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Questionland's Guide to Seattle

The Best Credit Unions in Seattle

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Charles

I am dumbfounded. Gobstopped. Shocked. I kid you not. Paul Constant, who had reached an “impasse” with his bank,  asked for recommendations for a local credit union. So, I’m thinking out of the fire into the frying pan. Who could love a bank? It’s parent company?

You are probably thinking that given the recent (past, and ongoing) behavior of banks that Paul could come up with a better word than “impasse”. For god’s sake, he works for The Stranger and he is the literati-in-residence. So what-the-face? But that’s not what took me aback.

What floored me was the outpouring of love for local credit unions. BECU (formerly Boeing Employee Credit Union) was clearly the winner in this love-fest. But the others got their fair share of adoration.

General Info about Credit Unions in Washington

There are a lot of credit unions in Washington. The great news is that in 2003 they joined together in a co-op arrangement to share their services. That means that being a member of one credit union gives you access to services provided by other member CU’s – most obviously fee-free ATMs. A resource to help you in the process of moving your money from evil banks to better places was provided by the ever-valuable Russ: It’s called The Move Your Money Project.

The Comprehensive List of Credit Unions in the Co-Op

American Lake CU
America’s Credit Union, A FCU
BECU
CALCOE FCU
Catholic CU
Cheney FCU
Community 1st CU
Community CU
Community Healthcare FCU
Darigold FCU
EvergreenDIRECT CU
GaPac Community FCU
Generations CU
Global CU
Harborstone CU
Horizon CU
Longshore FCU		 Member Access Pacific
MilePostCU (Formerly BN West)
Mill Town CU
Newrizons FCU
NorthWest Plus CU
Numerica CU
O Bee CU
Olympia CU
Our Community FCU
Peninsula Community FCU
Prevail CU
Progressions CU
Qualstar CU
Salal CU
School Emp. CU Of Wash.
Seattle Metropolitan CU
Sound CU		 Spokane FCU
Spokane Firefighters’ CU
Spokane Media FCU
Spokane Teachers CU
TAPCO CU
The Union CU
TwinStar CU
United Health Services CU
Verity CU
Washington State Emp. CU
Watermark CU
WCLA CU
Whatcom Educational CU
Woodstone CU
Yakima Valley CU

The Favorite Credit Unions

BECU (formerly Boeing Employee Credit Union)

First off, just in case you’ve been living under a rock, these guys no longer limit themselves to Boeing employees. The community simply raved about them and not just in general terms. They were happy to share their real life examples:

July 1 we noticed mortgage rates had dropped enough to make refinancing look good. We apply for a 15-year mortgage, get approved in forty minutes. Four days later BECU introduces a new loan product: a fee-free twelve-year mortgage. We are slapping our heads denigrating ourselves for our bad timing. I call BECU and they switch us to the twelve-year, saving us $6700 in refinance fees and $8700 in interest, lickety-split. I liked BECU a lot before we moved our mortgage to it, but I love it now. (thank you Christina L)

BECU online banking system and free online bill pay is super slick, and if you go e-statements, they offer even better interest rates (most other banks required direct deposit, not offered by my employer, but not BECU) (thanks Tracy M)

Salal Credit Union (formerly GHCU – Group Health Credit Union)

They are offering $100 bonus to switch to them now.

I’ve been a member of Salal Credit Union for years (back when they were the Group Health Credit Union) and have been very happy. I started out with just checking and savings accounts and now I have my car loan and house mortgage with them as well. They also have a great website with online bill pay. (thanks Marty Unger)

Watermark CU

They have great rates on loans and credit cards, and they’re open limited hours (until 1 PM) on Saturdays. (thanks person man)

Also mentioned: WSECU and Seattle Metropolitan

If you’ve had a great experience with your credit union, I hope you’ll let us know. And thanks.

