What is your favorite "go to" Restaurant in your area?

[Steve E.]

My wife and I have a couple of favorites:

JaK's Steakhouse in Issaquah
The Purple Cafe & Wine Bar - several locations, but Kirkland is the one we frequent most often
Marzano's (Italian cuisine) in Parkland next to the PLU campus

Before heading to Purple, swing by Costco and pick up their $100 gift cards for $80. It's an automatic 20% off your bill... splurge on some wine/port. Kirkland has them as of today.

Serious Pie: Tom Douglas does pizza... and he does it well. Usually this is a spur of the moment in downtown Seattle place for us. If there's a line, we just order a bottle of wine and drink it while we wait. And I just noticed that TD has the same $100/$80 Costco gift cards. I may buy a set ($50 cards) just to have.
Moghul Palace: Great Indian food. Just moved close to us in Bellevue, WA, in the strip mall where the old Larry's Market used to be (and Joe's).
Bis on Main: We tend to only eat in the bar during happy hour. They do have some Port, but I don't know who else drinks it and how long it's been there. Love the fries with truffle oil.
Stir: Martini Bar in the Hyatt, Bellevue, WA. Sunday is the day! It's happy hour all day and they play football on the TV's. My wife and I like to go there for their bloody Mary's. They have a person there who makes them as good as you'll have them. We have yet to taste a happy hour appetizer we didn't enjoy.

[Gary Banker]

Yama Zakura in Northborough, MA. Thai-Japanese fusion with amazing sushi among other things. It's small, usually crowded, and a great opportunity to see what wines work with non-western food that runs the spectrum of spiciness.

[Roy Hersh]

Steve (Bellevue),

I used to live 2 blocks from BIS, in a condo on Meydenbauer Bay and walked to it when it was first opened. The food was not so great as early on they used to use pretty cheap ingredients and the place was never busy. Once the opening chef was replaced, the next menu was totally different and the food MUCH better and ingredients, significantly higher in quality. Within six months it went from half empty to needing a reservation. Things have calmed down, now many years later but the food it consistently good.

In Bellevue, I occasionally go to Daniel's but LOVE the Thai place on Main St. and 106th called: KING & I. By far and away the best Thai food I've eaten in the metro area.

My top restaurant downtown, part of which is because they allow me to do offlines there with no corkage, however, the food is excellent: Union, A Restaurant.

Thanks for the hint on the Indian place. I may take my daughter there on 1/1/10.

[Andy Velebil]

but LOVE the Thai place on Main St. and 106th called: KING & I. By far and away the best Thai food I've eaten in the metro area.

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Is this the place you took me to about a year or so ago? If so, I agree it was really good Thai food.

[Steve E.]

Steve (Bellevue),

In Bellevue, I occasionally go to Daniel's but LOVE the Thai place on Main St. and 106th called: KING & I. By far and away the best Thai food I've eaten in the metro area.

My top restaurant downtown, part of which is because they allow me to do offlines there with no corkage, however, the food is excellent: Union, A Restaurant.

Thanks for the hint on the Indian place. I may take my daughter there on 1/1/10.

My wife works on Main just a few blocks east of King and I. Once in a while we'll go there if I have a chance to meet her for lunch. We also used to like the Thai place that was at the north end of the building where Pete's Wine is. It's called Chantanee. They've moved to somewhere else in the area since the construction, but I'm not sure where. We also enjoy the Mediterranean Kitchen on Bellevue Way. The portions are HUGE though: http://www.mediterraneankitchens.net/

If I remember correctly, Purple doesn't charge corkage on your first bottle if they don't carry it. So bring some Port with you, as their selection is limited. Don't forget to hit Costco on the way.

Moghul Palace has always been pretty empty when I've been there. Unfortunately, that's a product of their location. If there were a good store in the old Larry's building, I think it would be different. I just hope they're able to stay alive as I'd hate to drive up and find them gone.

I've never heard of Union, but the website looks nice. In the Wallingford/Fremont area is Art of the Table. My wife and I went there and really enjoyed it. It's more of a special occasion place if you go for their Supper Club dinners. I'd like to hit a Happy Monday there some time though: http://www.artofthetable.net/

[Roy Hersh]

For years I was part of a Sunday afternoon tasting group that ONLY allowed German Riesling or Alsatian wines. These were serious focused geeks and my mediocre holdings of both, barely kept me able to keep up. Some of these guys traveled to Germany and Alsace once a year. They pooled their puchasing and brought back 2-3 palates with them and then divided up their loot. It was a great restaurant with some things you don't see often in Thai Restaurants. Although I really liked it and ate their often, I always felt that King and I was better.

Andy, yeap that's the place!

Steve, you really gotta check out Union. On Monday nights they waive corkage for all ... something I talked their owner (Ethan Stowell into) towards the end of their first year in biz (about 5 years ago now). He also owns 3 other top notch restaurants in town and sure as heck rivals Tom Douglas' talent ... although Tom's been in the big leagues for many more years. But I am just talking straight cooking "chops" and in that comparison, I'd go with Ethan's talent. Tavolata is a must try for casual Ital. and Wolf ... ahhhhh!!!!!! I have not been to his newest place yet.