Oddfellows Cafe & Bar

Although we had to wait for a seat in the packed cafeteria it was worth it to try out the new spot on Capitol Hill called Oddfellows Cafe & Bar. The owner, Linda Derschang, also operates Linda's, Viceroy and Smith. I guess this place is still considered new even though it has been on 10th for over a month. I was there for dinner, but I couldn't help but be thankful that they also offer an early breakfast menu starting at 7am. We need more casual breakfast spots on the hill much more than another 21 dollar burger.

When you walk in, you immediately realize you are about to be seated in a dining room filled with a lot of cafeteria style tables on a small benches really close to other people. However, when we sat down I didn't seem to care we were sharing a table with someone....thank god, they don't pull that shit where they sit a random person across from you. I cannot stand that crap, its like eating in the dining cart on the Amtrak train. No thanks. The decor is very Capitol Hill, whatever that means...lots of random nods to the past including a large vintage war photography and a huge American flag. It definitely felt a little Men's or Eagles Club. The exposed wood, brick and white paint next to the large open windows made the room feel huge but it was also very warm. The bar area seemed awkward because it didnt allow for people to be corralled so they were just standing along the front of the restaurant waiting to be seated.



We started off with a few drinks. My brother was the only one who went with something off their specialty cocktail list which contained about 5 drinks. He was surprised at the pink color and the old wine glass it was served in. This was basically an 8 dollar gin and juice. I knew I should have written this down because just like a lot of Capitol Hill spots they have a pointless website with no information about the menu just the address and hours. Hopefully they will update it soon, so I can figure out what to have for breakfast on my way to work.


Very similar to other dining experiences with my brother he ordered a lot of things to get a good idea of what the menu had to offer and if it was going to be a place he would return too. So we ordered all the sides including Crispy Pork Nuggets, Fries (with special sauce) and Mac and Cheese.







Hands down those pork nuggets were amazing. I mean deep fried pork? That has got to be a winner. Come to find out the side came with 8 nuggets, b. and I both only got one each before my bro and L. ate them all up. Jerks. The fries were thick cut and salty, not too greasy and pretty hot. The special sauce was like a sweet marinara, not bad. The biggest disappointment was the Mac and Cheese. I swear...what is the problem with restaurants and their sorry attempts at Mac and Cheese! I know I am capable of making it and it isn't hard at all. Use more cheese and better quality and I think you can make it work. Stop serving luke warm, dry pasta with basically a white non tasting sauce. Gross. I am done ordering it out. That was it.

For dinner we all ordered an item but shared them all with the table. I wanted to try the chicken salad sandwich with tarragon, b. went with the grilled onion and gruyere panino, L. tried the rotisserie chicken and my brother went with the braised pork shank.


Everyone raved about the chicken salad sandwich. My biggest problem with it was the hard panini bread it was served open on. I had to cut it up to eat it and I needed a steak knife to get through it. It became quite messy but it was very good tasting, very flavorful and the tarragon was perfect.


b's sandwich was not very good, it looked like they over oiled it and put it in a sandwich press complete with ridges on the soaking weak bread. It was just boring and overpriced for a shitty grilled cheese. If you want a good grilled cheese with onions go to Smith.


L.'s chicken and greens were tasty. Just a simple baked half chicken dish along with mashed potatoes and decent flavors. Kind of boring.


Ending out the entrees was my brother with the pork. It was so tender it fell off the bone, this tasted quite good and you could tell they put a lot of love into it. The creamed cabbage mixed up with crispy bacon on the side was nice but the lentils under the pork were killing the dish, they were amazing and full of pork juice.

The service needs some help because we waited really long for food and had a hard time tracking anyone down for additional drinks. Several servers graced our table, one who took the order, one who brought the food and one who brought the water. It was confusing. They were all very nice however, I think they just need to get it together while they move through the newness of the restaurant. I will go back and try other things including breakfast and lunch. You might be interested in checking out their salads, shepard's pie, beef stew, blt and so on...just be prepared to pay around 8 dollars for sandwiches without the 6 dollar side. Or go for the 14 dollar full entree.

