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Best One-Of-A- Kind Doughnut Award: Half N Half Doughnut Company
Recommended by: Nobody. We saw it on our way to Skillet Diner. Little did we know, it had just opened two days earlier.
Description on the Half N Half Doughnut Company’s website: We hope HnH doughnuts delight you. Our passion is creating beautifully crafted flavors for the products made right here in our kitchen. We value providing compelling taste and quality in equal measure. So, our products are always fresh, made from scratch, with Northwest organic whenever possible and always with a strong commitment to non-GMO.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 516 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
What we ate/drank: Banana Foster Filled($3.85), Pineapple Fritter($3.95), Vanilla Old Fashioned($2.75), Georgette Cinnamon Twist($3.25). Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Sandwich($6.95)
Comments: We consider ourselves doughnut connoisseurs. It’s one of the few foods we feel we can call ourselves experts. You can see our review on the two Seattle doughnut empires, Top Pot and Mighty-O, the trendy, General Porpoise Doughnuts and the secret doughnut spot that nobody seems to talk about, Tempesta Coffee (RIP) We also have an upcoming post for the newly opened Donut Factory in the University District and Raised Doughnuts in the Central District.
We knew nothing about Half N Half Doughnut Company. We happened to wake up early one morning(having two kids under 3 yrs old will do that) and decided to have breakfast at Skillet Diner down the street. On the way to Skillet we saw some folks waiting outside Half N Half Doughnut Company and decided we’d stopped by after eating breakfast.
We found out that Half N Half Doughnut Company had only been open for two days and is the creation of one of the co-founders of Top Pot Doughnuts. As you will see, the doughnuts are a bit more experimental than Top Pot’s.
Half N Half Doughnut Company is right on Pike St in Capitol Hill so parking can be a problem. Look for the storefront with the moped and kid mannequins in the window.
The interior is small with no tables or chairs and has a 1950s soda shop vibe to it. They even have manual pull espresso machines. We’ll get to the doughnuts in a second, but first they also have cookies, biscuits, breakfast sandwiches and surprisingly, sous vide eggs. Cookies we understand. Biscuits and breakfast sandwiches is a little strange, but okay. Sous vide eggs? We’re not aware of any other establishments that serve sous vide eggs to go.
Anyways, on to the main attraction, doughnuts. The selection is not as robust at Top Pot, Mighty O or Donut Factory, but the choices are all very “experimental” and none that you have ever tasted before. You won’t find your standard doughnuts like maple bars or chocolate glazed. You will find doughnuts such as Churros, Smores and Banana Foster filled. They also have mini doughnuts which they call, “bombs”. We ended up getting the following:
- Banana Foster Filled($3.85) -Score: 4.75/5.0
- Pineapple Fritter($3.95) – Score: 4.65/5.0
- Vanilla Old Fashioned($2.75) – Score: 4.65/5.0
- Georgette Cinnamon Twist($3.25). Score: 4.25 /5.0\\
- Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit Sandwich($6.95) <<we got this for our friend who we were visiting after. We didn’t try it but he loved it.
The people there were very good about explaining each of the doughnuts and were very willing to advise their favorites, which we appreciated. As you can see the doughnuts are all different prices. We have to say, the doughnuts at Half N Half Doughnut Company do seem to be bigger than your normal doughnut, but so are the prices.
We enjoyed the fact that you will not find these types of doughnuts anywhere else. The banana foster filled was our favorite, but the pineapple fritter was a nice spin on your normal apple fritter and their vanilla old fashioned was also better than your normal old fashioned.
Due to it’s location it does take some effort to come to Half N Half Doughnut Company, but the unique types of doughnuts they have has a “special treat” type feeling to it. Even the packaging with individual wrapping for each doughnut and sturdy boxes have a “special treat” feeling to it.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.65
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.45
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: As mentioned in our quest to find the best doughnut in Seattle, we visited The Donut Factory out in the University District after our neighbors told us about it replacing a long standing donut shop that closed down.
Related Articles:
Sazon Kitchen
Recommended by: Back in the spring, a friend of ours mentioned a new Mexican restaurant that opened on 15th Ave NW that served breakfast everyday. He couldn’t recall the name of the place, but on the way to one of our Watson’s Counter visits, we saw Sazon Kitchen and tried it out a couple times.
Description on the Sazon’s Yelp section written by the owner: Clean, newly renovated and open kitchen concept makes Sazon Kitchen a great breakfast and brunch option. Specialty dishes like Machaca de Res, eggs-clusive items and the grain casserole are just an example of our northern Mexico Cuisine delights.
