Van Gogh is the Spiderman of coffee shops; it’s friendly, neighborhoody and kicks the asses of other coffee shops. Starbucks employees have to go to boot camp to learn the customer service techniques that these ladies innately possess. They don’t just know what your “yooj” is. They know your name, your kids and your dog and they genuinely how your day is going. You know that Tukwila coffee stand which draws business with bikini babes? To that I say “whatevs.” You can put a bikini on a monkey but that doesn’t mean it can make a cappuccino. The Van Gogh girls are cute and talented. Your foam has never been so silky and your shot (or shots) will be perfect every time. You can get your drink to go, but you’ll probably want to hang out for a while for the free wi-fi and yummy food. How do you like your sandwich? With eggs and bakey? Classic deli-style? Panini toasted? In pie form? Prefer a fresh cookie or pastry? You got it! You have to wait for the weekend for the quiche. But the personalized attention from your friendly neighborhood barista, you can have every day.

8210 35th Ave NE 98115
206-523-1466
www.cafevangogh.biz

X-posted from Not For Tourists.

December 17, 2008
Categories: NotForTourists, Seattle . Tags: food . Author: Baxter . Comments: Leave a comment

I may be veggie, but I love Dim Sum. I’m always game to visit traditional places with friends and gorge on dessert or receive derisive laughs from cart ladies when I ask if something has meat in it. But at Vegetarian Bistro, the veggie is king. They have all the Dim Sum favorites like Hum Bun, Shu Mai and dumplings, as well as Chinese classics like Won Ton Soup and General Tso’s Chicken. And you can order it all no questions asked. Faux-flesh connoisseurs will delight in their house recipe. The General Tso’s is crispy and tender, its deliciousness agreed-upon by all dietary persuasions. If fake meat isn’t your thing, there are plenty of straight-up vegetable dishes perfectly sauced and ready to sit in your gut for the next 4-6 hours. The only people who won’t be happy here are the needlessly picky and the gluten-allergic. Save room for dessert! The egg custard pies are warm and fresh. The Pumpkin Cakes are almost too cute to eat… almost. The only thing missing (besides the meat) are the carts. Everything comes straight from the kitchen. Rest assured, they’ll still pressure you into ordering more food than you can eat.

668 S King St 98104
206-624-8899

X-posted from Not For Tourists.

December 16, 2008
Categories: NotForTourists, Seattle . Tags: food . Author: Baxter . Comments: Leave a comment

I was never really a donut person. I could easily forgo the greasy gut bombs on the board meeting snack tray in lieu of a nice bagel and some shmear. I never boarded the Krispy Kreme Krazy Train. I honestly thought donuts were kind of gross. And then I had a Mighty O. Now, I’m not vegan. Butter and cream marry with sugar just fine and can live harmoniously in my stomach. But apparently, you don’t need ’em. One bite of those cakey, frosted treats and I was in love. And what variety! The usual suspects like sprinkles and nuts sit alongside new classics like French Toast and Lemon Poppy. But their seasonal specials are where they excel. Fall brings Pumpkin and Apple Spice! Other seasons feature Ginger Raspberry, Strawberry Shortcake and Grasshopper (it’s chocolate-mint, silly). What goes better with donuts than coffee? They’ve got that too. And its really, really good. Unfortunately, just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Whatever you do, don’t look at the nutrition information on their website. It will utterly destroy the fantasy.

2110 N 55th St 98103
206-547-0335
www.mightyo.com