#1128 #S676 - Cafe Metropolitain, Seattle - 6/9/2010

Wow, this was a surprise.  I expected a small cafe up until the point I walked through the doorway and found a large space that tries to recreate the streets of Paris.

The food and drinks are not very interesting, but the decor certainly is.

1701 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 324-0771
cafemetropolitain.com - myspace - the stranger - yelp

#1127 #S675 - Cafe Amore, Seattle - 6/5/2010

To be frank, I just went to this place for a quick addition to my list and not with any high expectations of the bar.  But this turned into a great visit.  Their "Cucumber Mist" (infused cucumber vodka, lime, black pepper, splashed sugar) not only further entrenched my belief that there's never a bad cocktail with cucumber, but it was just about the perfect refreshing cocktail for the first sustained sunny weather in a long, long time.

Maybe this was due partially to that oh so rare sun, but the staff were all super friendly (including chef/owner Sean Langan).  And it was especially pleasant to chat with Ernie the bartender, who had me try various things including some ideas they're working on for "wine bombs."  You might think that sounds wretched, but the don't actually drop liquors into the wines, they just give you an interesting combination of a glass of wine and shot of liquor.  It's actually pretty nice.

I passed on the (Italian) food, as I was about to go to a happy hour at the house of a friend known for her large spreads, but I did take a look at the menu and definitely plan to be back for dinner soon (and another cocktail or two).  I also subsequently found online that they served 500 homeless people to Thanksgiving dinner.

2301 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 - (206) 770-0606
tasteofamore.com - myspace - seattle times - yelp - the stranger  

#1126 #S674 - Night Kitchen, Seattle - 6/4/2010

Update:  The Night Kitchen closed in August 2011

I like this place.  In addition to being one of precious few downtown bars with character and having The Pogues playing when I first arrived, they serve slightly upscale comfort food until 6am and feature some tasty cocktails.

Missy, the bartender during my visit recommended the Pangalactic Gargle Blaster -- which sounds like a terrible drink but is actually quite good (St. Germain, muddled mint and red pepper, Hendricks gin, orange bitters, and possibly something else I forgot).

216 Stewart St, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 448-8810
nightkitchenseattle.com - seattlest - the stranger -  yelp

#1125 #S673 - Kristos, Seattle - 6/2/2010

Update: Changed name to Ship Canal Grill in 2011

Kristo's is a pretty swanky place hidden under the I5 bridge around the corner from the old Eastlake Red Robin. The bar is pretty standard, and the menu is a mix of Greek and American standbys.  I had one of the "gourmet pizzas," and while I'm not sure what was gourmet about it (Serious Pie would seem to fit that description a bit better), it was quite tasty.

The staff were friendly, as was Kristo himself, who has a long history in local bars and resautrants including Suni's (Greek in Shoreline), the Back Door in Lake City, and the old "Appointment" downtown.  It's a nice place that the neighbors in the area are fortunate to have nearby.  They have an upstairs area for private parties and events and will sometimes host music, fashion shows, etc.

As I went on a lazy, sunny afternoon, I now must check it out on a weekend evening, when the place has the buzz of a few more patrons and the romantic interior is no doubt at its best.

3218 Eastlake Ave, Seattle, WA 98102 - (206) 588-8885
kristoseastlake.com - the stranger - seattletimes - yelp

#1124 #S672 - The Ram, Seattle - 5/31/2010

The Ram is a large, heartless sports bar, pretty much devoid of any character or charm, located in a congested shopping mall, and catering to people who are still learning to drink (it's about 80% UW students). This makes it not much of an attraction for me, but I did amuse myself by engaging in various wagers with my neighbor at the bar on the two snockered guys on the other side. But such wagers aside, if for some reason you want to drink with students at a UW sports bar, and you don't belong to a fraternity, I'd recommend heading a little bit further north to the Duchess.

2650 University Village, Seattle, WA 98105 - 206-525-3565
theram.com - the stranger - urban drinks - yelp

#1123 #S671 - Daniels (Lake Union), Seattle - 5/31/2010

I generally don't have high expectations for bars in steakhouses, but I extended my visit at Daniels Lake Union beyond the planned quick lunch.  This was thanks to some great conversation with customer Tim, the bartender Nick, and the fact that Daniels, like many upscale restaurants over the past 2 to 3 years, have seriously upgraded their game in cocktails.

809 Fairview Place N, Seattle, WA 98109 - (206) 621-8262
schwartzbros.com - seattle times - the stranger - yelp - seattle pi

#1122 #S670 - Carmelita, Seattle - 5/30/2010

Update: Carmelita has announced they will close after Sep 29, 2013.

If I made every decision based on the morality of the situation, of course I would not waste money on selfish indulgences like cocktails and this list would not exist.  Fortunately for the project, I'm not that moral, and for similar reasons, I am not a vegetarian.  I can't dispute the ethical superiority of being one, I'm just a little too selfish to give up the great joy of burned animal flesh.

This is why I'd never been to Carmelita, the very popular vegetarian restaurant in my neighborhood.  I thought about it many times, but it would just never win out when right across the street at the 74th St. Ale House I could get a juicy salmon sandwich or one of the best soups of the day in the city, often containing little treats like Cascioppo Brothers chorizo or strips sliced from the thigh of some chicken who probably never did anybody any harm.

And while I knew Carmelita served some of their own invented cocktails, I didn't even know if they had a bar, so until this day I never even bothered to stop in for a drink.  That, from a purely selfish point of view, was a big mistake.

Carmelita serves some really good cocktails.  They're neck and neck with Oliver's Twist and Stumbling Goat for the best in the neighborhood.  The Seattle Times called them one of the best happy hour in the north end and The Stranger called them "Seattle's highest-minded vegetarian restaurant," and those both appear to be on the money.  The cocktail menu includes seasonal ingredients in several tasty options, but I went for the "Mr. Carmelita" (Rye, Punt e Mes, Amaro Nonino, Angostura bitters – served up), and it was excellent (it appears to be the bartender's favorite as well, though not as popular with the customers as some of the other options).

So as long as I remain immoral enough to spend a portion of my money on  luxuries like cocktails while other people in the world are suffering, I'm planning on going to Carmelita with much more regularity.

7314 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103-5042 - (206) 706-7703‎
carmelita.net - seattle times - seattle pi - seattle weekly - seattle magazine - the stranger - yelp