Yesterday, I visited Mawadda Cafe in Ranier Valley to try their renowned lamb shawarma. The restaurant was an intersection between Middle East and Pacific Northwest. The owner and his all male staff were extremely gracious and sat Raleigh and me in a booth between a lesbian couple and a family dressed in traditional clothing. The sandwich was quite large and dripped with juices. The sauce reminded me of a very spicy ranch. The lamb was served in really generous portions. I like lamb but its not one of my favorite meats. The taste of lamb was powerful and lingered for several hours, even after I brushed my teeth! After our meal, the owner offered us a cup of Middle Eastern chai and baklava free of charge. The combination of the sweet flavor of the baklava and the spice of the chai was delightful. In conclusion, I am glad to have visited and experienced this cross cultural gathering place. It was an experience far from what I am used to when I eat chicken shawarma at Vios Cafe in Capitol Hill.This afternoon, I visited Roy's BBQ in Columbia City. I have never been to Columbia City before and I was completely caught off guard as I entered this cute neighborhood on Ranier Avenue. While I was looking for parking, I explored the neighborhood and stopped in front of a house that had a border of tall sunflowers. How charming and unexpected! One evening a couple of years ago, I was offered drugs in front of an establishment on Ranier Avenue and, since then, I have avoided the area because I thought it was sketch. I gazed at the house and I really appreciated this sandwich saga for giving me an opportunity to revisit an old assumption. The Oyster Po' Boy sandwich itself was not as exciting as I had hoped but I should confess that I might be coming down with a cold. The coleslaw was not very special and the only innovative thing about the sandwich was the fact that it had barbecued oysters in it. I plan to revisit Columbia City soon and I'll probably revisit Roy's BBQ but I definitely plan to order something else.
I am one sandwich away from crossing the halfway point of my sandwich saga!
- Rose
Roy's BBQ
4903 Ranier Avenue South
Seattle, WA
Mawadda Cafe
4433 South Graham Street
Seattle, WA
For those familiar w/Columbia City, these are probably obvious examples, but if you want to explore the neighborhood without returning to Roy's:
ReplyDeleteGeraldine's Counter is a good cafe. We've eaten breakfast there several times...I think they do lunches as well.
There is a bakery right across Rainier from Geraldine's if you're looking for a desserty treat.
Tutta Bella has a restaurant in Columbia City. I think it was their first location.
i just really like Rose's & observations.
ReplyDelete