Posted in City Wide, Money, Seattle, The Best of Questionland | 2 Comments

A Quick Guide to Foreclosures in Seattle & King County

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Charles

There are a lot of foreclosed house on the market and more are coming. It’s a sad thing but the natural result of a spectacular housing bust combined with a lousy economy. If you are interested in the statistical details then I suggest you check out the Seattle Bubble blog but at least, by most measures, foreclosures are decreasing in King and Snohomish Counties.

If you are on the wrong side of this equation (i.e. underwater and/or at risk of being foreclosed) you should know that the state is trying to make this abhorrent process a little more fair and informed. They passed a mediation program that went into effect late last month. You can find out about that and much more here.

Dr. Adequate was interested in buying a foreclosure because he couldn’t find what he wanted listed and wanted to know if there was a listing service or search engine for foreclosures. But before we get to that it’s worth understanding what a foreclosure is because most of us don’t.

ARDELL, who is a valued resident expert on Questionland, provided a primer:

Foreclosures 101 by ARDELL

“Foreclosures” are never “listings” as to an Agent’s use of the term “listing”. There are 3 types of foreclosure properties:

  1. PRE-foreclosures which are “short sales” and are usually “listings” that can be accessed by an Agent.
  2. FORECLOSURES which are sold “at the Courthouse Step” and are not “listings” in the traditional sense and are not available to agents via the “mls multiple ‘listing’ service”.
  3. POST-foreclosures are “listed” (in the mls) after a property is NOT sold “at foreclosure” and the owner’s lender becomes the owner of the property. These are usually called REO’s or Bank-Owned Properties.

To an Agent a “foreclosure is (1) and (3). To most people “a foreclosure” is a (2). So you are not speaking the same language.

Most owner-occupant types do not really buy “foreclosures” at all because they are CASH purchases, sight unseen and with no inspections. Most people cannot do that, except for investors. There is too much risk for most buyers and they don’t have the cash to buy the property without financing. If you are actually looking for property that will give you a normal closing process with a “home inspection contingency” and financed through a regular mortgage (vs “hard money lending”) you are not really looking for “a foreclosure”.

If you do truly want “a foreclosure”…you have to go to “the courthouse steps” to buy one all cash. These are very interesting events, usually held on Fridays, and I highly recommend your attending a few before asking to buy “a foreclosure”. Those are basically “open air auctions” sight unseen…cash only…and you may be buying the liens and judgments with the property, so be careful and attend several before even considering buying “a foreclosure”.

… They do not have an “asking price”, they have an “opening bid” which is often unknown until the morning of the Foreclosure Auction. (more from ARDEL on this here and on Real Estate in general here.)

Foreclosure Lists & Search Engines

July 2011 King County Foreclosures - RealtyTrac

There are plenty of options for foreclosure searches depending on what you mean by foreclosure (see above). Here are some of the better known:

  1. RealtyTrac ($25-50/mo, but free via Trulia) provides a true search engine (thanks capicola and ARDELL).
  2. Northwest Trustees provides listings.
  3. There is also the official King County Site.
  4. Foreclosure.com and host of other sites provide search and list aggregation.

Cash, Pre-Approval, Inspection, Negotiation etc.

If you want to succeed at bidding on an acquiring a foreclosure, you need to have everything ready in advance. That means you need a money order/cash deposit and you need a pre-approved mortgage.

The house is being sold as-is. You will get a chance to inspect it, so you need to have an inspector lined up for immediate action. You also cannot be afraid of problems with the house – every house has problems and a foreclosed one is likely to have more than most. You want to have the deal in hand before you fork out money for an inspection.

Strictly speaking there is no negotiation at all after the auction because that was the “negotiation” but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a shot at the closing table. With inspection report in hand you might be able to shave a little off. Never say never, but don’t count on it.

A Final Word of Warning

You are probably dealing with a bank. The good news is that their is no emotional attachment to the property. This is just a transaction for them. The bad news is that if you don’t do everything according to the letter of the agreement they will hurt you with fees for delaying a closing.

