Quinn's...

I went to Quinn's a few months ago so my brother could try their burger. Somewhere he read that their burger was one of the best in the city. I took pics of our entire spread which included a wide array of starters, salads and entrees but when I got home I realized it was so freakin dark in there that the photos were garbage.

L. and I went the other night because he was craving a burger and I got some better pics. We started with the pretzel snack and the starter bread salad. I love this savory pretzel and welsh rarebit dipping sauce...I am not sure what to make of it but it is like a creamy cheese and mustard. It is so bomb. The pretzel was very hot and had a crispy outside and a soft inside. I love bread! We also started with the bread salad which is just alright. The bread is way too soft and the lettuce was a little brown. My favorite bread salad is the one at Dahlia Lounge and that is because the bread is crusty and the amazing cheese and spices make it the perfect mix...Quinn's could take a lesson in that.

So below is the coveted "snake river farms" wagyu beef burger with cheddar and bacon. Note the kick ass cow pick alerting you that your burger is cooked to your preference, nice touch. The fries are bomb and someone told me they cook them in duck fat. Wow. L. commented on the bun several times and was impressed how the bread just soaked up the juices and cheese. Overall this looked like an amazing choice. This burger is no joke, it will set you back 12bucks.

Last time I was at Quinn's I had pork sausage. This time I went for the buttermilk chicken breast which came with potato salad, coleslaw and a biscuit and a nice little touch of foie gras gravy. At first the thought of foie gras gravy through me off but I knew it would be rich and tasty if I just didnt think about those fat little bird. The potato salad was WAY too salty and the coleslaw was subpar...but that chicken was very tasty and hearty. I wanted to stop eating it so I could have leftovers, but I could not help myself. The coating on the chicken was light and not greasy at all. Perfect.


Quinn's gets really busy on the weekends and at regular dinner hours but you can catch a meal here until 1am. They have large selection of beers and a full on bar with some really nice whiskey choices.

1001 E Pike St
Seattle, WA 98122

Steelhead Diner, review #2

Crumb Yum, per your suggestion I visited Steelhead Diner in the Market. It is my birthday month so friends wanted to take me to dinner. We chose to sit outside. I love the deck it looks right over the entrance of Post Alley. I may be alone in this but I like decks and patios that make you feel like you are in a "city". (Not to discredit any of the establishments w/ decks that have beautiful views of the water except for Hoey's).

Back to Steelhead, I really liked it and will definitely return, but just some pointers. I would stick to the diner/comfort portion of the menu vs. the entrees. I felt they were a little overpriced, totheir credit Steelhead does offer 1/2 portions, however they are at 3/4 the price. In the event I was getting an entree again, I would just spend the extra $6-7 and get the full portion. One of us had lamb, one black cod and one halibut--nothing spectacular in the preparation, but good and unique. We saw a lot of the sandwiches come out and they looked delicious and much less expensive than the entrees.

Appetizers and sides were awesome. I recommend the poutine. Anyone heard of it? According to Anthony Bourdain it is the traditional food of Montreal--it is french fries with melted cheese and gravy. I already wanted to visit Montreal now I want to hop on the next flight out! Order the poutine, unless you're a vegetarian because it is sausage gravy. Excuse me, delicious sausage gravy.

On the downside, my rose wine was tepid and the service was really slow on the deck. I wouldn't bring attention to it except that our waitress kept mentioning how she had the "princess schedule" because she had worked with the chef for so long. Don't rest on your laurels girl.

Back to the upside, sweet nothings! For my birthday they brought me a piece chocolate pecan pie--delicious. The crust was almost candied and a homemade whipped cream on top with unsweetened cocoa sprinkles which was a great counter flavor to the sweet pie. I had a Texas native with me and he confirmed this was real southern pecan pie. It was complimentary, came with a candle and delivered by the manager. I love my birthday, so they really won me over on this maneuver. We indulged in the Strawberry Shortcake too, also delicious.

Other pluses, the Chef is part owner from New Orleans and formerly with Oceanaire and the manager was really cute. Seemed really busy on a Tuesday night. Good for them!