Second Annual Ultimate Seattle Restaurant Poll (2007)

[dagrassroots]

Last year was the first year we did this poll on the Seattle board (props to Mr. Grub on the LA board who gets royalties for his idea) and it was a great success with 37 responses. Here is a link to last years results http://www.chowhound.com/topics/353349 . Hopefully this year we can have even more responses to make the list even more comprehensive. So here’s the deal, rate your top five, and only five restaurants in the Seattle area that you would recommend to a friend visiting Seattle, looking for a memorable dining experience. The scoring will go 5 points for a first place vote, 4 for a second place vote, 3 for a third place vote, 2 for a fourth place vote and one for a fifth place vote. I'll set the deadline for voting to be Dec. 20th. After that I will publish the results. For the moderators, this is not a chowhound sanctioned poll. I will start off with my top five.

1. Lark
2. Green Leaf
3. Harvest Vine
4. Palace Kitchen
5. Malay Satay Hut

[rhoogs]

Lark
Cafe Presse
Cafe Besalu
Carta de Oaxaca
Via Tribunali

[bluedog67]

Was there a tally? Did I miss the thread?

[dagrassroots]

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/471619

[bluedog67]

Thanks - for the link and especially for the tally!! Interesting results that they range from high end to casual, reflecting that good food doesn't have a price tag!

[Bethwick]

Not my 5 favorites of the year, but 5 I would recommend to various friends;

Union - for downtown
Rovers - for splendid French vegetarian
Ponti - for NW seafood
Palace Kitchen - for NW
Tamarind Tree - for Vietnamese

[equinoise]

barleywino? howard1st? Only one day to go; this poll won't be the same without your imprimateur.

[Courtneyah]

1. Le Gourmand
2. Paseo
3. Elemental
4. Salumi
5. Le Pichet

[zoogrrrl]

Crow
La Carta
Palace Kitchen
Le Pichet
La Vita e Bella

Hope to get to Quinn's and Green Leaf in the next couple of weeks!

[chipqmunk]

Mondello
Salumi
Crow
Shiro's
Hi-Life

[clearskies0810]

tamarind tree
la carta de oaxaca
salumi
umi sake house
volterra

[malarkey]

1. Boat St Cafe
2. Union
3. Le Pichet
4. Lark
5. Szechuan Chef

So hard to keep the list at 5, and many I feel are equally good but I go there for different reasons.

[jaydeflix]

"many I feel are equally good but I go there for different reasons."

That's the whole reason I haven't been able to make a list and why I hate people who simply ask me 'Where should I go for dinner tonight?' and can't give more details and force me to play 20 questions... 'Small group? Romantic? Loud? Beer/wine or Alcohol? Short meal, long meal? Dislikes? Price limit?'

And even then, I don't think I could rank the restaurants. I could easily name 5 'top' establishments I'd recommend, but I don't think I could compare, say, Rancho Bravo Taco Truck to Green Leaf, but I'd easily put them both near the top of the list. And then how do you throw in Skillet?

Well, heck, lets try, even tho I hate trying to number them.

Skillet
Green Leaf
Rancho Bravo
Paseo
Oliver's Twist

But I can't say Rancho Bravo is better than Oliver's Twist. I mean, it's two completely different types of food. Two different environments. I don't think it is safe to compare like this. Makes me feel all icky inside =)

[christy319]

1. Mistral
2. Green Leaf
3. Boat Street Cafe
4. Seven Stars Pepper
5. Cafe Presse

[rocrock]

1. Cafe Campagne
2. Wild Ginger
3. Gaspare
4. Palisade
5. Etta's Seafood

[Roo]

1. Sitka & Spruce
2. Tilth
3. Cafe Juanita
4. Xinh's
5. Grinders

[burritobelle]

1. Umi Sake House
2. Paseo
3. Serafina
4. Tamarind Tree
5. Betty (only been once but it was so damn good it gets my vote!!)

[dandelion]

1. Lark
2. Crow
3. Caffe Presse
4. Veil
5. Tilth

[amyb]

1) Volterra
2) Nishino
3) Zoe
4) La Carta de Oaxaca
5) Le Pichet

[karen2006]

1. Mistral
2. Restaurant Zoe
3. Cremant
4. Waterfront
5. Ototo

Really looking forward to trying Quinn's and Trellis soon!

[jiaotzegirl]

Sichuanese Cuisine (Bellevue)
TRELLIS!!!
Cafe Juanita
Le Pichet
Salumi

[bighound]

is this poll for SEATTLE only or are we including the eastside? might have to change my list if we are.