WaLaw Realty, who take an innovative tack on real estate, warn you to “be VERY careful in buying at a foreclosure auction … there is no guarantee whatsoever that you are getting clear title to the property. There are a lot of horror stories out there… http://getforeclosures.blogspot.com/2007/04/auction-horror-stories.html”

What a Deal!

If you have the stomach for it and the patience and you are not emotional about the property then this could get you the deal of the century. As a friend once told me: “Fall in the love with the deal, not the house”.

Posted in City Wide, House & Home, Neighborhood, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

The Guide to The Best BBQ in Seattle

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Charles

Barbeque Pit - Kelly O, The Stranger

This is a daunting topic even in a town not known for its Barbecue. There are so many options (about 70 in the WA area) in so many neighborhoods (except Capitol Hill), so many opinions about what is best, and much of this is based on the style of BBQ people like (Wet, Dry, see below). So let me start by admitting that this list will be imperfect and subject to ongoing revision (hopefully with your help).

What’s in a Name? Quite a Bit.

If you’ve been reading carefully you’ll notice I have spelled Bar-B-Que three different ways already (that’s 4 now, more coming) so even the name is subject to taste. I like the origin of the name which, in short form, comes from barabicu meaning “sacred fire pit“. There are many false claims of origin, and my favorite is that it “came from the time when

roadhouses and beer joints with pool tables advertised ‘Bar, Beer and Cues‘.  According to this tale, the phrase was shortened over time to BBCue, then BBQ.” (Wikipedia)

Regions & Styles of BBQ

If you’ve got a lot of time, I suggest you go check out the Wikepedia entry on regional styles of barbecue (there are many), also try The Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association or the BBQ FAQ. The basic idea is that the Southeastern states use vinegar and the Midwest uses tomato, while the West may be dry rubbed or tomato-based:

Kansas City (“Wet” BBQ)
K.C. style barbecue is what most people think of when you say BBQ. It was all Smokin Pet's Rubabout spare ribs with a thick sweet sauce but nowadays the chopped crispy “burnt ends” of beef brisket are giving them ribs some stiff competition. Sauce is king in K.C.

Texas (“Dry” BBQ)
Lone star ‘Que is all about beef brisket smoked with mesquite or oak.  Some Texans say if you’re using sauce there must be something wrong.

Louisiana Style

Varies from sauce to dry rub but generally throw in some spice to Kansas or Texas style and you’ve got it.

Hawaiian Style

This is an Asian fusion style of barbecue, e.g. fire-broiled short ribs marinated in a teriyaki-barbecue sauce.

Asian (Hong Kong) Style
Think soy sauce and honey instead of tomato and vinegar. Throw in some duck as well as spareribs and of course pork. You got the idea.

The Best Barbecue In Seattle (and surrounds)

RoRo Pulled Pork

First come the recommendations from the Questionland Community. They’ll be familiar to people who know BBQ in Seattle. I thought it would be worth looking at other top lists for too since I’d like this to be a one-stop guide to find out what you need to know.

The Questionland Recommendations

We don’t do top ten lists, rating or formal reviews. We’re just interested in where people go to eat BBQ, so these are in no particular order:

  1. R&L Home of Good Barbecue in the Central District / Louisiana Style “Wet” (founded in 1952, R&L is a Seattle institution)
  2. Ro-Ro’s BBQ in Fremont-Wallingford / Multi Style (Relatively new on the Seattle dining scene, they have a six-pack of sauces on the tables so you can choose your own style from tomato-y to vinegar-y to spicy).

