My wife and I are on a Vietnamese food kick. I have a co-worker from Vietnam, who has given us several recommendations in the International District: Tamarind Tree, Lemongrass, and (our undisputed favorite) Green Leaf. They are all excellent in their own way. Tamarind tree is a bit fancier and has excellent ambiance. Lemongrass serves home-style dishes in a small location in a strip mall, and Green Leaf is simply one of the best hole in the wall restaurants in the whole world--get there early or you will wait for hours for one of their scarce tables.
Try all of the above . . . but this blog is about Renton, and our little burg just graduated from the all-Pho-all-the-time Vietnamese that we've had for years, to a genuine Vietnamese dining experience. Lemon Leaf just opened in South Renton. They are too new to have a website or a phone book listing, but they are easy to find. Take 167 south to the 180th Ave S exit (the IKEA exit), and you will see a bright yellow sign straight ahead (across the street from the mega-plex movie theater). We saw said sign and went in after seeing Spider Man 3 (entertaining, but the least enjoyable of the three). The decor is beautiful. You can't tell from the outside, as it's just a strip mall, but the interior has a beautiful bar/dining area, including fire-side dining (if that's your thing) and some lovely tables by the front picture windows. The wait staff are all in vests and black tie, and I immediately felt underdressed.
They are clearly still getting their act together. We had to wait a few minutes to be seated because they ran out of menus (the resturaunt was only at 1/4 capacity!), and there was some confusion over where we would sit. We witnessed this confusion with every party that came in. Clearly the waitstaff is still figuring out how to run the place. My meal also came WAY before my wife's. Little things like that were annoying, but I'm sure they'll figure it out.
The menu is outstanding. It has all the best of Green Leaf and Tamarind Tree combined. With Bun (vermacelli noodles), crepes, and Pho, and many traditional dishes--even seven course beef! For an appetizer we had fresh spring rolls with Shrimp, which were great (reminicent of Green Leaf's) and for entrees wifey-pants got vegetarian Bun an I went exactly the other way, with Shake Shake Beef (chunks of Filet Mignon fried in garlic, onions, and spices). It was all really good. I think I would even say that it measures up nicely with the "classic" International District places that we love--ok, maybe not Green Leaf, but they're pretty close. Appetizers are $ 7-9, entrees are in the $10-$18 range and they have a full bar.
Great addition to Renton!
-TinFoilHat
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Has Renton "Arrived"?
For quite a few years Renton Chamber of Commerce types were talking up Renton as if it were a southern neighborhood of Bellevue. But the reality was that Renton was just the same gritty working class town it always was. But now it really is different. How do I know?
For one thing: wine tastings. Sure, there were wine tastings in Renton in the past, like when your buddy passed you the bottle of Muscatel in the brown paper bag.
Now, at least three places have wine tastings on a regular basis, and of the highest quality stuff.
And, more icing on the "Renton has arrived" cake, GreenFresh Market has opened.
They are located at 75 Rainier Avenue N, north of Airport Way heading towards Seattle. 206-772-6560. This is Renton's version of Whole Foods, just slightly smaller. It's a very pleasant place to shop, they have an extensive selection of organic items, including organic meat, and a lot of items you'd only see at PCC or Whole Foods. Right now they have generous samples of sandwiches, which are big and yummy and 5.99, on Essential Bread.
What did I find intriguing?
Hemp Protein Meal Replacement, with acai and brazil nuts.
Water Buffalo yougurt. How do you milk a water buffalo? Scuba divers go in and do the milking? Or do they somehow lure the water buffaloes out of the water?
Either way, I bought a container of it, and it's exceptionally good.
GreenFresh Market is a fun place to shop, and clearly not the kind of store that could have existed in Renton even just a couple of years ago.
For one thing: wine tastings. Sure, there were wine tastings in Renton in the past, like when your buddy passed you the bottle of Muscatel in the brown paper bag.
Now, at least three places have wine tastings on a regular basis, and of the highest quality stuff.
