Enjoy your neighborhood eateries

We’ve been writing a lot about restaurants this month, so in support of local economies I want to put in a good word for neighborhood restaurants. Some of the best places to eat may be right down the street from where you live.

To personalize this, here are four places where I enjoy eating, all of which are within a couple miles of our house:

Brier Pizza & Family Restaurant: This Italian and Greek restaurant has the best food ever. They make their own salad dressings, for Pete’s sake! Every dish is made when you order, so it’s fresh and delicious; they take special orders; and I’ve never eaten anything here I didn’t like. The bonus is that lots of neighbors eat there, so it’s a great hang out spot. My son and his trio play jazz there every first and third Sunday night of each month and they make way more tips than they do when gigging on the Eastside. The food not only tastes fabulous, it’s not too pricey.

Sorelli’s Pizza: Located in Mountlake Terrace, this place serves the most amazing 2-inch thick pizza. It is seriously to die for. The prices seem high, but one piece of their pies is plenty to fill you up, so one pizza does it for a whole tribe. Yum!

Voula’s: I chose Voula’s over a fancier restaurant with a better view for Mother’s Day brunch. This eatery is run by Voula herself, with her family making up part of the staff. If you like the personal touch, this is the place to go—Voula’s son seated us and, with his hand on my shoulder, warmly wished me a Happy Mother’s Day. Later, Voula came by and we talked about our kids together. The food and atmosphere has a Greek flair and is super tasty, as well as reasonably priced. I love the omelets and gyros, but I bet everything on the menu is delicious.

Red Onion Burgers: Another spot located in Mountlake Terrace, if you’re headed north from Seattle you can easily hop off I-5 at the 44th Street exit, take a right to drive up a hill, turn left into the shopping center near the top, eat a burger or salad at Red Onion, and be on your way in no time at all—and it would be well worth your time. The owners are super friendly, as with many neighborhood eateries, and the burgers, fries and milkshakes are scrumptious.

Now it’s your turn! Tell us all about your favorite local eatery—include the neighborhood, the name of the place, and what you like most about it.

We here at the Flying Salmon must be hungry these days. For the last month we’ve been showcasing some fantastic Seattle-area restaurants, and we have another one for you today.

Located in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, The Corson Building dwells among a playfield, highway overpass, and an assortment of bars, restaurants, and shops housed in buildings with an historic feel. Despite its bustling and somewhat-industrial surroundings, this charming little restaurant feels set apart, like an urban retreat. Matthew Dillon—the chef behind Seattle establishments such as Sitka & Spruce and Bar Sajor—has created an experience that pleases without fail.

While The Corson Building typically serves dinner on weekend evenings, it occasionally opens for a Sunday brunch, as it did for Mother’s Day yesterday. As my mom, son, and I took our seats at one of the long community tables, we dined on scones and homemade yogurt as we met our table guests. Rhubarb kir washed down an assortment of dishes that followed, each served family style for the table. The halibut lox with toothpick-thin beet sticks and slices of radish on a bed of tahini and sprinkled with dukkah and fresh dill was one of the highlights of morning’s courses, though the feta and ramp tart served with a salad of cauliflower was also notable.

I’ve celebrated multiple special events at The Corson Building, and each time I leave I find myself trying to dream up another excuse to return soon. Whether for a birthday or another special occasion, The Corson Building and its innovative and creative food would be a perfect fit.

The best view of the Seattle skyline last night was from Jay’s and my table at Salty’s Restaurant on Alki. Period.

If you think Alki Beach in West Seattle is hard to get to, don’t. It’s a breezy drive over the West Seattle bridge. Then you just take the exit furthest to the right (Harbor Avenue) that leads to the beach, and Salty’s is the first and only restaurant on the right.

The food is good and the atmosphere is fun. Open, bright, an outside deck, whimsical sculpture throughout the restaurant. It’s a great gathering place and it requires reservations.

I had the halibut cheeks over sticky rice with a delicious pear and fennel compote of sorts on top—the special of the day, which is always the freshest and best on the menu. Jay had the mixed seafood cocktail of breaded salmon, cod, shrimp, etc. It was okay, but mine was better! I recommend the non-breaded seafood here to get the best taste and preparation. Salty’s purchases from fishermen who use sustainable practices, and the produce is locally sourced. The desserts look amazing—we were too full to eat one, but you can see what they offer as you walk past the open kitchen and dessert bar on your way to your table.

Alki is one of the best spots to be on a sunny evening, or during the day! And Salty’s is a great place to grab a bite to eat or linger over dinner with a special someone.