  3. Jones Barbeque

    Smoking Pete’s in Ballard / Dry Rub (They use all natural beef and the owners are true Seattle natives with an Alabama background. Julie is the author of She Smoke: A Backyard Barbecue Book)

  4. Jones Original Barbeque in Columbia City and West Seattle / Southern Style i.e. Wet w/vinegar. (Jones is a perennial favorite in Seattle and should be on your list).
  5. Kau Kau in the International District / Asian Style (Their barbeque pork is delish and the pork back is incredible. Salty, tender on one side, crackle crunchy on the other. They have a restaurant but you can order all sorts of meat at the front little foyer/deli(ish) counter – Tom)
  6. Pig Iron in Georgetown / Dry Rub with a Variety of Sauces. 
  7. Pecos Pit in SODO / Wet (A long time favorite BBQ dive, closes at 4pm, sloppy with a sting. On everyone’s list to try if you like it saucy).
  8. Bar-B-Que Pit in the Central District / Kansas Style (A new addition to a CD tradition, Pookie hails from Chicago and runs this BBQ join. Mostly take out. See The Stranger review).

    Maximus-Minimus Food "Truck"

  9. Manna Smoked BBQ in Greenwood / Kansas Style. (This is a little hole-in-wall place which refers to it’s Kansas style BBQ as Texas style. It’s sauce gets mixed reviews but people say good things about the meat).
  10. Three Pigs in Bellevue / Dry Rub w/Sauce. (From their site: The Harrell Brothers have won over 60 awards from barbeque cook offs from around the country and sell barbeque sauce in QFC grocery stores under the brand name Harrell Brothers Championship Bar B-Q sauce).
  11. Stan’s Bar-B-Q in Issaquah / Kansas Style (This is not a BBQ joint, it is a sports bar with avid KC City Chiefs fans, a full bar and WIFI and beloved by the neighborhood).
  12. Rhodie’s Smokin’ BBQ (not it’s name anymore) in Queen Anne / Kansas Style

    Bainbridge Island Barbeque

    (Attached to a gas station Denny Way & N 4th with nowhere to sit it seems to change hands regularly, but keeps it’s fans despite it all).

  13. Maximus Minimus in a pig-styled, retro-fitted airstream. (It’s usually Downtown at 2nd and Pike. They serve two sandwiches, their award-winning pulled pork with a choice of sauces and a veggie sandwich).
  14. Bainbridge Island BBQ on BI / Kansas Style (Like going to your friends house for BBQ, this is an island favorite).

If you’ve got a place to add or a comment to make then let us know.

What Others Say

Urban Spoon’s 10 Best Seattle Barbecue Restaurants.

If you’ve got a reliable “best of list”, let me know in the comments and I’ll add it.

 

Posted in Bainbridge Island, Ballard, Bellevue, Central District, Food & Drink, Fremont, Georgetown, Issaquah, Neighborhood, Queen Anne, SODO, The Best of Questionland, Wallingford, West Seattle | Comments Off

The Guide to Meat Farms in the Pacific Northwest (Beef, Lamb, Pig, Duck, Goat)

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Charles

We are a nation of meat lovers, but we have a tendency to get mediocre, hormone-laden meat from abused animals. Not only is that not nice, it’s not that healthy and it’s not that tasty. The alternative is to either pay a lot more for meat whose provenance is not clear or to buy directly from a farm and get the best there is at the best price. Good for you, good for the farmer, good for our food system, and at least better for the animal.

What Do I Do With All That Meat? Share & Freeze.

Buying direct from a farm means you are going to have to buy a lot. Too much for one family. So you need to put together your own buying circle. Tamara Murphy says:

I do this with my own neighbors. We have a chest freezer that has grown to four through out the neighborhood. We currently buy collectively whole pigs, whole cows, turkeys, chickens . There will be bit of labeling, figuring out who gets what etc…. on your part, but people who are into this are into this and all can be worked out. Besides its exciting and fun!!! Brings you and your neighbors together like nothing else.