1525 10th Ave
(between Pike St & Pine St)
Seattle, WA 98122

(206) 325-0807

Mon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Emerald Queen Casino: The EQC

No we didn't gamble because we were there to see a concert. An awesome concert to be exact. I have been a fan of Musiq Soulchild for years, he is always putting out quality music and I absolutely love his voice. The venue was packed and he sang for almost two hours. It was a great show. Overall, an amazing ladies night.

After the show we all needed to get some food, and since EQC has a few restaurants we took to the grand staircase to see what the International Restaurant had to offer. We were seated fairly quickly in a dining room very reminicant of a Old Country Buffet but were spoiled with the maroon cloth napkins. Classy. The menu had everything from salads to sandwhiches along with a fairly large section dedicated to chinese american.


First up was the drink order. I was surprised to see the prices under 5 for most drinks. Well A. and I splurged and went with the 5.50 Electric Ice Tea. I think it tasted like sour lemonade and needed more alcohol, but I also heard it may have come out of a gun. Oh no. Not awesome.

They messed up K and M's order but they sent out the mistake while they prepared their appetizer. If I remember correctly they were crab cakes, but I didn't taste them or get a pic. I was worried that security would take my phone because they sent a few people to let us know that photos inside the casino was an absolute no. Point taken, especially when they sent the female security guard complete with a headset and a green windbreaker. I was unable to get photos of the other ladies food without drawing attention to myself but "straightened hair" M. got a burger and A. had a chef salad and everyone enjoyed a few sides of the steak fries.

After the crab cake mistake, K. and M. got their portobello mushroom caps and side of fries. M. said she was impressed by the quality of food at EQC...and the app prices were not that bad.


And, I went with the club sandwich, the roasted turkey was very tasty and the perfect amount of salty. The bacon was crispy and had just enough black pepper to give it a kick. I think the thick slice of cheddar was a nice touch and made the sandwich the perfect drinking meal. I liked the fries but didnt think they were hot enough. I also tried not to eat too many beccause I wanted to eat my sandwich! I do like a good club and this one makes my top ten for sure. And, it was reasonably priced at 8.95.


Not sure when I will go back to EQC but, I would eat at their restaurant again...and who knows perhaps with some gambling we could take on their Surf and Turf buffet complete with crab legs and iceberg lettuce salad bar.

Wingzone

The weather changes and makes it hard to leave the house and face the cold pouring rain to get dinner. This time of year is when I go into my kitchen and open the junk drawer and pull out a stack of delivery menus. The choices are quite slim so we occasionally check the world wide web for some restaurants who might have decided to deliver to cap hill. L. started talking about how much he loved eating Wing Zone back in the day...he even told me a funny story about how he and J. sold a cd to a delivery driver to cover the cost of their meal. Awesome. I had Wing Zone wings once back in the day when I worked in the U-District, but I had never had the sandwiches.

L. claimed the grilled chicken sandwiches were BOMB. So to our surprise we are able to order a few online. I kept waiting for them to call us after we ordered to give us the bad news that we were out of the delivery zone. But that call never came. My favorite thing about these sandwiches is that you get to choose from 26 types of flavors. Options include BBQ, Blue Cheese, Cajun, Teriyaki and on and on. I had the Thai Chili sauce on grilled chicken and it was really good. You can also go with a fried chicken sandwich if you are feeling like going there. Because I wasnt sure if the thai chili would be hot we also ordered a side of their house hot sauce. All sauces were fantastic. The standard sandwich comes with a side of wedge fries but you can sub a salad, onion rings, mushrooms or mozzarella sticks. The sandwich comes on a soft bun and the lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, mayo, ketchup & pickle spear are on all on the side.





