Hi Patrick

back from my trip, the last evening was in Seattle.

You will LOVE Hotel Andra. ask for a suite if you haven't already secured one. great location - walking distance to many restaurants and shopping.

Wild Ginger was ok, not bad, not great. for an asian restaurant kind of bland actually. impressive/comprehensive wine menu, and the seven flavored beef was pretty good but again kinda bland, all things considered. good service. the menu was several pages long so it's possible it is hit or miss.

HUGE place - two stories. if it's not a chain it felt like one actually (think Maggiano's or PF Chang's kind of chain - decent but not fabulous food and huge/noisy)

actually now that I just wrote it, it did kind of remind me of PF Changs (also close by). not to completely dissuade you, and others may disagree with me.

to be honest I much preferred Lola's. I got in after a long day of flying around (ooooh, the mountains - the Cascades are beautiful, I have some good closeups too) and was utterly famished. I was meeting a friend for an 8 pm dinner and it was only 4 pm so I got room service from Lola's. what a treat. really excellent Greek food. I'd highly recommend eating there, or, sampling room service at minimum. I also had breakfast there the next morning - very good, and attentive service.

Thanks for posting this. I'm sure others will get some good information from it as well. We're paying $159 for the regular rooms, and probably won't spring for a suite. We arrive pretty late (10 PM'ish) after a whale watch, so unless they happen to have extra suites, I'm not holding my breath for an automatic upgrade.
Lola's breakfast sound wonderful. And we'll probably get something late after our arrival since it is Saturday and I see they serve till midnight or later!

Now, where SHOULD we go for fun and good Asian? I've seen enough mediocre reviews of Wild Ginger to decide it's off our list.

We've also booked Sunday brunch at Salty's on Alki. I guess it makes the most sense to go by water taxi instead of driving?

Hi,

if you get in late, their room service goes until around midnight, I believe, for many things on the menu and is more limited after that. (I didn't pay close attn to times actually but if you are in at ten you should be fine)

I can recommend the dolmades and also the pita spreads - I got tzatziki and also the minty feta. yum yum! worth flying back out for actually. (cue Homer Simpson type drooling).

for breakfast their special (not on the regular menu - made that very day) sounded good - two poached eggs over garlic/potato hash (with mushrooms mixed in) and drizzled with a creamy tomato vinaigrette (can't remember everything that was in it, it wasn't merely tomatos). it also had snow pea tendrils on top of the eggs, hence the salad dressing (sounds weird, tastes great - it's not the peas, it's the vines). and bacon strips on top of that.

it was heavenly. my dry description does not do it justice.

can't offer any advice about transportation, I was in Seattle less than 24 hours and actually in the hotel about 18.

if you have time the Boeing Flight Museum was quite interesting.

Not trying to be a buttinsky (who am I kidding) but the water taxi to Salty's is fine, but you'll be missing the opportunity to drive out around to Alki Point and hit the beach, views, etc. - really one of the best in-town scenic drives anywhere. I'd drive instead.

Patrick, what kind/style/price range/etc. do you want in Asian? It's like asking what kind of European food do you like - Tapas, schnitzel, pizza, pelmeni...

Oh PS it's the Museum of Flight located at Boeing Field. As members we're taught (no, actually brainwashed) to get all uppity when people call it the Boeing Museum or some such. Consider yourselves uppitied.

Thanks for the driving tip, Gardyloo, I couldn't find an indication of that anywhere.

What kind of Asian? A replacement for what I thought Wild Ginger was to be --upscale in atmosphere.
Chinese, Szechuan, Thai, Malaysian, probably not Japanese or sushi or Indian.
Something different and "special" in both food and atmosphere. I just keep thinking of "Asian influence" in the Pacific Northwest, but no one seems able to recommend an outstanding place for it. One of our party is pretty much vegetarian so generally Asian could be a plus. All the trendy regular places seem to do one "required" vegetarian dish -- usually a risotto or some sort of ravioli. It would be nice to pick a place where she can have a little choice, not just "I'll have the vegetarian".

Patrick,

they did seem to have a fair amount of veg dishes there but I wasn't paying too much attn to them as I like the chicken/beef dishes. I did have the squash/sweet potato stew to start as it looked interesting.

I'd say it's hip, not upscale in a quiet haughty way but definitely a date place, or a see and be seen place. we saw a hen party of about 10 women pull up in a limo outside our window - dressed to the nines - they all came in.