Picking a Farm

All local farms may produce great meat, but not all of them will be to your taste. Carrie Oliver suggests that you “ask whether you can taste the beef, pork, lamb, etc. in advance – buy a steak and/or some ground beef, for instance – and then choose the flavor and texture you like best. Flavor and texture will change from farm to farm based on breed, growing region, specific diet, pharmaceutical protocols, age of cattle, and aging time and technique.”

Local Farm Recommendations from Carrie Oliver & Tamara Murphy

These recommendations come from Carrie Oliver who founded the Artisan Beef Institute and The Oliver Ranch Company (i.e. an authority on everything beef) and Tamara Murphy our very own local celebrity Chef (of Campagne, Brasa and Terra Plata). They have graciously agreed to answer your questions about these farms and to help guide you through the process. Ask them.

Lamb

Goat

Pig

Turkey

Ducks

Beef

Whidbey Island Grass Fed Beef. Cool.

The Farm Bonus!

Most of these farms also have other things besides meat, such as many varieties of potatoes or whatever other local produce they supply. So if you are ordering or going for a visit, you’ll be able to get other goodies as well. Double Bonus: Check the farm websites to see which of them also host tours and classes.

Posted in Food & Drink, Neighborhood, Ouside Seattle, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

Tamara Murphy on How to Cook & Like Organ Meats

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Charles

Tamara Murphy is a local treasure. She was the Executive Chef at Campagne and responsible for opening Cafe Campagne. She co-founded Brasa and is now preparing to open Terra Plata in Melrose Market. Her list of accolades are too long to list here but worth reading. If you have a question for her, she will be on Questionland this week answering them. It’s a rare opportunity, don’t miss it.

Christina L asked one of the more challenging questions, and Chef Murphy didn’t disappoint: How do I learn to like organ meats?

HI Christina,

My first thought is in the form of another question. Should we try and teach ourselves to like a particular food? I know that may not to be root for your question, but the thought came to mind. ( I am not crazy about tripe myself) That said, I believe that texture, the idea of what the function of these parts are and the more unfamiliar and “fresh” flavors of these parts play a roll in our taste buds enjoying something or not. “Liking” something or not when it comes to a particular food begins with our eyes, then our brain and lastly our buds. I am sure you have enjoyed pate that of course often contain organ meats. The texture and flavor are somewhat masked by all the spices and fat. Not cheap, because of the labor involved if someone else made it for you, and not that healthy because of the fat. You challenged your self quite a bit by attempting beef liver. I soak liver and most organ meats in milk overnight. This will draw out impurities and tone down the game-like flavor that you may not be used to. One thing about liver. If its not crispy on the outside, I don’t care for it either. Non crispy… tastes, feels…well, like liver. A classic sauce for liver, is a mustard and shallot cream sauce (don’t forget the sauteed onions piled on top) pan seared with a nice crispy out side. (I am not sure if it was the texture or flavor that bothered you most) All these delicious components, make for a nice tasty dish. That’s liver. For the other organ meats, if you want to acquire a taste for gizzards, heart, kidney etc…these start off a little more dense than liver. Let me suggest that you slice or dice the organs on the small side small, sautee in garlic, shallots rosemary, fresh thyme. Sear crispy, splash a little wine in that pan, swirl in a little mustard and splash of vinegar. Season with S&P and toss on to some heart greens such as frisee, add a poached egg and you may learn to like it.

You can see more answers on organ meats here. You can also ask the experts about meat in Seattle (or in general), and as usual you can ask a question about anything in Seattle to get answers from a stellar cast of local experts and a 10K strong community of local smarties. The focus on meat ends in two days so get there now!

