Day two of Hamburger Week finds me in Eastlake overlooking Lake Union. The burger joint for the day is one Daly’s Drive-In. One of only a couple of people in the restaurant I choose to arrive early to beat any rush there might be during the dinner hour. Also I heard that there is a decent view of the lake from the stools at the back of the “drive-in”. Funny that they chose to use that moniker, as it really isn’t a drive-in at all; but more like a ramshackle building, one that’s almost on the verge of collapsing. While there are some restaurants that work hard to maintain a faux dive atmosphere at Daly’s it’s all dive, for real. Looking around I can almost picture the restaurant as a prop from the movie Jaws and the sticky, gummy fixtures make me wish for a bath. But I sidle up to the counter and place my order with the teenager who looks less than thrilled to be working on such a beautiful Seattle afternoon.

I order the Daly Double ($4.89) and an order of Fries ($1.69) and find a spot to settle into while I wait on my food. The wait was not to be a long one as my number was called out. A small brown tray awaited me with its basket of shiny fries and aluminum foil wrapped burger. The Daly Double was two thin patties of processed industrial beef that held a nice char flavor but little of anything else. Missing was any beefiness or juiciness; all of that having departed the meat long ago. What there was a lot of was cheese, processed, American but cheese. Three slices of it melting wonderfully between the dual patties of lifelessness. The lettuce was fresh and plentiful as were the two slices of tomato; onions were kept to a minimum and were of the diced variety. Stranger items were the slices of pickle. Not the more common dill pickle one would expect but something tasting a bit more akin to sweet relish. It wasn’t a bad thing mind you, just different. Plus it helped to make the overall burger more palatable. The fries were a little better than most but still lacked that crispy exterior and light fluffy interior. Instead they were greasy, oily and slightly limp. The few specimens I could pick my way to that had any sort of crispiness and flavor were far between one another.

As I sat with my order, customers began filing into the front of the restaurant and the one binding commonality that they all had was that none of them were ordering a burger. It was all fish and chips, fish burger or steak sandwich. I think I now understand why. Daly doesn’t have a good grasp on the hamburger. A thin, industrial patty is not going to satisfy anyone and if most people think your fish options are that tasty that they avoid the burger you should take the hint. For you my readers I won’t hint. For a burger, you’d almost do better heading down to your local chain burger joint. At least there you’ll be in a clean plastic environment while you eat your meal.

My anniversary dinner at Canlis was something else. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, scroll down a bit to the previous entry and check it out. While I will admit that I’ve yet to eat at a restaurant in Seattle that thoroughly knocks my socks off, Canlis is one of those restaurants, much like a Cascadia or Palace Kitchen, which can be considered to offer a certain kind of meal. What I mean is a well crafted sit-down dinner consisting of fine meats, seasonal vegetables and superb service. But those are not the only kinds of meals that I enjoy. On the other end of the scale are sandwiches, pizza and burgers. As for that last item, burgers, I think I know where in Seattle to get the best hamburger - Red Mill Burgers. But what of the other “burgers only” restaurants in town? I can think of a few off the top of my head and so this next week will be dedicated to finding the best hamburger in Seattle. To start the week off I decided to venture into deserted South Lake Union on Saturday to sample the offerings at Blue Moon Burgers.

I will admit that this was not the first time I’ve eaten at Blue Moon. Back when I worked in Fremont I made the short drive to the other end of Lake Union two or three times. But that was nearly a year ago now. My palate, I felt, was still something of a virgin to the taste of a Blue Moon burger. Upon arrival I was hit with a stark contrast from crowded lunchtime restaurant of my memory, the place was empty. A lone man behind the counter marked the only human presence in the cavernous, slightly industrial space. Of course this was fine with me as I was pretty hungry and need sustenance post-haste.

After a quick scan of the short menu I decided upon a Deluxe Bacon Burger (Single - $4.49, Double - $5.89) and an order of Italian Fries ($1.89). The burgers at Blue Moon are made to order on a gas grill just behind the main counter. No patty is thrown on until an order has been placed to ensure you get the freshest of grill seared meats. After a short wait my order was ready and I carried my try of white wax-paper wrapped goodies to a nearby table. Upon unwrapping my fries I got what was to be the first of several French fry related disappointments. Instead of the garlic and parmesan studded fries I was expecting to see from an order of Italian fries what I got were in actuality, plain fries ($1.49). Instead of complaining of complaining I sampled the limp looking fingers of potato and realized that, like many restaurants in town, fries aren’t Blue Moon’s strong suit. Not only were they limp but they were also pretty oily, soggy and heavy. It was very obvious that these were fresh cut fries that had only benefited from a single dip in hot oil and not the double cooking that is required to make fries crispy and fluffy. But maybe the fries needn’t be important. I mean, after all, this isn’t Blue Moon French Fries it’s “Blue Moon Burgers”.

