The Official West Coast Good Eats Thread

[pleiad7]

IIRC we had a thread like this on the old forum; I think it's worth reviving. List your favorite local places for CHEAP and GOOD grub! I'll start with my own favorites...

Pho Vietnam in Santa Rosa for dirt cheap, highly addictive Vietnamese/Korean food. Best pho north of the Bay Area. Need I say more? Yumm!

Taqueria El Farolito/El Favorito in the Roseland area of Santa Rosa for some of the freshest, most authentic Mexican food you'll find in town, and cheap! One of my favorites is their vegetarian burrito - whole beans, rice, fresh salsa, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and big enough to stand on end. They even have a drive-thru, and the staff is always quick and efficient.

Mike's Burger at the Crossroads Center in Cotati. This place blows every other burger joint out of the water, hands down. The choices are plentiful, the burgers are huge, juicy, packed with flavor and literally melt in your mouth. Oh, and Mike's serves no fries or shakes, but you can choose from three free side dishes to go with your burger, and they have a very good selection of local microbrews and wine.

[keyser soze]

And just a 773 miles to the South-East, is La Pinata. Been in business since the 70's, best all-round Mexican Grub ANYWHERE!!

[MountainBiker]

Originally Posted by keyser soze

And just a 773 miles to the South-East, is La Pinata. Been in business since the 70's, best all-round Mexican Grub ANYWHERE!!

I'll have to check it out sometime. But I can't, because you don't list the location! I suppose it Could be anywhere....

[Roo]

Originally Posted by MountainBiker

I'll have to check it out sometime. But I can't, because you don't list the location! I suppose it Could be anywhere....

Knowing Kaiser, he's probably mapped it from downtown Santa Rosa.

Draw a circle that's exactly 773 miles southeast (cover the arc in AZ), and you'll find it...lol

Here's what I found:

La Pinata Mexican Food Rstrnts
3330 N 19th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85015
(602) 279-1763

[MountainBiker]

Not quite as cheap as El Favorito, but a better fit for my tastes is:
El Azteca Mexican Food
3260 Airway Dr
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 573-9343

[pleiad7]

Originally Posted by keyser soze

And just a 773 miles to the South-East, is La Pinata. Been in business since the 70's, best all-round Mexican Grub ANYWHERE!!

Yes, location info, please! That's the point of this thread - so we know where to go eat in case we find ourselves in your neck of the woods.

Edit: Roo did your homework for you...

[piemaster]

Ba Le- Vietnamese Sandwich in El Cerrito, CA on San Pablo Ave(10174, between Central and Lincoln Avenues; take Central Ave exit from Hwy 80, east to San Pablo, then north)

http://www.cyberbilly.com/meathenge/...es/000789.html

Great Vietnamese sandwiches loaded with veggies(and meat if you like) for under 3 bucks...! the meatball sandwich is under 2!! They also have great pho (noodle soups) with TONS of veggies... one table for four inside, two small tables outside... also a great selection of canned drinks and packaged foods to go, like shrimp spring rolls, egg rolls, and other yummies i don't know the names of... the site above says they're open everyday, but they're closed Sundays and Mondays...

[sleepy]

Originally Posted by pieboy

Ba Le- Vietnamese Sandwich in El Cerrito, CA on San Pablo Ave.

http://www.cyberbilly.com/meathenge/...es/000789.html

Great Vietnamese sandwiches loaded with veggies(and meat if you like) for under 3 bucks...! the meatball sandwich is under 2!! They also have great pho (noodle soups) with TONS of veggies... one table for four inside, two small tables outside... also a great selection of canned drinks and packaged foods to go, like shrimp spring rolls, egg rolls, and other yummies i don't know the names of... the site above says they're open everyday, but they're closed Sundays and Mondays...

How dare you know about this place -- I thought it was a hidden treasure for me ;)

[piemaster]

Originally Posted by sleepy

How dare you know about this place -- I thought it was a hidden treasure for me ;)

haha, ok, it'll be a secret for just us (sshhh...)
i live very close by; a friend recommended it... ain't it a great place...?

I don't eat out much now that I married the best chef around. Mexican cuisine, however, is not yet in her repetoire. So, check out Chronic Tacos on the corner of PCH and West Balboa in Newport Beach, CA! The burritos (who's construction you orchestrate) threaten to bust open their paper and foil wrappers!! Plus, they get their meat from El Toro Carniceria in Santa Ana!!! Mmmmmmm . . . . I'm making myself hungry.

Orange County is home to what some say is the best Vietnamese food on the planet. Let me know if you need a recommendation behind the Orange Curtain.

[SeattleForester]

Lunch downtown - Mae Phim Thai Restaurant, 94 Columbia St (under Fado Irish Pub). Everything on the menu is $6 for lunch and it is GOOD. To top it off, they mean 3 stars when they say 3 stars!