Posted in Capitol Hill, Food & Drink, Neighborhood, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

Free! Recycling Computer Parts in Seattle & WA

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Charles

If you are tired of using that old computer tower or monitor as a doorstop and want to get have it re-used or recycle it responsibly, Seattle provides many alternatives:

E-Cycle Washington is an amazing site for recycling information in every county in WA. You can choose what service you are looking for (pick-up, drop-off); where you are; what you need to dispose of (batteries, electronics, etc.) and presto: the answer is provided in detail. I got a huge list of locations to drop off electronics is King County. Click on the place near you and it tells you what hours they are open, what stuff the accept, and any other pertinent details. Brilliant. You can also call them at 1800-RECYCLE. (thanks Fnarf)

RE-PC  is probably the largest computer hardware recycler in the area. They will take just about anything. I’ve dropped off entire truck fulls of retired datacenter equipment alongside entire cardboard boxes of cable spaghetti and they don’t blink an eye. They love it. (thanks protosaurus)

Interconnection is a non profit whose mission is to make information and communication technology accessible to underserved communities around the world. We accomplish this mission by providing high-quality refurbished computers to non-profit and non-governmental organizations. (thanks wandergirl78)

If you have something to add or a related question, or any question about Seattle… here’s the link.

Posted in City Wide, Neighborhood, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

Seasoning Salt in Seattle on Salad?

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Charles

I love salt. I put it on everything. At least I thought I did until Finger Games wanted to know The Best Seasoning Salt for everyday meals, including salads. Salad? I think the only thing I never put salt on is a salad. I then found out that that the word salad literally means “salted,” and comes from the ancient Roman practice of salting leaf vegetables (Wikipedia). And what about going beyond salt, and spicing it up? Never did that either, except for prepping a steak for grilling. I could tell this was going to be good…

Seasoning Salt from Home (DIY)

Andrew Beck says: “You’re better off just making your own. Experiment with different things until you get a flavor profile you like and then make it in fairly small batches to keep it fresh.” Here’s how:

Start with a 2:1 ratio of salt to spices.  I’d probably use some combination of Aleppo Pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and either lemon or sumac for a bit of acid. 

Some other things to try would be cayenne or any other hot red pepper, Worcestershire powder, sugar, mustard powder, cumin, fennel seed, fennel pollen, porcini powder, celery seed, or any herb you like.

 Seasoning Salt from Seattle and Tacoma

Johnny’s Seasoning Salt is “known and loved worldwide, and invented right here on Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington at Johnny’s Dock Restaurant” (thanks soundslikepuget).

“Volterra’s Fennel Salt is friggin delicious, and great on a variety of veg or meats” according Tracy M and yes, that’s the Volterra right here in Ballard.

A later entry that has sprung to national fame, but is based in Seattle is J&D’s Bacon Salt. This is a different twist on salt and a boon to lovers of everything bacon.

And then of course there is World Spice on Western Ave at Pike Place Market. They not only have ready-made seasoned salts, but of course they have an enormous selection of spices to add to your home-made salt.

Vegan, Organic & Infused Seasoning Salt

Most seasoning salts are simply a blend of a spice or herb with salt. Herbmare is a blend of sea salt and 14 organic herbs that goes great in place of regular salt on foods. The herbs are infused into the sea salt, so unlike other seasoning salts this is not a blend of dry herbs – the flavor is inside the sea salt crystals. A little goes a long way, so you’ll need to use less than you would for table salt on your foods and it’s Gluten Free.

 

Other Seasoning Salts

Spike gets rave reviews from many. It’s “a blend of 39 exotic herbs, vegetables and spices with the perfect amount of sea and earth salt crystals”. They have many variations from garlic to spicy. (thanks Ed B)

Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning will add a zest to anything you are making and unlike many options is extremely economical.

Flavorful Salts

50 Salts from Around the World

Of course, salt itself comes in many varieties and tastes depending on whether it comes from rocks or the sea and which rocks/sea. Then there are the impurities that lend different tastes and textures, how it is processed, etc. So if you want to explore varieties of salt without the spices and herbs you could try The Meadow where you will find more salts and learn more about salt then you ever expected.

If you have a favorite recipe for seasoned salt please let us know here.

