam noodles or many varieties of soy sauce, but Viet Wah also carries kleenex and hot dogs and milk.
Viet Wah also caters to the neighborhood. In this case, a nice selection of Mexican cheeses, meats, and spices.
Viet Wah has fresh seafood, including fresh salmon, smoked salmon, shrimp, crab, etc.
And a butcher counter with very reasonably priced and decent quality steaks, chops, and ribs.
And plenty of stuff unfamiliar to many of us.
On another note, Aloha BBQ (2439 Maple Valley Hwy) remains open. They have had landlord troubles and family illness, and are looking for someone take over their lease and then perhaps find another location.
Hours are 3-6PM Monday, 3-10PM Tuesday-Friday, and 4-10PM Sat and Sun. Phone # is 425-271-4451.
The place remains an excellent and very reasonably priced place. It is a Filipino and Japanese influenced Hawaiian restaurant with daily specials. Last time I was there the specials were Southern style BBQ ribs and pulled pork with beans. The beans were right up there with the best I've ever had.
Alas, Cocina Marina in Skyway is gone, at least temporarily. The big windstorm of December caused damage to their kitchen (tree crashed through the roof). Repairs are being done to the place, but it's unlikely the same folks will return to run it.
Gabby's Q is open in the 12600 block of Renton Avenue in Skyway, 7 days a week from 5PM, between the nail shop and the Beachcomber Tavern. This is a foodie find. Not the most savory of neighborhoods, but definitely savory food.
Friday, January 05, 2007
When bad things happen to good restaurants
I have the misfortune of being attracted to little hole in the wall restaurants in out of the way locations. An out of the way location might be to your advantage if you're running a meditation retreat, but it's generally not a good thing if it's a restaurant you've got.
On that note...
Cocina Marina of Skyway appears to be closed. At least it was when it shouldn't have been, twice in the last week or so. The place had been El Tapatio for a million years, and did well. It was succeeded by El Agave, a place I liked that didn't last long, and more recently by Cocina Marina. Had the restaurant been located on Queen Anne or in Wallingford, there would be people lined up outside. But as they say in the real estate world, location, location,location. It doesn't help that Skyway is thought of as a neighborhood you risk getting shot in. Personally, for me, it's worth the risk if the reward will be a good enchilada, or pizza, or ribs.
Speaking of Skyway, Gary Pollard has opened Gabby's Q, a take out BBQ joint in Skyway next to the Beachcomber Tavern and the nail salon. I've known Gary for a few years, as we are now both ex Metro transit employees. His barbecue is one of a kind, as he hails from Alabama. His coleslaw is spicy and unusual, full of jalapenos and mustard.
The sauce is slightly sweet and quite good. The meats are all fine and tender.
And finally, my Renton restaurant of the year for 2006, Aloha BBQ, is for sale, due to family illness.
It is still open and operated by the same people. The food is great, portion sizes are ridiculously large, prices are low.
A special last week was Pork ribs with grilled salmon. Oh My God! Was it good!
...So get there before the ownership changes. I've reviewed it previously and it saddens me to no end that ownership is changing. You just don't find creative cooking of fresh food at low prices at many places, served by nice people.
This has been one of those cursed locations..I remember it as a good Mexican place, then a mediocre teriyaki joint, then a Vietnamese place, and finally Aloha Hawaiian BBQ, which has had far more business than it's predecessors, because it was, and is, so good.
On that note...
Cocina Marina of Skyway appears to be closed. At least it was when it shouldn't have been, twice in the last week or so. The place had been El Tapatio for a million years, and did well. It was succeeded by El Agave, a place I liked that didn't last long, and more recently by Cocina Marina. Had the restaurant been located on Queen Anne or in Wallingford, there would be people lined up outside. But as they say in the real estate world, location, location,location. It doesn't help that Skyway is thought of as a neighborhood you risk getting shot in. Personally, for me, it's worth the risk if the reward will be a good enchilada, or pizza, or ribs.
Speaking of Skyway, Gary Pollard has opened Gabby's Q, a take out BBQ joint in Skyway next to the Beachcomber Tavern and the nail salon. I've known Gary for a few years, as we are now both ex Metro transit employees. His barbecue is one of a kind, as he hails from Alabama. His coleslaw is spicy and unusual, full of jalapenos and mustard.
The sauce is slightly sweet and quite good. The meats are all fine and tender.
And finally, my Renton restaurant of the year for 2006, Aloha BBQ, is for sale, due to family illness.
It is still open and operated by the same people. The food is great, portion sizes are ridiculously large, prices are low.
A special last week was Pork ribs with grilled salmon. Oh My God! Was it good!
...So get there before the ownership changes. I've reviewed it previously and it saddens me to no end that ownership is changing. You just don't find creative cooking of fresh food at low prices at many places, served by nice people.
This has been one of those cursed locations..I remember it as a good Mexican place, then a mediocre teriyaki joint, then a Vietnamese place, and finally Aloha Hawaiian BBQ, which has had far more business than it's predecessors, because it was, and is, so good.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The Busiest day in Renton restaurant history
Friday December 15th had to have been the busiest day in Renton restaurant history.
Much of the Seattle area was without power due to the windstorm, but downtown Renton was literally a beacon of light and heat.
I had the great idea to take myself out for breakfast, since the house was cold and dark. Lots of others had the same idea.
Tommy's had a line outside the door, as did Mimosa. I then drove up the hill to Plum Delicious and it too was mobbed, so I drove back into downtown Renton and found refuge at Rubbatino's, the hole in the wall on 3rd Street, across from Naan N Curry. Rubbatino's is the oldest continously operating restaurant in Renton. They claim to have Renton's best breakfast. Like every other restaurant in downtown Renton, it too was crowded, but I was able to get a counter seat and enjoyed warmth, coffee, and Pork Chops and eggs.
That evening, Diane and I tried to find an open restaurant. Naan N Curry was mobbed, as was La Hacienda, as was the alehouse. We ended up at Cedar River Smokehouse and ate, but after we got served they announced that they had run out of food.
On another note, Thai #1 & Pho Cafe has opened in the Safeway mall of Downtown Renton.
203 S. 2nd Street Suite B 425-277-6909.
It's good, it's cheap. They have a pretty good selection of both Thai and Vietnamese food, including Red, Green and Panang curries, Vietnamese and Thai soups and salads, bubble teas, Mango and Green Tea ice cream, tempura, miso soup, mussels, etc.