Neighborhood/Type: Ballard
Address: 7301 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117
What we ate/drank: Rox’s Signature Eggs – Motul style eggs, fried tortilla, beans, ham, criolla sauce, queso fresco, chicharron, cilantro, avocado, fried sweet banana, picked red onion. Machaca De Res- Shredded Beef, Chimi Potatos, Chiloquil, Two Eggs, Tortilla. Grain Casserole – Mix of grains in criolla sauce, braised tri-tip and eggs. Toppings include chicharron, cilantro and pickled red onions + greens and bread.
Comments: As mentioned above we heard Sazon Kitchen a new Mexican restaurant opened and served breakfast daily opening at 7:00am. As you know from our Varsity Inn and Senor Moose reviews, Mexican + Breakfast = instant visit.
Here’s a history of Sazon Kitchen per the owner from their Yelp page, “ Sazon started as pop up food vendor at a number of events like bumbershoot, bite of seattle, hempfest and others… Last year we invested in a food trailer but for health laws trucks need to be parked at a commissary kitchen overnight and driving and pulling a 20′ trailer back and forth was too tiring and time consuming. Luckily after looking for a place to make our truck stationary we end up finding a good place to open our dream breakfast place where we can also have our lunch and dinner taqueria.”
As mentioned, Sazon Kitchen is open everyday(except Wed) at 7am. Each time we’ve been we’ve been able to get a seat very easily. There are tons of outdoor seating, but we chose to eat inside. It’s very bright due to having windows on all three sides. You pay at the cashier, they give you a number, you choose a seat and they’ll bring it out to you. As soon as we sat they brought over some glasses and provide an individual glass bottle of water for the table, which is a nice touch.
They have an open kitchen and on multiple occasions we were entertained with the chopping while prepping the dishes being in sync with the beat of the music being played. Over the kitchen you’ll see a collection of French presses. We’ve not ordered a French press opting for either drip or cortados during our visits. The coffee being served is from Caffe Vita.
The owner mentions specialty dishes, Machaca de Res, eggs-clusive items(Rox’s Signature Eggs) and the grain casserole, so those are the three dishes we’ve had so far.
Lot going on on the plate. garnish of onion, avocado, radish. Makes for good presentation but ingredients involved from the main portion of the dish to the garnishes. You can see all the ingredients involved in the description under each photo of the dish.
We enjoyed all the dishes we’ve had so far. All are really flavorful and due to the number of ingredients/garnishes, you can practically experiment with different combinations of spoonfuls of flavors. Almost on every dish, I wished there were a little more pickled onion or avocado or banana or chicharron. We would say the Machaca De Res was the simplest and most familiar of the dishes with the least amount of ingredients. The machaca was moist and tender and with the beans, potatoes, eggs and tortillas make a great breakfast option.
Rox’s Signature Eggs is a dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s served Motul style which means the tortilla is on the bottom and the egg is on top. In between was the ham.
The best of the bunch is another dish you won’t find anywhere else. It’s the Grain Casserole. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is the dish I’d order again on return visits. It was braised trip tip and some peppers and onions over a bed of various grains- I think lentils, beans, long rice and regular rice? I’m not sure, truthfully, but with the sauce and generous topping of protein and veggies, it was so delicious. The one minor thing, I’d prefer is tortillas instead of bread accompanying this dish. Perhaps the abundance of grains wouldn’t be a good match with tortillas? At $18, I was a bit hesitant since it’s bit on the high side, but after tasting it, I’d get it again.
We’ll definitely keep Sazon Kitchen on our list of breakfast/brunch options that’s served all week. Although Senor Moose has a relaxed atmosphere, Sazon Kitchen is even more informal and a good option for us to take the entire family due to the large outdoor area. We’re also looking forward to return during lunch or dinner hours since we’ve only come during the mornings.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.40
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
Related Articles:
*****NOTE: Not more than 48 hours after posting this, we were told that this spot is becoming a Peruvian place and BBQ Smith is going to Catering Only*****
Recommended by: After we claimed that Tavolata had the best Happy Hour in Seattle, a reader suggested checking out BBQ Smith’s Happy Hour. We took her up on her suggestion.
Description on the BBQ Smith’s website: Seattle Barbecue/Texas-Inspired
Neighborhood/Type: Roosevelt, Maple Leaf
Address: 7919 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: Texas Cheese Fries – Crispy Fries loaded with house made gouda cheese and topped with brisket. Texas Style Brisket, Pulled Pork, Corn Bread, Mac & Cheese, Miso Collard Greens, Half pound of pulled pork(smoked 10 hrs) and half rack of pork ribs(smoked 5 hrs), Mama Moon’s Kim Chi, Cornbread, Brown Sugar Beans, Hardcore corn- smoked to the core on the smoker with butter/cheese/sour cream/tajin mixture
Comments: We’ve always passed BBQ Smith on our way to Chiang’s Gourmet right down the street. It’s in an odd spot right in the middle of a neighborhood(Maple Leaf) with not a whole lot of parking. Truthfully we had it on our radar to try, but it was never a priority. That is until a reader saw the blog post claiming that Tavolata had the best Happy Hour in Seattle. She begged to differ and suggested BBQ Smith. So of course we needed to check it out.
