$13 at Mexico

Photo courtesy of EatAtMexico.com.

Where: Mexico, Pacific Place
When: Lunch
What Does $13 Get Ya? A tequila chicken Caesar ($12.99). Hit up your neighbor for help with tax + tip.
Recommended: I can't imagine I'll return.

I can find all kinds of great reasons to hit up the most corporate of chain restaurants: Service at Applebee's is always spot on; the Royal Red Robin burger is a thing of beauty that has never been equaled (yes, the one with the egg); and at an over-crowded music festival, seeking refuge in an abandoned TGI Friday's had its perks. And they all have one thing in common: They get you in an out better than the rest. For some people, that's a turn-off. For me, it's comforting. 'Cause, let's face it, we're not bellying up to the Chili's bar for the atmosphere.

This is why it astounds me that Pacific Place's Mexico, the epitome of U.S.-mall cuisine, had such a hard time dealing with my party of 9ish recently for lunch. A new friend of mine has a knack for curating lunches downtown for yuppies like myself, mixing it up with friends and a couple fresh faces. While Mexico ain't making any tourist books, it's perfect for our purposes: lunch, conversation, and fewer drinks than we'd like. Why it took nearly 90 minutes for us to accomplish this feat is beyond me. I take that back, I've got a pretty good idea where 20 minutes went: fumbling with, and settling the check. You're a glossy business lunch target. We can't possibly be the first group to ask you to split up a check. And, really, did that burrito really have to come out so much later than those tacos?

On the food side of the coin, I was satisfied with my salad at first (even if they forget to hold the tortilla strips). But, here we are, at 4 o'clock, and I'll be damned if my happy hour appetite isn't in overdrive. Oh, well, what do you expect for $13? I can answer that: more than what Mexico is capable of.

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$13 at The Dray

Where: The Dray
708 NW 65th Street, in Ballard
(206) 453-4527

When: Yesterday, 5:30ish p.m. (They're open 9 a.m.-close, daily.)

This still-new place in upper Ballard is cozy, with walls covered in oiled wood panels, a few booths, and a handful of stools at the bar. It's got soccer on the flat screen, but the sound's off, so it's not too much of a sports bar. There's an espresso machine situated on a corner of the bar itself (they serve Stumptown), though at this hour, the pulling of strong drinks involves more beer than coffee.

Official Tasting Notes: The proprietor recommended Baron's seasonal Helles-Bock, brewed during the winter for spring drinking, amongst an array of many more local (Maritime, Snoqualmie Falls) and a few international selections, like the Belgian amber van Steerberge.

There's quite a crowd of tabs behind the bar, but you wouldn't know they served food unless you asked. The beer (a clean, malty bock with a sweet finish) was tastier than the sandwich, which was a little dry.

What does $13 get you?
A very nice, local beer, and a simple grilled cheese sandwich with a mess of mesclun greens in a peppery dressing.

$4.75 pint plus
$7.75 grilled cheese
= $12.50 plus an (officially) very stingy tip squeaks in at $13.

Except of course, I might want to go back.

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$13 at Hillside Quickie's Cafe

Photo by Adriana Grant

Where: Hillside Quickie's Cafe
324 15th Ave. E.
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 325-6429

This formerly lunch-only vegan place has recently expanded its menu to include dinner, offering not just veggie burgers and fries, but entrees like barbequed tofu with portabella, Southern-fried chanterelle seitan steak with thyme mashed potatoes, and sandwiches like Purple Haze, a smoked tempeh and eggplant burger. This tiny deli-like space on Capitol Hill offers cozy seating, a great view of the pedestrian traffic, and a list of less-expected vegetarian options. Check out their similarly creative lunch menu here. (Sorry, their dinner menu is not yet online).

When: Dinner is served Thursday-Saturday evenings only. (Thursday & Friday until 9 p.m., Saturday until 7 p.m.)

