The Saint

We arrived to The Saint at about 4:45pm....they do not open until 5pm and after we waited for a few minuets outside we were invited in and told we could wait until they were ready. awesome. The service was fun and casual...our bartender and self-proclaimed capitol hill rock star made casual convo and provided entertaining banter with me and my friend. We started with the Flight to Tequila, which features 3 selected cocktails. Our flight consisted of the Honeysuckle (tequila, lemon and honey), Fresas (strawberry infused tequila) and the Sayulita (tequila, campari and elderflower). My fave was the honeysuckle...I did not taste the fresas (i do not do strawberries)...but my co-diner happened to really like it! The presentation was fun with the wood tray and the small cocktail glasses.

We started with the guacamole which also comes with three fresh salsas. I really liked the smokey flavor of the red sauce and the tangy taste of the green. The pico was also really nice and had a strong cilantro back. The chips were hot and perfectly salted.

We also got down on some of the ceviche. The fish was tilapia and it was very mild, not fishy at all! The citrus marinade was also very mild. I think this dish could have used more heat but overall it was very tasty. The marinated slaw in the center of the plate also served as a nice salad not just a garnish.

We also shared the empanadas with chicken. I thought they were a bit greasy and not the baked flaky pastry that I truly tend to love about them. They were also served with the marinated carrots, onion and cabbage slaw and some of that nice smoky salsa.


Other menu items included camarones, tacos, carne asada and chicken mole. The overall menu is very small but I think it is perfect for the size of the place. The food is simple but tasty, I am happy to know that chips this good are available on the hill. The happy hour from 5-6pm allows you to cash in on their dishes for half price. The 11 or so specialty cocktails do not go down in price and will set you back about 11-14 bucks or 16 for the flight. If you really want a to cash in on your deal you can drink the tecate and that will only drain you 3 bucks. I hear this place gets pretty busy on the weekend, but at 5pm weekdays it is still a quiet place to grab a drink and head home. RIP Wingdome, you were good but this food is way better.

1416 E Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98127
They do take reservations, and I would do it...the place is small.
(206) 323-9922

moose knuckle

last friday i decided to invite a few friends out to dinner, and we had quite the e-maelstrom trying to figure out where to go. it's a little funny with our group since we have one veg, one gluten-free, 2 no-caribbean's (we ate that the night before), and one writer looking for a breath of fresh blog air. three days and three thousand emails later, senor moose was the winner. please see their full menu online.


i never imagined chips and guacamole could be so incredibly delicious. the chips are hot, salty, and made-to-order. they're made from incredibly thick-cut tortillas, so it's almost like eating two chips in one. the guacamole was refreshing, chunky, and integrated chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime. i'm normally not a fan of guacamole because i don't like it pulverized and competely mashed. for me, guac is entirely about texture, so i prefer the chunks of avocado. this was bomb. even after dinner, we were all commenting about the guac. holy shit.


our server was awesome....he brought out the cinco salsas y unos chilitos for all to sample. the chilitos were marinated chipotles (hot and smoky), a crema de guajillo, a pico, a simple chile salsa, salsa verde, and a mint chutney-like salsa similar to the condiment you get at indian restaurants. bomb-naners.


next came the queso panela in salsa. the cheese is a slice of queso freso warmed until semi-melted, then served in a dish of smoky tomato salsa. it was pretty tasty wrapped up in a tortilla with some chipotle.


here's another view of the queso panela.


both suge and rio ordered the special, which was grilled pork that was marinated overnight in a vinegar, guajillo, and pasilla chile blend. it was served with sides of pinto beans topped w cotija, shredded cabbage, and basically mexican home fries. suge enjoyed his dish, but he was jealous of gats' carne asada.


akg ordered the enchiladas suizas which were filled with grilled chicken and queso fresco and smothered in a creamy salsa verde. it looked bomb. she noted that the chicken had a crispy skin which enhanced the texture and her overall enjoyment :).


ah, the coveted carne asada. gats feasted upon seared carne asada, an enchilada verde, sauteed strips of poblano, refried beans smothered in salty cotija, and guacamole. i think you can pretty much figure out how he felt about this dish.


let me mention that pep asked the waiter what the cheesiest dish on the menu was. let's just say that the enchiladas de puya were stuffed with two types of cheese, covered in the same smoky tomato salsa as the queso panela, and then hit with more cotija on top. delicious. black beans and a small salad finished off the plate.

senor moose is really where it's at. this place was awesome, the vibe was great, the dining room was small and friendly, and the waiter was awesome. he kept the modelos and margaritas flowing all night, and when it came time to settle, our party of six came to a paltry $180.

5242 NW Leary Ave
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 784-5568

Breakfast:
Everyday 8am-3pm
Dinner:
Sunday-Thursday 5pm-9pm
Friday-Saturday 5pm-10pm

Organic Coffee @ Cafe Casbah

I was going through some photos on my computer and realized I never took the chance to talk about a small place on 2nd avenue. While stepping out for a weekend adventure with k. we decided to grab a cup of coffee. We stumbled upon this place called Cafe Casbah. I have never noticed this small space hidden on 2nd avenue across the street from crocodile cafe...


They serve a bunch of small pastries and some hearty Mediterranean fare. I made a mental note to come back when I was ready for a meal. We saw a few things come out and they all looked very tasty. They also have a computer set up on the side if you are in need of your internet fix while downtown...and if I remember correctly you can use it for free with your purchase.

Oh yeah, so back to the coffee. It was great. I went for the americano and it was so rich and savory...I loved it. I am a sucker for rich black coffee. k. got down on some chai tea...which almost made me think it was time to go back to chai (i think i over did it in the late 90's)

So check it out if you are in the belltown area...I gotta get back myself and try this food.


2219 2nd Ave # B
Seattle, WA 98121
M-F 6:30am-7pm
Sat-Sun 8:30am-6:30pm