And, more icing on the "Renton has arrived" cake, GreenFresh Market has opened.
They are located at 75 Rainier Avenue N, north of Airport Way heading towards Seattle. 206-772-6560. This is Renton's version of Whole Foods, just slightly smaller. It's a very pleasant place to shop, they have an extensive selection of organic items, including organic meat, and a lot of items you'd only see at PCC or Whole Foods. Right now they have generous samples of sandwiches, which are big and yummy and 5.99, on Essential Bread.
What did I find intriguing?
Hemp Protein Meal Replacement, with acai and brazil nuts.
Water Buffalo yougurt. How do you milk a water buffalo? Scuba divers go in and do the milking? Or do they somehow lure the water buffaloes out of the water?
Either way, I bought a container of it, and it's exceptionally good.
GreenFresh Market is a fun place to shop, and clearly not the kind of store that could have existed in Renton even just a couple of years ago.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Worst Restaurant in Renton?
I'm looking for suggestions here. where have you had a really godawful meal in or near Renton?
Been ignored for what seemed like hours? Had the food served cold, raw or burnt? Felt like you were in danger? Paid an awful lot of money for something really bad?
This is not limited to inexpensive places. Sometimes expensive fancy places can be downright horrible.
My current candidate is Mimosa's, formerly Lermonds, on Airport Way. It's not bad for breakfast. They have decent omelettes and standard pancakes, but for dinner?
What if you want them to substitute for the potato? "Do you have any green vegetable?"
Corn and peas, both out of a can. Torn seats.
The place is inexpensive, which is it's saving grace, but for dinner it makes Denny's look like Ray's Boathouse. Hell, it makes Tommy's look like a gourmet joint.
Can you top it?
Been ignored for what seemed like hours? Had the food served cold, raw or burnt? Felt like you were in danger? Paid an awful lot of money for something really bad?
This is not limited to inexpensive places. Sometimes expensive fancy places can be downright horrible.
My current candidate is Mimosa's, formerly Lermonds, on Airport Way. It's not bad for breakfast. They have decent omelettes and standard pancakes, but for dinner?
What if you want them to substitute for the potato? "Do you have any green vegetable?"
Corn and peas, both out of a can. Torn seats.
The place is inexpensive, which is it's saving grace, but for dinner it makes Denny's look like Ray's Boathouse. Hell, it makes Tommy's look like a gourmet joint.
Can you top it?
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Two new places to try
1. Went to Spiffy's Bar and Grill last week (917 S. 3rd St, Renton), in the old Armando's space at 3rd and Main. They're newly open, and are doing a "soft landing" with a very limited food menu for the first few weeks. But they have a full bar selection.
It's a soul food place, with a full bar, and will have music/dancing later on. I think I may have spied Jamil Johnson in the kitchen, one of the areas premier soul food chefs....
So what's to like, what's not to like?
The atmosphere is very pleasant. I always liked the old Armando's space, and Spiffy's did a nice job with the space. The service is friendly and attentive, even if the waitress did spill cold water onto the lap of one of my dining companions. These things happen. When I bussed tables (100 years ago) I spilled a full glass of milk into a woman's open purse while she and her party were in the rest room. I closed the purse and hid in the kitchen.
The food at Spiffy's is good, if you like soul food. I do. But all they really had to offer was fried chicken and smothered pork chops. The chicken was great and there was a lot of it. Sides include collards, cabbage, yams, corn bread. They plan on adding home made desserts and catfish in the near future.
But soul food is kind of heavy. My dining companions would have preferred to have some lighter options, not fried, maybe some entree salads?
As it was, the chicken was fine, as were the greens and cabbage. Some people prefer crunchier veggies, but I enjoyed these "cooked to death" veggies with pork. So what? This is not a health food restaurant. But I do hope they add a few healthier options. It'd be good for business.
Cafe Vignole is also newly opened, 9252 57th Ave S, Seattle (Rainier Beach),206-721-2267.
