Hawaii BBQ

Imagine driving along a two lane road in rural Hawaii and you come across a homespun restaurant where the locals eat, not a place all prettied up for the tourists, but a no-frills kitchen with mismatched formica tables, handwritten menu, and low prices.  You have arrived at Hawaii BBQ.

Now, plop this backroad restaurant on University Way in the U District and it comes off as a bit shabby, but give it a try, their heart is still in the islands and so is the food.  Hawaii BBQ occupies the storefront of the old Continental Restaurant, a favorite Mediterranean restaurant and coffee house that finally closed due to retirement of the owners; so they have big shoes to fill.  But you really need to leave that on the sidewalk when entering this place.  This is a no-frills establishment serving monster portions of authentic Hawaiian grub at low prices.  More students and others whose appetites outstrip their wallets (and the frugal) need to find this place.

A group from work came here to celebrate a birthday.  I could tell that some of them were ready to run, but each selected a dish from the menu posted on the wall, and one by one went to the cash register to order, pay (cash only), and receive a little ticket with their order number.  Prices were very reasonable with most not exceeding $6.50 for a full meal.  

We selected a couple tables pushed together in the back, collected various napkins, silverware, hot sauce and water, and sat down to wait.  But it wasn't long.  Each of our ticket numbers was called out by the man at the cash register separately and each of our platters contained hot, steamy, massive portions. 

The food was good, the prices low, the seasoning authentic.  And, yes, they had a few vegetarian dishes although I doubt that they keep things completely pure and separate in the kitchen.

To keep prices low, the service is minimal.  Customers are expected to find their own silverware, water, and condiments, then bus their own tables.  But takeout boxes were provided at no additional cost (Yes, this is getting more and more common in the U District.) and everyone left satisfied.  

They do serve shave ice, but at $5.00 a serving, it would have almost doubled the bill.  Maybe next time.

Hawaii BBQ Website

Morsel

Fresh biscuits, both sweet and savory - what more can I say?  Well, they are large, the price is painless, the service is enthusiastic, and you should try this place.  Did I mention that they are tasty?

Morsel

Cultivate

Last Wednesday I was at an all-day seminar near Campus Parkway and found myself searching for a place to have lunch.  Cultivate is one of a new breed of campus food services that will definitely surprise you.  First, you are greeted at the door with the question, "Do you have a reservation?"  Well, I didn't.  But I was eating alone, so I was offered a seat at "the bar".  As far as I know, they do not serve alcohol, so the bar only looks like a bar, but you can watch the sous chefs at work while seated on very tall chairs.  My only complaint is that the chairs were very cold.  I solved this by sitting on my coat.  Be warned.

Cultivate has a menu similar to decent restaurants serving nouveau cuisine:  salads featuring goat cheese and arugula, sandwiches on good bread, and a variety of fresh, reasonably healthy entrees.  Gluten free and vegan options are available and clearly marked on the menu.  The decor is modern industrial.  Dishes were served on dinnerware with real silverware and cloth napkins.  I ordered the roasted portobello mushroom sandwich with a simple green side salad.

The salad arrived in a reasonable timeframe and, although it was called a side salad, it was sizable, colorful and fresh, with just the right amount of dressing.  It was delicious.  The portobello sandwich arrived shortly after I had finished my salad and the plate was removed.  It was also sizable, warm, fragrant, and quite delicious.  I thought I would only eat half of it, but my baser self won.  I ate the whole thing.

This lovely lunch totaled $9.00 plus tax.  Gratuity is apparently not an option.  All in all, this was a good experience.  Although Cultivate is operated by UW Housing and Food Services, the public is welcomed.

Cultivate

Wow Bubble Tea

Starbucks has more lunch offerings than Wow Bubble Tea, but to their credit, they do not open until 1:00 pm.  We scheduled ourselves for a 2:00 pm visit.  Interestingly, all of my colleagues had pressing work that needed to be done when it was time to go.  This must have been the case for the rest of town.  I arrived at 2:00 pm and was the only customer.  I continued to be the only customer for the duration of my visit.

There it is, an empty restaurant.  Big television screen on the right.

The menu is posted on several boards near the cash register.  It was difficult to tell if the various boards were duplicates of each other or new offerings.  The primary offering is bubble tea in its various styles:  milk tea, shakes, smoothies.  There seemed to be hundreds of choices.  The man behind the counter could not advise me on what their most popular bubble tea was, nor could he explain the frozen yogurt situation that was available to the left of the counter but not on the menus.  All of the various bubble teas on the menus were mixtures of three or four flavors.  It was overwhelming.

In the end, I ordered a smoothie because it was the most seemingly "natural" choice, just fruit, soy milk, and honey - and bubbles, of course.  Well, I did it my way...I asked for just strawberries, not a mixture.  Yeah, I was that kid who didn't want the food to touch on the dinner plate.  The resulting smoothie was tasty, not overwhelmingly sweet and had the chewy benefit of bubbles on the bottom.  The twelve ounce smoothie set me back $4.98.  That's about the going rate on the Ave.

