Seattle - Washington State - page 92

2901 E. Madison St. & 206/325-9100. www.cafeflora.com. Reservations accepted only for parties of 8 or
more. Main courses $9.25-$17. MC, V. Tues-Thurs 11:30am-9pm; Fri 11:30am-10pm; Sat 9am-2pm and
5-10pm; Sun 9am-2pm and 5-9pm.
NORTH SEATTLE (INCLUDING FREMONT, WALLINGFORD &
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT)
MODERATE
Ray's Boathouse and Cafe SEAFOOD When Seattleites want to
impress visiting friends and relatives, this restaurant often ranks right up there with
the Space Needle, the ferries, and Pike Place Market. The view across Puget Sound
to the Olympic Mountains is superb. You can watch the boat traffic coming and
going from the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and bald eagles can often be seen
fishing just offshore. Then there's Ray's dual personality—upstairs is a lively (and
loud) cafe and lounge, while downstairs is a much more formal, sedate scene. The
downstairs menu is more creative but the upstairs menu is less expensive, but even
upstairs you can order from the downstairs menu. The crab cakes are delicious and
packed full of crab, and the black cod glazed with sake kasu (lees, or the residue left
over after sake is fermented), a typically Northwestern/Pacific Rim preparation, is
well worth trying. Whatever your mood, Ray's has got you covered. Be sure to take
a peek in the crab tanks in front of the restaurant.
6049 Seaview Ave. NW. & 206/789-3770. www.rays.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses
$18-$45 (Boathouse), $9-$16 (Cafe). AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Boathouse Mon-Thurs 5-9pm; Fri-Sat 5-10pm;
Sun 5-9pm. Cafe daily 11:30am-10pm.
INEXPENSIVE
Agua Verde Café MEXICAN Set on the shore of Portage Bay, which
lies between Lake Union and Lake Washington, this casual Mexican restaurant
is very popular with college students from the adjacent University of Washing-
ton. Consequently, there's often a line out the door as customers wait to give
their orders at the counter. The menu is limited to tacos, Mexican-style sand-
wiches, empanadas, and quesadillas. It's hard to go wrong here, but I recom-
mend the tacos, which come three to an order. Try the grilled halibut or yam
tacos, both of which are topped with a delicious avocado sauce. Add a couple of
sides—cranberry slaw, pineapple-jicama salsa, creamy chile potatoes—for a fill-
ing and inexpensive meal. They also serve pretty good margaritas here. In addi-
tion, the restaurant rents kayaks for $12 to $18 per hour.
1303 NE Boat St. & 206/545-8570. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $2.50-$9. DC, MC, V. Mon-Sat
11am-4pm and 5-10pm.
Red Mill Burgers AMERICAN Located just a little north of the Wood-
land Park Zoo, this retro burger joint is tiny and always hoppin' because every-
one knows they do one of the best burgers in Seattle. Try the verde burger, made
with Anaheim peppers for just the right amount of fire. Don't miss the onion
rings. And don't come dressed in your finest attire—burgers here are definitely
multi-napkin affairs. There's a second Red Mill Burgers at 1613 W. Dravus St.
( & 206/284-6363), which is midway between downtown Seattle and the Bal-
lard neighborhood.
312 N. 67th St. & 206/783-6362. Burgers $2.90-$5.35. No credit cards. Tues-Sat 11am-9pm; Sun noon-8pm.
WEST SEATTLE
EXPENSIVE
Salty's on Alki Beach SEAFOOD Although the prices here are almost
as out of line as those at the Space Needle, and the service is unpredictable, this

Finds