I haven't tried them yet ( I tried to go for lunch a few days ago and they were closed).
They are a soul food/Italian food combination. From what I understand, it's an African-American woman married to an Italian man...I like soul food, I like Italian food, what could be so bad? They have live jazz on Friday nights, and there are no posted hours on the door.
I happen to like places that offer unusual combinations. JapanThai in Renton used to be a big favorite(they are now closed), and there used to be a French/Japanese place in Seattle and a Pakistani/Middle Eastern/Italian place in Bellevue that was great. In LA I saw a Jewish/Mexican place but didn't stop in.
Soul/Italian has great potential.
It's a soul food place, with a full bar, and will have music/dancing later on. I think I may have spied Jamil Johnson in the kitchen, one of the areas premier soul food chefs....
So what's to like, what's not to like?
The atmosphere is very pleasant. I always liked the old Armando's space, and Spiffy's did a nice job with the space. The service is friendly and attentive, even if the waitress did spill cold water onto the lap of one of my dining companions. These things happen. When I bussed tables (100 years ago) I spilled a full glass of milk into a woman's open purse while she and her party were in the rest room. I closed the purse and hid in the kitchen.
The food at Spiffy's is good, if you like soul food. I do. But all they really had to offer was fried chicken and smothered pork chops. The chicken was great and there was a lot of it. Sides include collards, cabbage, yams, corn bread. They plan on adding home made desserts and catfish in the near future.
But soul food is kind of heavy. My dining companions would have preferred to have some lighter options, not fried, maybe some entree salads?
As it was, the chicken was fine, as were the greens and cabbage. Some people prefer crunchier veggies, but I enjoyed these "cooked to death" veggies with pork. So what? This is not a health food restaurant. But I do hope they add a few healthier options. It'd be good for business.
Cafe Vignole is also newly opened, 9252 57th Ave S, Seattle (Rainier Beach),206-721-2267.
I haven't tried them yet ( I tried to go for lunch a few days ago and they were closed).
They are a soul food/Italian food combination. From what I understand, it's an African-American woman married to an Italian man...I like soul food, I like Italian food, what could be so bad? They have live jazz on Friday nights, and there are no posted hours on the door.
I happen to like places that offer unusual combinations. JapanThai in Renton used to be a big favorite(they are now closed), and there used to be a French/Japanese place in Seattle and a Pakistani/Middle Eastern/Italian place in Bellevue that was great. In LA I saw a Jewish/Mexican place but didn't stop in.
Soul/Italian has great potential.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes
Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes recently opened in downtown Renton ( 900 S. 3rd, 425-235-1717), and they seem to have become immediately popular.
What are they doing right? And do they deserve to have a bang up business right out of the gate?
1. Cupcakes are trendy. They may be full of fat and sugar and white flour, but they're delicious and addictive. Common Ground always has about eight different varieties on hand, made on the premises, including chocolate, coconut, strawberry, vanilla, etc. They even have a sugar free, splenda sweetened cupcake, which I had and loved.
2. The place is classy looking, in an upscale hip kind of way, with comfortable leather chairs and nice wood furniture. They spent some money on this place...It's tasteful looking.
3. They use Caffe D'Arte coffee, which is one of the better roasters around here, and they have nice large ceramic cups for the "for here" orders. They do pretty "latte art", like the foam in the shape of a heart.
4. Service is friendly and efficient.
So what's not to like?
Really I have only minor quibbles. I prefer funky places for espresso, like the Jet City down the road full of tacky and kitschy stuff, places that don't even try to be sophisticated.
Not that there's anything wrong with class and sophistication. I was not uncomfortable at Common Grounds. It's a pleasant place, and the cupcakes are great.
But it's also a bit expensive.
I've always been partial to gargantuan portions, and cupcakes are like done in two bites.
A 12 oz double with a cupcake cost six dollars plus.
But it's not more expensive than Starbucks, and a better place to hang out for my money.