What does $13 get you? A $13 sweet potato burger, tall with caramelized onions, tomato slices, and spilling sauces and spice-marinated tofu, accompanied by a generous portion of wide sweet potato fries, with a fat dollop of their own warmly-spiced mayo. The sauce itself was addicting. But this burger was the only item on the dinner menu not over $13. (As you might expect, the lunch menu is more reasonably priced.)

Official tasting notes:
And the burger, well, I ate only half. Not because it was not great. It was sloppily delicious, with mashed yam getting on my fingers, and sweet onions slipping from the fluffy bun. Caveat: a few bites of the tofu tasted a bit over spiced, with too much allspice competing with the medly of flavors going on. My eating partner ordered the $17.50 barbeque tofu with portabella, and enjoyed a mysterious root vegetable mash. His dish was supposed to come with beans and wild rice, though I quite enjoyed what arrived in its place: a pale orange puree topped with chard (I think it was chard.). I couldn't finish my burger: it was enormous, and quite filling.

Would I eat it again? Yes, I could enjoy more of these burgers on occasion, though the prices on the dinner menu (topping out at $18.50) were a little higher than expected. And my dining companion, playing devil's advocate, would have to mention that just across the street, 22 doors offers an $11 grass-fed hamburger.

Insider Tip: Hillside Quickie's Cafe offers a Thursday night promo until the end of the month (which we've listed in Food Files): dinner and a glass of wine for $15, plus tax and tip. Consider it a bargain invitation to their dinner menu, and a good excuse to venture in for some creatively-crafted vegan fare.

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$13: The Loft

I was going to write several hundred words about The Loft in Ballard this morning, but Brian Barr beat me to the punch here. What I can add to Bri's fondness for the gorgeous, former-machine-shop space and shuffleboard is that the happy hour sliders and quesadillas certainly do the trick, and with March Madness upon us, Ballardites will not be hurting for screens, what with this sports bar and the always reliable Bad Albert's across the street. If there's a negative to the Loft, it's that the space can get a little bridge and tunnel turbo over the weekend, acting as a sort of reservoir for King's and Matador overspill up the road. But that's nobody's fault, really; and it keeps Hattie's and Hazlewood pure as the mountain rain.

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$13: Studio 1000

Photo by Amos Morgan.

Where? Studio 1000, inside Hotel 1000, 1000 First Ave.

What does $13 get you? A blood orange high sea specialty drink ($9) and the short rib sliders ($2.50 during happy hour)

Recommended? Definitely. And while the cocktail was the bomb, I'd say go for a well drink, draft beer of selected red and white wines by the glass (respectively $4.75, $3 and $5 during happy hour) if you're short on dough and big on appetite. All the food is half price during the two happy hours, 3-6 p.m. and 10 to midnight Monday through Friday.

Tasting notes: Despite the fact that we've just strolled into an early daylight-saving time and Easter is just a couple of weeks away, it's still chilly enough outside to gather 'round a cozy fire. And Hotel 1000 has served up just that in its Studio 1000 along with Boka's menu. The digs: lots of leather and a very loungy vibe with a fire pit in the center—don't let the posh surroundings throw you, though. The prices are awesome with half off all urban bites (appetizers) and urban eats (more substantial food) during happy hour. If you're willing to forgo the drink specials and splurge on a signature cocktail, I highly recommend the blood orange high sea ($9), which has blood oranges muddled with Mount Gay Rum, Bacardi O and Pimm's Cup. Pair it with the short rib sliders with horseradish cream served on house-made buttermilk biscuits, which, as a gal from the South, I must add that these flaky little devils taste like they're right out of Granny's oven—minus all the lard. If you're ditching the specialty cocktail in favor of a cheaper bevo—and still want to stick to the $13—go for the Boka grilled cheese and tomato bisque (just $5 during happy hour!). It'll help melt away that lingering SAD.

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$13: The Wild Rose

What I should have had.