I sat on one of the couches, hoping that at least one of my colleagues might show, and checked my work email.  It was quiet enough, that I made a business-related phone call from the bubble tea shop. It was a productive call.

Like them on Facebook.

Starbucks

When I decided to try every eatery on the Ave, I meant it.  So the next one down the street was Starbucks.  You've been there.  They sell coffee.  Most of the tables are occupied by people with laptops and smart phones.  But they do have a bit of food.  And I'm not referring to the muffins, scones, and brownies temptingly displayed in the case by the cash register.  They have panini.  Well, that's what they call it.  And sandwiches and yogurt.  They tend to come pre-wrapped like airplane food.  I handed my Roasted Tomato and Mozzarella Panini to the cashier and they heated it up.  I didn't watch, but I don't think they put it in a panini press.  I'm thinking it was microwaved.

It was tasty but not particularly filling.  In fact, the calorie count was under 500, maybe under 400, so a good choice if eating fewer calories is your goal.  I ordered it with a 12 ounce drip (to the uninitiated, that's black coffee like Mom used to make, in a percolator.)  

I went with a group from work.  There was only one large table and that was being used by a number of laptop users.  The only other seating is suitable for two, maybe three, people.  We sat at two adjacent tables, three people to each table.  None of my colleagues ate lunch.  They had coffee, then headed to other eateries for real food.

Before leaving, I purchased a slice of iced lemon cake which was divine - but I ate that back in my office.  Next time (if there ever is one), I'll skip the panini.

The damage was under $10 even with the lemon cake.

www.starbucks.com

Costas

Costas is located on the southwest corner of NE 47th and University Way NE.   The food is Greek with a strong American influence.  Actually, I don't know that there is a strong American influence, that's just a guess.  I've gone there for years.  My mother lived in the Wilsonian Apartments, across the street, for a long time and we would often eat with her at Costas.  We loved their Greek lentil soup, Faki, their fettucine with mitzithra cheese, and their wavy french fries.

There were six of us this time, myself and five colleagues from work.  For old times sake, I had the fettucine with mitzithra that comes with soup, Faki, of course.  My colleagues ordered everything from the salmon burger and omelets to the Greek sampler.

The food was predictable and filling.  My fettucine had a higher fat content than I remember and I would have preferred to have a side salad over the soup, which also did not live up to my memories.  The longtime staff were friendly and helpful.  When I say "longtime", I mean it.  These are the same people who were serving when I would eat there with my mom.  The food came quickly.  Portions were generous.  My bill with tip came to about $16, a bit higher than I would want to spend regularly.

The restaurant is located on a corner with lots of windows.  The decor is homey with plenty of plants and curios on the walls.  Costas offers sit-down service at tables with real dinnerware, silverware and cloth napkins.  Although we went there for lunch, Costas is one of the few places on the Ave that offers a real breakfast menu.  So next time Mom or Grandma is in town, give it a try.

http://www.costasontheave.com 

Cafe O Dessert Restaurant

What an unfortunate name!

Who would have guessed that behind this name is a great Asian restaurant?  There are many unfortunate things about this restaurant.  It's name is just a beginning.  It doesn't have a website or a menu online, it doesn't have a paper take-out menu, the interior of the restaurant is obscured by the reflective coating of the windows.  But if you enter, you will find a lovely little Asian restaurant run by lovely people willing to bend over backwards to serve you.

I arrived at lunchtime with a group of six of my colleagues.  We were the only customers in the restaurant.  We were greeted and seated at a large table.  Each of us was given a rather cumbersome menu and hot tea.  Water was available for the asking.

The menu is about half savory foods and half Asian desserts.  We each ordered a savory dish, my colleagues first, then me.  I'm the only vegetarian and there was nothing obviously vegetarian on the menu.  The server offered to make me vegetarian fried rice, no problem.

The wait for our food was quite long.  Since they did not appear to be ready for a lunch crowd, most of the food must be prepared at the time of the order.  A number of my colleagues ordered various styles of dumpling soup.  Each serving was very fresh and tasty (according to them), but the varieties took different amounts of time to arrive.  My fried rice arrived last and was excellent, very fresh and light, not greasy.  Portions were generous.  Half of my fried rice was carried out for the next day's lunch.

Since the restaurant specializes in Asian desserts, we each ordered a dessert.  This probably doubled our bill, but each was divine and, again, very fresh and generously proportioned.  It also doubled our wait time.  Don't go here if you are in a hurry.  It will ruin the experience for you.  But the food is delicious and fresh.  It's a great place to go if you are looking for a very relaxed lunch experience or just sit there all day, they have free wi-fi.

