Welcome back to Eater Seattle's Something for the Weekend column. Every Friday, you probably ask the same question: Where should I eat and drink this weekend? Covering brunch, dinner, and everything in between, here, now, three places to try.
May 27, 2016
taqueria la fondita #2
Eater's Mexican food map says this truck in White Center is possibly the best in the area, and for good reason. Simple tacos with the likes of carne asada and crispy carnitas pack in the flavor, especially when topped with the whole serranos that come on the side. If you're feeling a torta, mulita, burrito, or anything else on the menu, it's all excellent.
dumpling tzar
Dumpling Tzar's tricked-out dumpling bowls with all sorts of combinations put creative twists on the humble Russian potato ball. Toppings involve tasty options like hot sauce, curry, bacon-onion relish, and more. Opt for kid's size bowls and order several so you can try a bunch of combinations.
cure
It's a bummer that Culture Club Cheese Bar shuttered, but you can still get your cheese-and-wine fix at places like Cure on Capitol Hill. Cured meats and other snacks pair with cheeses from Italy, France, and Spain, and there's a generous daily happy hour that runs from 4 to 6 p.m. with house cocktails, beer, and wine on discount.
May 20, 2016
LITTLE UNCLE
Fans of the original Little Uncle walk-up window on Madison Street: If you haven't yet, you're overdue for trying the new, slightly bigger Little Uncle sit-down restaurant. Little Uncle 2.0 is still tiny, so the kitchen once again manages to build huge flavors in a small space. Flavorful chicken curry, bean thread noodles with roasted pork, crab fried rice, and that famous pad Thai are available. Oh, and Little Uncle 1.0, which has been closed while the new restaurant got up and running, is back in business mid-day, with steamed buns and khao man gai.
SKILLET
Both Skillet locations have been showing off rare cuts of Washington-raised, grass-fed Premium Angus on Friday nights in May. You've got two chances left to try the Butcher Cut Series, featuring three courses of beef. Chef Nick Novello is crafting beautiful plates complete with purees, vegetables, and inventive fixings. Reservations are recommended.
OPTIMISM BREWING
Optimism Brewing takes an interesting approach to beer. It's brewing the styles you'd expect (IPAs, porters, etc.) but the menu doesn't label the beers as such, choosing instead to describe the beers by their flavor profiles. It's an interesting perspective, and the beer is excellent. Tomorrow from 12 to 5 p.m., the brewery is nerding out with "blind taste tests and sensory evaluation." More info available on Facebook.
DOROTHEA COFFEE
Microroaster and coffee shop Dorothea Coffee in the Central District is run as a bit of a hobby by Connor Mahoney, who lives above the cafe. He roasts tiny batches of beans and serves only pour-overs, only on the weekends. The sparse space has a record player and a few newspapers, plus a sunny porch for lingering. You can also buy beans to go, from an ever-rotating, carefully-curated selection.
tacos chukis
It's worth braving the kind of gross Broadway Alley building to get to Tacos Chukis upstairs, where the food is always cheap and always delicious. The menu consists of just a handful of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, all done well. One standout is the nopal asado, with a cactus paddle, carne asada, guacamole, and green salsa.
ma'ono chicken and whiskey
Chef Mark Fuller brings an authentic taste of his native Hawaii at this boisterous West Seattle restaurant. Add to that the fact that Fuller sources ingredients from Pacific Northwest purveyors and you've got the perfect recipe for Hawaii through a Seattle lens. Most people come initially for the impeccable fried chicken, but they become regulars with dishes like kalua pig tacos, saimin, Mac N' Kimcheese, and Loco Moco.
May 6, 2016
LOCUST CIDER
Sitting in a strip mall in Woodinville may not sound like the ideal drinking experience, but Locust Cider manages to make such a space charming. A growing array of seasonal pours keep things interesting, and the company has added a patio for soaking up the sun. Stay and drink here, or tack on tastings at the wineries and brewery also located in the strip.
MIGHTY-O
These organic, vegan donuts are outstanding, capturing a perfectly cakey consistency even without eggs and dairy. The chain's new-ish cafe, which opened last October on Capitol Hill, serves varieties made with vanilla cake, chocolate cake, and more, with a side of espresso.
tougo coffee
The Central District's Tougo Coffee is mostly filled with people clacking away on laptops during the week, but on the weekends it becomes a neighborhood gathering place. There's outdoor seating in the back and front, perfect for enjoying the weather with your dog, a latte, and a breakfast burrito from Sunrise Tacos.