So I unwrapped the second parcel on my try, this one being the taller of the two and maintaining no surprise as to what would await me inside. The hamburger was fairly tall but not so much from large patties or copious amounts of bacon. No, mostly it was the leaf of lettuce and large slices of red onion that sat just under the bun. This was to be about as much as I would see of vegetables on this sandwich, the tomato and pickle being fairly minimal with this presentation. One thing that was not in short supply was the special sauce. A tangy, mayonnaise-based preparation that leaked from every opening of the sesame seed topped bun. Its presence made itself known to my fingers as I brought the sandwich to my mouth for a bite of double beef and bacon goodness. The meat was juicy and the bacon nicely smoky, however, the patties were fairly thin and their combined mass amounted to that of only one patty at some other places. They were fairly beefy and had decent juiciness but for a double, I had little trouble getting my mouth around it. As for the bacon, while it had good flavor, it lacked crispness, being just a few more minutes of cooking time away from crispy, crunchy, smoky goodness.

What was it that I learned from Blue Moon Burgers during the inaugural review for Burger Week? Well, it was better than the “Golden Arches” ™ or the “Home of the Whopper” ™ but nowhere near the control review that is Red Mill. For one, when I think deluxe hamburger I think of adult portions, not petite sized patties. Spend more time cooking your bacon. Besides wanting that crunch of perfectly cooked, cured pork product if I were taking my order home the steam from the beef and moisture from the veggies would have turned what was offered into a limp rubbery mess. And as for the fries, double cook them. Any cookbook one opens will direct a person to cook potatoes destined to become French fries twice, once to seal the outside from oil incursion and to cook the interior. The second time to brown the exterior and give them crunch. Also, get the order right. Italian fries have things added to them in the form of garlic and parmesan cheese. But if you are hungry, near Republican Street in the South Lake Union neighborhood, and are in need of a hamburger (Albeit a just okay hamburger) then Blue Moon Burgers might hit the spot. As for me, I’m off to the next burger joint…

One hundred. That’s what this post is - number one hundred. It’s hard to believe that I’ve made it this far. To tell the truth, when I first started this website, I really had no thoughts about getting a hundred restaurants reviewed. Initially if I could just get through some of the more well known eateries in Seattle I would have been happy. Of course that was a year ago this past weekend, July 23rd to be exact, and so many things change over the course of a year. No, I hadn’t planned on the one year anniversary coinciding with the hundredth review, it just sort of happened that way. So it was that two such special events converged in the same review. I felt that such an occasion deserved a restaurant with refinement in both atmosphere and culinary skill. Of all the places in Seattle that I’ve read about, or have been suggested to me,
Canlis was always at the top of everyone’s list.

I made sure to arrive early in order to get a table but it should be known that a reservation is the best bet to being able to secure a seat. I was shown to a table in the main dining area, under a high vaulted ceiling with large, exposed wood beams. To my right was the open grill area of the kitchen. And to my left was the expansive bank of windows that looked out onto the northern portion of Lake Union, Gas Works Park, Eastlake and the mountains beyond. My particular seat had a good view but my recommendation would be to request seating in the lower dining section facing the windows for a spectacular dining vista. Aside from the views the service was top-notch. I was attended to by no less than five people during my dinner, each one striking up a brief conversation, putting me at ease and making me feel welcome. It was this level of service that was the clincher for my decision of dinner at Canlis but was not the main driving factor. No, the choice of this particular establishment was one based on the food.

It was an order of Peter Canlis Prawns ($14.00) that I started out with. Large, plump prawns beautifully butterflied and cooked until just done. These tail-on beauties came in a chili-butter sauce that was rich with a slight hint of lingering spice. The sauce complemented well the fresh-from-the-sea taste of the prawns without overpowering them. In contrast to the warm richness of prawns and chili-butter was my second course of Heirloom Tomato Salad ($10.00). Also arranged on a long, thin plate the dish arrived like jewels set atop a white platter. A mix of green, yellow and reddish-purple the tomatoes came in a rainbow of sizes from tiny pearl-like fruit to large beefsteak chunks. Each bite was cool, juicy tomato goodness that was paired with slivered cucumber and paper-thin slices of onion. This mélange was dressed in a light vinaigrette with a chiffonade of basil for garnish. With the recent spate of above average temperatures Seattle has experienced in the past few days the sweet coolness of the tomato salad was very much welcomed.

