Nosh Pit Blog

Cheap Date: Picnic Edition

It’s National Picnic Day. Here are five parks for picnicking plus nearby spots for grabbing grub.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jun 18, 2010 at 08:02AM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

June 18 is National Picnic Day, didyaknow? Seeing as I am near-blind from the sun streaming into the window behind my screen, I’m guessing it’s going to be an outdoor eating sort of a day. Let’s make some plans.

Conveniently for Phinney Ridgers, there is a wine and prepared food shop that eliminates any guess-work by calling itself Picnic. Picnic is not far at all from the well-manicured Woodland Park, and it sells chicken salad with pink lady apples and pine nuts, salami grinders, and all kinds of foods for eating on a blanket. Don’t forget the wine.

If you’re looking to just park on the grass with a big ole messy sandwich, you can line up at Paseo then head to Gas Works to eat your pigwich beside the rusty towers. Nearby Homegrown in Fremont also offers well-crafted sandwiches with the proper bread-to-ingredient-to-condiment ratios, plus perfect homemade chips. It must be said though that Homegrown is not the most expedient of stops. I’ve spent lifetimes waiting for food at Homegrown.

There is a Baguette Box in Fremont too.

Near Cal Anderson you can do down-and-dirty Chinese takeout from Chungees, or stop by the Melrose and pick up some Italian cheese at Calf and Kid to eat alongside Rain Shadow Meats’ charcuterie. (You can buy Columbia City pretzel bread at Rain Shadow too.)

Volunteer Park picnickers purchase sandwiches and salads (not to mention cookies you might kill for) from Volunteer Park Cafe, or go Greek at Vios Cafe and Marketplace, which sells takeout containers of hummus, baba ghanoush, pita, Greek salad, and all the like.

Near the Bermuda Triangle where Belltown meets Queen Anne, snack in the shadow of the very large art at the Sculpture Garden. If you’re doing a lunch date, stop by Boat Street Kitchen for sandwiches and salad to go, or order mahi mahi tacos and Frenchy fries at Anthony’s Pier 66 on Alaskan.

Later in the evening, Pike Place Market is your place—grab a decent rose wine from Pike and Western, a tasty tomme and some camembert from the Cheese Cellar, and a stick of bread from Le Panier. Now you’re in business.

[ Photo Source ]

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Tags: Cheap Date, Sandwiches, Summer Plans, Outdoor Eating, National Something Days

Bargain Bites

Cheap Date: Nettletown

At Christina Choi’s cozy Eastlake cafe, single digit price tags don’t come at the cost of quality.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on May 11, 2010 at 02:48PM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Nettletown is indeed a lunching spot, but not of the grab-and-go sort. The homey Eastlake nest is better suited for those catching-up occasions, for the noon-hour idler with a good book to read.

Likewise, the cafe—formerly home to Sitka and Spruce —is a stomping ground for the epicurious with more time to spare than money. Here, only two items exceed $10, which means leisurely sampling is a guilt-free privilege.

And sample you should. There are ginormous noodle bowls brimming with Swiss dumplings, spicy pork ribs, or poached eggs, and sandwiches, such as the lemongrass elk meatball or organic chicken salad, served on Le Fournil bread. Throw in leafy greens or a spicy rice soup for a few dollars more, or try smaller munchies such as sardines and one-dollar rosemary ginger shortbread.

The single digit price tags don’t come at the cost of quality—lauded chef Christina Choi, a madonna of the foraging world, prides herself on fresh and unique Northwest ingredients, and her efforts are evident in every bite.

For those who must rush, take-out is available, as is weekend brunch 10am-3pm. Same story here—breakfast bites are all under 10 bucks, with bacon and elk meatball add-ons costing $3 and $4, respectively. Options cover both savory (organic eggs and potato cakes, fried rice) and sweet, including a huckleberry cardamom bread pudding. Yum.

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Tags: New Seattle Restaurants, Eastlake, Brunch, Cheap Date, Lunch

Cheap Date

Cheap Date: Chungee’s Drink and Eat

General Tso’s and chow mein: Cheap, tasty Chinese comes to Capitol Hill.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Apr 19, 2010 at 02:37PM Speech Bubble 2 Comments

Chungee pancake with curry dipping sauce

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Nearly ever Thursday evening of my childhood my family ate takeout from Peking Palace, a strip-mall Chinese restaurant down the street from our house.

Bug-eyed, swishy-tailed fish in a tank kept a watch over the cash register at Peking, and a golden Great Wall of China rose out in three-dimensional majesty from an ornately framed painting near the back. The restaurant was owned and operated by the lithe Judy, who knew all her customers by name.

