Jones

I'd like to post a review of a small chain restaurant in the city that serves up some extremely tasty BBQ. I'm talking about Jones BBQ. There are only a few of these in the city of Seattle, and they are known for their own BBQ sauce.

This is one of those order at the counter, take a number, and seat yourself type of establishments. The inside is very clean, open, comfortable, and nicely decorated. As you enter through the front doors you'll see a refrigerated display case of pecan and sweet potato pies, which you can buy by the slice or the whole pie. You'll also notice a small area on one of the walls displaying proudly their awards of supposedly serving "Seattle's Best BBQ".

The menu has everything BBQ related, from chicken to brisket, to ribs to hot links, etc. The food is usually served with a side and white or wheat bread. Their BBQ sauce is so good that you'll have to pay extra for a side of the tasty stuff.

They have reasonably priced (for BBQ) dishes for the generous portions they serve up. If you have a hungry crew, it's probably best to go with the 3 or 4-way family orders. It's quite a bit of food.

Let's review/rate this restaurant using my 5-doughnut system, shall we?:

• Service, 3 doughnuts= Although you get your own utensils and drinks in this restaurant, they still take your food out to you and ask you if you need anything else for a better dining experience. The service was friendly and nice. They were even accommodating by turning off one of the ceiling fans directly above the table because it was a little too windy/cool.
  
• Atmosphere/Location, 2.5 doughnuts= I was at the one located on Ferdinand Ave in the Columbia City neighborhood. It's not in a very obvious spot (situated between different restaurants/buildings on a road that's not considered a main thorofare). There's usually ample street parking, but if you can't find any there's a big pay parking lot right across the street that's only about $1/hour. The atmosphere is pretty nice for a BBQ joint (total opposite from the BBQ place I reviewed in the previous posting). It's actually pretty upscale compared to other BBQ joints.
  
• Food Presentation, 2.5 doughnuts= It's BBQ, what can you expect? However, the brisket, chicken quarters, and ribs were nice and evenly fanned out on the platter, and the sides were all laid out in their own separate dishes. The BBQ sauce was smothering the food and looked so tasty.
  
• Taste, 4 doughnuts= Mmm, good BBQ. Their sauce is truly a masterpiece. It'll make you salivate for more. The meats were all well smoked/grilled, tender and tasty.
  
• Cost/Value, 3 doughnuts= I think it was a pretty good value, considering how much food was served up. BBQ is usually a little pricey since meat (like ribs) is not cheap. Always make sure you get a dish that comes with sides.
  
• Originality, 2 doughnuts= Nothing really original about this BBQ place besides their own homemade sauce.
  
• Overall, 3 doughnuts= Great BBQ place. Buy a bottle of their mild or spicy sauce and take it home to use for your next BBQ. You won't be sorry. Also, their desserts are just as tasty. Southern BBQ should always end with pecan or sweet potato pie!
  

Be sure to check out their website at http://www.jonesbarbeque.net/.

-N

Tutta Bella

Hey everyone. Sorry, it took so long to post another Seattle restaurant review. I've been crazy busy lately. However, I'm back and will post about a great little pizzeria in Seattle called Tutta Bella. It's a small chain that serves up Neopolitan pizza. I actually don't know what that means and I don't really feel like looking it up right now. If you know, definitely let me know. :)

Anyway, I've been to almost all of the different Tutta Bellas in my area (Columbia City, downtown Seattle, Fremont, etc). I personally like the downtown Seattle one the best because it has a nice outdoor eating area with a small view of the Space Needle and the city life below (the last time I was there was on the 4th of July).

I was at the Columbia City Tutta Bella, which is also very nice and comfortable. The inside is a little dim because of the dark interior, even with the huge glass windows letting in natural light. There are a lot of nice deocrations and artwork on the wall. The best part about Tutta Bella is the open kitchen where you can see your pizza being made and put right into the big oven.

The service is very prompt and friendly. It was right at the beginning of lunchtime, so there was a swarm of people after being seated. The menu is carefully folded out into a two-sided one and displays a bunch of really good pizzas, salads, and sides.

I was able to try the "insalata di napoli" (Naples Salad), which had Genoa salami, fire-roasted chicken breast, pancetta, matchstick carrots, artichoke hearts, romaine, cherry tomato halves, kalamata olives, crumbled gorgonzola, blend of classic caesar dressing and white balsamic vinaigrette. Incidentally, this salad alone will get you full since it's a little hearty and served in a generous portion. I also tried the "Campania" pizza, which had Pomodoro San Marzano, chicken sausage, mozzarella, olives, chile flakes and fresh basil. Both dishes were damn good.

So, let's get to the review using my 5-doughnut system:

• Service, 4 doughnuts= It was great. They were very prompt, friendly and attentive. I never had a half-filled glass of water. They even recommended desserts and dishes.
  
• Atmosphere/Location, 3.5 doughnuts= It's located right on the corner of Hudson and Rainier, which is a perfect spot in Columbia City to dine. Try the downtown Tutta Bella if you want a really good view/location. The atmosphere was very comfortable and inviting, especially with the open kitchen and "mood lighting".
  
• Food Presentation, 3 doughnuts= The pizza looks very "original" and not like something that popped out of a cardboard box. They hand toss everything and every piece of pizza had equal amounts of ingredients dispersed throughout the pie.
  
• Taste, 3.5 doughnuts= The pizza is delicious. Like I said, I've been to this restaurant numerous times and they serve up some tasty Neopolitan pizzas. The crust is very thin, so it'll flop over on you like a "New York" slice, and the crust is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The salad has a lot of nice flavors going on as well. I think the balsamic vinegar brings it out.
  
• Cost/Value, 4 doughnuts= I think for a small party (like for 3 or less.....it's a better value for 2) it's a great value. The pizza will come out to about $12 or so, and the salad about $7. So, you can expect to spend a little over $20 for one to three people, which isn't bad for a dinner. It's a great dining experience, so I really think it's a great value for what you're getting.
  
• Originality, 2.5 doughnuts= There's not really too much about this restaurant that's original (the pizza was only somewhat). They do serve up some fresh gelato as dessert, if you're so inclined (they usually have a gelato viewing case). Other than that, it's just a pizza place. Well, it's a Neopolitan pizza place.
  
• Overall, 3.5 doughnuts= I always have a great time at Tutta Bella, especially at the downtown one. The food and atmosphere are great and I'm always satisfied after leaving. If you have a huge crew and you're all starving, then this might not be the place to go without having to spend a lot. If you're looking for good quality pizza that'll fill you and maybe one or two other people, then its a great place to check out.

Feel free to check online at http://www.tuttabellapizza.com/.

-NMOS