The first thing we noticed when coming to BBQ Smith was the Chuck’s Hop Shop sticker and discovered that Chuck of Chuck’s Hop Shop fame is actually the owner! One of the best kept secrets is that there is a little satellite Chucks’ Hop Shop in the back. It doesn’t have the selection that the regular shop has, but it does have a really great beer selection for a small bbq joint.
Before visiting BBQ Smith, take a look at their website . They have Google Slides embedded and starting around page 4 they start talking about their bbq preparation-how long it’s prepared, cooked, rests and served. They also talk about the types of cuts. See below.
The style of bbq served here is Texas style bbq, which means they rub the meat with spices and cooked on low heat over long periods of time over indirect heat, which means the meat is not cooked directly over the flame, but to the side or higher above the flame. This leads to some yummy tenderness. Also sauce is not typically slathered on the meat, because it’s not needed. You can see it represented in their cook times. The pork ribs are smoked for 5 hours, the pulled pork is smoked for 10 hours and the brisket is smoked for 12 damn hours!
We’ve eaten both indoors and although their patio is not the most “finished”, it’ll do on a nice summer evening for sure.
You can order your bbq as a plate or by the pound. We’ve ordered so many different sides and types of meats, we won’t go into a lot of detail, but suffice to say all the bbq is tender, oh my god how tender, moist and smokey.
Sides – Score : (4.0/5.0). Nothing really blew us away except maybe the corn. The collard greens were interesting with it’s Asian twist. Everything was good, but not mind blowingly good.
- Mama Moon’s Kimchi – Secret Kimchi recipe passed down from generations.
- Brown Sugar Beans – Slow cooked pinto beans with brown sugar, jalapenos, tomato and spices
- Mac & Cheese – Asiago Cheese, smoked gouda and black pepper
- Miso Collard Greens – collard greens, bacon ends, onion, sugar and garlic slow cooked with an Asian twist
- Hardcore Corn- smoked to the core on the smoker with butter/cheese/sour cream/tajin mixture
- Cornbread
BBQ:
- Half pound of pulled pork(smoked 10 hrs). Score: (4.75 / 5.0)
- Half rack of pork ribs(smoked 5 hrs). Score: (4.25 / 5.0)
- Texas Style Brisket(smoked 12 hrs). Score: (5.0 / 5.0)
Appetizer: Score: (5.0 / 5.0)
There’s one last dish which we got during happy hour and this might be the best happy hour dish in Seattle. The Texas Cheese Fries is $4! You read that right. During happy hour the Texas Cheese Fries are $4.00. Check out how massive this tray is. There’s no way two people can finish this. Also got a Bodizafa from Georgetown Brweing for $3. Holla! Back to the dish. So they give you a huge tray with a layer of fries and these fries are no ordinary frozen Ore Ida fries. Then they put a layer of their 12 hour brisket and they are not chintzy with it and then a layer of their home made cheese. One time we ordered it and the brisket was on top and the next time we ordered the cheese was on top. No matter, trust me.
One thing we haven’t tried are the sandwiches, but honestly why add bread to the mix when you can fully enjoy the bbq on it’s own.
They also just started serving brunch on the weekends, although we haven’t tried it yet.
I wouldn’t say Seattle is the hotbed of bbq, so I wouldn’t consider ourselves experts, but we know what we like and we have had our fair share of bbq in Seattle at Bitterroot, RoRo’s, Drunky’s Two Shoe, Cask & Trotter and Peco’s Pit. And also Bourbon & Bones and Kickin Boot Whiskey may they rest in peace. So for now Smith BBQ has become our go to bbq joint in Seattle due to the hidden Chucks Hop Shop bar in the back, one of the best happy hour dishes in Seattle and just plain good bbq. One last thing, no cash accepted.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.75
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Maggie
Related Articles:
**********4/23/20- Oh No! Unfortunately, This Cafe Has Closed Down**********
Description on Caffe Vita’s website: We are pioneers of the Farm Direct movement, meticulously sourcing the best coffee available while developing long-term, mutually fruitful relationships with coffee growers in more than 11 countries. We work with and invest in farmers who are committed to sustainable practices. By creating an environment where the customer can see, touch, and taste the coffee they purchase, we provide a unique learning opportunity that allows our coffee to speak for itself. Caffe Vita is always fresh, imported directly from the farm and roasted on-site.
