Seattle-area Restaurants and Food Culture

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by jessejb

My buddy who's a chef was telling me Belltown Pub is really good, too.
Oh and he let me in on a little secret that the owners of Tavern Law and Spur are opening a new place in South Lake Union.

Cool! Location?

[CityView Jim]

Could this be it?

http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/sauc...pening-080510/

[jessejb]

Originally Posted by CityView Jim

Could this be it?

http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/sauc...pening-080510/

I don't think that's it. I'm not sure what the details were but he made it sound like it was going to be a lot like Spur but with some awesome twists or something. SLU is looking mighty attractive these days.

[Seasun]

I've tried the Seatown snack bar a few times over the past few days. I'm not usually into the ultra self-promoting Tom Douglas (I've rarely visited Etta's or his other places where I feel like I'm getting hit over the head with his books and salt rubs) but he has a pretty good thing going with this snack bar idea. Really tasty food, modest but reasonable sandwich sizes, decent bang for the buck (definitely not cheap), good layout and staff. I tried the chorizo breakfast sandwich over the weekend, last night a Philly cheesesteak and tonight a short rib sandwich. These sound rich but the portions are pretty small.

[CityView Jim]

There's a rumor that Shawn Kemp and wife want to open a club/restaurant in LQA near Pesos I believe. Hmmmm. He's back

[Seasun]

Tonight's Mobile Chowdown in the west half of the north parking of the seahawks stadium was pretty cool. I'm comparing it to what I believe was the first mobile chowdown earlier this year(?) in Interbay which was such a mob scene that I had to keep on driving or biking right by.

There were quite a few vendors and it was interesting to see how massive a space this lot is. Really a little too big but that's better than too small. I think they lucked out on decent weather. Beer appeared to be served by Qwest Field staff at $8.50 for a standard cup - a rip! There was a $5 charge to get into the party which seemed reasonable to cover some costs and keep out some people.

[alexjonlin]

Awesome. Yeah the North Lot is pretty huge, when the north half of it is taken up by King County's project, that'll be great. I think the south half of the north lot, which is owned by Qwest Field, should have midrise development on it on either side, with a relatively large, well-designed plaza in the middle. That'd be muy perfecto. I'm going to the Sounders game tomorrow, btw.

[CrazyAboutCities]

Looking like Belltown might lose another restaurant, Zoe depends on the owner's decision. They're also opening a new burger joint in Fremont soon. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...tml?cmpid=2628

[CityView Jim]

Originally Posted by CrazyAboutCities

Looking like Belltown might lose another restaurant, Zoe depends on the owner's decision. They're also opening a new burger joint in Fremont soon. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...tml?cmpid=2628

Belltown better find a new niche. Something that appeals to local residents (because their parking sucks!!) that doesn't appeal to drunken assholes or drug dealers.

[Seasun]

Their parking is going to get a lot worse from what I understand about the City's budget. I have a friend who hates the idea of paying for street parking on Sundays and after 6pm - that's the one day he doesn't have to worry about his car getting a ticket. His wife uses the condo garage for her car - I know - they should (and probably could) get rid of the 2nd car.

To change topics - I tried the Row House Cafe tonight for the first time on Republican between Minor and Fairview. It opened about 2 weeks ago. Got a good $10 sandwich (better have been good for $10). Cozy/homey place. Good use of an old structure that was slated to be torn down for condos but not yet due to the market.

[mhays]

Belltown's decline as a restaurant destination has been predictable for many years.

Restaurant concentrations thrive where there's a mix of "draw" and parking, or a hell of a lot of transit, density, and tourists. In Belltown's case, since it has middling transit, not enough density, and not a ton of tourists, restaurants rely on parking.

At some point in an infilling neighborhood, the infill takes the parking below the "easy & cheap" threshhold, and the driving masses start to see parking as an impediment. Belltown has apparently reached that point for a lot of diners.

For the remaining restaurants, and decrease in competition might help them. Not just less competition for customers, but less for evening parking too.

All of this is offset by increased residents. But an expensive sit-down place will take a parking space over 20 residents anyday.

All part of life's pageant, as Clouseau said once. Belltown will see more neighborhood focus in its restaurants, vs. outsider focus. Some of the destination places will mosey off to other districts. Nothing wrong with that.

[Ruffhauser]

It’s also got to be difficult to ask your clientele to pay $25+ for an entrée and then leave the restaurant to find somebody fixing in the doorway or pi$$ing on your car.

[mhays]

Exaggeration? I've lived in Belltown for many years and have never seen either.

[jessejb]

Of course it's declining. I would dare to say it might be because of the 12th and Pike area's rise of restaurant culture that might be stealing the spotlight.

[Ruffhauser]

Originally Posted by mhays

Exaggeration? I've lived in Belltown for many years and have never seen either.

Get out more. I've lived in Belltown 4 years and seen both.

[meku]

I've never seen anyone pissing in public. I've seen people dealing, but only in the alleys and only a couple times. Lived on LQA and was in Belltown pretty much everyday.

[CrazyAboutCities]

I have seen few people pissing in the public before. I once witnessed one homeless man tried to shit but he got caught by the cops just before he shits.

[alexjonlin]

Yeah I think this is all exaggeration. These things happen sometimes, but nearly always on the streets without retail on them where there's no one walking around late at night, not out on First or Third, or even 2nd or 4th or 5th for the most part.

[CityView Jim]

The funny thing is that on Broadway, they were saying getting more residential will cut down on the homeless panhandling and drug dealing. IMO it has worked with measureable success there. Why hasn't it worked in Belltown where there are even more residential eyes that Broadway (specific)?

Which came first: the homeless and druggies scaring off the business? or the business vacancies giving way to less eyes on the druggies and urinators?

[CityView Jim]

And along those lines, another one bites the dust: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/428114_belltown08.html