. : seattle foodster : .

The first mainstream, non-bar restaurant to open up in Vulcanized Southlake is an establishment bearing its name. The Southlake Grill, under the Alley 24 apartment building, is sister to the Greenlake Bar and Grill and the Eastlake Bar and Grill. Although the food remains similar to the other two restaurants, the Southlake Grill takes you a step away from wooden tables and scenic views and moves you to a modern urban setting. Bright colored Seattle city art, flat screen TV’s, and fresh fixtures demand your attention.

The first thing you’ll notice when you enter the Southlake Grill is not the hostess but rather the size of the restaurant. It’s not big, but it’s also not small. Super high ceilings allow the restaurant to sport two levels of dining. Another thing you can’t help but notice is how friendly the staff is. Perhaps it’s because they only opened up a few weeks ago but it would also be hard not to have a positive attitude in this environment.

So how’s the food? I’ll level with you. It’s good but you’re not going to encounter anything groundbreaking. You won’t quit your job and devote your life to food because of their menu. However you’ll leave satisfied and pleased with your meal and thinking about when you’ll come back next. I’ve passed the Southlake Grill during their early and late happy hours and can honestly say they’re consistently crowded.

My girlfriend and I worked on two entrées and a dessert together. The first entrée was a bacon cheeseburger. We figured we’d try to keep it simple. As such we were delivered a typical burger you’d expect from a casual dining establishment. The meat was thick and the bun was firm. The only negative thing I noticed here was that the lettuce was wilting and discolored.

Our second entrée was the beef dip. I was a fan, however my girlfriend was not. Unfortunately for her I’m the Seattle Foodster, so I have the power to override her vote. Thin slices of beef were topped with horseradish and provolone cheese and sandwiched between toasted French bread. My girlfriend happens to hate horseradish so she obviously didn’t care for this sandwich. But assuming you’re not offended by the condiment you’ll find this meal quite pleasing. The tender beef goes well with the sharp melted provolone cheese. Also, it’s hard not to enjoy dipping your sandwich in au jus, softening the bread. As far as the fries go… you can’t have just one. They’re not exactly shoestring fries but they certainly aren’t overly starchy or stuffed with potatoes.

I do have a confession to make. Normally before I eat something I take a photo of it so you can see the item. Unfortunately, the Apple Pie alla Mode we ordered was so good that I can only provide pictures of the aftermath. That’s correct. There is nothing left on the plate because it was that good. Puff pasty, surrounding warm apple slices topped with cinnamon, caramel syrup and vanilla ice cream. Please don’t think that we pigged out. If you order this I’m sure you’ll behave the same way.

As you can see, the Southlake Grill proved to be a reliable restaurant. Its expansive menu can please different appetites and the food, although we played it somewhat safe, was dependable. It seems that Southlake Grill will become even more popular given its trendy, modern style in a new and hip Seattle neighborhood.

American, Bar, Northwest

Rumor has it that Duke’s is known for making seriously delicious chowder. They also have a fantastic happy hour, which is the basis of this review. Duke’s has several locations, Greenlake, South Lake Union, and Alki, each of them with scenic views. Normally, I’d be tentative to write a review based on a restaurant’s happy hour. It wouldn’t seem fair to judge the premier food at a restaurant with its simple happy hour snacks. However, when eating at Duke’s you can rest assured that their happy hour fare will stand up against their full menu.

I have to be honest about something. I kind of find the fisherman/beach theme a little tacky. But that’s just me; I just wanted to throw it out there. I’ve never even been fishing. Perhaps it’s some really cool fishing stuff. Regardless, it helps give the restaurant an overall comfortable feel. I found the staff to be really helpful. They were attentive to the needs of my girlfriend and me and made sure that we were comfortable at our table without being overly present.

Duke’s happy hour includes specials on cocktails and food, so when you go feel free to have a couple of “Duketails.” We drank the Strawberry Lemon Drop and Kamakazi. I know I should have been sampling a beer but it was such a nice day at the time I had to partake in the sugary cocktails.

It’s best to order and share several of the appetizers. Between the two of us, we shared the Dungeness Crab Dip and the Steamers. We also each ordered a cup of “Duke’s Award Winning Clam Chowder.” I have to admit at first I thought that we, or rather I, would have to eat again as soon as I got home. Turns out I was wrong. Although small, several little plates add up.

The Dungeness Crab Dip is served in a hallowed out sourdough bread bowl. The idea is to scoop out the dip and smear it on the sourdough bread slices and enjoy. The dip was nice and warm and you could definitely taste the fresh crab mixed in.

The Steamers, which are Washington Manila clams, are steamed in Mac ‘n Jacks Amber, garlic butter and dill. Granted, clams by themselves are not very filling, however this plate is huge and I definitely recommend taking some of your bread and dipping it in the broth.

Now for the clam chowder — it’s not exactly what you think of when you think of chowder. It’s creamy like the New England style but it’s not white. It’s also not red like the Manhattan version. Actually, it’s kind of brown or tan. Tan, blue or green it’s really good. It’s thick and flavorful and you can taste the bits of fresh clams.

So, this was Duke’s happy hour. As I said previously, I generally don’t like to recommend a restaurant based on its happy hour, simply because it’s one of the times where some tend to let their food slip. They focus more on drinks than food, so it’s really special when you find a place like Duke’s that does happy hour food right. And if their “snacking” food is this good I know we’ll be returning to try out their regular menu soon.

American, Bar, Northwest, Seafood