[olivina]

This place doesn't look too scary or anything but what about The Rainbow Cafe on 15th, Capitol Hill, where Zooties used to be? I do have a morbid fear of tofu though.

[Rail Paul]

If a place looks like it sells beer by bottle, I'll often go in. Unless I'm driving, and don't want to leave the car outside, unguarded...

[Eden]

We should probably include some indication of when we tried a place. Otherwise, for example, I could tell you that Moon Temple in Wallingford is the WORST chinese food in seattle, but it would be based on 10 year old data & I understand that they have different owners & are perfectly acceptable now. (I'm still too scared to go back, so the improvement is all hearsay )

[Fay Jai]

Rocky ----

YOU DA' MAN! for starting this thread!

Amber and I ate at Moon Temple about a year ago....(Yeah, blame the Entertainment Book!) Agree with Eden...It probably has not improved much. It had a very odd smell and the food was just plain bad.

Traveler's Cafe IV on Aurora....Morbid Curiosity drove me there, and MC will be the death of me if I eat at too many like the Traveler's. The whole place appears to be a smoking area...or is it that their air filter blows? We may never know.
Think of the worst, crappiest meal at Denny's that you ever had....Got it? Good. Now, think of that meal made with even worst quality ingredients. (Tough to imagine, I know. Maybe as tough as the beef that was in my "French" dip...along with the crappy, SUB SIMPLOT-quality ((Ahhh....Burger Club at the Ram...)) "Freedom Fries" ((yes, they were labeled as such,)) that came with them.
My friend fared no better, with his rubbery, watery, open faced "roast" beef sandwich. At least the gravy wasn't lumpy...Oh, wait, it was 90% Water! Blech.

It does win the award for most random furnishings, though. As you enter the place, there is an obviously unused tread mill right be the entrance. Go Figure.

I'm really hoping to unearth some gems with this thread. That would rock.

[Lauren]

Fay Jai, on May 22 2005, 06:09 PM, said:

Traveler's Cafe IV on Aurora....

Fai Jai, thanks for taking one for the team. Paul and I wonder about this place every time we drive by. Scratch that off the list.

On the west side of Aurora, near 79th, is a "California Style" pizza place selling pizza by the slice. I can't remember the name but I'm fascinated by it.

Great thread Rocky.

[reese]

el gallito. i lived around the corner from it - but it was never clear if they were just starting or just finishing renovations. rob commented once that he'd been there and it was typical gringo-mex - heavy with lots of cheese. i never made it but suspect it's a gem.

i bet 6 of you respond to tell me it's great. if they make their own tortillas i will slap myself.

[olivina]

Fay Jai, on May 23 2005, 02:09 AM, said:

Rocky ----

YOU DA' MAN! for starting this thread!

Amber and I ate at Moon Temple about a year ago....(Yeah, blame the Entertainment Book!) Agree with Eden...It probably has not improved much. It had a very odd smell and the food was just plain bad.

A couple weeks ago I went to Moon Temple with (drunk) friends (i of course was just a little tipsy). We arrived around 1:30 am, haven't been out that late for about 20 years and it was super fun. We all survived the potstickers without even a stomach ache. Head ache was a different story.. Terrible drinks though, stick with the beer. Service was surprisingly nice and prompt. Funky downmarket decor and packed with people at that hour.

Earlier on the same night we visited the Monkey Bar on Roosevelt which is a place I've often wondered about. Really fun 2 guy band playing extremely energetic punkish rock, a table full of serious poker players who were somehow oblivious to the band, and all ages from 21 year old dancing trendy kids, professor looking couples, guys with LONG ponytails and old, crusty geezers. My little crew added beauty and sophistication.

Can't vouch for the food, but the place is great for slumming. The beer was ok.

[Scorched Palate]

Sorry, Reese... El Gallito is not a gem. It's not even good "bad mexican".

I think our first visit to Cyndy's on Aurora, lo these many years ago, falls into this category. It's just what it looks like from the outside: a greasy-spoon diner, but a good one, complete with smoking section and waitresses who call you "hon".

~A

[elswinger]

I know that Hattie's Hat receives good reviews from the likes of The Stranger, but from the outside it looks a bit "scary." I used to eat at dives like The Dog House and Ernie Steele's back in the early/mid-1990's, but I also smoked a lot of weed back then.

[Scorched Palate]

rockdoggydog, on May 23 2005, 12:30 PM, said:

...excellent crispy canned corned beef hash. Yes, I like the canned stuff.

Me too! They also do a bang-up canned version at Beth's.

One of my most-amusing (and oft-repeated) breakfast scenarios...
Me: "Is your corned beef hash home-made?"
Waitress: "Oh, yes! It's great!"
Me: "Well, then I will have the bacon."

The look on the server's face is priceless.


The other thing I love at Cyndy's is that you can order gravy on your hashbrowns (or homefries) for a buck, but if you want it on the side, you pay $3.

~A

[SeaGal]

Scorched Palate, on May 23 2005, 12:37 PM, said:

rockdoggydog, on May 23 2005, 12:30 PM, said:

...excellent crispy canned corned beef hash.  Yes, I like the canned stuff. 

Me too! They also do a bang-up canned version at Beth's.

One of my most-amusing (and oft-repeated) breakfast scenarios...
Me: "Is your corned beef hash home-made?"
Waitress: "Oh, yes! It's great!"
Me: "Well, then I will have the bacon."

The look on the server's face is priceless.

That's so funny, I feel the same way. I especially hate it when they make their own and the cornned beef is in big shreds and it's all kind of loose and undercooked. Hash should be crispy on the outside and smooshy on the inside!

[Eden]

Re Moon Temple, when I went there (10 years ago) the waitress had an honest to gosh beehive hairdo! and the "chinese food" was basically fried chicken strips with gravy that had a little curry powder & 5 spice mixed into it - eww!!!

InnBinn in Ballard is also awful: greasy flavorless potstickers, dried crusty fried rice, gloppy sugary sauces with no flavor etc. (Tried originally about 10 years ago, and then someone brought their take-out to my house a year or so ago, seemed about the same)
If you want bad chinese food in Ballard stick with Louie's - it's mediocre, but it's miles above InnBinn.