By Halley Griffin

What? $1 Taco Tuesdays at the Wild Rose. 1021 E. Pike Street. (206) 324-9210
What will $13 get you? Five $1 tacos, a 2-person serving of chips and guacamole and a “big-ass can”� of PBR.
Recommended? Not for the tacos.

According to legend, the Wild Rose during the 1990s was a pretty wild place. Men weren’t allowed inside, and an unsuspecting 20-something on her own would have been swarmed. My dining buddy hadn’t set foot inside since somewhere around 1997, when she brought her partner around for some of their first dates, and was totally taken aback when I mentioned where I was headed that evening. “You’re going to be eaten alive,”� she told me, and immediately volunteered for bodyguard duty. As her babysitter, she seemed to accept it as her duty to escort me. As soon as we stepped inside though, it became clear that the Rose had changed with the times.

Continue reading "$13: The Wild Rose"

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13 Dollars: Many Mini Burgers

Where: Cascadia happy hour

What will $13 get you? Five miniburgers (sliders in White Castle parlance) with the fixin's but no cheese at $2.50 a pop. Two steak, two salmon, and one veggie if you need a little variety. The pretax total is $12.50 so I decided it counted, but grab the change in your ashtray before you head in as the actual ticket is $13.68. And of course there's the matter of the tip. In fact if you're playing the $13 game by the rules, you should probably go with four.

Recommend? If you've got two, each coming with your own $13, definitely. You can split the cost and tack on one of the refreshingly crisp Alpine Martini's ($5.50 at happy hour.)

A couple of notes: The Cascadia happy hour, the only time I've ever been to the restaurant, skews a little more to show than substance. The fries come in this adorable little cone, the burgers are just too precious and taste far better than the greasy pucks they serve at White Castle (for you midwesterners out there). But it's a little on the pricey side if you're actually trying to feed yourself and a friend on a tight budget. Add a slice of cheese to your three bite burger and your bill goes up by $2. Want onions? It's another dollar and pretty soon you might as well shell out and get the real deal somewhere else.

But the colors inside are warm, the acoustics keep it from getting too loud and if you're getting to know someone over a couple of bites and a strong drink, the teeny-tiny size of your food gives you an automatic conversation piece. "They're so little!" "I know, right?"

OK you might need a little more than that to keep the chit-chat rolling, but that's what those stiff martinis are for.

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$13: Valentine's Day Dinner at Trader Joe's

Where: Trader Joe's (Queen Anne), 112 W. Galer St.
What does $13 get you? Gouda and apple on multigrain crackers ($5), lemon pepper pappardelle with prawns ($6), and milk chocolate-covered English toffee ($2)
Recommend? Definitely

Official tasting notes: I know I'm not the only one who's so over dealing with the mostly overpriced, crowded Valentine's Day dinner out. And I am such a fan of Trader Joe's. I'm there every Sunday morning to stock up for the week. Sure, I can't get everything on my list at TJ's—I save most of the produce for the farmers market—but it's definitely a staple in my grocery rotation. So I thought why not turn to Trader Joe's for a little romantic dinner at home on V Day.

No need to skimp on the fancy factor either just because you're not doling out the big bucks at a restaurant. I started with a simple app of slices of gouda and apples (an exception to my farmers market rule) on multigrain crackers. Yummmm. Don't fill up on these, though, as there's still a main course and dessert on the way.

Then I found a lovely little recipe for a pasta and prawns dish on the back of the lemon pepper pappardelle. A little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, some pre-cooked TJ's prawns (I varied the recipe a bit by not going for the uncooked ones that you have to devein), toss with the pasta—and voila! A fancy-schmancy, super-tasty main course that won't leave you feeling stuffed (or broke).

Then dessert—after all that work in the kitchen, I wanted to make this part easy on myself. Plus the chocolate-covered English toffee from Trader Joe's is just Oh. So. Good. Don't forget to share with your Valentine. Otherwise, all that love karma you racked up by slaving away (?) in the kitchen will fly out the window on Cupid's wings (read: You definitely won't be gettin' any if you don't share the toffee).

