Best French ToastAt PORTAGE BAY CAFE, the French toast is famous: three fat slices of egg-dipped, perfectly grilled, cinnamon-crusted challah. It’s your ticket for a trip to the berry bar, a series of enormous bowls piled with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pecans, and, best of all, whipped cream. You finally arrive at a pitcher of maple syrup waiting to pour additional sweetness over the berry-toast-cream mountain you have no doubt created. It’s a tall, decadent dessert for breakfast—and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to devour it on the cafe’s outdoor patio.—Adriana Grant 4130 Roosevelt Way N.E., 206-547-8230, www.portagebaycafe.com.Best Use(s) of NutellaI must confess—I’ve been known to eat Nutella straight out of its container, using my index finger as a spoon. Luckily, I’ve found more civilized ways to relish the Italian chocolate-hazelnut spread. FAIRE GALLERY CAFe makes hot chocolate and mochas with creamy, gooey Nutella, which melts into the hot milk, thickening it and adding a hint of toasted hazelnut flavor. Think dessert in a cup. JOE BAR’s prettily folded Nutella crepe comes with whipped cream and optional fruit (usually strawberries and bananas). Paired with an espresso, the crepe will transport you to Europe.—Molly LoriFaire Gallery Cafe, 1351 E. Olive Way, 206-652-0781, www.fairegallerycafe.com. Joe Bar, 810 E. Roy St., 206-324-0407, www.joebar.org.Best Ice Cream at a RestaurantEven if you and your dining companion have different opinions about the mod white decor at VEIL, you will undoubtedly agree that you dig chef Shannon Galusha’s salted peanut-butter ice cream. It has fast become a favorite on the restaurant’s dessert menu and is served with chocolate cremeux and “nutter butters,” Veil’s fresh interpretation of the processed cookies you ate as a kid. Now, no fighting over the last bite.—Molly Lori 555 Aloha St., 206-216-0600, www.veilrestaurant.com.Best Original Spring RollI have never warmed to the term “fusion” when applied to food. However, against my better judgment, I’ve come to accept—and even like—some cross-cultural cuisine (like Zante’s Indian pizza in San Francisco). My Seattle fascination is the Reuben spring roll from ROXY’S DELI. This casual restaurant wraps pastrami, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese in a spring roll wrapper and then fries the whole thing to a meaty, cheesy, greasy state of crispiness. Served with ranch dressing, the appetizer (and a beer) is just what you need after a grueling day at the office.—Molly Lori462 N. 36th St., 206-632-3963, www.pastramisandwich.com.Best Readymade BurgersWhen a friend told me they had great burgers at the PCC NATURAL MARKET in the View Ridge neighborhood, I was skeptical, but after tasting them I am now certain I know the secret ingredient: crack. These little foil-wrapped honeys are addictive, and while they pack all the punch of a good burger, they aren’t junk food. The beef is Oregon Country Natural, the bun from Essential Baking Co., and the dressing a pink and tasty concoction of ketchup and vegannaise—as healthy as a real meat burger gets. Priced at $3.99, the hamburgers come with or without cheese and fit in the palm of your hand. They appear under the heat lamps in the deli section around noon and seem to sell quickly, so it’s clear I’m not the only one who’s picked up the hamburger-as-health-food habit.—Knute Berger 6514 40th Ave. N.E., 206-526-7661, www.pccnaturalmarkets.com.Best Fruit StandIn the immigrant-heavy neighborhoods of Southeast Seattle, where cheaper is always better, a number of little stores sell groceries at prices that put Costco to shame. Some carry meat and seafood. Others offer Asian specialties. All are worth checking out. But for sheer variety of produce, it’s hard to beat MACPHERSON’S, a longtime landmark on Beacon Hill. Yes, you have to look carefully before you buy; some of the bargains come at the expense of freshness. How sweet it is, though, to find juicy peaches for 68 cents a pound when the going price at QFC is $1.99, or to bag red and yellow peppers priced two to the dollar. For a single buck, you can also scoop up five lemons or even 10 limes. A recent trip sent me home with two bags full of peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines, bananas, peppers, blueberries, grapefruits, lemons, and tomatoes—all for $10.—Nina Shapiro 4500 15th Ave. S., 206-762-0115.Best BunsMaybe we should call nine-month-old COLUMBIA CITY BAKERY “best new bakery,” because everything Evan Andres and Andrew Meltzer make—bread, pastries, cookies—is fabulous. But the thing that always lures me here is the $2 Morning Bun. Not quite a cinnamon roll, not quite a muffin, it’s a flaky package of sweet-spicy goodness. Pair it with a Caffe Vita coffee and settle next to the big window that frames the best people-watching block of Rainier Avenue. Before you leave, pick up a ficelle (a baguette’s slender, chewier cousin) to make your CCB glow last all day.