Neighborhood: Phinney Ridge / Greenwood
Address: 7402 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Music Playing: Yernin by Sevyn Streeter
What we ate/drank: Macchiato and Apple Fritter from Mighty O Doughnuts
Comments:
We’ve already reviewed our favorite Caffe Vita location in Pioneer Square where I made a fool of myself. We’ve also reviewed their Fremont location. We’ve also noted some of the most popular restaurants (Wandering Goose(RIP 2020), Portage Bay Cafe) in Seattle who serve Caffe Vita coffee. This is a review of their Caffe Vita – Phinney Ridge location. They also have Seattle locations in Queen Anne, Capitol Hill and Seward Park as well as locations in New York(Brooklynn and Lower East Side), Portland and Los Angeles.
If you are interested in the history of Caffe Vita and it’s owner, I encourage you to read this fascinating article from the Seattle Met Magazine. I had no idea the owner was also a restaurateur and behind Via Tribulani. It also references the relationship between he and the owner of Herkimer Coffee(a co owner of Caffe Vita at one time) and the owner of Espresso Vivace (a mentor).
The Caffe Vita – Phinney Ridge location leans more towards the smaller Fremont location than the huge double level location in Pioneer Square. It’s configuration is like many Seattle business with a long narrow set up that’s very bright in the front, but very dark in the back. It’s really dark from the mid-point of the space to the back, so much so that’s difficult to read any books or periodicals. If you bring a laptop you’re fine. They also have a patio in the back that might actually have more seating than the inside.
There’s also a small front outdoor seating area and a garage style door opening which does make the small indoor space feel a bit roomier. Like the other Caffe Vita locations, they serve a few pastries including Mighty O Doughnuts and their coffee is consistently good as always.
I had my coffee here, but in observing the clientele that came in while I was there, it’s more of a grab and go location, than a sit down and relax one.
Ratings(1-5)
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 3
Overall: 4.25
Eavedropping Convo: Guy and a gal sitting near me. The Beatles, “Blackbird” starts playing.
Gal: Ohhhhh, I looooove this song.
Guy: You know John Lennon wrote this song and people say he’s the best songwriter of all time, but I think he’s overrated. I just don’t believe it. Then he starts singing along – “…..Blackbird fly, blackbird fly. Into the light of a dark black night….”
Gal: If he’s so overrated, why are you singing along to the song? She starts laughing.
Guy: Just because I’m singing it, doesn’t mean I like it and it doesn’t mean I think John Lennon’s the best songwriter. I’m just singing because it’s catchy. I’ll probably have it stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Dammit.
For the record, I did some research. Paul McCartney actually wrote the song even though Lennon-McCartney are given credit. So Lennon didn’t write it or co-write it. Also McCartney is the only one that appears on the song. There are no other Beatles on the song. Also when it comes to the best songwriters of all time, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, the writing duo of Lennon-McCartney is ranked #2, John Lennon as solo artist is ranked #3 and Paul McCartney as a solo artist is ranked #5. Pretty damn good.
Related:
Seattle Biscuit Co.
Recommended by: One of our previous posts, The Battle of Seattle’s Best Biscuit Sandwich, pitted Morsel against Biscuit & Bean in what we believed were the two premiere biscuit sandwich purveyors in Seattle. They also had some history and almost identical menus, so it was easy to compare. A loyal reader(and friend) advised that thee best biscuit sandwiches was located in between Morsel and Biscuit Bean in Frelard(Fremont/Ballard) called, The Seattle Biscuit Co. Of course, we had to try it out.
Description on the Seattle Biscuit Co’s website: We make biscuits with our hands. We use a combination of local ingredients and our Southern roots to bring you a truly unique biscuit experience.
Neighborhood/Type: Frelard (Fremont/Ballard)
Address:4001 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Son of Slam – Fried Chicken, Thyme Waffle, Bourbon/Cane/Maple Syrup – $14, The Gus – Biscuit, Fried Chicken, Gravy, Egg, Pickle, Sweet Onions, Mustard – $14. 4 biscuits to go and enjoy at home. Butch Wilson – Braised Carlton Farms pulled pork, bbq daikon slaw, biscuit sandwich – $12. The End – Cheese grits, collards, pulled pork, pickled red onion, comeback sauce, fried bologna, over-easy egg, biscuits – $14
Comments:
The Seattle Biscuit Co. started out as a food truck in 2012 by owners who originated from Georgia and Mississippi. The brick and mortar location was opened in the Spring of 2018 and the food truck operation has ceased. Although their biscuit making expertise originated from the South, their ingredients are all locally sourced from Washington and Oregon.
You can give us a “pass” on never visiting Seattle Biscuit Co because it’s in the “no man’s land” industrial part of Frelard. And I’m sure we’ve passed it numerous times, but the outside is so non-distinct that we just never noticed it. We even went to a café down the exact same street after eating here and when we told them we had just come from Seattle Biscuit Co, they had no idea what we were talking about. The folks at the café had heard of Biscuit and Bean though. Anyways, we came on a Saturday morning right when Seattle Biscuit Co. opened and there were already a few people waiting outside at 8:00am. If we’re being truthful, the outside of the building is not much to look at. The inside is a whole ‘nother story.