The menu tops out at 7.95.
For me, it's close, convenient, open til 9:30 7 days a week, and it's good.
Which reminds me, if anyone wants to open a Japanese place and looking for a name, how about Miso Horny?
...And Touchdowns Restaurant and Bar has opened in the space formerly occupied by the All City Diner on Airport Way in Renton. At "press time" it hadn't yet been sampled, but your faithful scribe will sample and report soon.
Much of the Seattle area was without power due to the windstorm, but downtown Renton was literally a beacon of light and heat.
I had the great idea to take myself out for breakfast, since the house was cold and dark. Lots of others had the same idea.
Tommy's had a line outside the door, as did Mimosa. I then drove up the hill to Plum Delicious and it too was mobbed, so I drove back into downtown Renton and found refuge at Rubbatino's, the hole in the wall on 3rd Street, across from Naan N Curry. Rubbatino's is the oldest continously operating restaurant in Renton. They claim to have Renton's best breakfast. Like every other restaurant in downtown Renton, it too was crowded, but I was able to get a counter seat and enjoyed warmth, coffee, and Pork Chops and eggs.
That evening, Diane and I tried to find an open restaurant. Naan N Curry was mobbed, as was La Hacienda, as was the alehouse. We ended up at Cedar River Smokehouse and ate, but after we got served they announced that they had run out of food.
On another note, Thai #1 & Pho Cafe has opened in the Safeway mall of Downtown Renton.
203 S. 2nd Street Suite B 425-277-6909.
It's good, it's cheap. They have a pretty good selection of both Thai and Vietnamese food, including Red, Green and Panang curries, Vietnamese and Thai soups and salads, bubble teas, Mango and Green Tea ice cream, tempura, miso soup, mussels, etc.
The menu tops out at 7.95.
For me, it's close, convenient, open til 9:30 7 days a week, and it's good.
Which reminds me, if anyone wants to open a Japanese place and looking for a name, how about Miso Horny?
...And Touchdowns Restaurant and Bar has opened in the space formerly occupied by the All City Diner on Airport Way in Renton. At "press time" it hadn't yet been sampled, but your faithful scribe will sample and report soon.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Armando's Cafe Italiano
Armando's Cafe Italiano 310 Wells Avenue S., Renton WA 98055 425-228-0759 www.armandos.com
Armando's is a long established, very successful, and highly acclaimed restaurant in downtown Renton. It's not one of my regular haunts, but over the years I have sampled almost everything on the menu, and was just there again a few days ago.
A few months ago Armando's moved around the corner into a new, larger location.
The new location is pretty, with a fireplace and Armando's own blown glass throughout.
So...is Armando's really all that?
Well, it has it's pluses and minuses.
The pluses? The food is very good. Chicken Armando is, to me, their signature dish, a chicken breast baked with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, white wine, and parmesan.
Pastas are all very good. Steamed mussels are delicious. Pizza is baked in a wood fired brick oven. Prawns Palermo are sauteed with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta, and tomatoes.
So what's not to like?
Well, I tell you: Years ago there were only two Italian restaurants in downtown Renton: Armando's and Gene's. You couldn't be a huge fan of both places, it had to be one or the other, like a New Yorker can't be both a Met fan AND a Yankee fan.
I was a Gene's person, and I still miss Gene's. The big difference was service. Part of Gene's philosophy was making people feel at home and comfortable and well taken care of. He made sure that he hired people who went out of their way to make your experience there feel special. The food was probably equal to Armando's, all things considered, some things better, some not as good, but it was slightly less expensive, and just more fun to go there.
Armando's is lacking in the service department. It's not that they don't try, but I don't think Armando values service very highly. He tends to hire 17 year olds who mumble. I'm aging and my hearing isn't as good as it once was. Armando's is somewhat noisy, so I'd appreciate louder waitpeople who enunciated, instead of softspoken mumblers.
Entrees at Armando's range from 11.95 to 17.95.
Armando, who is a Renton High School graduate, also owns the Melrose Grill, located diagonally across the street from Armando's. I love the Melrose Grill.
Don't get me wrong, I like Armando's and will continue to patronize them. But I don't love the place and things bother me about the place.
For instance, I asked for them to hold the pasta on my order of Chicken Armando.
The server asked if I wanted grilled veggies instead. Sure! And they were good!
But don't you think it ought to have been mentioned at the time that they would charge me an extra dollar for them?
I would have happily paid it, but not mentioning the extra charge just strikes me as a chickenshit way to steal extra money.
On the 0-4 scale?
Food=3.75 Atmosphere=3.5 Service= 2.0 Value=2.0
Armando's is a long established, very successful, and highly acclaimed restaurant in downtown Renton. It's not one of my regular haunts, but over the years I have sampled almost everything on the menu, and was just there again a few days ago.
A few months ago Armando's moved around the corner into a new, larger location.
The new location is pretty, with a fireplace and Armando's own blown glass throughout.
So...is Armando's really all that?
Well, it has it's pluses and minuses.
The pluses? The food is very good. Chicken Armando is, to me, their signature dish, a chicken breast baked with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, white wine, and parmesan.
Pastas are all very good. Steamed mussels are delicious. Pizza is baked in a wood fired brick oven. Prawns Palermo are sauteed with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, feta, and tomatoes.
So what's not to like?
Well, I tell you: Years ago there were only two Italian restaurants in downtown Renton: Armando's and Gene's. You couldn't be a huge fan of both places, it had to be one or the other, like a New Yorker can't be both a Met fan AND a Yankee fan.
I was a Gene's person, and I still miss Gene's. The big difference was service. Part of Gene's philosophy was making people feel at home and comfortable and well taken care of. He made sure that he hired people who went out of their way to make your experience there feel special. The food was probably equal to Armando's, all things considered, some things better, some not as good, but it was slightly less expensive, and just more fun to go there.
Armando's is lacking in the service department. It's not that they don't try, but I don't think Armando values service very highly. He tends to hire 17 year olds who mumble. I'm aging and my hearing isn't as good as it once was. Armando's is somewhat noisy, so I'd appreciate louder waitpeople who enunciated, instead of softspoken mumblers.
Entrees at Armando's range from 11.95 to 17.95.
Armando, who is a Renton High School graduate, also owns the Melrose Grill, located diagonally across the street from Armando's. I love the Melrose Grill.
