Cheap Food Critic

500 NW 65th St
Seattle, WA 98117

Mon-Fri 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tue-Fri 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Sat 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

I haven’t had many savory crepes in my life and the ones I have had only contained cheap store bought deli hams with shredded cheese out of a bag. I really have been missing out this whole time. The Ridgeback was my fist really great experience eating a savory crepe.

I came to the Ridgeback Cafe on a lazy Saturday before heading out to grab a few drinks with friends. The crepes were good sized yet not too filling where I could not drink later on. I got the Ridgeback Crepe which came with some seasoned roasted potatoes on the side for about $10. The filling for the crepe came with sausage, caramelized onions, avocado, sautéed mushrooms, cheddar cheese, spinach, and an egg. It is then topped with poblano sauce and crème fraiche (just writing this is making my mouth water). The sausage was a little salty but it was a nicely balanced with the avocados. The outer-layer of the crepe was also nice and crunchy. The side roasted potatoes on the other hand were a little on the hard-side, but not a big deal I didn’t really need them…the crepe were filling enough.

These guys are also one of the few places in the area that offer Secret Aardvark Sauce as a condiment on every table. This sauce adds a nice little kick to the food. To me this stuff is like Siracha/Rooster Sauce, you can eat it with almost anything.

In addition to the food it’s actually a great place to start your drinking as well. They have $3 beer special in the evening. The restaurant was very spacious with plenty of seating if you are meeting up with a large group of friends.

Yelp – 3.5/5.0 Stars (117 Ratings)

602 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Mon-Fri 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Mon-Thu 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat 5:00 pm – 12:00 am

In this cold cold Minneapolis winter it was difficult to find any restaurants near my hotel, let alone anything worth blogging about. Likely for me the hotel staff directed me to Zen Box. Only a about a block from the Depot area but hiking through a few feet of snow was no joke. In the end, it was totally worth it.

As you walk into the restaurant they greet you with, “itadakimasu” (literal meaning being “I humbly receive” but in this case it’s more of a welcome or enjoy your food). My first trip here I ordered the Beef Gyu and the Chicken Karage (recommended by the hostess). The Beef Gyu comes with thinly sliced beef and onions on top a bed of rice (white or brown). It was pretty good but the beef was a little dry for my taste. The sauce that they pour over the rice and beef however, was super tasty and added a little moisture back into the beef. The Chicken Karage on the other hand, I have no complaints at all. For those of you that have not have Karage before its like little chunks of Japanese flavored Chicken Nuggets (almost General Tso-ish). While eating the karage I found myself pairing it up the rice from the beef gyu. Come to find out in a subsequent visit to Zen Box you can get the Chicken Karage over the same type of sauce and rice as the Beef Gyu. This discovery really made my day. So instead of having to order two different plates I just went for the Chicken Nanban. I could eat this everyday and not be sick of it.

It was 6 dollars for the Chicken Karage and 10 dollars for the Beef Gyu.

The inside of the restaurant was warm with tons of waiters/waitresses very attentive and a tiny little bar. I think next time I’m going to come by and try some of their happy hour. They do have a good selection of local beers on tap. The orders do they take a little bit to get to you so grab yourself a beer to kill some time.

Yelp – 3.5/5.0 Stars (55 Ratings)

3517 Rainier Ave S
Seattle, WA 98118

Mon-Sun 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

This place may look like a broke-down school bus on Rainier (and it maybe) but who really cares…the Mexican food being served from it is damn good. When coming here it’s pretty hard to miss but if you didn’t see the big white school bus keep an eye out for the racks of old car tires; that’s how you know you are close. If this is your first time here skip the menu and just order the torta and/or the mulitas with asada or chicken (both are probably some of the best if not the best in Seattle). The torta and 2 mulitas will cost you a “whopping” $8.50 after tax.

The torta is pretty much the Mexican version of a sandwich. My favorite part of the tortas here are the super buttery roll that are toasted on insides to give them a nice little crunch. Inside the bun these guys also pack in a generous amount of meat with slices of tomatoes, diced onions, jalapenos, lettuce, and mayo. One downside, because the buns are so soft they will break apart especially with the amount of stuff they pack into them. Not a huge issue, just grab a handful of napkins before you leave the bus.

I was never a huge fan of mulitas because they are pretty much just tacos with two tortillas (twice the carbs). But these guys toast up the tortillas to a super crunchy state. It’s almost like eating a perfectly packaged nacho with your choice of meat, a slice of avocado, cheese, and cilantro. I could probably eat these everyday.

In summary, overlook the junk yard feel and get the best tortas and mulitas in Seattle.

Note – There’s probably 6 seats inside the bus and 2 covered benches outside. But you probably drove here (because no one walks in Rainier) just eat in the comfort of your own car.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (179 Ratings)

307 Kearny St
San Francisco, CA 94108

Mon-Thu 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

I was back in San Francisco again and was craving some Japanese food. I did a quick search online and one of the first places to come up was Muracci’s. I’ve had Muracci’s before down in the Silicon Valley area but from what I remember it was pretty expensive. So it was a surprise to me when this place came up on my search for cheap Japanese food.