—Lynn Jacobson 4865 Rainier Ave. S., 206-722-9138.Best Import Food ShopNew competitors enter this category every day, it seems—like upstarts Porcella Urban Market in Bellevue and EvZE World Gourmet on Eastlake. But the requisite pre-party stop for my household is still PACIFIC FOOD IMPORTERS, or PFI, the foodie fantasyland tucked behind the immigration building on Sixth Avenue South. If you’ve never been there, call first for directions, and don’t be put off by the market’s drab, warehouselike appearance. After all, who needs fancy displays? The sheer quantity and variety of olive oils, pickled vegetables, pastas, exotic sauces, and European sweets are tantalizing enough to make you consider robbing a small bank. PFI also sells spices in bulk and cheeses by the pound—at last count, eight varieties of feta alone. The midrange, affordable types are delicious, but one bite of the creamy French feta, at $7.70 a pound, will have you casing a bigger vault.—Lynn Jacobson 1001 Sixth Ave. S., 206-682-2022.Best Cheers-Like Sushi PlaceSome of Seattle’s best fish can be found at a place where quality and speed don’t compromise the family feeling. TOYODA SUSHI on Lake City Way has been turning over tables of seafood-loving locals since the Toyodas opened their first and only restaurant in 1989. Helen and Natsuyoshi have an uncanny eye for returning customers. You can count on friendly conversation from Helen, a hostess with a memory like a PalmPilot, and a hearty hello and goodbye from Natsuyoshi behind the sushi bar. Clusters of photos in the entryway show regulars modeling Toyoda T-shirts on their world travels, but we’re willing to bet just a taste of the sashimi will keep you in town for some time to come.—Katie Becker12543 Lake City Way N.E., 206-367-7972.Best Designer Doughnut ShopThese days, you can find TOP POT doughnuts everywhere from your neighborhood Starbucks to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, but for the real Top Pot experience, bite into a pink vanilla cake doughnut at the new, hypernostalgic Wedgwood location, which opened last September in a 1940s-era gas station. The Klebeck family went all out, hiring local artists to perfect everything from the laborious terrazzo floors to the giant 10-foot steel doughnut on top of the outdoor overhang. “We wanted something like the Hat n’ Boots or the Pink Elephant Car Wash,” says co-owner Mark Klebeck, “Something iconic.” Wedgwood’s clientele also bring a different glaze. “On the community board here, there are fliers about how to talk to your kids about sex,” says employee Wil Truce, “versus downtown, where it’s got [fliers on] how to have hot domination-tantric sex.”— Katie Becker6855 35th Ave. N.E., 206-525-1966, www.toppotdoughnuts.com.Best Banh Mi for BeginnersIf you’ve wanted to try those tasty Vietnamese sandwiches but are mystified by the crowded, mazelike shops of Little Saigon, try SEATTLE DELI. Easy to find on 12th Avenue South between Main and Jackson streets, it’s a clean, well-lighted place with a full range of Vietnamese lunch and dinner items and bubble teas. Step up to the counter and order a pork or chicken banh mi; your courage will be rewarded with a crispy-crusted French roll packed with chunks of savory meat, crisp carrots and cucumber, cilantro, and hot peppers. The sandwiches only cost $1.75, so you have nothing to fear. Except maybe the peppers. Take our word for it, they are not for the timid.—Lynn Jacobson225 12th Ave. S., 206-328-0106.Best Strip-Mall Japanese RestaurantYou’re at the mall. You gotta eat. Your expectations are very low. But if you’re at Factoria, you should readjust them, because right next to the eastern exit is O.E.SHE. The name echoes the Japanese word oishii, which means “good” or “tasty,” and that’s exactly what this spot delivers: clean, simple preparations of basics like udon, yakisoba, teriyaki, ramen, and sushi. Prices are affordable, the food’s ready fast, and the surroundings are quiet and calming. Exactly what you need after a trip to Target.— Lynn Jacobson3938 Factoria Square Mall S.E., Bellevue, 425-644-7835.Best chinese BarbecueKAU KAU has barbecue down—Cantonese barbecue, that is. A mere $6.95 will get you the BBQ combo, a pound of pork three ways. All are tasty, but the spareribs, coated in a caramelized barbecue sauce that sticks to the meat and not to your fingers, are the best. The meat is tender yet requires some pleasurable gnawing at the bone. The strips of meat simply called “pork” are not at all dry, their nicely crusted edges marked with pink coloring. The surprise hit is the roast pork, better known as “crispy skin pork,” with crunchy skin and a thick layer of fat that helps the meat stay super tender. At Kau Kau, you could lunch exclusively on pork and be richly content, with nothing to show for your trouble but greasy fingers and a full belly.