The proliferation of medical-marijuana access points in the Seattle area has resulted in a (delightfully, in my opinion) wide and diverse range of shops. A fascinating universe of access points awaits the adventurous patient (at least until the entire system of medical-marijuana access is likely shut down in the implementation of recreational legalization measure I-502): from the really funky, informal places with their unique charm—or sometimes not so much charm at all—to the shops with professional signage, logos, and office space. Cesar’s Salad lands definitively in the latter category.
Open for a couple of months on Aurora Avenue just north of downtown, Cesar’s Salad’s huge sign makes it hard to miss. If you’re northbound on Aurora, there’s easy access; if you’re southbound, that maddening highway divider necessitates getting a little more creative, but really only adds about five minutes to the quest. Parking can be a bit challenging in the area, something to be aware of if you have limited mobility.
Once inside the waiting room, I was immediately struck with its professional green-and-black design. Everything was agreeably color-coordinated, and there was plenty of relevant reading material laying about.
Budtender Kelsey may be young, but she’s knowledgeable and willing to offer her input on flower selection. After I located the clear glass jars that hold the $8 and $10 strains on a shelf behind the counter, she pointed out the top-shelf selections ($12 per gram except for Girl Scout Cookies, which is $16), found in solid black jars on the counter.
Perusing a few of those $12 jars, I selected SFV OG, a phenotype of Ghost OG developed in California’s San Fernando Valley. This indica-dominant strain captures your attention in a most pleasant way around the third or fourth toke, at which point you become suddenly aware you are quite medicated and not in nearly as much pain as you were just moments earlier. SFV OG isn’t quite as heavy as many of its indica sisters, so it can be useful for effective daytime pain and nausea control.
I also couldn’t resist trying an eighth-ounce of the Violator Kush strain, which Kelsey mentioned as one of her favorites. Violator’s gorgeous trichome-encrusted indica-dominant flowers are loaded with both THC and its non-psychoactive but pain-relieving cousin CBD, making it a very good pain-control strain. These frosty nugs have a dank smell and taste, and result in relaxation to the point of couchlock.
Cesar’s Salad has a great selection of medibles, including Captain Cosmic items with a very considerable THC dose of 200 milligrams, according to the labels, for $20 each. For those with truly elevated tolerance levels, Captain Cosmic’s Quad Bars have a whopping 400 milligrams of THC. Also available is a good selection of various brands of canna-caps (including 100 mg of THC for $12), Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) for $50 to $60 a gram, and Butane Hash Oil (BHO) in wax, shatter, and honey-oil forms for $40 to $50 a gram.
tokesignals@seattleweekly.com
Steve Elliott edits Toke Signals, tokesignals.com, an irreverent, independent blog of cannabis news, views, and information.
CESAR’S SALAD 3908 Aurora Ave. N., 547-5754, cesarssalad.com. 9 a.m.–midnight daily.