As the dining area began filling up with larger parties celebrating their own particular moments, my main course arrived. The Wagyu Tenderloin Steak ($70.00) has been something I’ve wanted to try for quite some time now. Wagyu beef (In essence Kobe beef), from what I’ve read in various reviews and articles, is supposed to be the Cadillac of beef so how could I not try it on such an auspicious occasion as this? When the plate arrived there was still melted butter sitting in the browned, cross-hatched channel formed from the steaks time on the grill. As I attacked the two inch thick steak with my fork and knife I almost could have been cutting into butter it was that tender. A hearty, salty outer crust concealed a warm pink interior that was juicy and full of rich beef flavor. Served along with my steak were goat cheese scalloped potatoes and a medley of sautéed summer vegetables. The potatoes were a bit of a disappointment as they were slightly dry and had very little of the creamy goat cheese that was its namesake. Though sliced thin and sporting a crunchy, browned top I only got a taste of the creamy cheese close to the bottom of the stack of paper-thin potato slices. Separating the steak and potatoes was a small mound of summer vegetables comprised of carrot, wax beans, snap peas, squash and slightly bitter kale. A mix of sweet and bitter, the vegetables were brought together by a rich buttery-ness that made them seem to be more than just common farmer’s market produce.

For dessert I took the easy route and ordered the Summer Berries ($10.00). Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and some strawberries are what comprised the filling to a crisp, puff-pastry shell. What made these fruits stand out was the combination of Devonshire cream, with its light sweetness, and tarragon cream. It was this last ingredient that I was hesitant about when it came to my order. I mean, tarragon? Who would have thought to put that into a sweet dish? Well, turns out that the added herbaceous flavor of the tarragon added a nice bright note to the otherwise mild flavors of the other ingredients.

By the end of the meal my belly was distended from all the rich foods. While there were many other selections on the menu I doubt I would have had room for even one morsel more. So, sated and slightly sleepy I emptied my wallet and thought back on the past year. There have been ups and downs as there always will be but one shining light has been this website. As I look back now on older posts I see some which could use some refinement and polish but I also see many others that are wonderful examples of the food available here in Seattle. My hopes are that I’ll be able to celebrate years two, three and even ten with you all here at this site. Thanks for coming by and making this site a part of your day.

I started the Robotic Gourmand with the promise that I would not review fast food. The McDonalds, KFCs and Taco Times of the world have their own media juggernauts to pump out the word on what products they offer. Plus, hey, we all know what they serve anyway. Well I have broken the promise of no fast food reviews to you all on a couple of occasions. Red Mill and Tacos Guaymas are two that readily come to mind (Though in all fairness they are not what one traditionally thinks of when one thinks of fast food). But there are times though when local fast food can be something of a guilty pleasure. Sometimes it’s little hole in the wall eat-it-and-beat-it places that have some of the best taste for one’s money. At least that was the rationale I gave to myself as I drove to Green Lake to sample Spud Fish & Chips.

“What an odd name for a fish and chips place, Spud.” That’s what I thought over a year and a half ago, my first week in town. Back then I lived up at 85th Street and Wallingford Avenue and I ended up driving past Spud everyday on my way home from work. Being that I was new to the area, living in a dark, dank sub-leased basement apartment and knew no one in the area, I chose to “take-out” my dinners. So I had eaten at Spud once before. “Once before,” remember that as it will come in handy as the story goes on. The restaurant itself is kind of a throwback to when fast food was served more out of a shack and meant to be eaten only by teenagers with high metabolisms. Today corporate fast food is all about shiny plastic and modern equipment. Spud had a few seats inside and several tables outside but overall the environment was less of “stay and visit” as it was “get it to go”. I, however, chose to stay.

My order was for a Single Order with Extra Fish ($8.19). This differs from a plain Single Order ($4.60) in that one gets, well, extra fish. But don’t confuse this with the Double Order ($8.45) which gives you a double portion of the single order’s amount of fish and a double order of fries. After all that I was hoping for some good fish. My memory must not be what it used to be. Either that or it chose to be intentionally blind to where I was at. The two rounds of fish arrived atop a small basket of fries, nearly thin as boards. More like fish cutlets than planks, I wondered if they could be any skinnier. The exterior crust was nicely crisped but unfortunately fairly greasy. Just beneath the surface was a spongy, dough-like consistency that reminded me more of the foam rubber one would find stuffed into their mattress. The fish was only slightly moist and had a distinct fish flavor, a sure sign of its age. As for the fries, they were the limp affair that one finds all too common in many Seattle restaurants. While it’s all good to use fresh potatoes in the making of fries it is important to remember that they need to be double cooked to insure they are crispy and not greasy. My fries would have bent like a reed in the wind and quickly stained any paper product they touched with their grease.

