Restaurants S-Z

Kooky Cajun:
SAZERAC
Some claim, not definitively, that the first cocktail ever invented was the Sazerac in New Orleans. All we can be sure of is that a heady Mardi Gras flavor lingers in the Seattle restaurant by that name. The decor parties hearty in an aggressively trendy way that may look silly years hence, but lives for today: luxe curtains, glossy dark wood, distressed copper, pointy, arty glass chandeliers, a color scheme out of a pomo child's toy box (and the look gets still more out of hand in the hep Hotel Monaco next door, for which Sazerac offers seriously great room service). It draws a fun crowd, a veritable human jambalaya. Lots of dishes taste wood-fired and spicy. If you haven't had Sazerac's flash-fried catfish, then your catfish has never been fried quite right. And if the cats you're out with want the buzzy atmosphere with a bit less hubbub, there's a side room you can reserve. T.A.

1101 Fourth Ave., 206-624-7755. DOWNTOWN $$$

How It's Done:
SEASTAR RESTAURANT AND RAW BAR
You could dine half a dozen times at John Howie's six-month-old restaurant in downtown Bellevue and never come out thinking anything beyond "Boy, that was good, wasn't it?" Unless you're in the food-and-beverage business, that is: in which case you'll be murmuring, "Boy, he nails it, doesn't he?" Seastar is a pro's restaurant, and only other pros can fully appreciate the inspiration, planning, and control it takes to turn out food this good night after night after night, food that avoids all culinary clich鳠while pleasing the eye, delighting the palate, and filling the belly. If you had to categorize Howie's cooking, you'd have to call it "fusion," but that doesn't begin to capture the combined ingenuity and craft that goes into each delicately balanced plate of seafood. And if you think service this smooth is easy to attain, ask yourself: When's the last time you felt in such good hands? Throw in the canny Erik Liedholm as wine adviser, and you've got a wonder: an Eastside restaurant with no downside at all. R.D.

205 108th Ave. N.E., 425-456-0010. BELLEVUE $$$

Italianissima:
SERAFINA
If Lake Union were the Grand Canal (dear reader, use your imagination), then Serafina would surely be the Doge's Palace. Owner Susan Kaufman bought what until 1991 was an old Eastlake deli, with a view to turning it into a great spot for a romantic date. She exposed the brick, painted her restaurant in dramatic shades of red and yellow, and served simple Italian meals made from fresh ingredients. The rest is history, and 12 years on, when it comes to simple, freshly cooked pastas and lip-smacking antipasti, all roads still lead to Kaufman's taverna. The initial accent was on what the Italians call a cucina rustica (literally, country kitchen), but Kaufman's bent for innovative Italian-style cooking has taken the place in unimagined directions, while remaining the destination for a first date. A full bar, live music nightly (usually jazz and blues), and summer courtyard dining make it a unique experience. H.J.

2043 Eastlake Ave. E., 206-323-0807. EASTLAKE $$

High Score:
SHORTY'S CONEY ISLAND
Pinball, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and wieners: Shorty's version has the holy trinity for true believers and comes with green relish, jalape� onions, cheese dribble, and Momma Lil Peppers (goat horn peppers soaked in garlic olive oil and rendered so damn hot they can probably burn through the lining of your stomach, but, hey, you only live once). Available, as all of Shorty's specialty dogs are, as a regular ole hot dog, a German sausage, or a veggie wienie, the Spicy Pepper Cheese Dog is the crown jewel of Shorty's collection. Not that I would turn down a plain one with some ketchup on it, but I'm just saying. With all the club and bar closures around town, it's a minor miracle that Shorty's is still slinging cheap beer and cheap eats. Next time you bite into a hot dog, say a word of thanks. L.C.

2222 Second Ave., 206-441-5449. BELLTOWN $

Lush Life:
THE SITTING ROOM
Surrounded by the Lower Queen Anne assortment of captive-audience eateries (where you're so intent on making the game or opera that you don't have time to complain about the mediocre service and food), the Sitting Room is a relief precisely because it's a little too standoffish and Euro to be in a rush about anything. The low light, orange walls, and au courant Parisian techno music are just too mellow to encourage anything but another glass of beer or wine (sorry, no hard liquor) and perhaps a shift from one of the tables to the couches up frontthe better to scope out the hotties who tend to wander in later in the evening. The Sitting Room is, for want of a better way of putting it, very chick-friendly, the antithesis to Peso's pick-up pandemonium around the corner. You want to, well, sit and linger to appreciate the excellent bruschettas and fine salads, while outside the losers scurry to watch the Sonics lose again. B.R.M.

108 W. Roy St., 206-285-2830. LOWER QUEEN ANNE $