. : seattle foodster : .

After moving to Seattle, my first part-time job was at Pagliacci in the U-District. Considering myself a bit of a pizza connoisseur, a title bestowed upon me because I was born and raised in New York City, I found this place, with its Italian movie posters and unusual offerings of diverse toppings, odd indeed. Before I begin my review, I must admit there are a few other places that make pizza a little better. However, Pagliacci goes a step further by taking their pizza mainstream by the creation of a variety of seasonal specialty pizzas.

From the beginning, Pagliacci has maintained their mantra of keeping the ir menu simple. What I mean by this is that they understand that it is their pizza which makes them so intensely popular. If you are not a pizza eater (and I’m not sure how you could not be) Pagliacci has other items that should satisfy you, such as salads, calzone, lasagna, centioli (a super thin pizza crust) and breadsticks.

So what is it about the pizza at Pagliacci that makes it so popular? The answer is they have taken the classic pepperoni and even the daring Canadian bacon and pineapple to a whole new level. The primo pizzas are Pagliacci’s interpretation of gourmet pies. Primos can range from choices like the AGOG (fontina and mozzarella cheese, roasted garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, goat cheese, parsley and kalamata olives) to a Chicken Primo (chicken, artichoke hearts, red onion, peppers, mozzarella and ricotta).

Pagliacci has established that they have cornered the market with their gourmet pizzas but I wanted to see how a regular cheese pizza rated. I know it’s not fair to compare this pizza with the kind that I grew to love in New York, but I’m going to anyway. To begin with, pizza should be oily. It’s a sign that the mozzarella cheese is of high quality. It’s obvious that Pagliacci uses quality ingredients because I’ve seen the “grease haters” patting down their slices with a wad of napkins before enjoying.

Pagliacci pizza also has some sturdy structure to it. This is indeed a bizarre way to describe food but hear me out. The proper way to eat a pizza is to fold it in half (cutting it up with a knife and fork is unacceptable unless you are under the age of 4). Once you fold a slice it should still point out straight. If the beginning of the slice (the tip where you would take your first bite) droops down then that means that they stretched the dough too thin. However, you also do not want the bottom to crack, a sure fire sign that the dough was too thick. Since Pagliacci has made an art out of proportioning their ingredients you can rest assured that your slice will neither droop nor crack.

As for the flavor, the cheese is excellent. It produces the right amount of tangy oils that make pizza so fantastic. On the down side, I find Pagliacci’s sauce is a bit too spicy. This is a personal preference as I prefer pizza sauces to be sweeter. You can avoid them over-spicing your pizza pie by asking them not to dash oregano on the sauce before baking.

The one legitimate complaint about Pagliacci is their price. If you order a large cheese pizza (17 inches) you’re looking at roughly $16. Many of their primos also run around $21. However, many of the primos are delicious and, as we all know, high-end creative pizza commands a high-end price.

Italian, Pizza

For quite some time I’ve heard people talk about how cool Top Pot Doughnuts are. I know that I’ve had their doughnuts before (at a Starbucks, actually) but I wondered what could be so amazing about a coffee and doughnut shop.   Don’t get me wrong, I love doughnuts and coffee but I’m from New York so I’m pretty well aware of what a Dunkin’ Doughnuts looks like.  So when I visited Top Pot, I was expecting something more along the line of a fast food restaurant. You know, the kind of place with hideous colors and uncomfortable tables and chairs. The type of place where you feel guilty just for being there!

Much to my surprise, the Top Pot Doughnut shop I visited was eclectic and modern. It had a sense of coolness and class but was also as friendly as a small neighborhood java joint. With locations in Belltown, Capitol Hill, and Wedgwood, Top Pot makes a statement in both décor and taste. I would have to say that the signature look of each restaurant is the floor to ceiling book cases. Yes, the books are real and you can flip through them. There are also retro televisions scattered throughout the shops.

What you first notice when you walk into a Top Pot is the large glass display filled with colorful doughnuts. Avoid the urge to get a dozen and sit in your car by yourself with them. You’ll need to respect yourself in the morning.

Doughnuts are divided into three categories: Cake Style, Chocolate Cake Style, and Old Fashioned. Also they make seasonal doughnuts with flavors such as pumpkin. I’m a chocolate fan so each time I’ve went I’ve had a variation of chocolate.

The photos that I took are of the Chocolate Cake Doughnut. It’s a firm doughnut unlike the soft and flimsy texture of some of Top Pot’s better known competitors. What I like the best about their doughnuts and maple bars is that the icing tastes so fresh. I cannot imagine someone getting a stale treat here.

My only complaint is that the coffee station (at least in the Belltown location) is pretty disorganized. There isn’t any clear process of passing off drinks from barista to patron. You sort of have to go up to the counter and guess which one is yours.

Besides having great doughnuts, and a pretty cool design, Top Pot is popular for its attitude. The best thing about them is that they surround you in a guilt free environment. You don’t have to feel bad about stepping out of your office and down the street for your favorite daily treat. No longer do you need to enjoy a sweet treat in the confines of the company parking garage or tucked away in the corner of your cube.

Bakery

I know what you must be thinking.  Seattle Foodster is now going to review Irish bars?  I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with Irish bars.  In fact I’m sure that each one of us has had some fond memories of an Irish bar, albeit a fuzzy memory.

But Paddy Coyne’s is no ordinary Irish Pub.  Named after its owner Patrick “Paddy” Coyne, this bar is a leap above any other dive Irish bar.  Located in South Lake Union under the Alcyone apartments you can dine fire side or stay inside and watch soccer or rugby.  Paddy Coyne’s décor and furnishings are a well thought out blend of brown and black wood.  There are Irish sayings imprinted across the walls of which I have no idea what they mean.  And yes, there is a clock ticking down the time until St. Patrick’s Day. So what kind of food will be reviewed? Fish and Chips?  No, although I can tell you that the fish and chips are very good here.  I defy you to go to Paddy Coyne’s and not have a difficult time deciding between at least two of their menu items.  On this occasion I tasted two of their sandwiches.  As a side note I must recommend a few other items.  The first are the Baked Potato Skins.  Potato halves are stuffed with bacon, cheddar cheese, and topped with sour cream and chopped onions.  They are delicious and the healthiest part of this dish has to be the green onion.  Speaking of healthy… and fantastic… is the Chocolate Bread Pudding with a Jameson Butterscotch Sauce.  Honestly, as I just wrote that sentence I thought about driving back to Paddy Coyne’s to get some bread pudding to go. 

The first sandwich to be devoured was the Chicken Burger.  A simple grilled chicken breast is topped with melted cheddar cheese and barbecue mayonnaise, served on a warm grilled ciabatta roll.  The sandwich is an excellent combination of melted cheese and creamy sauce with a good, clean, grilled taste of the chicken. 

Next up is a favorite of mine.  The Fog City Steak Sandwich is a skirt steak marinated in ginger, soy and sesame oil, grilled medium rare and served on a garlic butter toasted baguette.  When I first ordered this I was unhappy because I was expecting some bread on the top and bottom, not served open-faced.  Each bite is so flavorful that serving this as a traditional sandwich would be a disservice because you would devour it in a minute.  Instead, you’ve got to work for the great taste by cutting into it.  The perfectly marinated steak is chewy, as skirt steak is, and the warm buttered bread is the salty steak’s perfect compliment. 

 

But don’t let me confuse you.  Paddy Coyne’s not only serves up great food but is also an awesome bar to go to with friends.  In fact they have a band that plays traditional Irish music every Sunday night from 6pm to 9pm.  Just be sure to get there early because this place is popular and gets crowded quickly.

Irish