Don't get me wrong, I like Armando's and will continue to patronize them. But I don't love the place and things bother me about the place.
For instance, I asked for them to hold the pasta on my order of Chicken Armando.
The server asked if I wanted grilled veggies instead. Sure! And they were good!
But don't you think it ought to have been mentioned at the time that they would charge me an extra dollar for them?
I would have happily paid it, but not mentioning the extra charge just strikes me as a chickenshit way to steal extra money.
On the 0-4 scale?
Food=3.75 Atmosphere=3.5 Service= 2.0 Value=2.0
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Renton Rumblings
DC's Bar and Grill will be opening within the next week on 3rd in downtown Renton, and will be followed shortly thereafter by Stiffy's Bar & Grill in the spot formerly housing Armando's. Around the corner will be Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes at 3rd and Wells. Mmmm, cupcakes!
Gaby's Que is opening in Skyway in the 12600 block of Renton Avenue.
Gaby's Que is opening in Skyway in the 12600 block of Renton Avenue.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Freakazoid Freddy does Hot Springs, Arkansas
Diane and I just spent the last few days in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Why?
I like to seek off the beaten path places, whether they be restaurants or vacation spots, and Hot Springs qualifies.
When a genius acts on his obsessions, this may result in far reaching consequences to the world. When an idiot acts on his obsessions....maybe he goes to Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Actually, Hot Springs is a beautiful place. Downtown Hot Springs is surrounded by a national park. It's in the Ouachita Mountains, much smaller than mountains around here, but plenty scenic.
Hot Springs was formerly a major resort destination. Mineral water emerges from the ground at 140 degrees there, and huge bathhouses and hotels were developed around this phenomenon. The bathhouses still exist, grand turn of the century structures. Only one currently functions as a bathhouse, but another functions as the National Park headquarters, and several others are in the process of being restored. The city also has some beautiful old hotels that still maintain their elegance.
Up until about 40 years ago, Hot Springs was also a major mob influenced gambling mecca, and some of the old and gorgeous downtown buoldings were built as casinos. The town fell into disfavor and disrepair as mineral baths became out of fashion and as the gambling houses were shut down.
In recent years, Hot Springs has seen something of a resurgence, as artists have discovered the town and taken over vacant spaces and opened galleries. We were there for part of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, held at an ancient movie house that now mostly serves as a theatre of magic.
Hot Springs is also the city Bill Clinton spent his formative years in.
Nowadays, Hot Springs is a surprisingly diverse and cosmpolitan city for it's size, surrounded by a lot of natural beauty.
We arrived in town in time for the Arlington Hotel's Sunday brunch. The Arlington is the fanciest place downtown, built in 1912. It remains elegant. The brunch was damn good! Somewhat akin to Salty's at Alki,with lots of seafood, a waffle bar, an omelette bar and they make doughnuts! on site, the best doughnuts I've ever eaten.
That evening, after hiking and napping, we dined at Cajun Boilers, an excellent place near Lake Hamilton, inexpensive and featuring wonderful seafood in many forms. I had spicy catfish and four kinds of shrimp, with peanut butter pie for dessert. Diane had shrimp scampi, garlicky, buttery, and very fresh.
Monday, we went to Mollie's, the only Jewish deli in the state of Arkansas, a place that had been there since the 1940's. There's nothing like having an elderly Jewish Arkansan waitress come up to you and ask "Y'all gonna have the Matzoh Ball soup?"
After more hiking, napping, and driving around exploring the area, dinner meant barbecue.
Arkansas is famous for barbecue, and while I might praise a Seattle or Renton area BBQ joint, it all pales compared to Arkansas.
Monday, we went to Stubby's, a place operating since the 1940's. Good, tangy, vinegary sauce and much better than average ribs.
Tuesday, lunch was at Smokin in Style BBQ. Incredible ribs served with incredible fries (best I've eaten on both counts).
One cannot be in Hot Springs and not go to McClard's, thought of in foodie circles as one of the best BBQ joints in the US, and a favorite of Bill Clinton's. Photos of Clinton are all over the walls, and of other celebrities who proclaim McClard's the finest in the land.
The place has been there since 1928, and had an old diner-like atmosphere with counter stools and chrome, and had a fun, relaxing atmosphere. They also only take cash. Had I not overdosed on BBQ the previous two meals, I too might have proclaimed it to be the best.
And the ribs were excellent, and like Smokin in Style, it's neighbor down the street, it also came with fries. And they too were far better than average, but not quite as crispy crunchy as it's rival. All in all I'd say Smokin In Style gets the nod, except for atmosphere.
There were many other restaurants we didn't get a chance to try, including a tapas bar, several Italian places, and an all you can eat fried chicken, frogs legs, and shrimp buffet.
Hot Springs is a fun and funny place, an island of free thinkers ( at least some of 'em) in a sea of Southern Baptists. We had a good time. Now I have to lose some weight.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Where do the huddled masses eat?
Where the Red House is disputably Renton's hippest restaurant, King Buffet, 20 SW 7th St, Renton 228-3666 is disputably Renton's least hip place.
Let me state unequivocally that I don't require hipness to enjoy a restaurant (or even good food: I like Tommy's) but King Buffet leaves me with nausea and gastrointestinal distress every time I've eaten there.
My sister loves the place, says the food is really good.
And if I weren't so senile, I'd remember why I eat there so rarely.
The place is huge, and there is plenty of food to choose from, including sushi, Mongolian grill, salads, soups, meats, veggies, etc.
It's also an extremely popular place. Many places are closed on Mondays because it is a slow night for restaurants, but not King Buffet. They were quite busy last night, and the buffet fans were quite varied.
There were African- Americans, Honkies ( including Russian speaking honkies), Asians, Mexicans, Arabs, and Africans all fighting for their share of the buffet table, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. After eating there, breathing at all is difficult.
The place definitely has that "feeding trough" feel to it.
I'm not against buffet places, in fact I like the idea of eating mass quantities of food I like.
But the problem with King Buffet is not only the crowds, but the food.
Very uninspired greasy unidentifiable fried shit, vegetables swimming in grease, a Mongolian grill full of mystery meat...and a lot of the stuff, in different trays with different labels, all tastes alike.
Yes, I am guilty of eating too much there. I really ought to limit overeating to food I like.
Given the choice of eating there or one of these fake festive chain restaurants intent on "upselling", I'd have thought I'd died and gone to hell.
