Skillet: Food That's Worth the Perpetual Wait

If you go to Skillet on a weekend, there's a good chance you'll have to wait to be seated.  Just wait.  I swear, you won't regret it.  This is comfort food at it's absolute finest.  This place initially got its humble beginnings as a food truck concept.  Now, there is a glorious diner space located on the corner of 14th and Union.  The place is hip yet cozy, has it's own version of a Bloody Mary that is made with their trademark bacon jam infused vodka, the bartender rocks, and there a gaiter (translation: gay waiter) working there who has the most amazing eyes ever. 

Every time I have been there, I intend to try something new.  Yet, I never do.  That is because Skillet happens to feature the very best version of a grilled cheese sandwich known to modern society.  This foodgasm on a plate features 4 different kinds of cheesy gloriousness and you can get it with the bacon jam (which you totally should unless you don't eat bacon for whatever reason).  This paired with the signature Bloody Mary is like the grown up version of a Kraft American grilled cheese with Campbell's tomato soup that you likely endured on chilly winter days growing up (or not).  Apparently they also have the best burger in Seattle, which goes well with one of their grown-up milk shakes. 

For us, this is the perfect compromise place to take less adventurous friends or family members or their spawn for brunch, lunch, or dinner.  The items on the menu look somewhat familiar so it sets one at ease, yet there's enough of a spin on the classic to make you feel like you are trying something new even if you go back and order the exact same thing each time like I do.  I don't even bother saving room for a dessert here because the food is that damn good. 

Elderly Haven: Nell's on Greenlake

Normally when we go out to eat somewhere, I totally remember every last detail of the meal well after the fact that I ate there.  One night, my dining/life partner and I were in the Greenlake area for a music performance of a friend of mine. I remember the coffee shop we were in for that performance vividly (Forza), I remember the music, I remember us strolling on the sidewalk after looking for a place to eat, I remember walking into Nell's.  I also remember that we were by far the youngest people (and most under-dressed unfortunately) in the restaurant and that there was an entire table of elderly couples celebrating a birthday and the men were all wearing bow ties.  I cannot, however, for the life of me, recall what we actually had for our meal that night.  This means that it wasn't horrible, the service was average, the setting was a bit fancier than expected.  This also means that the food was not all that memorable.  It did not call out to me "you must come back again for more".  I wish I had nicer things to say about this place because if you look at their menu online, it actually looks quite creative. 

Great location.  Okay cocktails.  A bit spendy, but potentially a romantic date night.  I am tempted to go back just so I can have something more substantial to say.  Of course, I'll need to wait about 25 years so that I am actually in the diners' demographic. 

I would skip this one and go back to Forza instead for the salmon salad and a glass of wine.

http://www.nellsrestaurant.com/

Ha!  Just found pictures of what we had!  No idea what it was though.  I think mine was some sort of french onion tart, my main squeeze appears to have had the duck, and then it was a fruit panna cotta from what I can tell with the picture.  Thank goodness for the iPhone for this reason.