Growing up in a household where one parent was raised in a small, Texas border town I came to know Mexican food as what is more commonly called Tex-Mex. Fried corn tortillas, beans, potatoes and beef (lots of beef); that’s what a typical Sunday meal for me consisted of. While I know that’s not typical Mexican cuisine, it is what I think of when I visit restaurants such as Luisa’s Mexican Grill. As a matter of fact it’s what I think of when I go to most Mexican restaurants. My travels to Mexico have been limited, to say the least. All of my experience came from my stint in San Diego when friends and I could cross the border into Tijuana. But aside from the drinking what I remember are meals that were reminiscent of those weekends in the Eighties when my mother would spend all afternoon in the kitchen. So it is between my mother’s cooking and Tijuana street food that I feel I have a good grasp on what’s good Tex-Mex.

I ordered the Flautas ($10.25) as I had high hopes that Luisa’s would be able to recreate those heavenly, cigar-shaped treats I’d indulged in on my few excursions South of the border. What made me think that this was possible is that, as a filling, shredded beef was offered. Unfortunately instead of fine, long-threaded, slow-roasted beef the meat was chewy, dry and interspersed with diced potato, which I can only assume was added for bulk since there was little in the way of added flavor. As a matter of fact there was little flavor at all in the meat filling. Most of what I tasted was the overly think corn tortilla that had been wrapped around the filling and then deep fried. In an effort to disguise this log of hardened corn shell the kitchen drenched the two flautas in sour cream and guacamole. Not that their mild flavors would do anything for the overall taste of my meal. Aside from the flautas the beans and rice were passable; the beans having an overall smooth texture and topped with copious amounts of melted cheese. The rice was fluffy and speckled with diced onion and carrot, flavorful but nothing to write home about.

All in all Louisa’s was unexciting. As far as Tex-Mex Mexican restaurants in Seattle go it’s not someplace I would seek out as a place to eat. Of course, at the same time, if I lived in the neighborhood, I wouldn’t discount it as an option, as something other than Taco Bell ™, for some quick tacos or burritos.

What is a bistro? The dictionary defines a bistro as, “a small, modest, European-style restaurant or cafe”. In my mind I see many of the locally owned Seattle coffee shops as being more like a bistro than most restaurants that label themselves with the term. I picture a small kitchen with a limited menu and a few tables scattered in a cramped dining room and several more dotting the sidewalk out front. I also imagine the entrees to fall into the everyday affordable category price-wise. But what I’ve never imagined as a true bistro was a restaurant like 1200 Bistro on Capitol Hill.

This is not to say that 1200 Bistro is not small. There was a cramped little bar area up front and just beyond a main dining area with seating for maybe twenty-five people. I was lucky enough to arrive early and snag a seat in one of the window boxes built to cloister couples. I was alone but soon after my arrival a couple of larger groups of individuals showed up for dinner. While they drew most of my server’s attention and I was afraid that I would be neglected; I was fortunate that, while I did have to wait on some things, most waits were fairly brief. During my waits I was able to enjoy the foot traffic just inches away from my seat and the muted colors of the interior that reminded me, in some sense, of a jazz club.

Once my order was placed from the short menu though, it took no time at all for my dinner to arrive. Out of the handful of choices I decided upon the full order of Bison Meatballs and Orecchiette Pasta ($12.00 Half, $23.00 Full). I was later to lament my mistake. Not due to the meal itself. No, for the meatballs were incredibly soft amount to nothing more than bison meat, sage and other spices. While many times ordering meatballs amounts to little balls of bread dough the fine, slightly chewy meat was allowed to hold itself and it seasonings together out of its own will. This will was easily separated with the edge of a fork as I split a meatball in two and speared it along with a couple of flags of chopped kale. Dipped in some of the gravy-like broth the intense beefy flavor of meatball was coated with a rich, buttery liquid that was punctuated by a slight peppery tingle from the kale. Mounded in the middle was a composition of tiny ear pasta and chewy, woody wild mushrooms. The contrast with the tenderness of the bison was like night and day; the flavors were just as intense. The entire dish was a harmonious balance between the slight sweet and slightly spicy to rich, buttery and bison that was more beefy in flavor than most beef. But my lament was as I reached the halfway mark in my dinner, for I found myself full. For most appetites, and I consider mine to be on the large end of the scale, a half order will more than suffice. One benefit to all this though is that I have leftovers for another time.