Is King Buffet my least favorite Renton restaurant?
I don't know, but it's at least a runner up.
Let me state unequivocally that I don't require hipness to enjoy a restaurant (or even good food: I like Tommy's) but King Buffet leaves me with nausea and gastrointestinal distress every time I've eaten there.
My sister loves the place, says the food is really good.
And if I weren't so senile, I'd remember why I eat there so rarely.
The place is huge, and there is plenty of food to choose from, including sushi, Mongolian grill, salads, soups, meats, veggies, etc.
It's also an extremely popular place. Many places are closed on Mondays because it is a slow night for restaurants, but not King Buffet. They were quite busy last night, and the buffet fans were quite varied.
There were African- Americans, Honkies ( including Russian speaking honkies), Asians, Mexicans, Arabs, and Africans all fighting for their share of the buffet table, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. After eating there, breathing at all is difficult.
The place definitely has that "feeding trough" feel to it.
I'm not against buffet places, in fact I like the idea of eating mass quantities of food I like.
But the problem with King Buffet is not only the crowds, but the food.
Very uninspired greasy unidentifiable fried shit, vegetables swimming in grease, a Mongolian grill full of mystery meat...and a lot of the stuff, in different trays with different labels, all tastes alike.
Yes, I am guilty of eating too much there. I really ought to limit overeating to food I like.
Given the choice of eating there or one of these fake festive chain restaurants intent on "upselling", I'd have thought I'd died and gone to hell.
Is King Buffet my least favorite Renton restaurant?
I don't know, but it's at least a runner up.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Gene- ius: Red House Beer and Wine
Gene Sens and his wife Hoang are long time Renton restauranteurs.
25 years ago Gene had a pizza stand in the old Renton Food Circus, near where the downtown Fred Meyer store is. Later on he and Hoang owned and operated Gene's, which is now Vino on s. 3rd St, downtown Renton. Even when living in Seattle, we would come down to Gene's for dinner. The food was creative, the atmposphere always pleasant, and prices too low.
After running the place for 15+ years, Gene and Hoang were tired, and sold the place. They "retired", but not for too long. Gene also started and later sold Jubilante, and designed the menu at the Dog and Pony. He's one of those people who goes into the restaurant business to share good food and provide gathering places rather than to make money.
A few years ago, he and Hoang opened Red House Beer and Wine, 410 Burnett Ave S, 425-226-2666, redhousebeerandwine.com
...Doesn't matter what kind of restaurant Gene runs, it will have a distinctive Gene style, and I will like it. Music will always be eclectic, food will always be good, and the place will exhude a certain hipness and warmth. RedHouse has a huge selection of beer and wine, and you can buy a bottle or a six pack and take it home and drink it. Or you can stay and enjoy the wide variety of tapas, appetizers,salads and the like. Since opening, they have expanded the menu to include entrees.
We went on Friday night. The place was deservedly busy. The old Gene's, which was an Italian restaurant, had the the best antipasto in the entire world. Red House also has a very good antipasto, which includes olives, roasted peppers, smoked salmon pate, a variety of cheeses, and salumi, probably Pino Rogano locally made artisan cured meat.
A special on friday was Rib Eye Steak, and rivaled the Melrose in tenderness and flavor. (That's a big compliment.)
We all shared everything, including pasta with dungeness crab and cream sauce(YUM!), and spicy grilled shrimp, and steamed clams...An intriguing future order will include Hangar Steak and White King Salmon.
We didn't have dessert, because we were stuffed to the gills ( although at times that fact hasn't stopped me before.)
But if the desserts are anything at all like Gene's used to be, watch out! They're too good.
Hoang did a lot of the dessert baking, Gene baked the bread. The apple pie at Gene's years later remains to this day the best I've eaten.
Red House is a great place.
25 years ago Gene had a pizza stand in the old Renton Food Circus, near where the downtown Fred Meyer store is. Later on he and Hoang owned and operated Gene's, which is now Vino on s. 3rd St, downtown Renton. Even when living in Seattle, we would come down to Gene's for dinner. The food was creative, the atmposphere always pleasant, and prices too low.
After running the place for 15+ years, Gene and Hoang were tired, and sold the place. They "retired", but not for too long. Gene also started and later sold Jubilante, and designed the menu at the Dog and Pony. He's one of those people who goes into the restaurant business to share good food and provide gathering places rather than to make money.
A few years ago, he and Hoang opened Red House Beer and Wine, 410 Burnett Ave S, 425-226-2666, redhousebeerandwine.com
...Doesn't matter what kind of restaurant Gene runs, it will have a distinctive Gene style, and I will like it. Music will always be eclectic, food will always be good, and the place will exhude a certain hipness and warmth. RedHouse has a huge selection of beer and wine, and you can buy a bottle or a six pack and take it home and drink it. Or you can stay and enjoy the wide variety of tapas, appetizers,salads and the like. Since opening, they have expanded the menu to include entrees.
We went on Friday night. The place was deservedly busy. The old Gene's, which was an Italian restaurant, had the the best antipasto in the entire world. Red House also has a very good antipasto, which includes olives, roasted peppers, smoked salmon pate, a variety of cheeses, and salumi, probably Pino Rogano locally made artisan cured meat.
A special on friday was Rib Eye Steak, and rivaled the Melrose in tenderness and flavor. (That's a big compliment.)
We all shared everything, including pasta with dungeness crab and cream sauce(YUM!), and spicy grilled shrimp, and steamed clams...An intriguing future order will include Hangar Steak and White King Salmon.
We didn't have dessert, because we were stuffed to the gills ( although at times that fact hasn't stopped me before.)
But if the desserts are anything at all like Gene's used to be, watch out! They're too good.
Hoang did a lot of the dessert baking, Gene baked the bread. The apple pie at Gene's years later remains to this day the best I've eaten.
Red House is a great place.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Skyway has a good restaurant
I reviewed Cocina Marina in July, and recently returned.
Once again, I'm astounded by the quality of the food.
Skyway is not the neighborhood for restaurants of quality, but Cocina Marina, 11839 Renton Avenue S, 206-772-3054, is actually a place of gourmet aspirations. And not especially Mexican, even though it is a Mexican restaurant. But then again, there are numerous restaurants in Mexico that are not especially Mexican.
Cocina Marina has a number of pasta dishes on the menu, including what I ordered, prawns scampi alfredo, and boy was it good! Jumbo prawns butterflied and garlicky, served atop a creamy parmesany fettucine.