The San Francisco location is pretty tiny. It’s pretty much a togo place but there are about eight bar seats if you are in a bind. I came here for a togo order after work so i wasn’t too worried about seating. I wanted to get the Beef Curry and a side of the Curry Pan (or curry bread) but there were sold out of both. Pretty disappointed I ordered the Chicken Curry hot (spice-wise). My disappointment was quickly relieved once I started eating the scolding hot and spicy curry. You really can’t even taste the meat so getting chicken, beef or something else doesn’t even matter. It just adds a little extra texture to the super awesome curry. Although not the biggest portions it should be enough to leave you satisfied and at about $8.50 for the entire meal you really can’t complain.

This place was so damn good I came back for dinner the next night as well. This time I got the Chicken Katsu Breast Curry for $10.25 after tax. This meal came with the same delicious curry but the Katsu really adds to the texture and really soaked in the curry flavor. I will defiantly go back for this again. Also, these guys were sold out of the Curry Pan again. I’m going to have to head here for lunch next time to get this elusive curry bread.

For curry this is the place to hit up in San Francisco. It makes it all the better that it’s super cheap. Those of you that have been to San Francisco know how difficult to find cheap food, but I think I found a spot. Even if you get the curry bread and the curry chicken with rice it would still be cheap.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (861 Ratings)

839 Clay St
San Francisco, CA 94108

So you are in San Francisco and you want some good Chinese food, where do you go? Well, there’s tons of great places here for sure like R&G Lounge but my favorite here is Capital Restaurant. These guys are known for their Pepper Fried Chicken Wings; which they self-proclaim to be famous for. I normally don’t believe restaurants when they hype themselves up for being famous for whatever reason but these guys definitely did not disappoint.

Of course I had to order up some of the wings when I was here. An order comes with 10 wings or so and is covered in slices of jalapeno peppers (actually not that spicy though). The wings are fricking huge and are probably genetically overgrown but who cares there’s more meat. The outside is super crunchy without the excess batter like some places. There’s a nice saltiness and jalapeno flavor to the wings. The inside is always cooked perfectly and is piping hot. Be aware though it does take a little longer if you order the wings because its takes a while to fry up these giant chicken wings. An order of these wings are about $7 after tax

I’ve also tried the Beef Chow Fun and the Egg Tofu with Ground Meat. The Chow Fun is not the best I’ve had but it’s still not bad. The Egg Tofu with Ground Meat on the other had is top notch. Some of the best tofu dishes I have ever had. Either one will run you about $8 after tax.

Probably the best value in this area. Save yourself a few bucks and get some of the best cheap Chinese food in San Francisco.

Note – Cash only

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (300 Ratings)

401 Westlake Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109

Mon-Fri 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
Sat-Sun 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

One of the many Tom Douglas restaurants in the Seattle area, Serious Biscuit is one of his more affordable places. It’s located in the Dalia Workshop, which is actually just a collection of Serious Pie, Serious Biscuit, and some wine place downstairs. I’ve had pizza from Serious Pie before and thought it was good but a little pricy. They do cure their own meats for some of the pizzas so I understand the higher price point but I guess I’m more of a $1.99/slice Costco pizza person. So coming to the Dalia Workshop I knew I would going for the biscuits.

My first time here I was able to beat the lunch time rush and grab a table for my party instantly. I ordered the Fennel Sausage Biscuit which comes with fennel sausage (of course), a fried egg, pepper relish, and fontina for about $9 after tax.
There were so many good things about this dish. First off, the biscuit was super flaky and in my opinion had just the tiniest hint of lemon. The sausage was also really good. The fennel was very present but did not over power the other flavors in the dish. Kind of made the sandwich taste like a pizza. And of course the egg. You put an egg (or bacon) on anything and its instantly better. Needless to say I really enjoyed this dish. So much so I came back 2 days later.

The second trip here we hit the lunch time rush and had to wait half an hour before being seated at one of the large community tables with a two other parties (it gets pretty cozy). I decided to switch it up this time and ordered the Zach, which is the Fried Chicken Biscuit (fried chicken, Tabasco black pepper gravy) with the addition of bacon and an egg for $10.90 after tax. Another delicious combo of flavors but for fried chicken in a sandwich it’s not quite as good as the Fried Chicken Sammy from Skillet.

Note – There’s no reserved seating downstairs. You just get in line to order your food and pray a table will open up. If you go up stairs there’s tons of large communal tables where a server will wait your table.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (199 Ratings)

658 NE Northlake Way
Seattle, WA 98105

Mon-Fri 6:00 am – 3:00 pm
Sat-Sun 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

This is the spot for breakfast in the University of Washington area. I’m normally not a huge breakfast-brunch person…oatmeal and some coffee normally satisfies my morning fix. But I wanted to see what he big fuss was about this place by my alma mater.

Having ample parking space in their own private lot was a great first impression. Anyone that’s been to this area knows parking is horrible (I guess this is the case with most of Seattle) so these guys get big props for having a huge FREE parking lot for customers. Once you’ve parked there will likely be a wait of 15-25 mins during weekends. No worries though these guys have free coffee for individuals waiting for a table…very nice touch. It makes the wait a little more manageable.