Wonton soup with thick-skinned dumplings and pinkish-gray strings of pork, tinfoil-wrapped Mu Shu crepes and purple plum sauce as sweet as jam, bright-red spare ribs, watery chicken curry with water chestnuts and skinny strands of bell pepper: when people I know in Seattle talk about this food today, they call it “Americanized Chinese” food. But it was the only Chinese food served at restaurants in my hometown, and it was as steady a part of my diet as Wheat Thins and cheddar after school and roast chicken and green beans at Sunday supper.

I’ve never really experienced such food in Seattle until recently, when I went to Chungee’s Drink and Eat, the new restaurant at the corner of 12th Avenue East and Denny Way. Chungee’s is the newest venture to fill the shoebox-shaped corner space, in the past few years it has housed a burrito and pizza joint serving unconscionably bad food, and a short-lived Mediterranean restaurant called Esmarelda.

Chungee’s has red walls, chopsticks wrapped in paper, and place mats depicting the Chinese zodiac—the very same placemats on top of which diners ate chow mein and egg rolls at Peking Palace. A long skinny bar lines one side (Chungee’s has a promising-looking happy hour) and a few tables are wedged into the tiny dining room. The food is straight-forward “Americanized Chinese,” but it isn’t junk food. The meat and veggies are fresh and well-seasoned; it’s satisfying workday fare served promptly and politely. Plan to wait 15 minutes for a takeout order if the restaurant isn’t busy, and don’t overorder: Wonton soup ($6.95), one General Tso’s chicken ($9.95) and a Chungee pancake ($4.95)—which tastes mostly of scallion—will feed two people with leftovers more than likely.

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Cheap Date, Chinese Food

Food Finds

Cheap Date: Kaname Izakaya

Order the sukiyaki at this authentic I.D. joint.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Apr 13, 2010 at 12:00PM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

You know those foods you don’t dare touch because, while traveling somewhere in the wider world, you came across a version that was just perfect? So much so it’s practically fact you’ll never again find a more satisfying incarnation? To spoil that memory with some debased, lackluster imitation would be a downright shame.

For me, that food is sukiyaki. I grew fond of the Japanese stew while trekking throughout Asia. Until last week, I had never eaten it stateside; three years passed since my last delicious encounter. Often during those years friends and coworkers would pass along recommendations. I would nod politely but remained weary; ultimately, I’d chicken out, instead nursing my fond recollections.

But enough eventually becomes enough, and at the insistence of a trustworthy colleague I ordered the beef sukiyaki at Kaname Izakaya, an authentic, family-run joint in the I.D. I’m glad I took the plunge—my memories of sukiyaki were shrouded in such nostalgia, the many details that make this meal so enjoyable had become buried: the calming warmth of the broth, the fun of having tofu and beef and vegetables all in one bite, the sweet tang of the meat, the seemingly bottomless pot.

At Kaname that pot is heavy—and, careful, hot—and brims with three or four cubes of tofu, a considerable helping of shaved beef, glassy noodles, and, my favorite touch, a little-cute mushroom atop a bed of vegetables. The broth teems with complexity and is reminiscent of a sugary soy sauce—perfect for soaking up the heaping bowl of rice. It all makes for an authentic, if not transporting, and filling experience.

The spread is sizable and takes up half of a two-top table—sharing is encouraged, and one order will satisfy two light eaters. At lunch the beef sukiyaki costs $8.95 (a vegetarian version is a dollar less), and at dinner the price jumps to $13.50 or $11.50, veggie-style.

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Tags: Bargain Bites, Food Finds, Cheap Date

$4 Food Find

Cheap Date: Baguette

Seats or no seats, the new banh mi stand is worth a visit.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Mar 31, 2010 at 02:10PM Speech Bubble 7 Comments

The chicken is sautéed in ginger.

Baguette doesn’t offer much in the way of atmosphere. Nestled under the sign of C.C. Attle’s, the just-opened banh mi bar operates behind rolled-up doors in the former BTG Coffee space. Cars whiz perilously close to the Madison Street sidewalk on which you’re waiting. There isn’t a place to sit.

That’s okay, you’re here for the sandwiches.

Slightly warmed, chewy baguettes like the In House Favorite bulge with three types of Vietnamese ham, barbecue pork, and spiced pork pate; or for the veggie crowd, vegetarian ham and chicken and mushroom pate. Let’s not forget the dressings: pickled daikon and carrots, jalapenos, a garlic pepper and soy sauces, cucumber, and cilantro.

