Its Got Verve

I have to admit: I've been avoiding Verve.

Not that there is anything wrong with our very own neighborhood wine bar - I had an ok experience on what was my first and only visit. My problem with it was its very nature. I've often remarked that you "know you're neighborhood's completely gentrified when it sprouts its own wine bar." And we had sprouted ours. I felt like we should hang a sign next to the historic district markers: "Welcome to Yuppieville."

So, through no fault of its own, I was avoiding the wine bar. I didn't want to admit its existence. I didn't want to think I lived in the "new West Seattle" or the "new Ballard" or something.

I buckled on Friday night. After striking out at Villa Victoria (apparently they close EXACTLY at 7 pm, and you will be turned away for walking in at 7:01 and 30 seconds), La Medusa (no surprise on a Friday night sans reservation), a friend an I ended up at Verve.

We had a lovely time - we each tried a "flight," or three half-glasses, of various red wines, and the carrot ginger soup and brisket we ordered were interesting, tasty, and well-thought out.

I guess I'll be going back. One gal can't stem the tides of neighborhood change will an ill thought-out and quiet protestation of a wine bar. Especially a good wine bar.

CC Restaurant Roundup

I finally made it out to the Kawali Grill - sans the Captain and accompanied by the dear Rear Admiral of Ranier Beach. Verdict: DELISH! Service was touch and go, but the food was worth it. They let us have a late breakfast, and the eggs benedict was excellent and full of creamy goodness, as promised. The Rear Admiral had a Filipino breakfast, the Marinated Pork & Fried Eggs “Tucilog,” which was awesome. We'll be going back for sure. We'd be there for breakfast more often if we knew the real hours - the door says they open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, but they don't seem to actually open until 10 a.m.

Its good we found a new restaurant, because the Columbia City Ale House recently jacked up the prices of every dish on their menu. We thought they were overpriced before - now they're so expensive that you might as well go to La Medusa where you'd get much more for the price. We plan to do just that.

Perhaps we'll be spending more time at Kawali, Lottie's (nice new sign!), and maybe even the wine bar . . . .

In other news, it appears that Susan's has closed - perhaps doomed by their own inconsistency - and rumor has it that a kosher pizza place might be taking over the space.