Wing Zone is a chain but it is the only on on the west coast. It is quick delivery to the hill from the U-District. The food although it comes in styrofoam is very warm and perfectly cooked. The chicken sandwiches set you back only like 8 bucks and once you get delivery they give you coupons for some amazing deals on your next order. I will certainly rep Wing Zone for a quick, lazy dinner brought right to my door. You have lots of options so check them out! Hamburgers, Chicken Fingers, Salads, Buffalo Shrimp, Wings, 2Liters and Brownies!


5042 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Monday-Wednesday: 4:00 pm–1:00 am
Thursday-Friday: 4:00 pm–2:00 am
Saturday: 11:00 am-2:00 am
Sunday: Noon–Midnight

Taco Gringos

I have been thinking about tacos all summer, I think they have passed pizza on the chart of preferred dinner options over the past few months. After meeting up with L. who hadn't eaten dinner yet we walked right by Taco Gringos....and it was obvious this was going to have to do since it was 1am. I decided I would have one taco and L. went with three. We started with four pork tacos. The other options were beef or veggie. Several friends have let me know all the crazy meat they have tried at this place including rabbit, tongue and goat as well as all the creative veggie options including cabbage and tvp. What I have yet to try are the fish tacos, I need to land down there when this happens.

The place is small and the stove and pots they cook in are visible from the street. I do like the simplicity and home style feel of the business and the two guys working were really nice.


Four pork tacos:
The tacos are small, but I think for $2, you get what you pay for. I liked the pork, it was tender and the quality of meat was a surprise. The tacos are simple, just a bit of onion, cilantro and meat. They needed hot sauce which was not a bad thing, because they make that too. The HOT sauce was bomb it tasted like a hot chili sauce. It has the perfect amount of heat that I prefer. Next time, I will try the green sauce.


After eating his three tacos, L. opted for two more. While we waited outside I realized this would be a hard place to eat at when the weather changes since barely 6 people fit inside.



Open Tuesday-Saturday
8pm-3am
1510 East Olive Way
CASH ONLY

Honey Court Seafood Restaurant

I don't even remember the first time I went to Honey Court, but I know it was after a late night of drinking and partying. Honey Court is a comfortable, family style Chinese restaurant open until like 330am (Fri-Sat) in the International District. The place is extremely bright, worn down, full of random decor and always fast paced. The restaurant is typically packed with the younger club crowd and local regulars.

After too many happy hour cocktails after work and a run up to a beacon bar we ended up needing to soak up some liquor around 11pm. We stumbled into Honey Court and were greeted by the woman who always seems to be serving whenever you go. She took our order of Hot and Sour soup ($6.95), Barbecue Pork Fried Rice ($6.50), Chicken Chow Mein ($6.95), Honey Court Walnut Prawns ($10.95) and the Crispy Chicken w/Prawn Chips ($7.95). The Crispy Chicken is not pictured...think I was too busy shoving food in my face when it showed up to the table.

The first time I had the Honey Court Walnut Prawns, I did not like them. I am now convinced they are one of my favorite dishes. L. and I even made them for our valentines dinner this year. The cooking process for these is intense, multiple steps and ingredients...which includes mayo. They are so damn good. I am also a huge fan of the crispy noodle chow mein....the noodles are perfect and the sauce is so savory. This is the perfect food to eat when you are hungover or drunk. I will however point out, that it is just as good sober. I liked the rice but it was hard to eat, but it did have a nice flavor. I also enjoyed the crispy chicken, which is just your basic lightly seasoned fried chicken. The soup is also exactly what you would expect, yet it comes out in a huge bowl with enough soup for like 6 people.

Honey Court has over 200 dishes, you will certainly find something you like. I also heard they have a great Dim Sum but I have yet to check that out.

516 Maynard Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104

Mon-Tue 10am-2:30am
Wed-Thur 10am-3am
Fri 10am-3:30am
Sat 9am-3:30am
Sun 9am-1:30am