A nightly special included a mixed seafood soup, which included crab, salmon, and shrimp, with a delicious broth.
Other menu items include a tuna sandwich made with fresh grilled yellowfin tuna, grilled salmon, and NY steak.
Many entrees and served with garlic toast rather than tortillas.
Latino karaoke is Friday and Saturday. Latin dancing on Sunday. And English karaoke on Thursday nights. The bar looks very inviting and friendly, the restaurant fairly unremodeled.
Food is close to excellent, service is friendly but slow, atmosphere is seedy but safe, and the food, while a little pricier than standard Mexican fare , is actually a good value considering the quality and taste of the food.
How long a gourmet restaurant in Skyway can last is anybody's guess. But they've lasted since July, and hopefully for many more years.
Once again, I'm astounded by the quality of the food.
Skyway is not the neighborhood for restaurants of quality, but Cocina Marina, 11839 Renton Avenue S, 206-772-3054, is actually a place of gourmet aspirations. And not especially Mexican, even though it is a Mexican restaurant. But then again, there are numerous restaurants in Mexico that are not especially Mexican.
Cocina Marina has a number of pasta dishes on the menu, including what I ordered, prawns scampi alfredo, and boy was it good! Jumbo prawns butterflied and garlicky, served atop a creamy parmesany fettucine.
A nightly special included a mixed seafood soup, which included crab, salmon, and shrimp, with a delicious broth.
Other menu items include a tuna sandwich made with fresh grilled yellowfin tuna, grilled salmon, and NY steak.
Many entrees and served with garlic toast rather than tortillas.
Latino karaoke is Friday and Saturday. Latin dancing on Sunday. And English karaoke on Thursday nights. The bar looks very inviting and friendly, the restaurant fairly unremodeled.
Food is close to excellent, service is friendly but slow, atmosphere is seedy but safe, and the food, while a little pricier than standard Mexican fare , is actually a good value considering the quality and taste of the food.
How long a gourmet restaurant in Skyway can last is anybody's guess. But they've lasted since July, and hopefully for many more years.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Renton Has Many Mediocre Restaurants
Most of Renton's restaurants fall into the mediocre category. There are a few exceptions:
The Melrose, The Red House, Aloha BBQ, Armando's and maybe a couple of others are quite good.
A few, like Mimosa and their limp yellow lettuce at the salad bar, only aspire to mediocrity.
Last night we dined at the Yankee Grill & Roaster, 1 Grady Way, 255-8543.
The Yankee's Ballard branch opened with much fanfare and acclaim about twenty years ago, and their Renton branch has been here about seven years. I believe they have seen a couple of ownership changes since then.
The Yankee Grill is the Holiday Inn's in- house restaurant. It, like most of it's Renton restaurnat brethren, falls into the mediocre category.
The menu is kind of upscale-ambitious, including salmon and a catch of the day, as well as rotisserie beef and turkey and smoked chicken.
Salads include a smoked salmon Caesar, a tossed Cobb salad, and a smoked chicken curry sald made with mandarin orange and walnut.
The place has a dark wood fancy restaurant feel, and lotss of historical Renton photos.
They're famous for large portions of classic American dishes like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
So, foodwise, I'd say they're better than average..portions are large and everything is fairly fresh.
Service is friendly but somewhat slow and not especially competent.
I ordered a Diet Pepsi (2.49) and was never offered a refill. I don't mind paying 2.49 for a soda, if they're offering to refill my glass every ten minutes or so.
The atmosphere is pleasant..It's a good looking place with a gas fireplace and handsome wood.
Prices are way too high..they think they're all that.
It's not the worst restaurant in Renton by a long shot. The food is pretty good, just not worth their menu prices.
The Melrose, The Red House, Aloha BBQ, Armando's and maybe a couple of others are quite good.
A few, like Mimosa and their limp yellow lettuce at the salad bar, only aspire to mediocrity.
Last night we dined at the Yankee Grill & Roaster, 1 Grady Way, 255-8543.
The Yankee's Ballard branch opened with much fanfare and acclaim about twenty years ago, and their Renton branch has been here about seven years. I believe they have seen a couple of ownership changes since then.
The Yankee Grill is the Holiday Inn's in- house restaurant. It, like most of it's Renton restaurnat brethren, falls into the mediocre category.
The menu is kind of upscale-ambitious, including salmon and a catch of the day, as well as rotisserie beef and turkey and smoked chicken.
Salads include a smoked salmon Caesar, a tossed Cobb salad, and a smoked chicken curry sald made with mandarin orange and walnut.
The place has a dark wood fancy restaurant feel, and lotss of historical Renton photos.
They're famous for large portions of classic American dishes like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
So, foodwise, I'd say they're better than average..portions are large and everything is fairly fresh.
Service is friendly but somewhat slow and not especially competent.
I ordered a Diet Pepsi (2.49) and was never offered a refill. I don't mind paying 2.49 for a soda, if they're offering to refill my glass every ten minutes or so.
The atmosphere is pleasant..It's a good looking place with a gas fireplace and handsome wood.
Prices are way too high..they think they're all that.
It's not the worst restaurant in Renton by a long shot. The food is pretty good, just not worth their menu prices.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Applebee's now has a Renton location
Applebee's is not the kind of restaurant I generally go to or like. I tend to shun big national chains, and Applebee's, like some other big national chains, has this contrived festivity about it.
Nonetheless, almost next door to the Renton Village 8 movie theatre ( 375 Grady Way, 425-687-1200), Applebee's recently opened in Renton, and is not lacking in customers.
And...you know what? It's not that bad.
The menu is extensive, giving choices to all kinds of tastes, and the food is clearly a notch above a Sheri's or a Denny's.
They've teamed up with The Food Network's celebrity chef Tyler Florence to feature some of his recipes, and the "crispy brick chicken" is really quite good..crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and grilled with rosemary, lemon and olive oil.
Other Tyler Florence creations include a penne pasta with a tomato cream sauce, ripe tomatoes, peas, and sausage, a bruschetta burger, and an herb roasted chicken.
Items on the regular menu include good salads, like a steakhouse salad, apple walnut salad, and a Southwest Cobb.
Honey Grilled salmon looked good on an neighboring table's plate, but I didn't order it, nor ask the person at the next table for a bite.
Tuesdays and Thursdays feature all you can eat riblets.