When we asked for separate bills, the server did not bat an eyelash.  She prepared bills for each of us and processed our payments with care.  My bill was $14.70 plus gratuity.  That's a bit more than I would be willing to pay for an everyday lunch, but for a special occasion, it is reasonable for great food and a quiet atmosphere.

Banh Mi Unwrapped

I'm a real fan of Vietnamese sandwiches, Banh Mi, so this is a place I had visited prior to my 2015 resolution.  Banh Mi Unwrapped offers a selection of sandwiches, but also has other menu items.  I have not tried any of them because I can't waste a chance of having one more banh mi given the opportunity.

The selection of vegetarian banh mi is somewhat limited.  When I made my visit, they were offering a lemongrass marinated tofu banh mi for just one dollar more than the regular tofu banh mi, so I tried it.  It was good, but perhaps not worth an extra dollar.  The bread is excellent.  It is fresh with just the right crispy crust and airy middle of a good French baguette.  The tofu is nested with carrots, cilantro,  and possibly other vegetables.  A variety of sauces:  hoisin, sriracha, etc. is offered in the back.

On entering the restaurant, there is a counter that is a little too high for petite folks like me and there are large menus posted right there.  You give your order to the staff member, let them know if you are eating in or ordering out, and pay.  There are a few tables in the back for those who might want to eat in.  Although the restaurant is otherwise clean and modern, the tables in back may have a bit of detritus from the previous customers.  Take a few extra napkins to avoid a trip back to the condiment bar.  Lemon water is available for customers as well.  If eating in, the staff will bring your order to you in the back.  There is a tip jar by the cash register if you can remember to use it.

One of the great advantages to banh mi is that the bill rarely sets you back much.  Even with the special marinated tofu, the bill was $5.48.  I'll be back.  The restaurant does not appear to have their own website, but they do have a Facebook page:  Banh Mi Facebook Page

Jewel of India

Just down the street from Memo's is a breath of fresh air, Jewel of India.  Jewel of India assumes you are there for the buffet and it is a great choice.  The staff is attentive but not overbearing.  I was greeted and led to a table when I arrived.  I was also asked what type of naan I would like.  As far as I know the choices are plain and garlic; I ordered garlic.  I arrived at 11:00 am when they had just opened, the buffet was set-up and ready.  Although this is an all-you-can-eat buffet, if you take more than you eat, you may be penalized.  I'm not sure how this would be administered but there is a sign to that effect; be forewarned.  The chai that is offered is delicious and pre-sweetened.  Customers are asked to limit their consumption to two cups.

The buffet at lunch is $7.99 and worth it.  Although the buffet looks small, a relatively large number of dishes is offered and each is quite good.  You will not leave hungry.  The vegetarian dishes are segregated from the meat dishes, so worry about contamination is lessened.  There are salads, chutneys, curries, dessert, rice, and other dishes.  The naan is served freshly made directly to your table.  It is a large serving and dependent on the number of customers at a table.  I'm sure you can order more if desired, but would probably pay a small price for it.

The restaurant is a nice size with a number of tables available for 1-4 customers.  I'm sure they would readily accommodate larger groups.  It was not busy at lunch and the music was soothing and quiet enough to allow conversation.  This would be a nice place to meet a friend for lunch no matter what their dining eccentricities.

Do not expect your bill to be brought to your table.  Payment is made at the cash register in the back.

Jewel of India Website

Memo's Mexican Food

Well, to start, I went to Memo's.  Memo's serves Mexican food of the fast-food variety.  The first impression is that the space is too large.  I immediately started to question why this particular restaurant was claiming so much real estate on the Ave and why are they open 24 hours a day?  I don't have answers for those questions - and I may not want to know the answers, but it does seem abnormal. So first impressions are that they may not be there just to sell tacos.

The menu is displayed on a large board next to the cash register.  There is a bell on the counter to ring to remind the staff that there is a customer.  So, even though it was lunchtime, no one was manning the cash register, so I rang the bell. One of the staff came over to see what I wanted and when I requested a burrito, he turned around and went back to the kitchen.  Shortly, another man came to my assistance.  I ordered a vegetarian burrito which set me back a whopping $5.23.  I settled into one of the spacious booths after picking up napkins, plasticware, hot sauce, and a glass of water.  

In a reasonable amount of time, my burrito arrived, wrapped in white paper, nested in a plastic basket.  It was a good burrito and well proportioned.  The white flour tortilla was soft and fresh and held the contents effectively throughout the eating process.  The contents were tasty.

Overall this was a good value.  The environment is intuitively sketchy.  If the same food was served at the same price by a friendly person from a hole-in-the-wall, I might be a regular customer.  I dined alone, but this might be a possible place to bring a group since I held down a full booth by myself during the lunch hour.

The menu is available on a number of foody sites.  I was warned that the actual Memo's website might harm my computer, so am not posting it here.