It reminds me an old club house that you built in the woods when you were kids. You’d bring left over pieces of wood and old parts of furniture to create a club house shack. You’ve got the reclaimed wood slats on the wall, old church pews that make up bench seating, old bowling lanes that are made into table tops. As you can guess, the feel is casual. They had Johnny Cash playing which just added to that rustic/country feel.
We got here right as they opened so we were able to snag one of the few tables that could seat our family of four. There is plenty of seating, but most of it is counter seating so it’s not good for big groups. It’s best if you come solo or with two friends at the most. I do love how you can sit at the counter and see them prepping the food and baking the biscuits. This definitely helped pass the time for our 2 year old.
If you are hoping for a quick in and out experience, you won’t get that at The Seattle Biscuit Co. For whatever reason, legitimate of not, the wait time for our dishes were longer than normal. If you’re in a hurry, you might want to think about coming here, but we weren’t on this occasion and we’re not going to complain, because….
… ours meals were bomb! No doubt the dishes are on the expensive side, but the portions are massive. The Gus brings back memories of The Sawmill at Wandering Goose(RIP 2020). It had two perfectly fried pieces of chicken, between two fluffy biscuits with overflowing thick gravy and an over easy egg. The mustard was an unexpected twist to the sandwich. Unlike Morsel/Biscuit & Bean sandwiches, which you can eat with your hands, this was definitely a knife and fork endeavor.
The Son of Slam which is chicken and waffles was also really good. I like the fact that the waffles were a bit on the savory side with thyme. The portions on this were also notable especially when comparing it to a version of Watson’s Counter’s take on chicken waffles, which we really liked. The Watson’s Counter dish is more expensive with less chicken.
The Butch Wilson Biscuit Sandwich has braised Carlton Farms pulled pork, bbq daikon slaw, biscuit sandwich. These biscuits are pretty thick, but you can see from the picture below, the amount of pulled pork they slap on the sandwich dwarfs the size of the biscuit, so you’re assured of the biscuit not overpowering the pork and daikon slaw. The pulled pork has a slight kick that goes well with the tartness of the slaw.
The End – Cheese grits, collards, pulled pork, comeback sauce, fried bologna, over-easy egg, biscuit. The Ed N‘ Diane, named after the owner’s parents. I don’t usually order grits, but this was a winner and is definitely a contender for Seattle Best Dishes of 2019. The pulled pork, fried bologna and collards were perfect complements to the grits. The grits were not overly cheesy and the slight kick of the pork, the saltiness of the bologna and tart of the collards were a great spoonful of flavor. Our daughter devoured the thick fried bologna chunks and mini biscuit. We’re used to the sliced thin baloney, so when she saw the thick chunks, she seemed a bit surprised. Add the over easy egg with runny yolk and you’ve got a near perfect dish.
My advice. Eat here in the morning because it will take you all day to burn off those calories, but it will be so worth it. On this particular day, I skipped lunch and had one of my best 5k times in months after devouring The Gus.
It might be a bit unfair to bestow Seattle Biscuit Co with the title of new “Seattle Biscuit Sandwich King” when comparing their elaborately made sandwiches to the relatively simple biscuit sandwiches at Morsel and Biscuit and Bean. Perhaps Seattle Biscuit Co would be more fairly compared to the likes of Biscuit Bitch, Serious Biscuit or Wandering Goose.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.85
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.75
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Related Articles:
Caffe Umbria – Ballard
Description on Caffe Umbria Coffee’s website: Caffè Umbria is a full-service, wholesale coffee roaster based in Seattle, Washington. But the family’s roots in roasting go back to the 1940’s, when Ornello Bizzarri built his roastery in Perugia, Italy. The Arco Etrusco in our logo is a landmark of the Umbrian city.Caffè Umbria is currently served in hundreds of cafés and fine dining establishments throughout North America, from the Bellagio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas to the Culinary Institute of America in Napa. To each of our customers, we guarantee unmatched quality, freshness and professional service.
Neighborhood: Ballard
Address: 5407 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
What we ate/drank: Doppio Macchiato
Comments: This is the last of the Seattle Caffe Umbria locations that we’ve written about. We wrote about Caffe Umbria in Pioneer Square that made it to our Seattle Coffee Awards for Best Coffee Shops For Big Groups and Best View. We also visited the smaller Caffe Umbria in Westlake. They do also have two locations in Portland and two in Chicago.
The Caffe Umbria – Ballard location is right in the middle, size-wise to the huge Pioneer Square location and the small Westlake location. Located right on Ballard Ave in the old part of Ballard, the ceilings are much higher here, than in normal Seattle buildings, so the floor to ceiling windows let in much more light than normal height spaces. The height of the windows even make the back of the space quite bright.
