13698 Mon Jan 17 16:48:45 -0800 2005 8 4 Pacific Northwest 0 29469 Next Monday I plan to drive from Seattle (actually, Bellevue) WA to Vancouver, BC. I expect to leave near the end of rush hour (say about 6pm), otherwise I'll just be stuck in north-bound traffic. But I'd like to stop for dinner somewhere along the way. Were it not Monday, the Rhododendron Cafe would be the obvious place. But it will be Monday, and the Rhody will be closed. Are there any good places in or between Everett and Mount Vernon that anyone out there can recommend for dinner (on a Monday)? (I do this drive from time to time, so go ahead and recommend a place even if it's not open Mondays.) I know that there are some good places in Bellingham, but that's further than I'd like to drive before stopping. Mount Vernon is about my limit. Mon Jan 17 16:48:45 -0800 2005 0 Steve S 1 29470 It is not overly exciting, but in Everett try Anthony's Woodfire Grill. It is on the waterfront next to the Naval base. There is an Anthony's there as well. Closer to the road is a Lombardi's. Those are the only restaurants that I can think of that would definitely be open. Plus they are easy to find and an easy jaunt off the freeway. Mon Jan 17 17:09:11 -0800 2005 29469 0 Eric 2 29471 Could you post some directions from I-5 to these places? I don't know my way around Everett at all. By the way, pulling out my new "Best Places" I see that they recommend Alligator Soul and Emory's Lake House for dinner in Everett (and they are both open Mondays). Do you know these places? Are they hard to get to from I-5? Mon Jan 17 17:19:07 -0800 2005 29470 0 Steve S 3 29472 I have heard good things about Alligator Soul, but have not been there myself. It is in the downtown part of Everett...not a very good area though. I forgot about Emory's. That one is in an interesting location, although not bad food I wouldn't recommend it for this trip. Its basically an after work bar/meet your neighbors there for dinner type of place. Not anywhere near as nice for views either, its suburbia. To get to any of the Anthony's/Lombardis locations, take I-5 North and you have your choice of 2 exits. The first option is to take the Broadway exit for Everett, which is a left lane exit. It puts you directly on Broadway. Follow that to Pacific and take a left. Stay on Pacific and take a right on Marie View Drive. There is a light just on the north side of the base, , so take that left and Lombardis is right there. The Anthony's restaurants are further back toward the water, easy to spot. The other option for driving is I-5 to the Pacific Way exit. Take a left at Pacific and follow that to Marie View Drive. Same directions from there. Leaving those restaurants, you can take the same way back to the freeway, but an easier option to is go north on Marine View Drive and it will take you over the trestle and put you on I-5 up near Marysville. Its less downtown traffic, and basically shorter. I was stationed at the base there for a few years, so know the area well. Mon Jan 17 18:06:07 -0800 2005 29471 0 Eric 4 29474 Thanks for the advice and directions. But I hope others won't be discouraged from making suggestions for places a bit further north. Is there really nothing of note up there? Mon Jan 17 18:15:37 -0800 2005 29472 0 Steve S 5 29475 The next closest towns are Marysville and Arlington. Living there for several years we never found anything besides strill mall foods up there. After Arlington, there isn't much for a while and I honestly don't remember anything special up that way. I'm sure there is, I just never found it though. Hopefully others will chime in, but if not you at least have a few good options. Mon Jan 17 18:26:59 -0800 2005 29474 0 Eric 6 29486 Till someone chips in with other information, if there is any to be had, at least I have a choice now between your two places in Everett and going all the way to Mount Vernon, where we like Pacioni's Pizzeria right on the main drag. Thanks again. Mon Jan 17 22:47:42 -0800 2005 29475 0 Steve S 1 29523 Steve, right around the corner from the Rhody is the Longhorn, best basket of fried oysters I've ever had (and I don't even really like fried oysters, preferring them on the half-shell - which makes me think maybe I haven't ever had a decent fried oyster before). These are quickly fried, small, tender, crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside oysters in a bed of fries with some good coleslaw. Add a Boundary Bay Stout from the tap, and it's better than anything for miles. They do oysters a half dozen other ways, too, which I haven't tried, but look good. The Longhorn is in Everson, so going north on whatever street the Rhody is on, take a left just before the Rhody, go 1 or 2 miles, and you'll run right into it. At 6 o'clock, it'll be pitch dark around there, but don't give up. Not sure if it's open Monday, but be aware that it is a bar, so no kids allowed. Wed Jan 19 10:58:45 -0800 2005 29469 0 Tobias 2 29568 Tobias, Just to help folks find this place, don't you mean that it's in Edison (or did you really mean Everson)? Second, it the idea that if you're going north on the road the Rhody is on (Chuckanut Drive, Rte 17), you turn left at the intersection at which the Rhody is located? (This is the road you get on when you leave I-5 at exit 236 called Bow-Edison Road.) There are lots of little roads around there, but I'll bet this is the one you mean. Of course I don't like to stray to far from I-5 when I have to get from A to B, but sometimes I just like to explore that rural part of Washington state, and I'll certainly keep your recommendation in mind then. Of course, the Oyster bar is just up Chuckanut Drive from the Rhody, if one has time and wants to go upscale. I was hoping to find a place near I-5 between Everett and Mount Vernon, since that would be about the right amount of driving time from Seattle before I'd like to stop for a feed. But the collective wisdom of NW Chowhound indicates that there is just nothing worthwhile there. Sat Jan 22 14:43:33 -0800 2005 29523 0 Steve S