What are they doing right? And do they deserve to have a bang up business right out of the gate?
1. Cupcakes are trendy. They may be full of fat and sugar and white flour, but they're delicious and addictive. Common Ground always has about eight different varieties on hand, made on the premises, including chocolate, coconut, strawberry, vanilla, etc. They even have a sugar free, splenda sweetened cupcake, which I had and loved.
2. The place is classy looking, in an upscale hip kind of way, with comfortable leather chairs and nice wood furniture. They spent some money on this place...It's tasteful looking.
3. They use Caffe D'Arte coffee, which is one of the better roasters around here, and they have nice large ceramic cups for the "for here" orders. They do pretty "latte art", like the foam in the shape of a heart.
4. Service is friendly and efficient.
So what's not to like?
Really I have only minor quibbles. I prefer funky places for espresso, like the Jet City down the road full of tacky and kitschy stuff, places that don't even try to be sophisticated.
Not that there's anything wrong with class and sophistication. I was not uncomfortable at Common Grounds. It's a pleasant place, and the cupcakes are great.
But it's also a bit expensive.
I've always been partial to gargantuan portions, and cupcakes are like done in two bites.
A 12 oz double with a cupcake cost six dollars plus.
But it's not more expensive than Starbucks, and a better place to hang out for my money.
Friday, March 02, 2007
DC's Bar and Grill and Touchdowns
I know that I've been pretty lame as a contributor to this blog--Thanks to Freddy for picking up the slack . . . er, writing the whole thing for the past year or so. I thought I would chime in here to talk about two new restaurants in Renton that Freddy told us would be opening.
My wife and I went to Touchdowns--formerly All-City Diner (423 Airport Way, Renton, WA (425) 228-7281) twice in the past two weeks, and we also tried DC's Bar and Grill (on the East end of 3rd Street in downtown Renton). The food and service at each was surprisingly good, and I can safely say that Renton no longer has a sports-bar deficiency. They have totally different "vibes" though, which bears some explanation:
Touchdowns: This is a mega-sports bar, the kind that I was used to seeing all over the midwest when I was growing up (you may ask why I grew up in bars, but that's another story for another time). It has a bazillion TVs all over the place (there must be 15 flat screens around the bar alone), and a giant projection TV in the main room. They also have pool and darts (and pull-tabs if you like that sort of thing). It has a bit of "regular guy" kind of feel to it, and both times we've been there, a percentage of the crowd has been made up for loud drunks with a point to make--and we've only been for lunch! The food, while definitely bar food, is well prepared, with large portions, and a few surprising touches. The first time, I had the "Roast Beef on Weck"--which is a midwest staple--and it was great. The bread was fresh and tasty, and the beef was tender and cooked just right. It also came with some fresh horseradish sauce that, while painful to the sinuses, was excellent. The second time, I had the bacon cheesburger (can you tell I'm a healthy eater?), and it was outstanding. Huge, with four slices of crisp thick-cut peppered bacon. We also shared the nachos which were huge and very good. Not microwaved as far as we could tell, and with real cheese. They have some more expensive dishes on the menu (steaks, salmon, etc.) and we didn't try those, but from what we saw of the plates around us the food all looked very appetizing. Prices are about what you'd expect--~$8.99 for a burger, and the most expensive thing on the menu is a little under $20.
As a sports bar, it's pretty incredible, and if you want to see a specific game--it's your best bet, with all of those TVs in different rooms and areas, you could probably catch just about anything. They also have little audio boxes for the tables so you can listen to the sound on any of the TVs.