I just didn't think the food was all that. very very bland. the spring rolls at the beginning were nearly tasteless - no joke.

believe it or not, AMAZON has its menu, I did a search.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...nt=C001#reader

you do realize this may be the most I have talked about food on fodors, EVER? I usually don't pay attention even this much. am I becoming a foodie?

Gardy,

sorry, I knew better. you're right! and a fine museum it is. I only made it through the Personal Courage wing.

those were the most exciting times anyway - how daring they were! it was funny to see them compare the Sopwith Camel to a new fighter. (service ceiling, weight, top speed, costs etc). top speed - Sopwith - something like 120 Kts. top speed - fighter: fuhgeddaboutit. advantage: Sopwith Camel.

not to beat a dead horse, but I am pasting the email I got from Hotel Andra before I left, re: recos:

There are many fabulous restaurants within walking distance to the hotel. If you are looking for an Asian I would highly recommend Wild Ginger. It is 5 blocks from the Hotel and is located on 3rd and Union. Other suggestions are:


Any Tom Douglas Restaurant – www.tomdouglas.com

Lola, Greek food, is the hotel’s restaurant

Dahlia Lounge, Northwest/Pan Asian – located across the street

Palace Kitchen, Northwest – 2 blocks from the hotel (5th and Lenora)

Etta’s Seafood – 4 blocks from the hotel (Western and Virginia)


Italian:

Assaggio Ristorante – www.assaggioseattle.com, located next door to the hotel

Il Fornaio – www.ilfornaio.com, located at 6th and Olive.


Asian:

Dragonfish – www.dragonfishcafe.com, located on 7th & Pine


Sushi:

Saito’s Japanese Café & Bar – located on 2nd & Lenora

Shiro’s – located on 2nd & Battery

Wasbi Bistro – located on 2nd & Bell


Mexican:

Mama’s Mexican Kitchen – www.mamas.com, located on 2nd & Bell

Other:

Marjorie – Caribbean inspired/Southern cuisine, located on 2nd & Battery

Restaurant Zoe – www.restaurantzoe.com, American cuisine with French & Mediterranean accents, located on 2nd & Lenora

Brasa – Northwest and Mediterranean, located on 3rd & Lenora

These are just a few suggestions. For more option you can always go to www.seeseattle.org or www.seattle.citysearch.com.

Regards,

Katy

Dragonfish is good and well located - we'll be there tomorrow night before a concert at the Paramount.

There are any number of excellent Asian restaurants in the International District (south of Jackson east of 5th Avenue.) We like House of Hong for dim sum (huge place, nothing exceptional but high consistency), Sea Garden for a 80s-sleek decor but excellent seafood-based food, and especially a family-run Szechuan place in a strip mall up Jackson in the more Vietnamese/SE Asian area, Seven Stars Pepper - try the Cumin Lamb and you'll see stars.

But our fave place for Asian in the ID is really not a restaurant at all, but the food court at the wonderful Uwajimaya Village department/grocery mall in the I.D. Uwajimaya is worth a visit on its own - fascinating selection of Asian foods, produce, the best fish counter in town (makes the Pike Market guys look like the media hounds they are); very cool Asian imports, books, candy, "what do they do with that" experiences in the housewares and produce sections, and the food court. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Korean, Vietnamese, Hawaiian... a killer Chinese bakery, bubble tea outlets... and all dirt cheap and sit-at-bench atmosphere. Really fun.

For vegetarians wanting a pretty unique experience, there's nothing like the Bamboo Garden on Roy St near Seattle Center. Totally vegetarian menu, even unto the shrimp balls and sweet and sour chicken, all made with tofu or whatever, but really amazing meat-like experience. Very old-fashioned setting, like your basic suburban Chinese restaurant from the 50s, but with a serious twist. Parking too. Quite a hoot. www.bamboogarden.net

Hi there...just to add my two cents..Patrick, I would still give Wild Ginger a try based on some of your posts about eating out in New York. We eat there every time we visit Seattle and have always had a positive experience. Fun atmosphere and memorable food. Worth a try if you are in Seattle as long as you reserve in advance.
cheers,
CC

Agree with the previous poster about the drive to Alki Beach. Salty's picked us up from the Edgewater in a limo which was fun and the drive is gorgeous. We like to eat out on the deck if the weather is nice. Views are great and food is above average at Salty's. Enjoy Seattle! ***kim***