Fare warning, once seated it maybe a little cramp depending on where you are placed. If you do not have the room to open your menu just go a head and order the Pinata Benedict or the Greek Hobo. By far everyone’s favorite here. I ordered the Pinata Benedict this time around. When it arrived it looked like any other eggs Benedict you’ve had in the past. Of course there’s the normal stuff like eggs, hollandaise sauce, and English muffin but what makes this -ish so damn good is the smoked pork. For the most part the smoked pork was just bacon but in bigger chunks of meat. It was also a little less greasy than normal bacon but the juices are still enough to add a little smokiness of the pork gets into everything in the dish. The eggs are cooked over easy adding more flavor to the hollandaise sauce. If you need a little spiciness these guys have a Chipotle hot sauce that goes great with the Pinata Benedict.

The Pinata Benedict also comes with a huge plate of hash-browns which I barely even touched because I was so damn full. I just took it the left overs to go. So with tax everything totaled just under $12.

Note – Next time I’m coming for the Greek Hobo. I bummed a little of the Greek Hobo from my friend and it tasted like a gyro with eggs. I’ll do a full review on this next time I’m here.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (276 Ratings)

708 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94109

So with the massive amounts of reviews on Yelp and Urbanspoon I was actually expecting this place to be a bit fancier, bigger, and well…overall less divey. I think I was expecting something like Super Duper just down the street on Market. Not a big deal to me of course. As long as they got good food that’s all that really matters.

It took me a few tries to find this place. I think I walked by this place 3 times trying to find this place. The restaurant is located on a street that is not to well lit and the sign is pretty difficult to see. Also, the place is tiny (maybe 5 or 6 little tables). It was all worth it once I found it though.

I ordered the Bula Burger for $10 after tax. I though about getting a side of sweet potato fries also but I saw how big the burger were here and passed on the fries. The burger was super-super messy. It was cooked medium so it was soaked in all the grease and juices from the meat. The cheese also added to the mess. The burger also comes with thick pieces of bacon and this awesome homemade teriyaki-ish sauce. All I really have to say is Mmmm-Mmmm-Good.

Also, when you get your order don’t forget to pick up some pickles and napkins to the right of the counter.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (1319 Ratings)

111 Tumwater Blvd SE
Tumwater, WA 98501

and

5225 Lacey Blvd SE
Lacey, WA 98503

and

1018 Capitol Way S
Olympia, WA 98501

Mon-Fri 10 am – 8 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am – 7 pm

An Olympia staple that everyone must try for themselves. If you find yourself down in the Capital of our great State of Washington give these guys a try. I normally go for the half Italian cosmo (toasted) with a side of chili. The sandwich and the chili will run you just about $$10 after tax. Getting it cosmo or toasted will make a world of difference but it will take a little longer so be patient.

I’ve had almost every sandwich at Meconi’s but I keep going back for the Italian. It’s filled with Salami & Capicola along with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, Italian oil, oregano, and provolone cheese. The Italian oil pops out immediately with a little tanginess. In addition to the sandwiches, these guys have some pretty awesome chilli. The chilli here is probably one of my favorite anywhere. I really can’t pinpoint what it is but this chilli is so delicious. It’s filled with beans, tons of beef, and tanginess from the tomato paste.

Maybe because Meconi’s is located in South Sound but there’s really not many reviews online about this place. I would however, put this place up with many of the Seattle sandwich spots in Pioneer Square.

Yelp – 4.0/5.0 Stars (50 Ratings)

305 Harrison St
Seattle, WA 98109

Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Skillet is one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. I first started following them when they were just a food truck (Skillet Mobile). Now, they also have Skillet Diner in Capital Hill and Skillet Counter in Queen Anne. For the most part you can get their most popular items at all of the locations. The biggest difference between each of the locations is the type of service you get and price of the food.

Skillet Counter is the newest of the Skillet locations and is located in the Armory aka the Center House in Seattle Center. It’s more of a fast food style restaurant than the Diner location. Not a big deal for me since they have the Fried Chicken Sammy and the Bacon Jam Burger on the menu. My last trip here I got the Sammy and it was delicious as always. The Sammy comes with a huge piece of fried chicken breast with a fennel seed crust, jalapeño aioli, and kale all in a potato bread bun. The jalapeño aioli along with the fennel seeds gives the sammy just a little bit of heat but still do able for most people. The meal also comes with a side of french fries that have been tossed with kosher salt and cilantro. I normally like my fries more on the soggy side (like Dick’s Burger’s fries) so these were perfect for me. Flavor on these guys are also really good. Probably one of the better french fries in the Seattle-area.

The grand total for all that food was $10.90 after tax. This is about $2 cheaper than the diner location. Plus there was no wait for a seat since there plenty of seating in the Armory. So if you don’t mind busing your own table and eating in more of a food-court style location save yourself a few bucks and head to Skillet Counter.

Yelp – 3.5/5.0 Stars (25 Ratings)