All sandwiches—there are six on the menu—cost $4. Each one is made according to this bold claim: “Our BIG sandwiches have 2x the filling than most Vietnamese sandwiches—2 of theres [sic] or one of ours.” Those at Baguette Box, the Hill’s other noted banh spot, actually are a tad plumper, but points do go to Baguette for length, which rival that of a foot-long sub.

Right now Baguette is only open Mon-Fri 11am-2pm (or until supplies run out), but the owner is hoping to soon expand hours. There is also talk of serving lunch box sets.

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Tags: Bargain Bites, Seattle Restaurant Openings, Capitol Hill, Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Cheap Date: Roast Chicken for Two

You’ll have to wait an hour for the feast, but this Cafe Presse specialty is worth it.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Mar 04, 2010 at 10:00AM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

In the back is where it’s at.

When it’s the middle of the week, and the days have been long, and you need to ditch reality for a few, go to Café Presse. Request to sit in the back, where the narrow bank of tables is beset by cascading, candle-lined windows. Order the whole roasted chicken for two. Order it as soon as you sit. Because, as is stated on the menu in underlined letters, it takes one hour to cook. To the weary traveler, this seems like a long time, almost not worth it.

But it is, and it’s not when you have a pichet of red wine, which can cost as little as $14, and a frisée salad with beets, bleu cheese, and pear. All finished? Ask for a demi-pichet, which starts at $7 and gets you two more (generous) glasses of wine, then nibble on the eye candy: a fashionably boho bunch of servers who wear Euro-waif in that only-in-Seattle way. If this tasty scene doesn’t, hearty baguettes will hold you over until the chicken finally arrives.

When it does, your server brings two ramekins filled with seasoned mayo. Ask for four. Gluttonous, yes, but also necessary to soften the salted crunch of pomme frites against the insanely tender chicken, which is conveniently apportioned for two, and, at $26, is a ridiculous deal.

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Neighborhood Hangouts

Cheap Date: Naam

Finally! An afforable Thai restaurant hired an interior designer.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Feb 11, 2010 at 09:00AM Speech Bubble 2 Comments

Photo courtesy yelp.

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God knows there’s no shortage of Thai restaurants in this city. But ones with character, sleek design, ambience—heck, any kind of design scheme? We’ll take more of those, please. Chalk one up to Naam, the newish joint tucked in Madrona’s darling strip of storefronts, for realizing interior can stimulate just as much as four-star-spicy som tam.

Here cushy beds with triangular lumbar pillows line the window wells and take the place of traditional tables. Don’t worry, they’re not of the we’re-in-the-club, Sex and the City–type, but rather cozily re-create the Thai way of eating. A narrow snack bar divides the drinkers from the diners—if the beds are occupied, this is where you want to sit. Though the table space is tight, so much so you bump ’bows with yours truly, it’s great for conversation. Not to mention the ideal spot to catch rousing whiffs from the nearby kitchen.

Slick wood paneling and plush oversized banquettes further the mod and clean styling. Taken as a whole it’s the perfect stage to showcase Naam’s vibrant food, which, given the swank surrounds, is surprisingly down-to-earth and cheap. About three-fourths of the menu is $9.95 or less, and you’re hard-pressed to find a dish costing more than $13. House cocktails are $7, glasses of wine average the same, and beer, $3.75. If you’re in the mood for noodles, try the kee mao, though it’s best with meat and not tofu. The yellow curry also comes highly recommended.

All this yet Naam never loses sight of the down-home charms—an all-too-hospitable (and adorable) wait staff, menus with a bagillion options—that make Thai restaurants so lovable. Looks like Naam has found a winning combo.

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Tags: New Seattle Restaurants, Bargain Bites, Cheap Eats, Thai, Cheap Date

Cheap Eats

Cheap Date: Oddfellows for Brunch

The city’s best breakfast panini is perfect in the park on an unseasonably warm day.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jan 28, 2010 at 12:35PM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

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You know what is a little strange? When people say “global warming” every time there is an unseasonably warm day. I’m no global warming naysayer, but are they crazy? Do they think it’s that simple? When it’s cold and rainy like it’s supposed to be in winter, does that mean there’s no such thing as global warming? I’m pretty sure I just committed some kind of logical fallacy but come on now.

Let’s move on.

Next time there is an unseasonably warm day, I suggest you do this. Grab your significant other or that friend with whom you are basically living until one of you finds a significant other, and go to Oddfellows. Order two breakfast panini ($8 each, worth it) and two iced americanos and take them on over to Cal Anderson park—I like that grassy knoll near the playground equipment.