DC's Bar and Grill
At the east end of the 3rd Street in Renton (near the old Armando's location) , DC's Bar and Grill sits with with a little, unassuming sign, and a few neon beer signs in the window. This place reminded me of some of the little neighborhood hangouts I've visted in Brooklyn while visiting friends in NYC. It's nice, clean, smallish, and all done in wood paneling, and the servers spend a lot of time chating with you and getting to know you. It's a very friendly place, and they're clearly quite proud of it. They're happy to recommend menu items and tell you how they prepare things. I get the sense that it's a place where the owners might be a little new to the restaurant game, and they're pretty excited/worried about getting it right (which is great for the patrons). It was pretty empty when we got there (around 5:30pm), but it was 1/4 full by the time we left--Not too bad for a weeknight. They've got a more low-key approach to the "sports bar thing" than Touchdowns, with six flat panel TVs set high on the wall around the perimeter of the resturant. They also have a pool table.
The food was really good. It's a small menu and they have the obligatory bar food--According to the server they make everything from scratch except the mozzarella sticks--they also have some nice options that you wouldn't expect. I had a chicken dish with a white cream sauce over rice, and my wife had fish and chips--which (according to the server) was fresh halibut with a home-made breading. She loved it. He also told us that the burgers were great--hand made and 2/3 pounds before cooking--I think that's what I'll have next time. Prices were about the same as Touchdowns for comparable items.
Summary
Both places definitely add something to Renton, and I'd go to both again in a heartbeat. Touchdowns is more of a loud, active sportsbar (I'd hate to be in there during a Seahawks game) where you can throw a few back with Renton's more notable opinionated drunks, while DC's is more of place to have a quiet meal and watch the Mariners (if they can stop sucking), while chatting with your friends and neighbors. I'm always happy when one decent place opens in Renton--I'm ecstatic that we have two new ones.
--Tin Foil Hat
My wife and I went to Touchdowns--formerly All-City Diner (423 Airport Way, Renton, WA (425) 228-7281) twice in the past two weeks, and we also tried DC's Bar and Grill (on the East end of 3rd Street in downtown Renton). The food and service at each was surprisingly good, and I can safely say that Renton no longer has a sports-bar deficiency. They have totally different "vibes" though, which bears some explanation:
Touchdowns: This is a mega-sports bar, the kind that I was used to seeing all over the midwest when I was growing up (you may ask why I grew up in bars, but that's another story for another time). It has a bazillion TVs all over the place (there must be 15 flat screens around the bar alone), and a giant projection TV in the main room. They also have pool and darts (and pull-tabs if you like that sort of thing). It has a bit of "regular guy" kind of feel to it, and both times we've been there, a percentage of the crowd has been made up for loud drunks with a point to make--and we've only been for lunch! The food, while definitely bar food, is well prepared, with large portions, and a few surprising touches. The first time, I had the "Roast Beef on Weck"--which is a midwest staple--and it was great. The bread was fresh and tasty, and the beef was tender and cooked just right. It also came with some fresh horseradish sauce that, while painful to the sinuses, was excellent. The second time, I had the bacon cheesburger (can you tell I'm a healthy eater?), and it was outstanding. Huge, with four slices of crisp thick-cut peppered bacon. We also shared the nachos which were huge and very good. Not microwaved as far as we could tell, and with real cheese. They have some more expensive dishes on the menu (steaks, salmon, etc.) and we didn't try those, but from what we saw of the plates around us the food all looked very appetizing. Prices are about what you'd expect--~$8.99 for a burger, and the most expensive thing on the menu is a little under $20.
As a sports bar, it's pretty incredible, and if you want to see a specific game--it's your best bet, with all of those TVs in different rooms and areas, you could probably catch just about anything. They also have little audio boxes for the tables so you can listen to the sound on any of the TVs.
DC's Bar and Grill
At the east end of the 3rd Street in Renton (near the old Armando's location) , DC's Bar and Grill sits with with a little, unassuming sign, and a few neon beer signs in the window. This place reminded me of some of the little neighborhood hangouts I've visted in Brooklyn while visiting friends in NYC. It's nice, clean, smallish, and all done in wood paneling, and the servers spend a lot of time chating with you and getting to know you. It's a very friendly place, and they're clearly quite proud of it. They're happy to recommend menu items and tell you how they prepare things. I get the sense that it's a place where the owners might be a little new to the restaurant game, and they're pretty excited/worried about getting it right (which is great for the patrons). It was pretty empty when we got there (around 5:30pm), but it was 1/4 full by the time we left--Not too bad for a weeknight. They've got a more low-key approach to the "sports bar thing" than Touchdowns, with six flat panel TVs set high on the wall around the perimeter of the resturant. They also have a pool table.