They have a few pastries available, but not a full menu. Some of the stand out features of the space are the chandeliers and the huge exposed brick wall. There’s various types of seating- a few outdoor seats, counter seating at the front window that look out on Ballard life, counter seating where the drinks are made, bench seating with single tables and a “living room” type seating area.
Like Anchored Ship Coffee, try not to come here during the Sunday Farmers Market if you can help it. It’ll be packed and drinks may take awhile.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: A modern space with some vintage touches in old Ballard.
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.50
Eavedropping Convo: Two ladies talking at the table next to us. At first they were talking as if they were friends, but it became clear they were conducting a job interview.
Interviewer: So what is you ideal work environment?
Interviewee: Well traveling is my jam, so anything involving travel, especially overseas travel I’m on board with. Comment: Yes, she really did say that “traveling was her jam” on an interview.
Interviewer: Ok. Well, you know this position doesn’t involve any travel with the exception of conferences domestically. With video conferencing and screen sharing there really is no need for face to face for the job.
Interviewee: My belief is that so much more can be gained by face to face conversations. Trust and bonding with the client for instance.
Interviewer: Agreed, but there is a cost involved with travel, especially if it’s absolutely not required.
Interviewee: Truthfully, if a company doesn’t see the value you in it, I can live with it. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d be hesitant to work for a company that couldn’t afford for their employees to travel.
Comment: At this point the interview was for all intents and purposes over. The interviewer just went through the motions of asking the remaining questions with no follow up questions. We would have loved to know what industry and position this was for.
Related:
Joule – The 3rd of the Trinity of Relay Restaurant Group Restaurants
Recommended by: Nobody. After visiting Trove and Revel recently we decided to revisit the last of the three Seattle restaurants belonging to Relay Restaurant Group.
Description on the Joule’s website: Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi opened their first restaurant, Joule, to critical acclaim in 2007. The food—a confident, beautiful blend of Korean flavors and classic technique—earned them a reputation as culinary innovators and creative forces. In 2013, they reimagined Joule as a contemporary Korean steakhouse serving nontraditional cuts of beef, and reopened it in an expanded space. The same year, it was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appétit magazine.
Neighborhood/Type: Fremont
Address: 3506 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
What we ate/drank: Beef tartare, Asian pear, spicy cod roe aioli $12, Bone marrow, spicy anchovy butter, leek $13, Geoduck fried rice, seaweed, pork rind $17, Peppered wagyu steak, ramp, maitake mushroom larb, 6 oz $29, Crispy eggplant, pickled garlic, black bean sauce $11.
Comments: Update 9/22/19: Joule just made Seattle Met’s 100 Best Restaurant
Joule is part of the Relay Restaurant Group created by Chef couple, Rachel Yang and Seif Chirichi. In addition to Joule, Relay Restaurant Group includes Revel right down the street and Trove in Capitol Hill .NOTE: It was just recently reported that Trove will unfortunately be closing. They also have a restaurant in Portland. Rachel Yang and Seif Chirichi actually appeared on Iron Chef on the Food Network, so that should tell you something about their popularity and skill.
Joule is the scene of a memorable experience I had about 6 years ago. It’s the first and only time I ever had a shot of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. At the time, it was a bourbon that was in high demand and low supply and if I remember correctly the Seattle Times at the time mentioned there were only 3 places in all of Seattle that had any. Joule happened to be one of them. I met a somebody at Joule for brunch around that time and told them that I had just got engaged. I was gifted a shot of Pappy Van Winkle as an engagement “present”.
Anyways, back to the present and 6 years later. My wife and I had a rare date night without the kids and thought Joule would be the perfect place. Luckily, we were able to grab a table at 5:00 on a Sunday evening. We had the choice of patio seating, the chef counter or a regular indoor table. We chose to be inside.
On to the dishes. As mentioned in our Kokkaku review, we love tartare and a tartare dish actually made it on too our best dishes of 2018, so of course we had to order the beef tartare as a starter. The combination of a tart cod roe and the tartare was an unexpectedly nice combo of flavors.
We were expecting a bit more from the geoduck friend rice. The odd pairing of geoduck and pork rind is what drew our attention, but although the pork rind was there it, was lost in the dish. As a fried rice dish it was still good, I just wish there was more geoduck and pork rind in it.
This was our veggie dish. My wife loved this dish much more than I, but I still thought it was good.
This was a home run! I don’t know if there is always this much marrow on their bones or if I just hit the jackpot, but usually there’s not much marrow whenever I order . This dish had so much marrow, I couldn’t believe it. Served with bread the marrow was perfect turning into a rich pudding that tasted like beef flavored butter. Add in the generous topping of leeks and you’ve got FIRE!
This was another home run albeit a rather expensive one. It’s one of those dishes where you may cringe at the price, but once the first bite is in your mouth, you understand why and say to yourself, “i would’ve paid double”. Tender, just the right amount of char and spice and coupled with the mushroom larb( w/ fish sauce?) was perfect.
