3 Places to Try in Seattle This Weekend

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.

July 29, 2016

CHAN

Heong Soon Park closed his Tray Kitchen in Frelard, but his masterpiece Chan is still slaying it with a menu of modern twists on Korean flavors plus traditional dishes like ssam and bibimbap. Park has basically taken everything you love about Korean food—gochujang, bulgogi, rice cakes—and reimagined them with dishes like fried chicken wings, gochujang-drizzled baby back ribs, deep fried rice cakes, and bulgogi sliders. Add a strong cocktail menu accented with homemade shrubs and house-infused soju, and Chan continues to impress.

PORKCHOP & Co.

A recent addition to the Eater 38, Paul Osher's Porkchop & Co. walks the walk when it comes to sourcing locally. As such, you'll find a rotating menu of hearty bowls and sandwiches like pork belly hash, shakshouka, and pulled pastrami, plus a slightly more polished dinner menu of steak frites and blackened porkchop.

Seattle Meowtropolitan

Seattle's first cat cafe, Meowtropolitan, is worth stopping into at least for the novelty factor. Whether you make an appointment to step into the cat room or just sip espresso while scoping things out from the cafe, the whole experience is rather bemusing. If you're in Wallingford and need a caffeine fix and a snack, why not add some cats to the mix?

July 22, 2016

QUINN's

Capitol Hill's Quinn's is reliably holding down the "gastropub" theme, with a nice range of cocktails, an impressive selection of Belgian beers, and gussied-up fare like the beloved wild boar sloppy joe (add a sunny side up duck egg, obviously) and roasted bone marrow. Impressively, every last bit is made in house and many ingredients are sourced locally. Opt for a scotch egg, for example, made with homemade sausage, or the charcuterie platter with house-made pates and terrines.

SMARTY PANTS

Divey Georgetown establishment Smarty Pants sports a motorcycle theme and rocks a long menu of sandwiches — and a Frito pie that would make your grandmother swoon. The food is tasty and there's a nice array of options to suit a variety of tastes and preferences; hell, you can even take your vegan friends here and they won't go hungry. Throw in a huge patio and this place is a wholly unpretentious gem.

BAMBU

It's hard to determine what's more impressive about recently-opened International District dessert spot Bambu: that it's filled with young people playing board games with their parents and friends instead of looking at their smart phones, or the wide selection of options to satisfy your sweet tooth. Opt for one of many flavors of chè, a sweet Vietnamese drinkable dessert with ingredients like pandan jelly and coconut meat. And then there's the snow ice, fluffy shaved ice piled high on a plate and decorated with ingredients like fruit, cookie crumbs, syrup, and more.

July 15, 2016

FOREIGN NATIONAL

Stateside's sibling bar is now open, and it's a beauty. Foreign National, small and dark, is the perfect foil to Stateside's bright, tropical dining room. And the menu is complementary, with bites inspired by the flavors of Vietnam and an impressive list of inventive cocktails. Modern mixology meets throwback charm as you sip forward-thinking drinks under a giant, spinning disco ball. Expect off-beat combinations of ingredients that will show off the team's serious bartending chops.

MARKET HALL

A recent addition to the growing downtown dining scene, Market Hall gets everything right. There's a large deli case with prepared foods for a take-away meal (don't miss the roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce or the French fries) as well as a dine-in menu. You can also shop for local beer and wine and specialty foods like artisan cheeses, meat, and pasta sauce.

100-Pound CLAM

Fresh from the owner of Radiator Whiskey and Matt's in the Market, 100-Pound Clam overlooks Lake Union and offers a sunny deck for dreaming up your yacht purchase while sipping a Moscow Mule or local pilsner. The fare focuses on creative approaches to seafood favorites like rockfish and chips and a seafood corn chowder; the menu is small but changes often.

July 8, 2016

IRONSTEAK

Let this International District gem fly under the radar no longer. Former Wild Ginger executive chef Jacky Lo opened Ironsteak about three months ago, and apparently no one noticed. Well, take note: his fast food restaurant is damn delicious. The concept involves a customizable meal with your choice of protein plus rice and add-ons like egg, cheese, and kimchi. It all comes out in a sizzling teppan, an iron plate, and you add a combination of three housemade sauces: pinneapple teriyaki, chili, and yuzu garlic. If you're at all confused, the staff is helpful, and there's a video demonstration looping on the wall next to you.

BOAT STREET KITCHEN

No, Renee Erickson is no longer at Boat Street, and yes, the restaurant is still open. Now called Boat Street Kitchen, the former Boat Street Cafe is still serving outstanding food in a sweet space with a welcoming patio. French influences and seasonal ingredients are the focus of this member of Eater's Essential Seattle Brunches. Portions are small but perfectly executed, with options like the rustic cornmeal cake served with sausage and maple syrup and a smoked salmon Benedict.

SIZZLE PIE

It is damn hard to find vegan pizza in this town, but Sizzle Pie has a long list of vegan options, tons of vegetarian options, and lots of meaty offerings, too. You pretty much can't go wrong with any of the choices, whether you're buying by the slice or opting for a whole pizza. Sizzle Pie's thin crust holds a wacky combination of ingredients, but there are no wrong moves here. And opting for a vegan slice does not feel at all like a sacrifice.

July 1, 2016

Sunset Fried Chicken

Monica Dimas is saving you the tummy ache-inducing combination of eating a straight mound of French fries and a sugar-laden cocktail from Rachel's Ginger Beer on Capitol Hill. (It happens.) Now you can indulge with something more substantial in her expertly-crafted fried chicken sandwiches through the Sunset window inside RGB. The OG and the General Tso's (a play on her popular taco at Neon Taco) are sure bets.

Ba Bar

Eric and Sophie Banh's Ba Bar continues to impress with upscale twists on classic Vietnamese dishes. Every dish is layered with flavor and perfectly executed, from pork puff pastries to the generous vermicelli bowls to the rotisserie pork belly. Paired with well-crafted house cocktails, Ba Bar is still a hit.

VIF

Sweet little Vif is quietly producing a tight menu of great plates to pair with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. Come in the morning for bread pudding French toast or avocado tartine, stop by in the afternoon for a salad with a six-minute egg, or just snack on marinated olives and buttered Columbia City bread. Simplicity is beauty at Vif.