The breakfast panino is two ginormous pieces of toasty-but-soft, spongy, buttery bread between which are smashed cheddar, tomato, and bacon and onto which are tossed two fried eggs. It’s a little piggy, but it comes with a green salad, which squares things up nicely. Have a jog around the park if you’re feeling guilty, or listen to your shrink when she says that guilt is an emotion that you choose whether or not to feel. Either way, you’re gonna have a very, very good breakfast.

Go on more cheap dates!

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Tags: Capitol Hill, Cheap Eats, Brunch, Cheap Date

Cheap Date: Crumpet Shop

Behold the remedy for a dreary winter day.

Posted by: Nick Feldman on Dec 17, 2009 at 12:00PM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Photo: Nick Feldman

A toasted crumpet topped with tomato, English cheese, and pesto.

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Crumpets have long been a staple of British cuisine, but here in Seattle, not so much. Thank goodness, then, for the cozy Pike Place Market staple The Crumpet Shop, where the wee, spongy cakes are baked daily in-shop, and then toasted, buttered, and slathered in scrumptious toppings. If ever there was a remedy for a dreary winter day, it’s one of these guys paired with a piping cup of tea.

Dress them up with sweets (preserves, Nutella), savories (pesto, cheeses, ham, smoked salmon), or choose a “toasty” topped with an egg; all are $1.55 to $4.75. The crumpets’ trademark pocks (created when extra baking powder is added to the yeast) really absorb these accoutrements, so know the nibbles are surprisingly dense and filling. If you don’t quite feel like branching out, there’s also a delicious sandwich menu ($4-$7.60) and homemade soups ($3.50), which are definitely not to be missed.

With a $10 bill, I ordered a crumpet topped with imported English cheese, tomato, and pesto, along with a bowl of tomato-ginger red lentil soup (topped with an ample dollop of sour cream). The toasty combination was a perfect way to ward away December chill, and I know I’ll be back to pick from the sweet menu—those fresh preserves are calling my name.

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:

Unicorn Crepes
Rizzo’s French Dip
Po Dog
Zhivago’s Cafe
Samurai Noodle
Pike Street Fish Fry
Thai Tom
Homegrown
The Counter
Baguette Box
Citizen

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Tags: Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Dollar(s) Menu

Cheap Date: Unicorn Crepes

A different—and delightful—take on the European classic.

Posted by: Nick Feldman on Dec 02, 2009 at 09:00AM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Photo: Nick Feldman

The menu at Unicorn Crepes isn’t traditional, but it’s certainly delicious.

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Forget what you know about crepes—the flat, floppy presentation, the Nutella and powdered sugar, the French. At Unicorn Crepes in the International District, the pancake pastries are served Japanese-style, rolled tightly like an ice cream cone or burrito. No fork and knife here—peel the wrapper as you go. A few bites in and you think, This is how crepes were meant to be made.

Like other ID staples, Unicorn is snug (there are only eight seats at two tables) and eclectic; tweaked-out Japanese pop music videos play on mounted flat screens. Bordering the open kitchen is the menu. This takes the form of a giant display case showcasing dozens of options recreated with colorful plastics so customers can see exactly what they’re ordering. Choose from traditional (such as berries and cream) or more creative (potato or tuna salad). All are priced at $4–$6. Wash ’em down with a complimentary cup of chai.

With a $10 bill (and some pocket change), I sampled both savory and sweet. On the “meal” side, I went for a flaky pizza creation ($5.95) filled with cheese, pepperoni, onions, and green peppers. For dessert, I opted for the blueberry choco whip ($4.25). For me the fruit tended to the more preserved, sugary side, but it’s a perfect option for anyone with a raging sweet tooth.

What’s the must-try item?
[Michio Beyeler, co-owner] “Try the banana custard choco or ice banana choco… or one of the daifuku—the strawberry and banana are both good. It’s a combination of mochi [Japanese rice cake] and anko [sweet red bean paste]. It’s a more adventurous one, but if people are willing to be adventurous, I think they’d like it.”

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:

Unicorn Crepes
Rizzo’s French Dip
Po Dog
Zhivago’s Cafe
Samurai Noodle
Pike Street Fish Fry
Thai Tom
Homegrown
The Counter
Baguette Box
Citizen

Add a Comment »

Tags: Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Dollar(s) Menu

Cheap Date: Rizzo’s French Dip

The Ballard sandwich shop gets in the holiday spirit.

Posted by: Nick Feldman on Nov 25, 2009 at 02:00PM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Photo: Nick Feldman

It may not look like much, but what Rizzo’s lacks in size it makes up for in flavor.