—Adriana Grant656 S. King St., 206-682-4006, www.kaukaubbq.com.Best CevicheYou’ve got to try the spot prawn ceviche at NISHINO ($14.95). This dish is so decadent, and a bit gruesome, it’ll make you feel like you’re in a movie—perhaps something by Wong Kar-wai. Yes, the ceviche is pricey, but the thing is, up until the moment you order it, the prawns are alive, wriggling their antennae at you behind glass. Troubling, yes, and perfectly delectable. Once the sushi chef has dispatched the 6-inch-long prawns, he bathes their meat in a delicate, clear citrus liquid and mixes it with avocado, cucumber, and cilantro. Cradled inside the skin of a scooped-out orange, the translucent ceviche is almost raw, a sort of sashimi salad. You may hope the chef doesn’t take the one prawn that’s been mesmerizing you, but this will be the best ceviche you’ve had.—Adriana Grant3130 E. Madison St., 206-322-5800.Best Local Gourmet ChainWith a menu that ranges from brown- bottom meatloaf and radiatore pesto to Hawaiian Slaw, PASTA & CO is your one-stop gourmet shop. The offerings at this upscale deli are consistently sophisticated yet unfussy—and best of all, convenient. Stop by after work for snap-pea salad, simply grilled prawns, and a serving of Beecher’s macaroni and cheese, and you’ll enjoy a tasty meal for about 10 bucks. It’s fast food, but good fast food. In addition to the ready-to-go dishes, the deli stocks fresh pasta (hazelnut tortellini and red-chili rotini are some flavorful options) and refrigerated sauces, as well as romaine lettuce, bottled dressings, fresh bread, and wine: Everything you’d want for a great, quick meal.—Adriana Grant2640 N.E. University Village, 206-523-8594 (and other locations), www.pastaco.com.Best Culinary Pit Stop on the Long Walk HomeTo walk or not to walk: That’s the daily quandary for downtown office workers who dwell on Lower Queen Anne. Is it really worth it to pay that fat $1.50 bus fare to do the sort of work your sneakers could do if you weren’t so tired and hungry after a long day’s slog? Your buttocks will thank you for it, but perhaps a more realistic compromise is pausing halfway home for a $4 happy-hour banana boat of BLACK TRUFFLE MAC ‘N’ CHEESE at the DEL REY. Hardy enough to pass for dinner and salty enough to dot the rim of your Bloody Mary, this happy-hour delicacy might threaten to become as routine as your morning latte. Costs about the same, too. —Mike Seely2332 First Ave., 206-770-3228, www.delreyseattle.com.Best Lunch Counter CashierThe most valued attribute of a good cafeteria counter jockey is not politeness; it’s speed. Whatever gets sacrificed in the way of manners must be made up for with a certain winking brassiness that lets your customer know that you’re not screwing with him for the sake of screwing with him—you’re screwing with him because lunch service for busy downtown politicos, brokers, and bureaucrats is just a fast break. Nobody understands this dynamic better than BAKEMAN’S JASON WANG. As painful as it is to watch first- timers deal with Seattle’s own Soup Nazi, it’s equally gratifying for long-timers to rest assured they can get through a 20-deep line in two minutes.—Mike Seely122 Cherry St., 206-622-3375.Best Grilled Ham & CheeseAn overabundance of good ol’ grease is typically not the best thing one can ascribe to an entree. Yet at the SHANTY CAFe, grease is king—especially when it comes to the Lower Queen Anne snack shack’s sublime grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Nothing can ruin the middle of the day like a dry, undercooked sandwich that’s supposed to make your mouth water, which is why the Shanty kitchen staff overcompensates with the aforementioned moisture and pitch-perfect grill time. In spite of such precautions, the wait for one of these tasty toasted concoctions is rarely more than five minutes. Like pretty much all else at this oft-overlooked local institution, they’ve got it down to a science.—Mike Seely350 Elliott Ave. W., 206-282-1400.Best Mozzarella SticksOn the surface, WINGMASTERS does little to distinguish itself from every other working-class tavern in Ballard. There are barstools aplenty, tubes turned to sports, cheap beer, well-drink specials, and gut-stuffing Taco Tuesdays. What sets Wingmasters from the pack are its handmade mozzarella sticks, each of which is the size of a Polish sausage. If that’s not enough, the bartenders do fresh-squeezed greyhounds here, too, transforming the bar into a veritable blue-collar paradise.