The food was really good. It's a small menu and they have the obligatory bar food--According to the server they make everything from scratch except the mozzarella sticks--they also have some nice options that you wouldn't expect. I had a chicken dish with a white cream sauce over rice, and my wife had fish and chips--which (according to the server) was fresh halibut with a home-made breading. She loved it. He also told us that the burgers were great--hand made and 2/3 pounds before cooking--I think that's what I'll have next time. Prices were about the same as Touchdowns for comparable items.
Summary
Both places definitely add something to Renton, and I'd go to both again in a heartbeat. Touchdowns is more of a loud, active sportsbar (I'd hate to be in there during a Seahawks game) where you can throw a few back with Renton's more notable opinionated drunks, while DC's is more of place to have a quiet meal and watch the Mariners (if they can stop sucking), while chatting with your friends and neighbors. I'm always happy when one decent place opens in Renton--I'm ecstatic that we have two new ones.
--Tin Foil Hat
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Pho Saigon
Pho Saigon is located at 924 Bronson Way South in Renton, 425-917-0305 near the intersection of S. 2nd St, and Main Avenue South. The menu tells you to "save your value money."
I always take it as a good sign when menus have incorrect grammar or spelling, thinking that more energy will be devoted to producing good food. Pho Saigon bears this out.
It's good. It's cheap. It's fast. It's friendly.
I'm not positive how to pronounce "pho." I know it's not "foe". But I've heard "fuh" as in "duh" and Foo as in "foot".
Either way, Pho Saigon has lots of pho and many other Vietnamese and Thai dishes for both meat eaters and vegetarians. Very popular there are the salad rolls (rice paper spring rolls filled with shrimp and pork). There are many Thai soups and rice and noodle dishes. I had lemon grass chicken(5.75), something I like almost everywhere, and it didn't disappoint at Pho Saigon. Diane had Mongolian Beef(5.75), which was especially flavorful and tender.
Drinks include bubble teas and a blended avocado drink.
Tofu is also plentiful on the menu.
Pho Saigon has been around for 17 years, so they must be doing something right.
There's lots to like about the place. Entrees top out at 6.75.
The latest trend in trendy restaurants is to serve tiny portions of weird but fresh food at high prices ( "tonight's special will be a pigeon entrail with a fresh tarragon beurre blanc served with roasted corn for 25.95.") Those don't tend to be my kind of places, especially if I'm paying. The food almost always tastes better if someone else is paying. I do like fancy places, but there's clearly a place for places like Pho Saigon. May they continue to do what they've been doing for the last 17 years. I'll be back there again.
I always take it as a good sign when menus have incorrect grammar or spelling, thinking that more energy will be devoted to producing good food. Pho Saigon bears this out.
It's good. It's cheap. It's fast. It's friendly.
I'm not positive how to pronounce "pho." I know it's not "foe". But I've heard "fuh" as in "duh" and Foo as in "foot".
Either way, Pho Saigon has lots of pho and many other Vietnamese and Thai dishes for both meat eaters and vegetarians. Very popular there are the salad rolls (rice paper spring rolls filled with shrimp and pork). There are many Thai soups and rice and noodle dishes. I had lemon grass chicken(5.75), something I like almost everywhere, and it didn't disappoint at Pho Saigon. Diane had Mongolian Beef(5.75), which was especially flavorful and tender.
Drinks include bubble teas and a blended avocado drink.
Tofu is also plentiful on the menu.
Pho Saigon has been around for 17 years, so they must be doing something right.
There's lots to like about the place. Entrees top out at 6.75.
