I am always on the lookout for new breakfast places to try in my nieghborhood, as my options are either too crowded (Pesos) or too inconsistent (Ozzie’s). And I am a man who loves his hash browns, especially when hungover. I had heard good things about the Shanty (or maybe imagined these things…) and so I went there to try it out.

Walking in, it was what I had expected: a small hole in the wall divey diner, a rarity in Seattle. Although it was relatively busy, it was easy to get a table, and the service wasn’t slow. However, flies were buzzing around the place, and let me tell you, thats a quick way to lose your appetite.

The food was a little disappointing. I ordered the Eggs Benedict, which came with hash browns. The eggs were decent, but the hash browns were disappointing. It’s saving grace was that it wasn’t very expensive.

I may have just gotten a rare bad plate of food, but I doubt I will come here again. There are much better places in Lower Queen Anne/Uptown for breakfast or brunch. Really, how hard is it to make good hash browns.

The first thing that needs to be said about Amante is this: you can order online delivery online. If you are someone who hates using the phone like me, this perfect. I have had them deliver to me twice, and the only person I had to talk was the delivery guy. Awesome.

There pizza is decent, probably three star. It’s not the best in the Seattle (Bill’s Off Broadway and Delfino’s still battle for the top spot in my heart) but its better than Pagliacci and its free delivery. And did I mention the online ordering? Yeah, I am a bit obsessed with that. Anyway, they give you ample toppings, and a good amount of cheese*. The toppings are good quality as well. The crust is probably the weakest part of the pizza. It tastes a little “pre-made.” Still overall a good experience.

My only real negative is that the online ordeing may not be perfect. They have gotten our salad order wrong before.

*Note: In the great Pizza debates, I am firmly in the “more cheese, less sauce” camp. This pizza definitely satisfies that requirement. So if you are on the opposite side of the line, you might not feel the same way about Amante.

I went to Stellar for lunch with some co-workers, and ordered the daily slice-and-salad lunch special.

The Good: Nice upbeat decor. They played a Green Day mix, and even included the hidden track from “Dookie”. We had plenty of food with our servings. It was cheap, and relatively close to my office. And I thought our waitress was kinda cute.

The Not-So-Good: The food itself wasn’t too great. I had the pepperoni pizza and a side caesar salad, and neither were anything special. I am one of those who likes less sauce on my pizza, and I thought my slice had too much. The salad bore a passing resemblence to what Caesar was supposed to be, but the only Caesar that I have had that was worse came from my company cafeteria. Pagliacci’s pizza and salad are both superior in my opinion. But since Stellar is one of the few places that could pass a health inspection in Georgetown, I guess it will have to do.

When I moved up here from California, I was worried about finding good Mexican here in Seattle. Fortunately, I quickly found Blue Water in Queen Anne, and I was instantly in love. It’s great, cheap, and close to my house. I go there at least once a week.

They specialize in shrimp and fish dishes, but I usally get steak burritos and tortas, and these never disappoint. They grill the meat as soon as you order it, so you know it’s cooked fresh. If you enjoy the taste of lime juices in your meats, this place has you covered. They have a large menu to pick from, and they offer 5 types of salsas for your dish. I usually get my meal to go, but if you stay there, you can eat outside or in, and even enjoy a cerveza or two.

I enjoyed my experience at the Stumbling Goat. My pork loin was well prepared, and one of the best I have had. I couldn’t get enough of the pasta side that came with my dish. It was fantastic! I also tried a friend’s roast chicken, which was slightly spicy, but even better than the pork loin. The atmosphere was cozy and perfect for our group of 8. The ambiance was also ideal for a romantic date, as I saw several couples enjoying themselves.

My only complaints were that our waiter seemed a bit odd, and the service was slow. Our dinner took around 3 hours to complete. But these issues were fairly minor.