Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Ram Restaurant & Brewery

The Burger (7 of 10): In our quest, we have noticed that burgers tend to fall into "thick" and "thin." Thick burgers show off the meat, while thin burgers tend to accentuate the greens and whatnot that top the patty. The Ram's Smoky Cheddar Bacon Burger falls neatly between the two. The patty is not hugely thick, but thick enough that it's satisfying to the carnivore. The lettuce, tomato, onion toppings are okay, but pedestrian.

Sides (7 of 10): Most of us prefer fries that are thick enough to be crunchy outside and soft inside. The Ram's fries are like that, and well made. A few fries in the order were "cajun"-style; we weren't sure if that was intentional or not.

Other Stuff (7 of 10): The Ram has a big menu, and many of the other dishes are quite good. French Dip and Chop Salad recommended. And the beers are good, with the usual silly names.

Ambiance (7 of 10): A big, sports-bar type room. Can be noisy, but generally very pleasant. Finding the restaurant in the back corner of the U Village shopping center can be fun.

Service (7 of 10): Good, although our server may have been new. But we got our orders taken quickly, and he returned to ask how everything was.

Overall (7 of 10): Maybe not the best burger in town, but a reliably good meal. One of our cadre tells us that the Ram in Tacoma is better, so that will probably be on our quest soon.

Ram Restaurant & Brewery
2650 NE University Village St
Seattle
(206) 525-3565

Friday, September 7, 2007

Two Bells Tavern

The Burger (4 of 10): We had a disagreement among the questers, but the writer gets to pick, right? Some of us liked the burger better than I did, but my blue cheese burger was so peppery that I couldn't taste any other flavor.

Sides (2 of 10): Weird. No fries, just stuff like cole slaw and baked beans, and the beans tasted canned.

Ambiance (6 of 10): Pleasant neighborhood joint, not pretentious.

Service (8 of 10): Good, fast, friendly.

Overall (5 of 10): Two Bells is a Seattle staple that was totally impossible for non-smokers until the recent indoor smoking ban. Now it's pleasant for everyone except the kids -- unlike some places, Two Bells doesn't allow minors anywhere in the place. We're not sure why some bars allow kids and some don't, but Two Bells cards everybody, even if they aren't drinking.

Two Bells Tavern
2313 4th Ave (at Bell)
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 441-8190
(206) 441-3050