A miss, but a few hits and a few homers. If you can get a few homers in one sitting, that’s a successful night in our book. We also had a couple of beers with our dinner. Like Revel and automatic 20% gratuity is included in the bill. It was a packed house on the Sunday evening we went with lots of buzz. It was fun hearing the comments of nearby tables when tasting many of the dishes that they definitely won’t find anywhere else.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 4.25
Overall: 4.65
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Related Articles:
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 1)
- Our Top 15 Best Seattle Dishes of 2018 (Part 2)
- Kokkaku
- D’La Santa
Linda’s Tavern – The Last Place Kurt Cobain Was Seen Alive
Recommended by: Nobody. We talked about Viretta Park (aka Kurt Cobain Park)and It’s history with Kurt Cobain. Linda’s Tavern is the last place anybody saw Kurt Cobain alive.
Description on the Linda’s Tavern website: A nice place for nice people.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 707 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122
What we ate/drank: Manny’s, Black Raven Pale, Pfriem Pilsner
Comment: Linda’s Tavern is supposedly the last place that Kurt Cobain was seen alive before he tragically took his life. I’m not sure this is well known about Linda’s Tavern amongst Seattleites. Linda Tavern has been a mainstay in Seattle(est 1994) for such a long time, it’s generally known for it’s low key Western-themed quirkiness.
According to Wikipedia, Linda’s Tavern has made servers Thrillist lists including “Seattle’s 26 best Boozy Brunches”, “The 21 best dive bars in America 2014”, “14 Seattle Bars That Are Open on Christmas Day”, The Best Dive Bars in Seattle” (2016). Those accolades should give you better picture of the type of tavern this is.
If you are interested here’s the booth that Kurt Cobain was last allegedly seen:
We’ve never eaten at Linda’s Tavern, but we’ve definitely done a lot of drinking here over the years. With so many high-end cocktail bars, clubs and craft breweries in Capitol Hill, Linda’s remains one of those rare places that’s laid back. It doesn’t take itself seriously. Just take a look at their “Hippies Use The Side Door” sign, the massive buffalo head above the bar, the Laura Palmer(Twin Peaks) high school photo, the stage coach wagon chandelier , the large print of cow herding.
There’s also some blasts from the past. They have some old school arcade games, their jukebox is full of CDs, not the digital jukeboxes you see in all bars nowadays. You get the feel like Linda’s Tavern is stuck in time-the song playing when we came in was “No Excuses” by Alice in Chains.
Linda’s Tavern has three main sections- the bar area, the elevated seating area where the jukebox and arcade games are and the huge outdoor patio that has it’s own bar. This is definitely a hidden gem during the warmer days and nights.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.50
Service: 4.50
Food/Drinks: Not rating. Never eaten and have only had beers.
Overall: 4.50
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Related Articles:
Tavolata – Best Happy Hour in Seattle
Recommended by: After this blog post was published a friend/reader reminded us of Tavolata after seeing me gush about Il Corvo’s pappardelle. We decided to take a happy hour trip to Tavolata
Description on the Tavolata’s website: Tavolàta Capitol Hill is our first attempt at recreating one of our original restaurants—Tavolàta in Belltown. Like the original, Tavolàta Capitol Hill is all about the pasta: Rigatoni, Bucatini, Gnocchi alla Romana and more. House favorites like the Pork Chop and Smoked Fish Bruschetta also make appearances. Join us on Capitol Hill!
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 501 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
What we ate/drank: Spaghetti w/tomato & basil with chicken and ricotta meatballs, Pappardelle-beef and pork ragu, mint, chili,grana padano, Rigatoni-spicy italian sausage, tomato, marjoram, parmesan, Gnocchi alla Romana 1
semolina dumpling, mozzarella, tomato.
Comments: Between 5:00-7:00 pm a glorious occurrence happens every night in Seattle. Tavolata has their happy hour. It’s safe to say, in our opinion, Tavolata’s happy hour is by far the best in Seattle. We love happy hour at Chan, List, Toulouse Petit, Alibi Room and Issian, but Tavolata is the best both in quality of food and amount you save during happy hour.
Tavolata is part of the Ethan Stowell Empire that includes Seattle institutions such as How To Cook a Wolf, Staple & Fancy, Red Cow and Rione XIII. I highly recommend visiting any of his restaurants which range from steak to pizza to Mexican and as you will see with Tavolata, Italian.
The happy hour menu is limited to the bar area and patio, but we’ve never had a problem getting a seat as long as you are there by about 5:30.
Tavolata’s happy hour is one of the greatest hacks in Seattle. Not only can you enjoy dishes from one of the top restauranteurs in Seattle, but you get them for nearly half the price with no decrease in quality, presentation or taste! Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Here are the dishes our party of 4 ordered:
Savings – $37!!!!!! BAM!!!! Less than $12 a person and this includes a 20% tip!
