July 21, 2006

Blah of Seattle

You can blame a long-gone street fair called Bite of Chicago. Back in the early 1980s, a guy named Al Silverman, who owned an Olde English joint behind the Factoria Mall called Barnaby's, smelled the bratwurst and an opportunity; he launched a modest festival at Greenlake.

Twenty-five years later, Bite of Seattle, still owned by Silverman's Festivals, Inc., takes over Seattle Center for three days at the height of summer, feeding over 400,000 visitors. Most of them look well-fed to start with, which doesn't prevent them from lining up for elephant ears, funnel cakes and churros.

Reassuring sight: Kathy Casey, whose Dish D'lish takeout at SeaTac makes leaving town tolerable. Coming soon, she confides, the first step in going national: a Dish at the airport in Vegas.

Winners at Bite.JPG Kathy Casey at Bite.JPG Winning entree at Bite.JPG

Most of the food barely edible; brisk biz at the beer gardens to wash it down.

Exception is Rainy Day Roll from Wallingford's Rain, $5 plate of California crunch topped with avocado salsa. Original, tasty, good value.

At other extreme is Steel Pig BBQ's side of collard greens, inexplicably voted best "Take a Walk on the Wild Side." Dry bitter, inedible sludge; $2 into the dumpster.

Scary sights:
* the line to dunk $3 ears of roasted corn into vats of butter when the same vegetable is sold perhaps 100 steps away at QFC for a dime.
* the 100-foot hot dog to celebrate Franz Bakery's 100-year history. More than I want to eat.
* the 53-foot hot pink semi trailer called Venus Vibrance. Something from Gillette to do with a vibrating, exfoliating razor for women. More than I want to know.

Churros.JPG Roasted corn at Bite1.JPG Curly fries.JPG Venus Vibrance at Bite.JPG

Posted by Ronald Holden at July 21, 2006 9:26 AM
Comments

I haven't been to the Bite since a few years back on a Saturday night when I was caught in a brief stampede to escape from what sounded like gunshots. That, and the dreary food, which may also have been the cause of the stampede. This year we went early on Sunday to avoid the heat and crowds. All the usual suspects were there and I remembered why I stopped going- too much bland food that gets tossed into the garbage, nothing that inspires me to want to try the restaurant, not enough $2 bites. But I did get donuts from the Dahlia Bakery stand, so the trip wasn't a total loss.

Posted by: lisa at July 26, 2006 3:41 PM

Glad I decided to go to the Skagit river and bask in the essence of a cooling lovely river with a wonderful glass of Cab and watch the children skip rocks!

Posted by: Lisa Hilderbrand at July 24, 2006 8:27 AM

At least there's no admission fee. It really galls me that "non-profit" organization One Reel's "Bumbershoot" charges money (there's similar bad food available at this event) to attend a festival on public property. Alot of money. Don't get me started! Oops, you already have. -Alex

Posted by: Alex R. Mayer at July 22, 2006 4:30 PM

That would be because of the long lines at the trough.

Posted by: Allan at July 22, 2006 3:11 PM

There's something I don't understand..help me out here...
If all these overweight Bite of Seattle goers have time to stand in lines to eat, why don't they have time to hit the gym and stay in shape?

Posted by: Trisha Nerney at July 22, 2006 11:44 AM