Okay, what's a riblet? Even after ordering it, I can't tell you. It's not bad, not BBQ smoked as I prefer, but not bad, and the BBQ sauce is mediocre, but the meat's tasty, whatever it is...how does the saying go " If you have to ask, you don't really want to know the answer, as in "How do you make sausage?"
Service is fairly quick, friendly and efficient. Prices aren't bad, mostly 8.99-12.99, except for burgers, wraps, and sandwiches.
So really there is stuff to like about the place.
One clever thing Applebee's does is make each location "local."
The Renton location has historical Renton pictures, sports memorabilia from Renton high school teams, photos of Ichiro, etc.
So what don't I like about the place?
1. The fake festivity. I don't need to be fuc*ing happy to eat in a restaurant.
2. I know it's their job, but I've got a menu: Waitstaff don't need to "sell" certain items.."Can I start you out with some mozarella sticks?" or "How about dessert, how about some mud pie?"
3. The music. 80's rock. Feh.
Mud pie. Riblets. What the hell are these things, really?
All in all, I will continue to dine at Applebee's on occasion. The food is better than similarly priced restaurants, and it's a convenient location.
But is this ever going to be a restaurant I'm going to say I love?
Never.
Nonetheless, almost next door to the Renton Village 8 movie theatre ( 375 Grady Way, 425-687-1200), Applebee's recently opened in Renton, and is not lacking in customers.
And...you know what? It's not that bad.
The menu is extensive, giving choices to all kinds of tastes, and the food is clearly a notch above a Sheri's or a Denny's.
They've teamed up with The Food Network's celebrity chef Tyler Florence to feature some of his recipes, and the "crispy brick chicken" is really quite good..crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and grilled with rosemary, lemon and olive oil.
Other Tyler Florence creations include a penne pasta with a tomato cream sauce, ripe tomatoes, peas, and sausage, a bruschetta burger, and an herb roasted chicken.
Items on the regular menu include good salads, like a steakhouse salad, apple walnut salad, and a Southwest Cobb.
Honey Grilled salmon looked good on an neighboring table's plate, but I didn't order it, nor ask the person at the next table for a bite.
Tuesdays and Thursdays feature all you can eat riblets.
Okay, what's a riblet? Even after ordering it, I can't tell you. It's not bad, not BBQ smoked as I prefer, but not bad, and the BBQ sauce is mediocre, but the meat's tasty, whatever it is...how does the saying go " If you have to ask, you don't really want to know the answer, as in "How do you make sausage?"
Service is fairly quick, friendly and efficient. Prices aren't bad, mostly 8.99-12.99, except for burgers, wraps, and sandwiches.
So really there is stuff to like about the place.
One clever thing Applebee's does is make each location "local."
The Renton location has historical Renton pictures, sports memorabilia from Renton high school teams, photos of Ichiro, etc.
So what don't I like about the place?
1. The fake festivity. I don't need to be fuc*ing happy to eat in a restaurant.
2. I know it's their job, but I've got a menu: Waitstaff don't need to "sell" certain items.."Can I start you out with some mozarella sticks?" or "How about dessert, how about some mud pie?"
3. The music. 80's rock. Feh.
Mud pie. Riblets. What the hell are these things, really?
All in all, I will continue to dine at Applebee's on occasion. The food is better than similarly priced restaurants, and it's a convenient location.
But is this ever going to be a restaurant I'm going to say I love?
Never.
Monday, October 02, 2006
A recipe? What's that got to do with Renton?
Pretty soon it will be dark and cold and wet in these parts, a condition that lasts for months.
Yes, Renton has many exciting activities to pass those dreary days, but sometimes there's nothing better than staying home and eating chocolate-coconut haystacks.
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar (I use splenda)
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup ( I use a sugar free brand)
2 cups grated unsweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350'
Whip egg whites (with electric beater) on low for several minutes til medium stiff peaks form.
Beat in the sugar and cocoa powder a little at a time.
Gently fold in the choclate syrup and coconut.
Drop mixture by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.
Shape into little pyramids with fingertips.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Makes about 25-30 very addictive little cookies.
Yes, Renton has many exciting activities to pass those dreary days, but sometimes there's nothing better than staying home and eating chocolate-coconut haystacks.
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar (I use splenda)
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup ( I use a sugar free brand)
2 cups grated unsweetened coconut
Preheat oven to 350'
Whip egg whites (with electric beater) on low for several minutes til medium stiff peaks form.
Beat in the sugar and cocoa powder a little at a time.
Gently fold in the choclate syrup and coconut.
Drop mixture by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.
Shape into little pyramids with fingertips.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Makes about 25-30 very addictive little cookies.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Renton Restaurant gossip
The All City Diner will not be re-opening. In the same building will be a place called "Touchdowns".
Doesn't strike me that people go to a place with that name for the food.
Aloha BBQ has a new phone number. It is 425-721-4451.
Activity is going on in the space that formerly housed Armando's before they moved around the corner, but I don't know what's going in there. If anybody reading this does know, please fill us in.
Doesn't strike me that people go to a place with that name for the food.
Aloha BBQ has a new phone number. It is 425-721-4451.
Activity is going on in the space that formerly housed Armando's before they moved around the corner, but I don't know what's going in there. If anybody reading this does know, please fill us in.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Gordy's Steak and BBQ
I've been to Gordy's a few times. It's located in Tukwila at 13500 Interurban Avenue S, at the Foster Golf Links. 206-267-7427 gordysbbq.com
Gordy's is pleasant, comfortable and not too expensive.
It has big windows overlooking the golf course, but it's not a pretentious place.
Diners can select from entree salads, sandwiches and burgers, BBQ, steaks, and seafood.
Salads include a smoked salmon cobb, a seafood salad featuring dungeness crab and smoked salmon and shrimp, and a prime rib fajita salad.
Sandwiches include BBQ favoties like pulled pork, brisket, chicken, hot link, as well as bratwurst, a crab melt, and a vegetarian Portobello burger.
The Foster Burger includes avocado, bacon, and cheese.
Seafood entrees include catfish, crab cakes, and smoked salmon. I believe it is in house smoked salmon, and is very nice and moist.
I haven't had the steak there, but have had the BBQ chicken and pork ribs.
I love most BBQ ribs, and Gordy's is no exception. They're smoked in house and are tender. The BBQ sauce is wimpy and mild. The cole slaw is pleasant and not too sweet nor too mayonnaisey.