I finished what I could of my “meal” quickly and headed for the door. While there are some independent fast food restaurants in Seattle that deserve some mention I’ll leave Spuds only as - don’t waste your time. I spent more time waiting for my food than I did actually eating it. As I walked down Green Lake back to my car I couldn’t help feeling greasy, bloated, in need of some napkins and a hug. Sometimes hole-in-the-wall is just plain bad.

Wikipedia credits Moxie as being the first mass produced soda in the United States. And Webster’s dictionary has this to say; Moxie (n): 1) The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage. 2) Aggressive energy, initiative. 3) Skill, know-how. For whatever reason, Sunday I felt like I was full of moxie. I found myself in a very aggressive mood even though the day was sunny and pleasant. Walking around Lower Queen Anne I found myself in front of a restaurant bearing the name of the first mass produced soda and my mood - Moxie.

When I arrived the sun was still high in the sky and initially I was sat closer towards the back in a corner but my helpful server saw to it that I was given my choice of seat up front, by the windows. This wasn’t the only time I was to received such courteous service. From being given control over the window blinds, to the wonderful help received with the menu offerings and even the bartender came around to offer me more wine. I guess one could say the wait staff showed initiative, skill and know-how. Depending on how you look at things the amount of time one waits to get their order could be a drawback. If you are in a rush or like your food delivered quick Moxie may not be for you. The kitchen took a decidedly laidback approach to food preparation. Of course once I had fork in hand I was more than willing to dismiss the few extra minutes it took for my order.

For starters I enjoyed a plate of Beef Carpaccio ($12.00). Raw, cool beef sliced paper-thin were served along with arugula and heirloom tomatoes. The tomatoes came as hefty cubes of chilled juicy goodness interspersed amongst the peppery greens of lemony vinaigrette laced arugula. Underneath the make-shift salad lay the carpaccio. The beef was much more a film covering the bottom of the plate than a true slice they were so thin. Upon cutting off a bite with the edge of my fork, I found myself scraping the portion up onto the tines. Warm, mild beefiness hit my tongue along with an unctuous oiliness from olive oil and a bite of freshly ground pepper. A thin grating of cheese also provided a salty note to help liven up the flavor of the beef. The combination of warm meatiness, cool tomato and peppery salad greens made for a great palate opener for the main course.

My choice of dinner was Bacon-Wrapped Rainbow Trout ($18.00) and it was quite a bit more than I had initially imagined. To my mind I was expecting a filet of fish wrapped in single slice of bacon. Well, it was my helpful server who explained, when I placed my order, that the fish was served whole, head and tail included. For those of you who’ve read my review of Palace Kitchen you’ll know that I’m nonplused when it comes to whole fish. My plate arrived with a crispy looking fish perched atop a mound of Swill chard that was surrounded by a rich looking orange broth. Mounded at the top of my fish was what I, at first, assumed were frizzled onions but was to later find out were chili peppers and garlic. This mixture was sticky and sweet, full of a caramel-y flavor that matched well with the crisp skin of the fish and its firm white flesh. The bones had been removed from the fish before cooking which allowed me complete access to its firm white flesh that was at times almost sweet itself. As I approached closer to the head of the trout I added the rich, smoky flavor of thick, crisp bacon to my list of tastes. Unlike some presentations of bacon-wrapped whatever, this bacon was not flabby or soggy. Even onto of the chard, the bacon remained crisp. The Swiss chard itself was cooked to fork tenderness but managed to retain most all of its juiciness. Slightly peppery the chard formed one arm of the triad of flavors that I experienced in this dish which included sweet and spicy.

For dessert I opted for a serving of Mom’s Cheesecake ($7.00). More like custard the cheesecake arrived as two individual rounds without a traditional crust. It turned out that the crusts for this cheesecake were to be made from two flakey, slightly sweet shortbread cookies. Garnishing the cheesecake were fresh berries that, I think, had been macerated in a bit of vinegar, as I kept getting whiffs of it as I devoured my dessert.

Moxie bills itself as a “restaurant with nerve”. I’m not sure how much that applies to the restaurant, as there wasn’t a lot of nerve, but if you take Webster’s definition and try to apply it, then I think you’d be on the nose in most instances. From what I saw Moxie in Lower Queen Anne has an ample amount of skill and know-how. Skill and know-how to take a few simple ingredients and create a dinner that is something greater than its individual parts. My only issue, as mentioned above, has to do with the wait to received ordered dishes from the kitchen. Oh, I’ll be back, as the food, I think, is worth re-visiting but I’ll be sure that it’s on an occasion when I can spend some time savoring everything that Moxie has to offer. As for my mood? Well, my dinner more than helped to turn me from aggressive grouch to sated, purring kitten.