Lets Fight All You So Called Foodies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As A Chef I always check this Chowhound.com out to see of new and exciting places. I mistakenly E-Mailed the opening of my new place out (which I am forbidden to mention) to try and stir up a creative buzz in all of you foodies out there. I asked for a bizarre place and got a variety of ordinary (Luaua is Awesome) places in which most of us have all dined. Think of Cool Hand Lukes, Fountain Court in Bellevue and Honeybear. They seemingly disappeared due to lack of support. I think we can all agree that these places were really good. Why is is that each time I check this line nobody has anything more creative than Bucca De Beppo,Rovers or any of those other big money media darlings.I thank those that did pop out a couple of fine off the cuff places. Is there not any great little places around Bizarro,Serafina,Pave Bakery in Everett). I myself love Pho Hoa on Aurora. The decor and such is garbage yet the food rocks and the people are gems. I promise in the future to not mention my place anywhere in my messages because I respect Chowhound and their wishes and I love to talk food. Come on people lets get a little creative and dig deep for some great neighborhood places. You all have to remember that many of these hotspots are hot because they have a great PR person pulling the strings and many of these chefs are just guys who wanted to own a restaurant. Having lived around the world I can tell you that for such a big city Seatle is really dragging in the culinary world. It is getting better yet still not at the peak. Lets fight!

Hey chowhounds

As exec chef for Tom Douglas' restaurants I've been reluctant to dive into posting for a variety of reasons, but Scott has spurred me on and I'm glad to see some "fight" in the PNW chowhound site.

I also would love to see more eclectic and chow first recommendations as opposed to the trendy, glitzy, got to be there first restaurants, but there aren't that many, that are postworthy. I don't quite understand Your comment about " these chefs are just guys who wanted to own a restaurant" care to explain?

Harvest Vine in the madison valley is great,
The Dish in ballard/fremont does a nice breakfast.
The Other Coast Cafe in old ballard knows how to make a good sandwich,with fairly standard products(a good commercial sandwich made with a lot of love)
Le Gourmand also in ballard is a great restaurant.
Salumi in Pioneer Sq is super cool with all the right meats but it's only open for lunch.
Cheers to organically sustaining and building on the recent activity on the PNW site.

Since you are discussing places to eat, here are a couple of small breakfast places. I have suggested some of these places to chowhounds.

Voula's Offshore Cafe, 658 NE Northlake Way, Seattle. Voula's is under I-5.

Stoneway Cafe, 3620 Stone Way North, Seattle.

Glo's, 1621 East Olive Way, Seattle.

The Shanty, 350 Elliott West, Seattle.

I'll put in a HUGE "second" on Voula's.
I've been going there for years - basic, simple breakfasts, done right.
It's the kind of place that you don't tell anyone about, unless you really, REALLY like them; otherwise, it's too crowded. Weekends especially.

But since Joe already mentioned it...

Okay, I'm convinced---I'm going to voula's this weekend. tell me what to order!!!!!!!!

My favorite breakfast there are eggs sunnyside up with hashbrowns and bacon. The hashbrowns cover the plate and the eggs are placed on top of the hashbrowns; keeps the eggs warm. I usually take the toast dry and make a bacon sandwich. I think I have had this meal the last 15 times I've been to Voula's.

i'm convinced. love the phrase, "keeps the eggs warm". can't wait to go.
thanks

For the sake of accuracy, you weren't forbidden to mention your restaurant. You were asked to stop spamming our users with emailed come-ons for that restaurant, and to stop injecting obnoxious PR graffitti into discussions (especially when failing, as per your most recent posting, to disclose your affiliation) and repeated mention in general.

That said, I too would love to see a better mix of conventional/unconventional opinions on this board. But it won't happen via taunts and challenges, it'll happen organically as local chowhounds (we are everywhere) gradually find out about the site. It's a gradual, organic process, and unfortunately we have no marketing budget with which to accelerate it.

Jim:

I am not sure what you mean by not disclosing. I thought i was not supposed to mention the name of the restaurant. I do not use a false name and the "lets fight" was just to stir up a look.I really would not want to get into fisticuffs with anyone. I figured maybe they would get curious and read my message and dig deeper and stop just giving the popular answers that they feel are what everyone wants to hear. I know you must agree that people only give props to most places because their "friends" love it or it is "hip".

I know this is your sight but I think sometimes people click on and see very little interesting topics and move on without looking what is in that string.I imagine by this time I seem like a troublemaker which I am definitely not. I too would love too see this great sight filled with great readers and more inquisitive feedback. Believe it or not I have met more than half of the people from Chowhound through the sight. One gentleman actually stepped back and in the kitchen and said hello. Like Tom Douglas I have included the link to get to this sight and I tell everyone, yet it is hard to get the word out. I feel kind of sad that you want to take such and organic route. I think this sight needs to be known. It is very fine.

www.blueonionbistro.com

I wasn't referring to your message starting this thread, I was referring to the preceding one which we deleted and for which you apologized via email.

"I know you must agree that people only give props to most places because their "friends" love it or it is "hip"."

I could not possibly disagree more. But you're entitled to your opinion.

Whatever the case I love the sight and I will keep telling my culinary bretheren.

Wow Gentlemen...that was quite the discussion. I missed Scott's post that got deleted so I have no frame of reference there.

I do agree with Jim that the food discussions will improve as more Pac NW chowhounds discover this site.

I also agree with Scott that the discussions often revolve around well-established joints.

So Scott - how about the Inn at Langley? Have you ever tried that gustatory experience? It's not the HerbFarm (and I haven't been to either in years) but it's a wonderful evening of dining. It's not for the pocket books of failed dot-comers though.

What about Mistral's or Zoe's or Nell's? Everyone loves Monsoon...but I too love Pho Hoa. I used to ride the Metro down to the the ID once a week to stand outside the bustling restaurant for my turn to slurp some of the best Pho in town. Do you ever swing by Sea Garden for some great Chinese seafood?

Or how about Sweet Addition's in Issaquah? Fresh rice krispie treats daily, amazing hoomemade soups and salads, generous sandwiches and tons of fresh-baked dessert delights (bread puddings, hummingbird cake, German chocolate etc) make it an wonderful place to lunch.

Maybe the chowhounds on the board just need a specific challenge. I bet, given the chance and the direction, we'd come through.

Beautiful response. I feel that the Inn at Langley is the best dining experience in Washington. It is nice to see the people throwing aroung good suggestions. The part you missed was that I did not understand rules of chowhound and tried to soft-sell my new restaurant in all the wrong ways and it kind of ticked folks off. If I offended You I apologize as well. I just love my place,chowhound and food in general. Keep the good places coming!

Scott

www.blueonionbistro.com