Fisherman's Terminal, 1900 W. Nickerson, 206-283-4665. INTERBAY $$
High and Low:
CHOW FOODS
Reinventing restaurants four times a year.
"These restaurants are self- portraits of Peter Levy and me," says Chow Foods co-founder Jeremy Hardy. "We are not four-star guys. We like to be loud and drink beer and whiskey and have kids running around." So that's the secret ingredient that makes all of Hardy and Levy's restaurants such a unique, damn good time: two crazy family men who love food and fun! In 1990, Hardy and Levy opened the 5-Spot Restaurant on Queen Anne, realizing their vision of combining "the quality, innovation, excellence, training, and passion for food from the top-end restaurants and the price, kid friendliness, accessibility, and neighborhood feel" of the low end. The signature aspect of their chain came from a wild hair of Levy's: a rotating menu focusing on a different region's cuisine every three months. Hardy says he responded to Levy's idea at first by observing, "What a pain in the ass." They kept talking about it, however, and the notion proved too seductive to resist. As they open each new restaurant, they swear they won't do it again: It's "too expensive and too difficult, but we have gotten addicted," Hardy admits. The excitement of creating new art, new music, a new wine list, and changing half of their menu every three months is irresistible. "We like to push it," he says. While it's not a business model too many restaurateurs will embrace, we happy customers reap the joys of this Bushmill's-inspired whimsy. G.H.
michael doucett
Athenian owner Louise Cromwell.
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The 5 Spot Restaurant: 1502 Queen Anne Ave. N., 206-285-7768. QUEEN ANNE
Coastal Kitchen: 429 15th Ave. E., 206-322-1145. CAPITOL HILL
Atlas Foods, 2820 N.E. University Village, 206-522-6025. UNIVERSITY VILLAGE
Jitterbug, 2114 N. 45th St., 206-547-6313. WALLINGFORD $$
Not-Dogs:
CYBER-DOGS
You never know what to expect when you walk into Cyber-Dogs. That's part of the charm of this all-vegetarian hot-dog hideaway near the downtown Convention Center, which doubles (or triples) as an espresso bar/Internet cafe. (Logging on is free for the first 20 minutes, $6 an hour after that.) You may be pressed into service taste-testing new products, like the Italian "meatball" sandwich or the beet-flavored Russian dog, or drawn into conversation with Cyber-Dogs' friendly proprietress, Tania Harrison, who seems to know half her customers by name. But you'll never spend more than a few bucks for as convincing a not-dog as you're going to find. A wild selection of toppings, including "eggplant caviar," hummus and feta cheese, and cucumber-yogurt sauce with spicy potatoes, keeps things interesting (as does the ever-evolving menu)though traditionalists can opt for the plainer German dog, topped simply with sauerkraut and onions. E.C.B.
909 Pike St., 206-405-3647. DOWNTOWN $
Burger Fervor:DE LUXE BAR & GRILL
When I go, I want to go with a De Luxe bleu cheese burger in my tummy. Better yet, half a burgerI'll need the other half to bribe my way into heaven. Those De Luxe folks really know their way around a beef patty. And here's another thing about this beloved bar and restaurant: Most places that do burgers well don't know a salad from a sack of beans, but the salads at this joint rival the juicy burgers themselves. Try the peppered bacon and Tillamook cheddar burger, the house greens (with toasted hazelnuts), or the bleu-cheesy spinach salad. Sure, you could branch out and try other menu items, like the goat-cheese ravioli with roasted red-pepper cream sauce or the pepper-and-thyme grilled pork-loin chops, but why? Still, don't forget to check out the daily Blue Plate Specials (Wednesday's burger day!). K.M.
625 Broadway Ave. E., 206-324-9697. CAPITOL HILL $$
Classic Seattle:
DICK'S DRIVE-IN
Just about everyone likes Dick's: They're open till 2 a.m., they've been a Seattle institution for almost 50 years, and they're arguably the best fast food in town. As you're standing in line, debating between a root beer float or chocolate shake, look on in awe as the workers fold cheeseburgers in orange wax paper at a lightning-fast pace. And of course, don't forget the fries: hand cut from real potatoesnone of your freeze-dried McDonald's carbohydrates here. Some out-of-towners have complained about the thin hamburger patties or the extra price you pay for ketchup. But Seattleites know that Dick's is something specialeven when the town seems dead on a Thursday at 1:30 a.m., drive past one of the locations on Broadway or 45th and the lots are packed with cars, their drivers standing in multiple lines braving freezing cold winds for a serving of hot, greasy, salty fries, a Special, and a Coke. Taco Bell's marketing schemes just can't compare with that bright orange sign. R.B.
111 N.E. 45th St., 206-632-5125. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
115 Broadway Ave. E., 206-323-1300. CAPITOL HILL
9208 Holman Rd. N.W., 206-783-5233. CROWN HILL
500 Queen Anne Ave. N., 206-285-5155. LOWER QUEEN ANNE
12325 30th Ave. N.E., 206-363-7777. LAKE CITY $
Eggcelent Eatery
THE DISH
It's always breakfast time at the Dish. You can stop at this tiny diner midway between Fremont and Ballard anytime between 7 a.m. (8 on Sunday) and 1:45 p.m and expect eggcentric favorites like the Seattle-to-Portland omelet (bacon, tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan), biscuits and gravy with eggs, and the Slacker Especial (an enchilada scramble). If you want to do it right, stool up at the wraparound counter and make friends with your neighbors (sooner or later, you're going to need the Tabasco to be passed, so you might as well be friendly). If you're lucky, you'll have a view of the very small, very busy kitchena spectacle to behold. Try a house scone instead of toast. And if you don't like waiting outside on weekend mornings, don't go here (they do sate sidewalk waiters with coffee). Bring cash; the Dish doesn't take plastic. K.M.
4358 Leary Way. N.W., 206-782-9985 . BALLARD $
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