I recently spent a long weekend in that other Washington – Seattle to be precise.  I was basically too disorganized to plan anything other than the main event of my stay – going to a conference – so I improvised, which is how I like it anyhow.  The results were really impressive, and I have to say I had a great time getting a lot fatter!   I ate so much, in fact, that I’m going to split my exploits into a few separate posts.

I made the usual unfortunate decision to stay in inexpensive lodging convenient to the convention center, but this time at least I was in the right part of town, food-wise.  The next morning I found, happily situated across the street from my mhotel, Le Petit Café & Crêparie (2229 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121), luring me in with the aroma of coffee, crêpes, and the offer of free wifi.

Le Petit Café was being operated by a cook, who looked like she was just too polite to be swearing as profusely – I assume in French – as she looked like she wanted to be, and one other guy who worked the counter and as waiter. Service was slow, but not unpleasantly – and I felt right at home sipping my first delicious coffee, fighting with Mandriva to access the internet (others seemed to be happily surfing away), and perusing the crêpe selection.  I chose a savory option – spinach, mushrooms, and egg.  This came out along with my second cup of coffee: rich, with yummy wilted greens and mushrooms, wrapped in a perfect whole-wheat crêpe.

The first day of the conference, Big Pharma provided donuts which were free and delicious, but soon I needed real food.  Hunting for a quick, convenient lunch place near the venue, and I soon noticed Bambuza, a Vietnamese bistro and bahn mi counter, just across the street.  I chose to dine at a table instead of the counter (I had abstracts to peruse, after all!), and was escorted to a perfectly nice corner by the window, looking out onto the street.  Service was very polite, if a little disorganized.

I started off with the Vegetarian Salad Rolls – moist tubes of tofu, basil and veggies with a tasty (but maybe too sweet) peanut sauce for dipping.  I would have liked a bit more heat on these (the chili kind, not the fire kind), but they were really very tasty, and I could see myself just having two orders as a perfectly nice meal.

After that, I moved on to the bahn mi, which are simply called Vietnamese Sandwiches on the menu. I choose the Lemongrass Beef version, because it sounded good.  The beef was flavorful, and the veggies fresh and crisp.  Sadly, the overall effect was a touch mild for me – the mayo was bland, and cast a drabness over the sandwich as a whole.  All told: millions of orders of magnitude better than any Subway or Quiznos fare, but no Song Que.

Late my first night, I wanted to go see what nightlife Seattle had to offer, but needed a late dinner on my way.  Walking from my room in Belltown towards Capitol Hill, I remembered my past trips to the West Coast, and how good the sushi is out there.  Looking for a lighter bite, this seemed a good goal as I came upon Oasis Café (1024 E Pike St).  They were just closing, but the proprietress and proprietor were more than happy for me to join their other last customer at the bar. I was treated to an assortment of bloody delicious, ultra-fresh fish, charming conversation, and the usual green tea. The stand-out was easily the last surprise course: I’d ordered maguro, but my hosts insisted I could do better, and brought out a plate of white tuna nigiri. Wow, what an upgrade!  This is the kind of place I’d hit regularly, if I was in the area.

-MAW