Also, I haven’t even mentioned the happy hour drink savings. Unfortunately, we didn’t keep track of this and not everybody ordered a drink off the happy hour drink menu.
We had the choice of sitting indoor at the bar area or outside on the patio, which is truthfully pretty limited in space. It was a rare sunny evening, so we chose el fresco. So a short description of each dish. The papardelle was my favorite. It had a pork/beef ragu sauce with a hint of mint. I probably ate 2/3 of it. Sorry to the other folks at the table for hogging it! The rigatoni was a little spicy due to the Italian sausage. Love the generous portion of grated cheese. The spaghetti and meatballs were also a hit. The sauce was thick and the meatballs dense enough to cut up and pair with the spaghetti. The spaghetti on it’s own is good, but paired with the meatballs made it sooooooo good. Of the four, the gnocchi was my least favorite, but it was still good and a hit with the rest of the table. I did love the presentation in a baking dish and the melted mozzarella, but I prefer my gnocchi in smaller pieces. These came as six huge polenta pucks. It’s hard to nitpick when you pair the fluffy gnocchi with the sauce and baked cheese it is admittedly delicous. This one is totally filling. Check out our photos and scores for each dish down below.
Rigatoni -spicy italian sausage, tomato, marjoram, parmesan. Score: (5.00/5.00)
I know some people will say for happy hour, the dishes are still on the high priced side. When comparing to all other happy hours in Seattle, yes. When comparing to other “quality” restaurant happy hours, you’re insane! This is one of the best bang for you buck treats in Seattle. I honestly don’t think Tavolata even needs to have a happy hour, they’d still draw in crowds without it. I’m just grateful they do. This easily fed a party of four and in fact we had some leftovers to take home.
One last thing, I’d still encourage you to go to dinner at Tavolata for their risotto, pork chop, ribeye and picatta, which are not on their happy hour menu. One thing you can count on from an Ethan Stowell restaurant is the decor and atmosphere just makes you feel you’re in for a special experience and with the pairing of the delicious food makes for a great evening.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 5.00
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 5.00
Bang for the Buck(happy hour only): 5.00
Overall: 5.00
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Shortly after publishing this post claiming Tavolata had the best Happy Hour in Seattle, a reader suggested checking out BBQ Smith’s Happy Hour, so we took her up on her suggestion.
Related Articles:
Cinnaholic
Recommended by: Shark Tank. We saw a pitch for Cinnaholic on the TV show and like donuts, we love cinnamon rolls, so we thought we’d check out Cinnaholic
Description on the Cinnaholic’s website:Cinnaholic is the original, gourmet cinnamon roll bakery. With over 20 unique frosting flavors and a variety of fresh and decadent toppings, we’re not your typical cinnamon roll dessert shop. Visit us at our Cinnaholic Seattle – Capitol Hill location to experience our award winning, handcrafted cinnamon rolls, brownies, edible cookie dough and baked cookies. All our products are made with the highest quality ingredients, and are 100% vegan, dairy & lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free.
Neighborhood/Type: Capitol Hill
Address: 816 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
What we ate/drank: Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll, Banana Split Cinnamon Roll
Comments: There are two things we’re big fans of. Shark Tank and cinnamon rolls. When we saw the pitch for Cinnaholic on Shark Tank. We thought, “This is genius!” while our mouths were watering. Whenever we see cinnamon rolls on any menu or in a display case, 90% of the time we get it.
This sums up how much we enjoy cinnamon rolls. At our wedding we did not have a traditional wedding cake, we bought a ton of cinnamon rolls and arranged it into the shape of a traditional wedding cake. If that doesn’t prove how much we enjoy cinnamon rolls, I don’t know what will.
So back in the Fall of 2018, we noticed that Cinnaholic had opened in Capitol Hill. But along with the volume of instagrams of beautiful cinnamon rolls, were lines out the door. With two little ones, that’s a recipe for disaster. So we waited for the excitement to die down until we visited Cinnaholic.
Cinneholic starts with a basic no frills cinnamon roll with vanilla frosting at $5.50. They have a multitude of different frostings for $.25 extra:
As you can see from the photos, the toppings are generous and the cinnamon roll is big enough to be shared by two. The frosting is surprisingly light unlike most cinnamon roll frostings that are quite dense.
Nothing goes better with a cinnamon roll than coffee and I’m happy that they’ve sourced locally from Lighthouse Roasters
Besides, their staple cinnamon rolls, Cinnaholic has brownies, cookies, baby buns(mini cinnamon rolls) and cookie dough.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 3.75
Service: 4.75
Food/Drinks: 4.50
Bang for the Buck: 4.00
Overall: 4.25
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Related Articles: