review seattle restaurants & have monthly dinners

A good friend of mine has family visiting and is planning a get together this Saturday evening for about 30 people. They had it planned for one local restaurant but something went wiggy a they were told today that the space is no longer availible.

They want to have it at a restaurant/bar/whatever, something nice but not crazy spendy. The place should have a full bar, decent appetizer type food and preferably a dedicated space that can be reseved for 30-ish people.

I've been doing my best to offer suggestions of places that fit the bill and also may have room on such short notice but I would welcome any suggestions you guys can come up with.

as some of you probably know, this month is the annual dine around seattle promotion where a bunch of restaurants that normally charge $20-35/entree serve a fixed price menu for $30 which includes appetizer, entree & dessert.

would anyone be interested in checking one out this sunday night? 'tis the season to be eating! ;)

No, I'm not trying to bug you about the state of your activism. It just seemed likely that with such a justifiable opportunity to indulge that a lot of folks who subscribe to this community would have a recent experience to discuss. So where did you go? Somewhere tried and true or did you take the opportunity to explore?

I very rarely go to a place that I know for this dinner. I like the exploration option. I called a friend who I know is usually up for an adventure, and we went to check out the Pomodoro, an Italian restaurant on Eastlake.

http://www.pomodoro.net

Oh yum, what a lucky choice. They have a nice space (arched windows, lots of candles) and a nice staff who, even when they're busy, are willing to stop for a minute and tell you about the ingredients that went into your dish. But the biggest plus is the smell in there. Wondrous odors envelope you the minute you walk in the door. You don't know what you will get, but you feel confident it will be good.

And it is. Thumbs up on the gnocchi with sausage and mushrooms (optional shitakes!). The chopped fresh basil on top was really nice. And we ate so much of the soft and chewy bread with parsley spread (vocabulary? she told us what was in it, not what it was called) we didn't have any room for dessert. Just as well. They have not one, not two, but three presentation desserts that are prepared tableside, but they weren't offering any of them that night because it was too crowded.

Guess we'll have to go back if we want to try one of those. Oh darn...

Yes, it is nearly time for Twenty Five for $25 again. It starts the beginning of November. I usually don’t remember/find out until the last week so I’m doing what no one has done for me, telling people before it starts!

"...Twenty-five top restaurants have come together to offer you a month of divine dining for an unbelievable price. Lunch and dinner include three courses (beverage, tax and gratuity are additional)..."

x-posted to Seattle

can anyone recommend any weekday downtown breakfast joints? i have an old friend that will be in town for a couple of days and it looks like i'll be meeting him for breakfast. i need downtown recommendations just in case he doesn't have time to venture into other neighborhoods. i was hoping for something a little more substantial than The Crumpet Shop; i love The Crumpet Shop but it's not really a place for people to sit 'n visit. thanks in advance!

We have a group assembled for Wed 8/16 but if you would like in, there can be room for a few more sushi-lovers. Please comment over here.

:)

My friends and I have been doing "sushi nights" for over a year, but with everyone's difficult schedules, we have a hard time co-ordinating. I love the big group feeling; eight people is just about perfect. I'm interested in meeting some new food-loving folk, so...

...anyone interested in a meet-some-new-people sushi night? We've found the best quality to price ratio at Wild Fish on 1st Ave (Belltown), but anywhere we all decide on is fine. Generally we split one bill because we all share everything, courtesy system.

(It's with some amusement that I notice that my friend ironymaiden belongs to this community already.)

I went there for dinner tonight, only to find out that it's closing, and this was the last day it's open.

Some of the best, certainly the most interesting, curries around. Now I'm wishing I'd gone more than once or twice a year (The food, while good, was on the pricey side for my budget.)

I got an email today for a new restaurant in Redmond that describes itself as "a fusion of Szechuan and 'the eclectic flavors of India.'" The menu for the Atlanta location looks pretty darned good. I wonder if the Bamboo Garden in Redmond is nearly as good?

where is a good place to get dinner, but not to expensive (and kinda close to fairy, but not necessary) ? let me know, :)