Seatown
2010 Western Ave.

I forgot to take a picture of the outside.  So much for sticking to a format!  But here's from the inside out.

This morning I had no place particular I wanted to go.  I googled and settled on an intersection in Madronna that had two possibilities but by the time I got to the car, I remembered I'd been to one and had been underwhelmed and wasn't all that interested in the other one today.  Then I thought I'd head up to upper Queen Anne and see what struck my fancy.

I really wanted something fairly simple and easy.  And not too much of it either.

Then as I drove Pike Place Market, I thought of Seatown.  I haven't been there in ages and figured if I could find a parking spot, I'd go there.  I found a spot a semi-long but very flat walk away and claimed it.

Food:  I asked for two eggs over easy with hash browns - extra crispy, bacon and toast.  They do fancy coffee, french press or something and always offer up complicated choices. I always order 'surprise me' and follow up with assurances that I will love whatever they choose.  The coffee was good.  The breakfast was perfect. The has browns were almost too crispy, but after yesterday, I was glad. (I think I'm the Goldilocks of hash browns - I don't want them soft but I don't want them to hurt the roof of my mouth either.)

The toast was grilled and delicious.  All of it was very good and there was nothing left.

Service:  In a word comfortable. I felt like if I needed anything, I could have it pronto and she did not hover or hang out either.  Plus, the coffee is in a pot on the table.  My favorite. When I finished (as in nothing on my plate), I pulled out my credit card and put it on the edge of the table.  In less than 30 seconds she was there asking if I was ready for the bill.  Nice.

General Experience:  It's been a while - probably a year - since I've been here.  And a lot has changed. It's no longer the new place in town and has garnered a nice little reputation.  I read somewhere the other day that it's on the short list for some hot shot award.  I steer clear in the summer because it's in the middle of the tourist district and this winter I've not been able to walk that far like I used to.  So it's been a while.

The menu is different and some of the things I like the best are gone but it's still nice.  It used to play the most amazing music - from the 50's and early 60's.  I could not image who, other than me, would enjoy it - the staff was all so young, their parents were probably not alive then, but I loved it.  Today, it was typical restaurant background, not offensive but not particularly interesting either music.

But they still have newspapers - the NY Times and the Seattle Times which I think is just classy.

Mae's Phinney Ridge Cafe 
6412 Phinney Avenue North 

Mae's is the funkiest of funky and such a treat.  If you were walking down the street and looked in these windows you'd see 8 tables and a counter and probably a line of people waiting.  Once you get inside you find out there are three back rooms with lots of tables and even so most are always filled.


It's warm and homey and comfortable and delightful.  And almost every time I've ever eaten there, Mae is there working away - today she brought me coffee and then came back to see if I wanted to take home the left overs.

Food: I usually have the regular 2 egg special but today, I thought I'd branch out. And I go the Barnyard Country Scrambler.

It was good but not my favorite and I probably won't get it again. It wasn't quite crunchy enough but mainly it was just too damn much!!!  It was a ridiculous amount of food.  I would have been happy and full with 1/3rd of it.  Oh and I got toast instead of biscuits because, honestly, I'm not that wild about her biscuits.

Service:  The service is always good.  Any staff person who goes by your table considers you their responsibility.  So getting more coffee or iced water or anything else is easy peasy and I never get ignored.

Everything else:  They always have the latest edition of the Seattle Gay News which is rare for the places I hang.  So it's a treat to catch up on what happenin' in homo land.  When I first moved to Seattle the Seattle Gay News was all about obituaries.  It's heaven now to pick one up, like I did today, and read about governmental successes, corporate sponsorships and fun happenings and one obituary of a guy who died in his 80's.  

And, plus, how can you not love a place that has the dogs playing poker in a tapestry???!!!

And flipflops plastered into the wallpaper in the bathroom?

Ma'Ono 
(formerly Spring Hill)
4437 California Avenue Southwest

This place is kind of bi-polar right now.  It has the brunch menu from its former self, Spring Hill.  But the name is now Ma'Ono and Spring Hill goes away except for Saturday and Sunday mornings.


Usually it is a nice, quiet spot for a leisurely brunch.  But, today, it was really packed and loud.  I asked the hostess what was going and and she said nothing - that it just seemed the later crowd came earlier.  This was at 10 when they first opened.


It's not nearly as nice a place to eat when it's crowded.  It turns into a busy, loud place which is the current desired restaurant vibe in these parts.  (Not desired by me but sought after, apparently, by restaurateurs.)

Food: I had 2 poached eggs over corned beef hash, with grilled bread.


As you can see, the eggs were beautifully done.  As it turns out one could have been left in the water a minute more but the other one was perfect.  The has was very interesting.  A few too many green peppers for me but quite tasty and there was not one single morsel left when I was done.  I doubt, however, I'll order it again.


Service:  It was really too busy to get excellent service.  My coffee cup lingered empty a bit longer than I prefer but not too bad.  There was a large table of 8 next to me that were fairly demanding so they got the server's attention instead of me.


Everything else:  I'm probably ready to give this place a rest for a bit and go somewhere else next Sunday.  But, it's not off the list entirely.  Not by a long shot.

Wild Mountain Cafe
1408 Northwest 85th Street

The first few times I tried to find this place, I had a terrible time.  The sign looks significant in this picture but on the street, not so much.  Plus, they have been chewing up the street in front (and for several blocks before and after) so that it's kind of like a secret restaurant.

But, well worth the hunt.  I've been several times.  There are three things on the menu that I love and this time I decided to try something new.  Plus, I was eating with a friend, who is a vegetarian, and he had something I never would.

Food:  I had 2 eggs, over easy, with, bacon, grilled bread and their garlic potato cakes.  I dug in before I remembered to take the picture.  It was, honestly, not the best brunch I'd ever had there.  It was pretty ordinary.  The grilled bread was more like under done toast.  And the eggs were ok but the best over easy execution ever.

Their garlic potato cakes are pretty darned yummy.

My friend had the vegetarian benedict.  He declared it delicious and, I'm sure it was.  They really do good benedict.

Service:  I have had way better service than I got today.  I finally got water after having to ask twice.  My empty coffee cup begged for more for a long time before it got any.  Had I been alone, I would have had plenty of time to create G+ entries bitching about it.  But, as it was, it was honestly fine.  And I know from past experience that it is normally so much better.

Everything else:  This was the first time I'd ever had brunch there that it wasn't packed.  I didn't even peek in to the two back rooms but the three front ones had empty tables much of the time we were there.  Always before the wait queue is fairly healthy.  The construction in front could be some of the reason. It's a mess and has been going on for quite some time.

This is still one of my favorite places and it will not be the last time it's written about here.

$19 including tip (my meal only)