Posole, and other GREAT Mexician in and around Seattle or Bellingham??

[Katgotyourtounge]

I am a recent transplant from California. I live alone, in a small studio and am still making friends. So making a huge pot of delicious Posole is probably more than I can take right now. Also my boyfriend who lives in Seattle via Alaska has never had Posole, and I don't want his first expereince with the heavenly soup to be one I made. I need something that tastes like your abuelita spent all day making it; not like a freckley white girl from California made it.

So I am looking for great Mexican restaurants. They can be a hole in the wall or they can be pricey. I am particularly craving Posole, but hand made tortillas, fantastic mole, and good tamales are hard to find this close to the wrong border. Please help a girl out.

[yummers]

I am not a posole expert, but I have never had a bowl as tasty as the one served up by La Tarasca in Centralia. La T also has delicious hand-made tortillas, melt in your mouth tamales and fabulous pork stews (especially their chile verde). So the problem becomes, how do you justify a trip down to Centralia? You might go to the Columbia Gorge for a weekend -- still fabulous to wander and look at this time of year -- then hit Centralia on your way back. Or you could go for some regional history, checking out the murals in that town, both the official apolitical ones and the moving tribute to Wesley Everest, the IWW organizer who was tortured and killed there nearly a century ago. Maybe take in a movie at McMenimin's.

Or you could just go as a chow fanatic.

[PAO]

There are three different kinds of posole--blanco, rojo and verde--all delicious depending on your mood.. I've had La Carta's, which is rojo, as I recall. It's OK. Alas, have never had posole up here as good as you can get in Mexico. Santa Fe's is New Mexican style, which is very different than Mexican.

[mrnelso]

Burrito Loco, on Holman Road, has Posole and Menudo (and good mole).

[barleywino]

Steelhead diner currently has a great geoduck tostada with posole, beets, acorn squash etc-- very fresh, crisp and vibrant flavors.

[jakecola]

If you want a real-deal Torta, like, literally the best Torta I've ever had, check out Barriga Llena on 99. Awesome. For good mole, you can't bear La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard.

[staffstuff]

Santa Fe Cafe on Phinney Ridge has a good posole stew

[bbqer]

El Sabor on 155th & Aurora qualifies as a hole in the wall with seating and they make a delicious posole, but on weekends only.

[Lauren]

Burrito Loco also makes a passable posole.

[zoogrrrl]

No posole w/ pork better than at La Carta, from my experience.

[sasha1]

Hey Kat,
I'm also a relatively new transplant from California. I worked in Seattle and so lived in Everett for a bit. Now I'm in Bellingham. We've tried Casa Que Pasa and Banditos Burritos up here. I'd suggest taking a pass - you will be disappointed after the great Mex food in CA. Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard is very yummy. Are you in B'ham or Seattle? If B'ham, I'm always looking for a foodie friend.

[Katgotyourtounge]

Sasha,
I do live in Bellingham. I would love to get together. I don't really know how to email you using chowhound. You could try me at [e-mail]. It would be great to make a friend in Bellingham.
-Kat

[oliveoyl]

I'm going to second terrier on la carta de oaxaca, in ballard ..they have posole on the menu and it is splendid + their mole is great too.

[terrier]

I've had passable posole at La Carta de Oaxaca before, but by far the best I've had in the area has been at La Tarasca in Centralia.

[equinoise]

Terrier names the best two mexican restaurants in western washington, IMO, neither of which, incidentally, are hole in the wall.

I've never had posole, but I've seen it on offer at many of the taqueria/downscale/hole places that cater to the hispanic community, sometimes, I believe, as a weekend special. My favorite joints of this sort generally are Rosticeria El Paisano (White Center); Taqueria La Estacion (Burien); Muy Macho (South Park, SEA); La Conasupo Market (Greenwood, SEA); and Casa El Dorado (Everett)

[terrier]

Oh yes! I forgot that I have had posole verde at La Estacion. It was pretty good - but not La Tarasca good, and they don't make their own tortilla in house.

I like the parillada or tacos at La Estacion better - those keep me coming back.