[dagrassroots]

It is the seattle area.

[oliveoyl]

Union
Lark
Green Leaf
Quinn's (despite it's being so new)
Sea Garden (for the dungeness crab in black bean sauce alone)

but there are a few new places I've not been too ... I guess, that's for next year!

[bighound]

1-UNION
2-SALUMI
3-MATT'S
4-PASEO
5-NISHINO
and just for fun
1-CAFE BESALU
2-LE FOURNIL
3-NORTH HILL BAKERY
4-BAKERY NOUVEAU
5-60TH STREET DESSERTS

[ms sonja]

1. Cremant
2. Harvest Vine
3. Lark
4. Crow
5. Via Tribunali

[slabbit]

1. Lark
2. Harvest Vine
3. La Carta de Oaxaca
4. Steelhead Diner
5. People's Pub (love those fried pickles!!!)

[mrnelso]

Salumi
Elemental at Gasworks
Green Leaf
Paseo
Tilth

[alki_chick]

1. Voterra
2. Cafe Campagne
3. Tamarind Tree
4. Restaurant Zoe
5. Shucker's

[aloe24]

1. Lark
2. Tilth
3. Restaurant Zoe
4. Harvest Vine
5. Pair

[cburnsi]

Voterra
Harvest Vine
Szechuan Chef
Serious Pie
Senor Moose

[jiaotzegirl]

If you like Szechuan Chef, head a bit further north to Sichuanese Cuisine -- the most authentic Sichuan flavors in the PNW. Try fish with pickled peppers; Chongqing chicken; Water-Boiled beef or fish; Ma-Po Tofu; and there is a lamb dish with cumin and coriander...the name escapes me. This is not for the faint of tongue...it is really rich and ma-la the traditional numbing spice of Sichuan. No other restaurant does it like this one.

[kkbriggs]

1. Green Leaf
2. Cafe Campagne
3. Paseo
4. Pair
5. Volterra

[staffstuff]

Mistral
Pomegranate
Chiang's Gourmet
Cucina De Ra
Divine

[etoiledunord]

1. Union
2. Salumi
3. Volterra
4. Zoe
5. Green Leaf

[equinoise]

1. Union
2. Harvest Vine
3. Tamarind Tree
4. Szechuan Chef
5. Kisaku

Props to dagrassroots once again.

[Leper]

dagrassroots, What a great tradition! Mulled wine, decorating the tree and voting on our favorite Seattle area Chowhound destinations. Here's my fav 5:

1. Harvest Vine
2. Seven Stars
3. La Gourmand
4. Il Terrazo Carmine
5. Salumi

[bobert1006]

1. Harvest Vine
2. Rover's
3. Cafe Juanita
4. Le Gourmand
5. Zoe

[magfoodguy]

1. Sitka & Spruce
2. Boat Street
3. La Carta Oaxaoca
4. Cafe Presse
5. Quinn

[Charles]

1) Café Presse
2) Harvest Vine
3) Via Tribunale
4) Jack’s Tapas Cafe Mainly Chinese
5) Green Leaf

[landguy]

1.Samurai Noodle
2.Quinn's
3. Lark
4. Szechuan Chef
5. Via Tribunali

[natalie.warner]

Volterra (for Brunch)
Ray's Boathouse (for the View)
Cascadia (for the HH)
Honeyhole (for Lunch)
Shucker's (for Northwest style fish and scallops)

[hhlodesign]

1. Mistral
2. Salumi
3. Veil
4. Union
5. Samurai

[gt1485a]

Boat Street
Voila
La Gourmand
Tamarind Tree
Sorrentino's

[terrier]

1. Pho Bac
2. Dinette
3. Harvest Vine
5. Serious Pie
4. Tamarind Tree

[kirkj]

1. Green Leaf
2. Harvest Vine
3. Crush
4. Yea's Wok
5. Flying Fish

[dagoose]

1. Seven Stars Peppers
2. Dahlak
3. Shun
4. Old Village Korean Restaurant
5. Volterra

[bluedog67]

1. Sitka and Spruce
2. Crush
3. Boat Street
4. Lark
5. Matt's

[frygirl]

1. Matt's in the Market
2. Palace Kitchen
3. Market Grill
4. Pair
5. Old Town Alehouse

[dimsumfan]

This is always fun!

1. Green Leaf
2. Malay Satay Hut
3. Kisaku
4. Szechuan Chef
5. Paseo

[Lauren]

1. Boat Street
2. Union
3. Lark
4. Palace Kitchen
5. Portage