The latest trend in trendy restaurants is to serve tiny portions of weird but fresh food at high prices ( "tonight's special will be a pigeon entrail with a fresh tarragon beurre blanc served with roasted corn for 25.95.") Those don't tend to be my kind of places, especially if I'm paying. The food almost always tastes better if someone else is paying. I do like fancy places, but there's clearly a place for places like Pho Saigon. May they continue to do what they've been doing for the last 17 years. I'll be back there again.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Renton Supersonics
It has been announced the Sonics have chosen Renton as the site for their new arena, pending funding by the State and City of Renton.
So, is this a good thing or not?
Me, I like basketball. I have followed the Sonics for almost 30 years, and I follow the sport. I played basketball as a younger person, and was never any good, but now I'm old, fat, and slow, and still short.
I have fond memories of the Sonics '79 NBA championship. I also think an arena in Renton would be good for the city's coffers, and for bars and restaurants nearby.. I'd love to see them come here. BUT WAIT!!!
My opinion over the years has hardened over public subsidies of privately owned arenas.
There are some pressing needs in this state, and taxes can be stretched only so far.
Whether it's Paul Allen we're subsidizing or Clay Bennett (new Sonics owner), do they really need us to build them an arena? Aren't they gazillionaires?
I'd prefer not to see the Sonics leave for Oklahoma City...I might even be okay with having taxpayers fork up 25% of the total cost involved, but geesh! It's like Robin Hood in reverse: Taking money from the pockets from ordinary working stiffs and giving it to the richest folks in the country, who will then charge 60 bucks for tickets to this arena. No thanks. As far as I'm concerned, if Clay Bennett is not willing to pay for the vast majority of a new arena, he can ride his horse back to Oklahoma, and take the Sonics with him.
But I'm just not that strongly principled. If the Sonics do actually move here to Renton, I'll probably go to a few games a year.
But, y'know what?
It ain't gonna happen. It's not like the '95 Mariners, where the state legislature overrode the vote of the people because the M's were in a playoff chase, and it seemed at that point that the voters regretted their vote.
Now, the Sonics just plain suck. If they started winning, there might be more interest on the part of residents and politicians to keep the team in the Seattle area, but as I see it, it won't be the Renton Supersonics, but the Oklahoma City Soonersonics.
So, is this a good thing or not?
Me, I like basketball. I have followed the Sonics for almost 30 years, and I follow the sport. I played basketball as a younger person, and was never any good, but now I'm old, fat, and slow, and still short.
I have fond memories of the Sonics '79 NBA championship. I also think an arena in Renton would be good for the city's coffers, and for bars and restaurants nearby.. I'd love to see them come here. BUT WAIT!!!
My opinion over the years has hardened over public subsidies of privately owned arenas.
There are some pressing needs in this state, and taxes can be stretched only so far.
Whether it's Paul Allen we're subsidizing or Clay Bennett (new Sonics owner), do they really need us to build them an arena? Aren't they gazillionaires?
I'd prefer not to see the Sonics leave for Oklahoma City...I might even be okay with having taxpayers fork up 25% of the total cost involved, but geesh! It's like Robin Hood in reverse: Taking money from the pockets from ordinary working stiffs and giving it to the richest folks in the country, who will then charge 60 bucks for tickets to this arena. No thanks. As far as I'm concerned, if Clay Bennett is not willing to pay for the vast majority of a new arena, he can ride his horse back to Oklahoma, and take the Sonics with him.
But I'm just not that strongly principled. If the Sonics do actually move here to Renton, I'll probably go to a few games a year.
But, y'know what?
It ain't gonna happen. It's not like the '95 Mariners, where the state legislature overrode the vote of the people because the M's were in a playoff chase, and it seemed at that point that the voters regretted their vote.
Now, the Sonics just plain suck. If they started winning, there might be more interest on the part of residents and politicians to keep the team in the Seattle area, but as I see it, it won't be the Renton Supersonics, but the Oklahoma City Soonersonics.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
My Eldorado
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.
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.
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.
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