1215 Pine St., 206-621-794. CAPITOL HILL $$
Hot 'n' Saucy:
MADAME K'S PIZZA BISTRO
At the Lusty Lady, you can get an eyeful (15 seconds' worth per quarter, actually). At any of the area's delightful D骠 Vu clubs, you can get a lap dance. But to our knowledge, Madame K's Pizza Bistro is the only converted bordello in Seattle where every every pie-lovin' man or woman can get the cheesiest, most decadent pizza this side of the Moonlite Bunny Ranch. Tastefully designedahemto resemble a house of extremely ill repute, Madame K's is redder than a maraschino cherry and randier in spirit than a lunkheaded frat boy on spring break. Perhaps the city's most endearingly shameless restaurant, K's milks its supposed origins for all they're worth, yet the servers and the atmosphere stop short of Hooters-level tackiness. At Madame K's, the many references to sexual scandals of yore are in good fun, and the joint's trademark sauciness goes perfectly with all that pizza. N.S.
michael doucett
Lampreia master Scott Carsberg
Location Info
Details
Related Content
More About
5327 Ballard Ave. N.W., 206-783-9710. BALLARD $
Thai on Time:
MAE PHIM THAI RESTAURANT
At Mae Phim, your order is ready in just slightly more time than it takes to pronounce it. This is one of those places that lend credence to the phrase "lunch rush." The tiny Thai joint buzzes with the chitchat of noodle addicts, and just being there can make you feel important, like you're part of it all, whatever "it" may be: life, commerce, the corporate lunch sceneessentially, the giant human ant farm we call home. As for the eats, anything "swimming" in peanut sauce is a go, and the phad Thai, though a bit on the tomato-y side, is colorful and comes, like the rest of Phim's food, in portions suitable for sharingand sharing, and sharing some more. Mae Phim is like a favorite jukebox, cranking out a stream of hits with very few misses, all for the change jangling in your pocket. Long live Mae Phim. N.S.
94 Columbia St., 206-624-2979. DOWNTOWN $
Mama Mia:
MAMA'S MEXICAN KITCHEN
Mama, Papa, and a guy named Phred.
Mama's looks like whatever has been filling the minds of several eccentric souls has exploded onto its walls and into its nooks and cranniesand we mean that with all the affection in the world. It's just a great place to hang with a burrito and some booze. Its appeal has obviously exercised some kind of control over manager (and chef) Phred Millerhe's been working here for 27 years, starting just a year after its opening in '75-'76. "We wanna be a place where people from all walks of life can come and enjoy Mama's food," he says, and he knows damn well they've accomplished that. Mama, the restaurant's beloved matriarch who died a few years ago ("She outlived some of her grandchildren," Miller notes), can boast to the angels that on any given day her and husband Papa's irresistibly fatty, generous Mexican recipes are simultaneously pleasing families, older couples, business types, and casual hipster kids (who dominate at night). It would take an awfully haughty person to begrudge the place its cheap, huge chicken screamer (chicken and sour cream) or Nolasco (a veggie concoction named after Papa) burritos. And that decor? "Eclectic," Miller understates. "It's evolved through the years. Every room is someone who took it over. We have some quirky handymen people." No kiddingthere are Mexican tchotchkes, random paintings, local show posters, strings of lights, a bit of Marilyn, and, of course, the famed Elvis room, where people often request to sit. Nowhere else on Cinco de Mayo will offer margaritas with Mama's singular level of welcomingly weird intoxication. S.W.
2234 Second Ave., 206-728-6262. BELLTOWN $
Upscale in Ballard:
MARKET STREET URBAN GRILL
Urban? Until lately, the neighborhood felt more like the small town it once was. There were few options for finer dining, and none of them could be regarded as big-city sophisticated. Then this place opened on Ballard's main streethere at last you will find cuisine worthy of downtown. Fish, beef, and poultry are done equally well, and all dishes come with a vegetable, like asparagus that crunches just right when you bite. The decor is modern but warm, with a big map of the neighborhood painted on the wall to remind you that this ain't Belltown. Another clue you are north of the Ship Canal: Though not cheap, the food and wine are a terrific value. C.T.
1744 N.W. Market St., 206-789-6766. BALLARD $$$
Go West:
MASHIKO
Something like a top-rate Japanese joint mixed with a comfy neighborhood hangout, Mashiko is one of West Seattle's most treasured secrets. Not that it's a secret with the locals who come in droves and pack the place nearly every night, but no one is especially anxious for word of chef Hajime's gently bent traditions and superb standards to spread all over town. Oops. Casual and fun, Mashiko has a webcam focused on the sushi bar for the benefit of the folks playing along at home, and the TV set is usually tuned to the Mariners game (when in season, of course) while the hip-hop flavor of the week bumps and waves through the stereo system. "Shut up and eat!" is Hajime's most common refrain, and the genuine smile on his face tells you he means it in the nicest way. L.C.
4725 California Ave. S.W., 206-935-4339. WEST SEATTLE $$
info@seattleweekly.com