The place is on a golf course, and is sort of upscale, so you could choose to spend a lot of money there, but you don't have to.
Service has always been friendly and efficient.
All in all, this is a place worth going to.
I've had far worse BBQ, though I prefer Jones BBQ to Gordy's.
Nonetheless, overall, the food is better than average quality, the service is good, the atmosphere pleasant, not too expensive, and a place I will continue to revisit periodically.
I like Gordy's.
Gordy's is pleasant, comfortable and not too expensive.
It has big windows overlooking the golf course, but it's not a pretentious place.
Diners can select from entree salads, sandwiches and burgers, BBQ, steaks, and seafood.
Salads include a smoked salmon cobb, a seafood salad featuring dungeness crab and smoked salmon and shrimp, and a prime rib fajita salad.
Sandwiches include BBQ favoties like pulled pork, brisket, chicken, hot link, as well as bratwurst, a crab melt, and a vegetarian Portobello burger.
The Foster Burger includes avocado, bacon, and cheese.
Seafood entrees include catfish, crab cakes, and smoked salmon. I believe it is in house smoked salmon, and is very nice and moist.
I haven't had the steak there, but have had the BBQ chicken and pork ribs.
I love most BBQ ribs, and Gordy's is no exception. They're smoked in house and are tender. The BBQ sauce is wimpy and mild. The cole slaw is pleasant and not too sweet nor too mayonnaisey.
The place is on a golf course, and is sort of upscale, so you could choose to spend a lot of money there, but you don't have to.
Service has always been friendly and efficient.
All in all, this is a place worth going to.
I've had far worse BBQ, though I prefer Jones BBQ to Gordy's.
Nonetheless, overall, the food is better than average quality, the service is good, the atmosphere pleasant, not too expensive, and a place I will continue to revisit periodically.
I like Gordy's.
Freakazoid Freddy's Primary Primer
Tuesday, September 19th is primary election day in the state of Washington.
This is not my usual diatribe about restaurants, but the politicians we elect can and do affect our quality of life.
Politicians piss me off. Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, I can name you politicians I dislike because they are insincere liars.
That said, the latest politician to dislike is John Groen, running for the state Supreme Court.
Have you seen his commercials?
It shows Supreme Court justice Bobbe Bridge, who is not up for election this time.
She got cited for drunk driving a couple of years ago. The commercial goes on to say that after her arrest, her fellow (and up for re-election) judge Gerry Alexander stated that she deserved support.
The commercial made it sound like Alexander and Bobbe Bridge were the same person. Gerry Alexander did not get cited for drunk driving, and Bobbe Bridge is not running for anything.
So it's offensive, reprehensible , and doesn't really say why Groen would be worth electing.
It's an attack ad, and isn't the State Supreme Court supposed to a little more dignified than that?
Then, this morning, I get one of those pre-recorded campaign phone calls from none other than John Groen.
He went on to say things like " If you're disturbed by Supreme Court Justices driving drunk, you should vote for me, and if you're disturbed by Courts legalizing gay marriage, you should vote for me, blah blah blah."
Well, you know what?
First of all, there it was again, the inference that it was Alexander who was caught driving drunk, and second of all, sometimes courts have to act when legislators won't.
Politicians will go to where voters or donations are, and most of them don't give a shit about doing what's right.
Judges are supposed to balance the legal issues before them and make a fair decision not based on politics.
So, yeah, regardless of my position on gay marriage, absolutely the Courts have a right to decide whether gay marriage should be legal..
Politicians will not always act to end discrimination...if continuing to discriminate will result in re-election or big donations.
John Groen is not acting like a Judge is supposed to act. He's acting like a slimy politician. I don't know enough about his opponent, Gerry Alexander. But I've been so offended by Groen's slimy campaign that I would vote for Alexander now even if he decided to campaign naked.
This is not my usual diatribe about restaurants, but the politicians we elect can and do affect our quality of life.
Politicians piss me off. Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, I can name you politicians I dislike because they are insincere liars.
That said, the latest politician to dislike is John Groen, running for the state Supreme Court.
Have you seen his commercials?
It shows Supreme Court justice Bobbe Bridge, who is not up for election this time.
She got cited for drunk driving a couple of years ago. The commercial goes on to say that after her arrest, her fellow (and up for re-election) judge Gerry Alexander stated that she deserved support.
The commercial made it sound like Alexander and Bobbe Bridge were the same person. Gerry Alexander did not get cited for drunk driving, and Bobbe Bridge is not running for anything.
So it's offensive, reprehensible , and doesn't really say why Groen would be worth electing.
It's an attack ad, and isn't the State Supreme Court supposed to a little more dignified than that?
Then, this morning, I get one of those pre-recorded campaign phone calls from none other than John Groen.
He went on to say things like " If you're disturbed by Supreme Court Justices driving drunk, you should vote for me, and if you're disturbed by Courts legalizing gay marriage, you should vote for me, blah blah blah."
Well, you know what?
First of all, there it was again, the inference that it was Alexander who was caught driving drunk, and second of all, sometimes courts have to act when legislators won't.
Politicians will go to where voters or donations are, and most of them don't give a shit about doing what's right.
Judges are supposed to balance the legal issues before them and make a fair decision not based on politics.
So, yeah, regardless of my position on gay marriage, absolutely the Courts have a right to decide whether gay marriage should be legal..
Politicians will not always act to end discrimination...if continuing to discriminate will result in re-election or big donations.
John Groen is not acting like a Judge is supposed to act. He's acting like a slimy politician. I don't know enough about his opponent, Gerry Alexander. But I've been so offended by Groen's slimy campaign that I would vote for Alexander now even if he decided to campaign naked.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
In Praise of Ordinary Food
If Bill Gates were to phone me and tell me he wanted to take me out to the restaurant of my choice, we would not be going to Tommy's Cafe, 74 Rainier Ave S, Renton 98055 tel 425-227-9910.But I usually pay for my own meals, don't live far from Tommy's, and it's consistently pretty good food at reasonable prices.
Service is unfailingly good, and the place is comfortable and homey.
Breakfast is served all hours, and includes pancakes, omelettes and scrambles. Particularly noteworthy are the in house made home fried potatoes, made with onion and peppers.
They also roast their own turkey, and have a pretty decent salad bar.
The Tran family has operated Tommy's for almost 25 years, and some of the regular customers have seen little Trans grow up to be big Trans as they worked there over the years.
