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ALKI HOMESTEAD
The Homesteadonce a carriage house for an early residence in West Seattleeschews modernity, which is probably why so few Seattleites (and particularly those under 65) don't even know it's there. The Homestead doesn't do fancy-pants fusion cuisine, they don't offer appetizers, and on most nights they're done seating by about 9 p.m. After all, this isn't Belltown, and for that you should be very, very glad. Regardless of your entr饠choice (most go with the famous all-you-can-eat fried chicken but the buttery baked halibut is great, too), your meal will begin with a basket of biscuits and jam, a small cup of hearty soup, and a simple iceberg salad. You don't have to order these things, they just arrive. Kind of like magicor Grandma's house. The rest of your meal is then served by a reserved, careful waiter or waitress, including rice pilaf or a baked potato and a pool of juicy peas. Quaint. And so incredibly pretension-free that it's even more so. L.C.
michael doucett
Athenian owner Louise Cromwell.
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2717 61st Ave. S.W., 206-935-5678. WEST SEATTLE $$
From the Heavens:
THE ASTEROID CAFE
About the size of a large crawl space, the Asteroid is one of many pocket-size house-bistros on "restaurant row" in Wallingford (other 45th Street standbys include Mandalay and Chile Pepper). This cozy Italian oasis, however, packs a little extra charm, thanks in part to the asteroid facsimile perched coyly on the roof. The restaurant itself dispenses with the gimmickry, serving up excellent starters (the antipasto and cheese plates are outstanding), a thought-provoking wine selection, and some truly elegant pastas and entr饳. What's more, in this time of global strife, the Asteroid has plastered its own windows with political material: Mini-manifestos and peace petitions cover the glass and are virtually impossible to ignoreand it's been like this since before the Iraq conflict began. So here's a neighborhood mainstay having it both ways: snug date-night allure and anti-war protest in one tiny package that's always fun to unwrap. N.S.
1605 N. 45th St., 206-547-2514. WALLINGFORD $
Diner With a View:
ATHENIAN INN
Seattle landmark serves up a brew with a view.
In a Starbucks town, they serve Farmer Brothers coffee. In the bar, you sit with your backside mooning a million-dollar view. At the nearby shops and stalls, you can buy yuppie delicacies, but at the Athenian, you can still chow down on a plate of finnan haddie or pickled herring. In a town that's lost so many of its classic jointsfrom the Twin Tee Pees to the Dog Housethe Athenian just means more year after year. Caught like a bug in the amber of a revitalized (and sanitized) Pike Place Market, the Athenian is emblematic of Skid Road Seattle: honest, unpretentious, a seaport-town hodge-podge of old and new. Founded by three Greek brothers in 1909, it began as a bakery, then a luncheonette, and now features an extensive bar (famous for frosty beer mugs) and a long menu of diner food and daily specials prepared by the Filipino kitchen staff. Come on the off-hours or low season, and you can easily snag one of the small window booths and eat cheaply with a skybox view of Elliott Bay. In the summer, you might have to fight your way like a spawning sockeye through the river of tourists flowing by the front door, but once inside you can see the Athenian's integrity as a venerable establishment that serves tourists without pandering to them; that didn't have its head turned by Hollywood (it was featured in Sleepless...); that didn't gentrify to suck up the new money in town. It'll also make you wish that more of Seattle could say the same. K.B.
1517 Pike Place Market, 206-624-7166. PIKE PLACE MARKET $
Franc Chic:
AU BOUCHON
It's a bistro, which here means "not as pricey as fine French food can be." Owner-chef Philippe Bollache keeps things simple, letting ingredients speak for themselves. Everything is rich and fillingeven salads are like small entr饳, with generous garnishes of meat, cheese, or nuts. Main dishespork medallions, duck breast, coq au vinare flavorful, the meats impossibly tender. Cassoulet, the hearty and filling traditional bean dish, takes three days to make, so fans have to wait two weeks between fixes (it's served on a bimonthly Cassoulet Night). They find it well worth the wait. The small, L-shaped space is intimate, and the supremely romantic atmosphere (if Bollache's food isn't enough to warm your heart, his heavy French accent should do the trick) and professional, attentive service make Au Bouchon a good place to take someone special. Share a cr譥 brl饗the recipe's a secret, but you'll sing its praise aloud. K.M.
Wallingford Center, 1815 N. 45th St., 206-547-5791. WALLINGFORD $$
Speed Sandwiches:
BAKEMAN'S
Visited somewhat reverently by the workaday crowd, this Pioneer Square favorite is more than just your basic deli. Bakeman's is a subterranean lair whose efficiency would make the Soup Nazi smile. Hordes of ravenous suits descend the stairs to this freakishly busy midday hot spot only to face a barrage of questions: "Cheese on that? Bowl or cup? You want dessert? You want potato salad? Is that all?" Why do so many Seattleites risk the wrath of the Bakeman's sandwich makers? Could it be the renowned turkey with cranberry sauce on wheat? The yummy black olive spread? Maybe it's the luscious sides, including a warm, delicate cornbread that can melt you like a pat of butter. The fluorescent-lit dining room is nothing to brag about, so most of the regulars get their fix to go. Whether you stay or flee, Bakeman's seems to have cornered the market on fresh soup 'n' sandwich lunches assembled in a New York minute. N.S.