Posted in Ballard, Food & Drink, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

7 Reasons Not to be an Organ Donor

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Charles

There have been a series of organ donor “scandals” over the years. Most of these are the stuff of urban legend where people wake up in a bath tub and find a kidney missing. More serious versions have involved highly questionable theories of doctors being less inclined to save your life if they see you are an organ donor. The bottom line is that you should be an organ donor. If you can save or radically improve another persons life when yours is over, what possible reasons could there be not to?

Finger Games (who is a donor), was curious as to why anyone wouldn’t be and asked Why Aren’t You an Organ Donor?. Summary of answers

  1. You can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven with an altered body (not true)
  2. They don’t want organs from… Gay people (AIDS), Diabetics (?), British People (Mad Cow disease). These are all untrue.
  3. The vampire-zombies control the organ donor trade. Don’t trust them! (see full discussion of Zombies need for organs)
  4. I got squeamish reading about some of the uses for donated tissues such as cosmetic sugeries and experiments which might be in questionable taste morally or otherwise.
  5. The morbid tastelessness of attaching organ donation to driving licenses squix me out. (Take your pick)
  6. I have a “no soliciting’ sign tattoo’d on my heart. (problem solved)
  7. I’m not dead yet (some alternatives)

If you are not an organ donor due to being squeamish or a believer in urban myths, you really should do a little research and see how much good you will do and how unfounded these reasons are for not helping people who really need your help. If you want to be an organ donor, it’s easy and can be done online here.

Now… a more challenging question is whether people should be allowed to sell their organs.

Thanks to capicola for that appalling video that has been viewed 59 million times (that’s probably at least one person-life, what a waste… that I just contributed to).

Posted in Other, The Best of Questionland | Comments Off

Self-Defense for Women in Seattle

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles

This week we have experts answering questions on self-defense. Finger Games wanted a place that was focused on and empowering for women. The following were recommended across the board:

 

  1. Feminist Karate Union.
  2. Seven Stars Women’s Kung Fu.

Both places have a full range of options whether you are interested in beginner classes, a short series or a longer commitment. If you have questions about self defense, now’s the time to ask.

Posted in Special Events, The Best of Questionland | 1 Comment

Authentic Italian Food in Seattle

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Charles

Il Corvo - The Pictures on the Blog are a Meal

When people think “authentic” Italian food they generally mean they don’t want a traditional “red sauce” Italian restaurant. They don’t want the kind of thing they make out of jar at home. They are looking for pasta made on site, if they are even interested in pasta at all. Seattle is not lacking in authentic Italian restaurants across the city. Here are a few suggestions from the good folks at Questionland:

Il Corvo Downtown

All you need to do is go look at their blog to know this is the real thing. You will be ready to do the Pike Place Market Hill Climb five times over to eat there. The only trick is that they are open from 11-3 M-F for lunch. That’s it.

Spinasse Capitol Hill

Their food is specific to the Piedmont region of Italy; or really, it takes dishes from that region but updates/localizes it with seasonal ingredients. Does that un-authenticate it…? Regardless of what one might consider authentic, they have received some serious national accolades (Food & Wine, Bon Appetit) and have been reviewed favorably in comparison to restaurants in Piedmont (Art of Eating). From ofu oyako.

Spinasse on Capitol Hill

La Rustica West Seattle

La Fontana Belltown.

As I mentioned in an earlier and controversial post about Ba Bar, there is more to a restaurant than great food. These people understand that dining out is an experience to be savored.

Salvatore University District

This final recommendation departs somewhat from the others. Not as fancy. It’s clearly Sicilian (which inspired much of what Americans think of as Italian food), but it’s a neighborhood place that people love and what could be more authentic than that.

If you have other suggestions, please let the Questionland community know. The fact that there are great Italian restaurants in almost every neighborhood is a testament to the great restaurant scene in Seattle.

Posted in Capitol Hill, Downtown, Food & Drink, Neighborhood, Ravenna, The Best of Questionland, West Seattle | Comments Off