There have been many times that I’ve walked by 1200 Bistro in the past and you may ask, “Why?” Well the simple fact is price. While my dinner was full of flavor and thoroughly enjoyed, I just couldn’t get past the pricing. Twenty-three dollars for pasta and meatballs, to me, is a bit much. And on past occasions with others at my side we’ve passed by 1200 Bistro for being too pricey for just a quick dinner. That to me is a shame because I think of a bistro as being just the place to stop in for a quick meal before a movie or the theater. Unfortunately I can only recommend them as a special occasion restaurant.

Yesterday was the last day of summer. Maybe not officially, but as I look out my window this morning, at the light rain falling across Seattle, and the weather forecast calling for much of the same over the next ten days, I think it’s safe to say, “Summer is over”. While I enjoy the misty, overcast days of the Pacific Northwest I will miss the past few months of warm nights with their lasting sunshine. But I was able to take advantage of the “last day of summer” by visiting an Italian restaurant that has been on my list for some time. The restaurant that I refer to is Bizzarro Italian Cafe in Wallingford.

I was a little hesitant about Bizzarro initially and it had everything to do with the name. Yes, I know the old saying - Don’t judge a book by its cover. Bizzarro though is not the first word that comes to mind when I think about quality Italian cuisine. After stepping through the door, it was quite apparent to me that Bizzarro is an apt name. Like a TGI Fridays on acid, objects hung off the walls and ceilings here and there and everywhere. From old-master style oil paintings to lighted signs to the numerous chandeliers and mismatched furniture the dining room is well-suited for those with A.D.D. To match the decor the staff has their own quirkiness but not so much that it interferes with their professionalism. Service was quick, attentive and I never found myself looking around searching for someone to help me with drinks or an order item.

I started with an order of Prawns alla Bizzarro ($9.95) which arrived as large, plump shrimp swimming in a buttery, spicy broth. Just a tad overcooked the prawns were firm, offering some resistance to the knife, but still retaining a bit of their ocean saltiness. This reminder of the sea played well with the sliced rings of red pepper and the slight sour notes from the brine that the peppers had been sitting in. While the peppers added heat it was not a “in your face” heat but rather a lingering prickliness that danced on the back of the tongue after each bite. The thin, broth-like sauce had something of a buttery richness with herbal undertones but was more like a soup in its consistency. Every last drop of which was sopped up by the slices of rosemary bread that were presented when I was seated.

For the main course I selected the Bolognese ($14.95), a large plate of ribbon pasta coated in a rich meat sauce and topped with a more than generous portion of grated cheese. The sauce was smoky and meaty with bits of slow cooked beef, pork and bits of bacon here and there. By itself it would have been overpowering but when tossed with the pasta, with its fresh made, tender goodness, it became more of a partner to the dish than a lone star. Each bite of this combination was bound together by a layer of cheese that quite easily could rival that of a lasagna layer. In fact, the entire entree could easily have masqueraded as an overly generous portion of lasagna. While I hate to admit that any one dish is more than my eating prowess could handle, the bolognese proved too much for me to handle. I surrendered after getting through only half of what was placed before me.

With my hunger sated I sat back in my chair with the last of a glass of wine; enjoying the daylight streaming in through the wall of windows that makes up the front of the restaurant. It is hard to imagine a similar experience now that the weather has changed. For one the warm breezes flowing in from the upper windows will be gone, the sunlight replaced with grey haze. But what will remain is the no nonsense Italian cooking in a nonsense environment. Summer may be gone but Bizzarro remains for our dining pleasures.