Dinner and Margaritas - Agua Verde, 1303 NE Boat St at the bottom of Brooklyn Ave on Portage Bay...and I mean ON the Bay, they rent kayaks from the basement of the building! This place is Baja Mexican, as in the owner brought a family back with him from a paddling trip in Baja and started the restaurant to bring his favorite food to the rest of us. Bonus is, they make the best Margaritas in town.

Breakfast - this is almost a tie, but the winner is Cafe Moose. Can't find the address, so if you're in town I'll have to take you there
Let's see, the owner was married to a Mexican guy for 20 years, started the cafe so he could indulge his passion for cooking, and as a bonus they import fair trade coffee from his village and roast it a couple of blocks down from the cafe...so it's awesome! A cup of that coffee and Huevos Mexicana and I'm good for the weekend...

Runner up for breakfast is The Dish Cafe, 4358 Leary Way NW. Both this place and the Moose are in the neighborhood called Ballard. Just plain great egg dishes that fill you up like no other, for about $7...only open for breakfast and lunch on weekends...

That'll cover it for how, but I'm an eater so I'll probably add some more down the line.

[pleiad7]

Oh, I almost forgot... for some of the most authentic Italian food in Northern California head to the small town of Occidental. Your choice is between two established Italian family restaurants located right across the street from each other: Union Hotel and Negri's. At both places you'll dine family-style at tables covered with red and white checkered tablecloths, complete with the Chianti bottle turned candle holder. Any choice of entree always includes antipasto, minestrone soup, zucchini fritters, a mixed green salad, and freshly baked hot bread. This makes for a highly satisfying, yet reasonably priced dining experience... You won't leave hungry at either one of the two places.

On your way into or out of town, stop by the Wild Flour Bakery in Freestone and sample their delicious offerings. I highly recommend the cheese fougasse, the ladder-shaped goat flat, or their spectacular scones (white chocolate/ginger/pear ftw!).

[chillyc]

Originally Posted by SeattleForester

Lunch downtown - Mae Phim Thai Restaurant, 94 Columbia St (under Fado Irish Pub). Everything on the menu is $6 for lunch and it is GOOD. To top it off, they mean 3 stars when they say 3 stars!

Dinner and Margaritas - Agua Verde, 1303 NE Boat St at the bottom of Brooklyn Ave on Portage Bay...and I mean ON the Bay, they rent kayaks from the basement of the building! This place is Baja Mexican, as in the owner brought a family back with him from a paddling trip in Baja and started the restaurant to bring his favorite food to the rest of us. Bonus is, they make the best Margaritas in town.

Breakfast - this is almost a tie, but the winner is Cafe Moose. Can't find the address, so if you're in town I'll have to take you there
Let's see, the owner was married to a Mexican guy for 20 years, started the cafe so he could indulge his passion for cooking, and as a bonus they import fair trade coffee from his village and roast it a couple of blocks down from the cafe...so it's awesome! A cup of that coffee and Huevos Mexicana and I'm good for the weekend...

Runner up for breakfast is The Dish Cafe, 4358 Leary Way NW. Both this place and the Moose are in the neighborhood called Ballard. Just plain great egg dishes that fill you up like no other, for about $7...only open for breakfast and lunch on weekends...

That'll cover it for how, but I'm an eater so I'll probably add some more down the line.

+1 for Agua verde. Fairly new to Seattle so this is helpful. We went to Fremont Classic pizzaria and that was pretty good (especially 2 people splitting a pitcher of Hale's Red Menance!)

[tre36]

Some of my favs...

Chinese: House of Hong and New Kowloon in International District

Japanese: Fuji Sushi @ 5th and Main in Downtown Seattke

Korean: The expensive - Shilla Korean BBQ @ 517 S Weller St in Downtown Seattle. The cheap - Red Bowl @ 812 3rd Ave in Downtown Seattle

Vietnamese: Green Leaf in International District

Mexican: Mama's Mexican Kitchen @ 2234 2nd Ave in Downtown Seattle but closer to Belltown.

Thai: Thai Dusit @ 2510 Ne Blakeley St in University Village.

Burger: Mel's Market @ 3rd and Madison in Downtown Seattle. Dick's got killer burgers and shakes too. Numerous locations around city.

Italian: ???

Pub: The Ram @ 2650 NE University Village St.

Seafood: Salty's on Alki, Duke's Chowder House, Anthony at the Homeport

Steaks: The Metropolitan, Ruth's Steak House, Palisades


So Seattle folks, when's our next luncheon or dinner meet?

[SeattleForester]

Originally Posted by tre36

Thai: Thai Dusit @ 2510 Ne Blakeley St in University Village.

Closed...It's a Japanese place now...



Oh, and I'm ready for a lunch or dinner meet anytime!