—Mike Seely5811 24th Ave. N.W., 206-706-9999.Best Pakistani Lamb ShankGreenwood’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it KABAB HOUSE provides further evidence that the best ethnic restaurants hide themselves behind the humblest of aesthetics. Housed in a no-frills strip mall, Kabab House typically features one of the owners’ toddlers crawling around its small dining room. In fact, nothing in sight prepares you for the flavor that owner/chef Mohammad Ibrahim delivers. Of particular note is Ibrahim’s gravy-smothered lamb shank, a taste sensation that stands up to anything his polished-silver rivals can churn out.—Mike Seely8102 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-3611, www.kababhouse.com.Best Classic CocktailOpen less than a year, Suite 410 has become one of Seattle’s top drinks destinations. The cocktail lineup, designed by Ryan Magarian, is the big reason why. Magarian is endlessly inventive in his combinations of spirits, fruit juices, and obscure alcoholic additives, but he also seems to have a magic touch with the classics. SUITE 410’S PISCO SOUR can’t be all that different from the hallowed recipe: Mix two parts pisco (a South American brandy made from muscat grapes) with one part lime juice. Sweeten to taste with simple syrup. Shake vigorously with a little fresh egg white. Finally, top the foamy result with a drizzle of Angostura bitters. As traditional as its recipe may be, when served at the 410’s classic black bar, the pisco sour stands up and shouts, “I’m unique!”—Roger Downey410 Stewart St., 206-624-9911, www.suite410.com.Best Portable LunchCrisp, flaky boreks from TURKISH DELIGHT are guaranteed to set your taste buds humming. Similar to a Russian piroshki, boreks are delicate phyllo pastries filled with meat or with vegetables and cheese and then baked, steamed, or deep-fried. They’re served when the fillings are still warm and tender on the inside, making that first delectable bite an unbelievably satisfying experience. Unlike piroshkies, however, these portable delicacies won’t leave you feeling weighty or bloated afterward. Don’t forget to try some Turkish delight—a chewy, bite-sized dessert akin to a jujube, flavored with fruit juices and drowned in powdered sugar.—Tiffany Wan1930 Pike Place, 206-443-1387.Best Tap Beer LineupIf you’re as indecisive as I am, BROUWER’S is the last place you’d want to find yourself. With a staggering lineup of almost 50 beers on tap, this Belgian-style bier bar will have your head spinning—and that’s before you’ve had your first drink. The beer list, which changes daily, is divided into domestic and import brews, requiring you to choose between patriotic loyalty and alcoholic treason (the latter is a bit pricier). My pick? Young’s Double Chocolate, a British stout, heavy but close to heavenly—and that’s coming from a beer dilettante. Brouwer’s setup is almost as impressive as its beer selection; stone walls and dark woods work to create a distinctly European atmosphere. Don’t forget to check out the Belgian food menu for mussels and frites.—Tiffany Wan400 N. 35th St., 206-267-2337, www.brouwerscafe.com.Best Potluck Cop-outOK, fess up: Where’d you get the samosas? We know you didn’t make them yourself in your home deep-fat fryer. The filling of potato chunks and peas is too fragrantly seasoned, the doughy exterior too perfectly crisp, the mint chutney and tamarind sauce too piquant. Bet you picked them up at MAHARAJA CUISINE OF INDIA on Capitol Hill, didn’t you? At two for $2.50, they didn’t cost you much more than a batch of that warm artichoke dip you usually make for potlucks. Cram a dozen into your own Tupperware, and your friends will think you’re a culinary genius. Your secret is safe with us.—Lynn Jacobson720 E. Pike St., 206-320-0334.Best Rationalization for Eating ShortbreadIf you pretend hard enough, you might be able to ignore all the butter in Bite Me! Bakery’s Flower Power cookies. Just focus on the label, where you’ll spy “organic whole wheat” as the main ingredient and note that the pastel tint of the frosting comes from natural sources like beets and turmeric. Sisters Kelly and Casey Cantwell started Bite Me! in Seattle in 1995. Two years ago, they sold the bakery to their friend Deborah Tuggle, who moved the company to Tacoma and tripled nationwide sales. Now her distinctive daisy-shaped cookies—in small and large sizes—can be found in cafes, at PCC, and at other natural-foods markets, where they’re a cult item. The idea of a whole-wheat cookie may bring up painful memories of the chewy, fiber-ridden nubs of the 1970s. But bite one: It’s nutty, almost like a graham cracker crust on a cheesecake, with a caramel finish thanks to brown sugar and all the goodness that only real butter is capable of delivering. Start playing “He loves me, he loves me not” with the petals; you should know your future within the quarter hour—these flowers disappear faster than the real ones.—Jonathan Kauffman Available in stores and cafes around Seattle, 206-286-7519, www.bitemeinc.cc.