Tommy's does some things quite well, and are always willing to cater to customers weird dietary requests. One of the breakfast dishes, "The Mess" is a scramble with potatoes, eggs, meat, etc, but they'll happily substitute broccoli for the potatoes if you are so inclined.
Burgers and steaks are better than you'd expect, and the salmon is also quite good.
You can choose to spend a lot of money at Tommy's on things like NY steak with lobster or crab.
But Sauteed prawns with garlic is a less expensive winner, as are the stir-fries.
Salads include a warm seafood salad containing salmon, shrimp, and scallops, bacon, and parmesan. Again, they'll happily delete the bacon or the scallops if that's your inclination.
They also have milkshakes, and will tolerate weird customer requests in that vein too.
Diane had dental surgery about a week ago and couldn't eat solid food, so she ordered a shake, wondering if they could add tofu for extra protein. They didn't have tofu but suggested adding peanut butter to the chocolate shake, and it turned out great.
What don't I like about Tommy's?
Not much. The soups are home made but sometimes too bland.
I'd love to see more fresh veggies.
What I do like is the diversity of the customers, almost reminding me of an East Coast style diner ( without the rice pudding.)
Senior citizens, folks of various ethnicities, gay couples...all are accepted and welcome at Tommy's.
On my 0-4 scale, for food Tommmy's rates a 2.75, service is a 3.5, atmosphere a 3.5 and value a 3.5.
From the outside, Tommy's might appear to be a dump, a bad greasy spoon, but it really isn't.
Tommy's is better than it's competitor around the corner , Mimosa's, and it appears that the All City Diner is out of business, and the Yankee Grill in Renton is barely better than Tommy's at much higher prices.
Ordinary American food is increasingly becoming harder to find in these parts.
Too many places serve things like marinated pigeon entrails in a beurre blanc ginger cream reduction, served on small plates for 25 dollars, so going to a place like Tommy's is refreshing.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Is Hawaiian Food da Bomb?
As a matter of fact, yes.
As I've stated before in previous posts, I don't have that much exposure to Hawaiian food, never lived in Hawaii, and am no expert on the subject. But I sure like it.
The Seattle area doesn't have very many Hawaiian restaurants, so the fact that Renton has two is pretty astounding, and makes the folks in Renton pretty lucky.
I've previously posted about Aloha BBQ, and many comments were made in response, pretty heated stuff.
I thought nobody ever read this blog, and then, out of nowhere a firestorm over lau lau and kalbi.
But just to clarify:
I eat at both L & L and Aloha, and I like them both. I wasn't really trying to compare them.
L & L is a big, successful chain for a reason. The reason is because they're good and deliver a consistant,good product in big portions at reasonable prices. I ate there this afternoon and feasted on their low carb plate.
Aloha is a mom and pop new place just getting established. I love going there. The service is friendly and personal and the food is great and reasonably priced and creative.
I 've posted about Mexican places, Chinese places and Italian places, and there's dead silence.
I had no idea how passionate folks were about their Hawaiian food, and even though there was some hostility and things said less than nice, I really enjoyed reading every one of the comments and I'm becoming a big fan of Hawaiian food.
There's plenty of room for both L&L and Aloha to be very successful, and I hope they are both in Renton for many years to come.
Were there a couple of restaurants in Renton specailizing in lutefisk, they might struggle to survive, as there might not be enough folks willing to spend money on lutefisk, but Kalbi ribs, lau lau, etc, are delicious and addictive.
I'm not saying patronize only one of Renton's Hawaiian places. Go to both, support your local Hawaiian restaurant.
As I've stated before in previous posts, I don't have that much exposure to Hawaiian food, never lived in Hawaii, and am no expert on the subject. But I sure like it.
The Seattle area doesn't have very many Hawaiian restaurants, so the fact that Renton has two is pretty astounding, and makes the folks in Renton pretty lucky.
I've previously posted about Aloha BBQ, and many comments were made in response, pretty heated stuff.
I thought nobody ever read this blog, and then, out of nowhere a firestorm over lau lau and kalbi.
But just to clarify:
I eat at both L & L and Aloha, and I like them both. I wasn't really trying to compare them.
L & L is a big, successful chain for a reason. The reason is because they're good and deliver a consistant,good product in big portions at reasonable prices. I ate there this afternoon and feasted on their low carb plate.
Aloha is a mom and pop new place just getting established. I love going there. The service is friendly and personal and the food is great and reasonably priced and creative.
I 've posted about Mexican places, Chinese places and Italian places, and there's dead silence.
I had no idea how passionate folks were about their Hawaiian food, and even though there was some hostility and things said less than nice, I really enjoyed reading every one of the comments and I'm becoming a big fan of Hawaiian food.
There's plenty of room for both L&L and Aloha to be very successful, and I hope they are both in Renton for many years to come.
Were there a couple of restaurants in Renton specailizing in lutefisk, they might struggle to survive, as there might not be enough folks willing to spend money on lutefisk, but Kalbi ribs, lau lau, etc, are delicious and addictive.
I'm not saying patronize only one of Renton's Hawaiian places. Go to both, support your local Hawaiian restaurant.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Renton Has a Mountain?
Yes, indeed.
For those of us who like to pretend to be real hikers, Echo Mountain is the place to go. It's a tranquil uphill trail in very lush woods. When you have hiked to the top of the mountain you will be rewarded by an incredible view of Mt. Rainier and the forested parts of Maple Valley, Auburn and beyond. Walking at an average pace will get you to the top of the mountain and back in about forty five minutes.
Echo Mountain is part of an undeveloped King County Park called Spring Lake/Lake Desire Park . It is south of the Cedar River and just a 10-15 minute drive east of beautiful downtown Renton. Take the Maple Valley Highway to 196th Avenue. Turn right (i.e., south) and travel about a mile. Turn right on SE 183nd and follow the road counter-clockwise(bear right) around Spring Lake. Park at the road end. Follow the obvious trail that angles to the right and up; turn right (uphill) when the trail intersects the gravel maintenance access road. Take the Peak Trail ( you'll see a sign) to the summit at about 800 feet above sea level.
You will rarely run into other hikers, and it's a very scenic short but vigorous hike.
It's also very convenient to Aloha BBQ. So if you've just consumed 10,000 calories there and feel guilty, you can burn a few of them off by climbing this nearby mountain.
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