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$13 at McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour

$13 worth of McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour, 3 to 6 p.m., 10 p.m. to close, Mon-Sat.; 4 to 6 p.m., 9 to 11 p.m., Sunday
Location: 1103 First Avenue
What does $13 fetch You? $8 Martini, and $4.95 beef skewers; Or if you're starving: three burgers ($1.95 each), and a Stella Artois ($5), plus tax and tip.
Recommended? Highly.
Tip: Give it a shot for a late lunch. You only have to spend $2.50 on a beverage to get the happy hour deals. So, you can grab a cup of coffee and a burger at 3 p.m. for inside of $5.

McCormick & Schmick's is my Wrigley Field of downtown happy hours.
It's a classic, imperfect, and I can't sip anywhere else in town without hold up this first avenue spot's happy hour menu against it.

A friend of mine, a one-time bellman at the Four Seasons (Fairmont), introduced McCormick to me when I was barely 21, and I've enjoyed $1.95 burgers and halibut collar (a must-try when it's on the menu) there more than anywhere else in town.

Unfortunately, it's not much of a secret. On any given evening, you'll have a hard time finding a single chair or inch of window sill available in the bar, unless you send in a scout before 4 p.m.

Yes, the $1.95 half-pound cheeseburgers are the crown jewel of this happy hour. It's the constant on a ever-rotating happy hour menu that creeps up to $5.95 for some items. The burger's much better than say, Coutour's $1.95 patty down the street, thought not at good as the Met's (which is also a bit spendier at $4.95). But, it's solid. Warning: they under cook the burgers. So, if you usually order medium, bring it up to at least medium-well (though, I usually call “well”�).

Wandering away from the burger (you have to sometimes), I don't recommend the oysters on the half shell, which were recently going for $5.95 a half-dozen. They're served sans ice on a dinner plate at room temperature and look more like oceanic loogies than the well manicured platter you'd get up the street at Shuckers (which rolls out $1 oysters during their (shorter) happy hour).

On my most recent visit, I tried, for the first time, the beef skewers ($4.95). Had I been simply looking for simply a snack alongside my Tanqueray martini ($8), I would have been sufficiently satisfied. But, as I was trying to multi-task, and get dinner taken care of during happy hour, I found myself wanting. But, hey, there's no shame in calling in cheeseburger to top yourself off. That is, if you've got more than $13 to spend.

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$13: The Taco Trail (A Photo Journal)

WHERE: The four taco trucks between Stevens Pass and my home in Seattle

WHEN: All on the same day, after a long day shralpin'

WHAT DOES $13 GET YOU? Four tacos, a burrito, a drink, a mulito and a sopita.

RECOMMENDED? Of course.

For most people, I think, the energy expenditure required for a solid day of skiing typically justifies adding a meal into the day’s regular eating schedule. I’m no exception, and as soon as our wheels hit Route 2, my ski partner and I start looking forward to taco truck fare. There are four on our route from the ski area to Greenwood, all of which we’d tried at some point, but never (the challenge!) all in one day.

On your way back to Seattle, if you veer off Route 2 in Monroe at Main Street and take a detour through Monroe’s less big-boxy old downtown, you’ll avoid the trafficky 522 interchange and find Tacos Pihuamo parked in a dusty lot next to a little triangle of green space.

We started there, wolfing down a surpisingly lean cabesa (shredded beef cheek) taco and a pork carnitas taco, both braised to tender perfection and served on fresh corn tortillas with cilantro, onion, and a few radish slices ($1 each). Simple. Traditional. Delicious. My favorite part? No gas fumes. Just nice people, and a flock of geese overhead. Almost scenic by taco truck standards.

Continue reading "$13: The Taco Trail (A Photo Journal)"

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