I’ve always considered the Eastside the hinterlands in comparison to Seattle. To me it was always this area, a patch of land, where Microsoft and tract housing met; in short Microsoftland. The country was scoured for potential Microsoft employees; they were hired, transferred and planted in Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue - a nearby farm of worker bees for the Microsoft hive. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a city bred urbanite. I grew up in the suburbs of Jacksonville and lived for three years prior to moving to Seattle on the suburban island of Davis Island in Tampa. But the past two years have spoiled me into thinking that all good restaurants have to be tucked into the first floor of a downtown condo or in a space that was previously an auto repair shop. So it was that one afternoon I made the decision to stay in Kirkland after the five o’clock whistle. To stay and sample a restaurant that’s name had come up in passing a few months before. A restaurant that I was told is an example of fine “Seattle-style” dining on the Eastside.

As the name implies the Third Floor Fish Cafe is located on the third floor of a short-rise office building on the Southern end of Lake Street in the Kirkland business district. I was shown to a seat overlooking the edge of Lake Washington. Just below me a series of docks moored fast a myriad of boats of different sizes, some leaving to enjoy one of the last warm summer evenings on the water. The lake was calm and stretched out before me leading off to Madison Park and further still to the Seattle high-rise skyline. If nothing else, on clear days, the Third Floor Fish Cafe is one to visit for the lovely views.

After ordering a drink and perusing the menu I decided to start off with the Grilled Prawns ($13.00) appetizer. At first sight I was quite disappointed with this dish as I expected more than just three shrimp for my thirteen dollars. Putting aside this disappointment I cut into the first prawn I could get my fork on. It was plump, tender and still quite moist. The flavor was fairly mild with a bit of sweetness to it. As stated on the menu the shellfish came with crisp bacon but not as strips wrapped around the prawns themselves but instead as crumbles atop the creamy polenta. Buttery and smooth the polenta reminded me of well cooked, creamy grits. Some people may turn their noses up to that description but believe me, it’s a compliment. The richness and smooth texture of the polenta was complemented nicely but those aforementioned crispy bits of smoky bacon. This was all served in a shallow bowl, the main stars of the dish buttressed by a lobster influenced sauce that was slightly thick, very rich and extremely buttery.

As the restaurant is named Third Floor Fish Cafe I felt it only fitting that the main course be fish, why not. With many a fish selection at my fingertips I decided upon the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna ($30.00). I picked up the aroma of butter and caramelized sugars before I even saw my waiter with the plate. Three large slices of ruby red tuna greeted me when the plate was placed before me. Seared quickly on each side the tuna was indeed rare. The small line of crust was golden brown, crisp and lightly seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper. The interior of the fish was still slightly cool, smooth and creamy. Combinations of crisply seared exterior, meaty rare interior and a bit of the sautéed leek that accompanied the fish proved the best way to consume this entree. Beneath the lobes of tuna sat golden brown, pan sautéed fingerling potatoes. Tiny nuggets of golden potato that spent enough time in a pan to make the skins crisp and turn all the edges savory sweet from the caramelization of the spuds natural sugars. I attempted to clean my plate, to eat everything that was presented before me but I was unsuccessful. While at first thirty dollar may seem much for a fish dinner once you get a look at the portion size you will no doubt realize that you are getting an entree that is large enough for two.

My original intent was for an appetizer and dinner; a quick repast while I came and, hopefully, went. But it was recommended to me to try the crème brulee. While I was about to pass on dessert, to tick it off as something to do on my next visit, I noticed that the crème brulee was not the standard version. Instead the dessert that arrived was a Ginger Lemongrass Crème Brulee ($8.00). The large ramekin that arrived held creamy, light custard that wasn’t too sweet and had faint undertones of lemongrass and a slightly sharp bite of ginger. This custard was housed beneath a golden brown sealing of caramelized sugar that also had been fused with the snap of ginger.

Dinner at the Fish Cafe was good. Notice I didn’t write great. While the food was tasty and the views were nice I felt that the prices that I paid were a little askew for the level of quality. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed everything that was placed before me, it’s just that I don’t feel that a price premium similar to that of say Cascadia, Palace Kitchen or Canlis. Of course I understand why the pricing is what it is, because of the location. The top floor of a waterfront building on Lake Washington I’m sure commands a hefty monthly premium but I would gladly take a lesser view with more reasonable prices for the same level of execution. While I doubt I’ll return to the Fish Cafe on my own I would definitely recommend it as a place to go for a business dinner or other such event where the tab is picked up by someone else.