#2632 #S1283 - ZapVerr, Seattle - 9/22/2014

ZapVerr, Seattle, WA

Seattle is happily awash in Thai restaurants, with 126 at last count, or one for every 7 Thai residents. ZapVerr, which replaced another Thai joint in this space, distinguishes itself with a  highly stylized interior and a menu focused on the Isaan cuisine of northeastern Thailand:

'We have an enormous menu coming from “E-Sann”, the northeastern part of Thailand. E-Sann Thai food is very different from Thailand’s Central Cuisine, it uses more chili, less sugar, more herbs and a unique fish sauce called “Pla-raa”. Our secret recipe is very important to make every dish authentic, delicious, and nicely presented.' As per the restaurant "zap" means delicious and "verr" means over the top.

That said, I generally start at a new Thai place with some standards from the American Thai menu, and these were a bit underwhelming. The chicken skewers were over-cooked and a bit gamey, and the Panang chicken was okay, although I would have preferred more than a few nano-slices of veggies. I will need to come back and try one of their signature dishes. The Thai Mai Tai was better than most, with the lychee cutting the sugary taste. There's no denying that the decor is cool, and that with the club music playing gives the place a nightclub vibe.

3410 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 - (206) 632-2898                
Est. Aug 2014 - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site:  zapverr.com - facebook 
Reviews: thestranger - yelp - tripadvisor - fremontuniverse - eater 

#2631 #S1282 - Buffalo Wild Wings, Seattle - 9/21/2014

A great big chain sports bar with wings and beer and cheesy cocktails.

1624 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206) 467-2743
Est. Aug 2014 - Building constructed: 1926
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor  

#2630 #S1281 - Quality Athletics, Seattle - 9/21/2014

Quality Athletics, Seattle, WA

Quality Athletics is a sports bar from Seattle chef and mini industry Josh Henderson, who in recent years has gone from a food truck to a double digit count of high profile restaurants in the Seattle area, including one stretch in which he opened 9 in 7 months. He remade a humble dive in the Hollywood Tavern, created a top notch shoreline experience in Westward, brought fine cocktails to view from the roof of the Thompson Hotel in Nest, among many others.

Quality Athletics is located in a newer building in the shadow of the football and baseball stadiums and, as the name implies, it takes the sports bar theme seriously. There are walls of trophies, a row of lockers, artificial turn, a table tennis door, televisions and medicine balls. The "un-sports bar" concept they talk about comes into play in the food, which includes many sports bar standards but with creative twists by Henderson's chef Seth Richardson. On top of those they throw in such unsportsmanlike options as a sprouted quinoa and kale bowl, pork belly ramen, and spicy prawn tom kha soup. And you can certainly get a few nice cocktails here, as you can at any of Henderson's joints, but it will be the games and food that bring you into this one.

115 S. King St., Seattle, WA 98104 - (206) 420-3015
Est. Sep 2014 (soft opening Sep 4, official open Sep 12) - Building constructed: 2014
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: qualityathletics.com - facebook
Articles ranked: seattletimes - seattlerefined - seattlemag - komonews - eater - theinfatuation - suzi-pratt - seattlemet - bizjournals - yelp - tripadvisor - thestranger - thrillist  

#2629 #S1280 - Giddy Up Burgers, Seattle - 9/20/2014

Giddy Up Burgers and Greens, Seattle, WA

Giddy Up Burgers and Greens is a western-themed, burger and beer centric bar and restaurant in the "Frelard" area between Fremont and Ballard. The burgers are diverse and high quality, with chicken and vegetarian options to the organic, grass-fed beef. In addition to a broad selection of beers there are a few wine and cocktail options. The setting is a 1966 convenience store remodeled beyond all recognition with dramatically angled wood beams, reclaimed barn wood siding, large windows, and an ample patio in the event of sunny weather.

Giddy Up Burgers and Greens, Seattle, WA

4600 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 782-2798
Est. Aug 18, 2014 - Building constructed: 1966
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: giddyupburgers.com - facebook
Reviews: seattledining - yelp - tripadvisor 

#2628 - Grumpy's, Garfield, WA - 9/14/2014

How could you not like a small town bar called Grumpy's? Grumpy's Tavern claims to be "The best place in Garfield to be for food and beer," and if you don't count the convenience store or assisted living facility, their case is unassailable. It's located in downtown Garfield, across from the meat locker. It's not a super rollicking place -- it's closes at 9pm every night, including Fridays and Saturdays. But it is a pleasant community gathering place, with wings, burgers, and other old school bar food to go with the cold beer. For the warmer months there is patio and expansive grassy beer garden out back.

Garfield Washington was founded in early 1880s and named after the recently assassinated president. The last census found the city has approximately 600 people, 97.3% of them white, and 0.2% of them African American (if you're good at math you know that means one black person). Whenever you find yourself in the parts of the Palouse, between Potlatch and Steptoe, you should consider swinging through Garfield and into Grumpy's for a cold one.

Grumpy's Tavern, Garfield, 

215 W Main St, Garfield, WA 99130 - (509) 635-1602                     
Previous bars in this location: Tote's Tavern
Web site: facebook   

#2627 - C & D's Tekoa Bar & Grill, Tekoa, WA - 9/14/2014

C & D's Tekoa Bar & Grill, Tekoa, WA

Tekoa ("TEE-koh") Washington sits just a mile from the Idaho border and straddling Hangman Creek. There are two restaurants in town but only one bar and that is C & D's Bar & Grill, AKA the Tekoa Bar and Grill. "C&D" stands for Cal and Donavon Chase, father and down who've run the place with their wives Cathy and Sara for the last severeal years. Before the Chases it was known as the Tekoa Tavern. And BTW, the sign out front announcing "Adam Passed!" was in reference to an employee passing the bar exam, not departing this mortal coil. C&D's serves up classic diner food with an emphasis on breakfast and burgers, including a comically big burger called "Donavon's Big Daddy."

132 N Crosby St, Tekoa, WA 99033 - (509) 284-3200                        
Web site: tekoabarandgrill.com - facebook
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor 

#2626 - Fredneck's , Rockford, WA - 9/13/2014

If you are somehow capable of driving through a small rural town and NOT stopping at a place named something like "Fredneck's Saloon and Beanery," well, I just think we would have very little in common. A "beanery," of course, is the old timey name for a railroad eating house, although these days we now rarely refer to the female servers as "beanery queens." The old west false front is still there, but at today's beanery the Faro has been replaced by pull tabs, the cowboy hats by snapback baseball caps, and the mine and timber workers by aging bikers and insurance agents in cargo shorts. But I'll take the vestiges of the old west where I can get them, and it still feels a world away from Applebee's, so cheers to Fredneck's and God bless our beaneries. Make sure and stop here and have a drink.

Fredneck's Saloon & Beanery, Rockford, WA

Fredneck's Saloon & Beanery, Rockford, WA

130 W Emma St, Rockford, WA 99030 - (509) 291-3880
Web site: facebook 
Reviews: yelp - tripadvisor