Five years strong, the MLK Business Association is holding it’s Plate of Nations promotion from March 27 through April 12. Similar to last year’s event all participating restaurants will offer $15 and $25 shareable entrees, but new this year every location will also have a vegetarian option. Grab a passport, get your stamps, and qualify for fun drawings.
This year’s restaurants:
Café Ibex (Ethiopian), Bananas Grill (Mediterranean and Middle Eastern), Huarachitos Cocina Mexicana (Mexico City), Huong Duong (South Vietnamese), Joy Palace (Cantonese), Momona (Eritrean), Olympic Express (Southeast Asian/Cham Vietnamese Halal), The Original Philly’s (American East Coast), Othello Wok & Teriyaki (Pan Asian), Rainier Restaurant (Vietnamese), and Thai Savon (Laotian/ Thai).
As can be seen on the map most are located within the immediate vicinity of a Link station.
Not all of these restaurants are as exotic as the theme suggests, but they’re all relatively inexpensive and quite tasty. Sometime in the next couple of weeks jump on Link and check them out!
Sounds tasty.
Miss you, St. Dames.
St Dames is closed? Why, it is. That’s sad. I enjoyed going there a handful of times. Was it not getting enough business or some other reason? What’s in its place?
PS. I wish the new buildings around Columbia City Station had a more pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. It’s like, they’ve got the non-setbacks and ground-floor retail and wide sidewalks, but it still looks a bit large-scaled and harsh and windswept, and it doesn’t attract that many pedestrians. I looked out the window of St Dames, mostly in late afternoons/early evenings, and saw one or two people every few minutes. I guess the problem is mostly the size and shape of the ground-floor office spaces. and the lack of sidewalk plants and furniture to break up the long spaces. That and the linear smoothness of contemporary architecture, but in this case I think the architecture is only a small part of the problem.
St. Dames closed due to some medical reasons that stem from some childhood complications, according to the RVP: http://rainiervalleypost.com/columbia-city-gains-brewery-loses-vegetarian-favorite/
Never got to check it out sadly, and I hope all’s well with them! The Thai place that took its place is pretty good, but…
not as good as Thai Savon, which we checked out the other day. So good.
Can vouch for Othello Wok (super nice owners, too) and Huong Duong.
We tried Bananas Grill last night and it was tasty!
I went to Cafe Ibex last year (or was it the year before?) for this, and it is an immense amount of very good food for $25.
1. Safari Restaurant, small shopping center west side of Rainier just south of Dawson- five minute walk from Columbia City Station. Excellent chicken, beef, and fish dishes, with rice or other African vegetables.
Very like Middle Eastern food, but of a variety less common here. From African experience, your meal will the the continent’s best. Our continent too.
Owner is Kenyan business woman who sent herself to truck driving school in Germany when her criticisms of existing transport service brought ridicule like: “Get your own truck!” Upon which everybody else’s dashboard clock got cleaned.
Very typical of average young East African business owner- which means US corporate digital clocks are soon to be a lot less dusty too.
2. Mt. Baker Halal Deli. Northeast corner of loft building across alley from Mt. Baker Station. East African food from further north up the coast from Kenya. Similar.
“Halal” in Arabic, incidentally means exactly the same thing as “Kosher” in Hebrew. And Yiddish. Another difference between foods. What’s understood as Kosher, especially corned beef is essentially Russian. Definitely dill pickle part.
Saved me from starvation last night when I had to get off LINK because vultures following the train would not have let me reach Sea-Tac. Great young people run the place.
3. The Station Cafe, half block north on 16th Ave from Beacon Hill Station. And Route 36 and 60 bus stop. Excellent Herkimer espresso. Wide screen set always on sports.
Warning: Don’t give Luis any crap. He researched ATU Local 587 before opening, and has union emblem above front window inside.
“Dis” his cafe and he’ll run for Local President. Election outcome? With espresso constituency this year….bet me!
Mark