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When they opened their Ballard sandwich spot this summer, the Rizzos were serving around 100 sandwiches a day but still not quite breaking even. After the weather turned this fall, that number dropped. Nonetheless, Rizzo’s French Dip is giving back to the community this Thanksgiving. This afternoon until four, the shop will be handing out free sandwiches to street youth who swing by—no small donation, considering they plan to hand out 150.

There’s only one thing on the menu at Rizzo’s, and the only choices you’re allowed to make are “full or half” and “cheese or no cheese.” But the sandwich, like the pint-sized restaurant, thrives on its simplicity. The hours might be sporadic—it took me a couple of tries to show up when they were actually open—but walking inside feels like visiting a family friend’s kitchen. Being greeted with a “Hey boss, what’ll ya have?” only completes the image.

Though each sandwich comes with a small side of mac salad, the lack of distraction lets customers focus on the main show: meat. The beef is roasted in-house, hand sliced, and then left to simmer in its own juices and carrots, celery, garlic, and the proverbial “secret ingredients”—and the Rizzo’s concentration on this one very key detail makes all the difference.

With a $10 bill, I made the only choice there was to make: an original sandwich with swiss cheese. The bread was wonderfully thick and soggy, the meat hearty, and the side of mac salad an accent that didn’t distract from what I came to experience: a French Dip.

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:
Po Dog
Zhivago’s Cafe
Samurai Noodle
Pike Street Fish Fry
Thai Tom
Homegrown
The Counter
Baguette Box
Citizen

Add a Comment »

Tags: Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Dollar(s) Menu

Cheap Date: Po Dog

Gourmet touches knock these hot dogs way out of the ballpark.

Posted by: Nick Feldman on Nov 17, 2009 at 03:00PM Speech Bubble 4 Comments

Photo: Nick Feldman

A floor-to-ceiling portrait of owner Laura Olson’s pup Harley looks over Po Dog patrons.

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For a while there it seemed Po Dog, Cap Hill’s new hot dog joint, would never catch a break. Owner Laura Olsen’s tweets and blog were often peppered with despairing tales of a flaky contractor, stress-induced toothaches, giddy passersby spoiling freshly poured concrete, and naggy complainers offended by an abstract mural of someone eating a hot dog (too sexual, they alleged). But at Saturday’s grand opening, it was clear all the trouble of overhauling a former car battery shop was well worth it.

The menu currently sports a dozen signature items, from the classic dog ($4.97) to seemingly bizarre—but undoubtedly tasty—options such as the peanut butter and banana PB Dog ($6.25), the gourmet bacon-wrapped, deep-fried Danger Dog ($6.75), or the Asian-inspired Wasabi Egg Roll Dog ($6.75). Fret not, vegeterians: All options are available veggie dog–style, and natural cut fries or homemade chips are $3.50. To wash it all down, there’s a plentiful selection of beer on tap, as well as bottled specialty sodas. Happy Hour is 4:30-6:30 on weekdays; mini hot dog sliders with a topping of choice are $4.97, chips and fries are $1.75, and beers run from $2 Pabst on tap to $3 import bottles.

This Friday make sure to stop by between 3:30 and 5 and meet Seahawks defensive end Darryl Tapp. He’s visiting on behalf of a fundraiser for Childhaven. And for those pining for some Skillet action, take note: Josh Henderson is appearing as a guest chef during November.

With a $10 bill, I went with the Texas Dog; slathered in mesquite bbq sauce, Tillamook cheddar, and fried onions, I knew there was no way I could go wrong. One of the best parts was actually the bun, a pleasantly sweet brioche creation from Macrina Bakery.

What’s the must-try item?
[Olsen] "I would probably recommend the Morning Glory… wait, no, I take that back. It’s the Danger Dog for sure. That’s been a huge hit, probably our best seller, and it’s deep fried with bacon. Everything’s better like that.”

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:
Zhivago’s Cafe
Samurai Noodle
Pike Street Fish Fry
Thai Tom
Homegrown
The Counter
Baguette Box
Citizen

Add a Comment »

Tags: Cheap Eats, Cheap Date

Nosh Pit

Cheap Date: Picnic Edition

Cheap Date: Nettletown

Cheap Date: Chungee’s Drink and Eat

Cheap Date: Kaname Izakaya

Cheap Date: Baguette

Cheap Date: Roast Chicken for Two

Cheap Date: Naam

Cheap Date: Oddfellows for Brunch

Cheap Date: Crumpet Shop

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:

Cheap Date: Unicorn Crepes

MORE CHEAP EATIN’:

Cheap Date: Rizzo’s French Dip

Cheap Date: Po Dog

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