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Friday, March 25, 2005
Cheap Eats: Patty Pan Grill
There's easy vegetarian, say, the spaghetti or veggie burgers that make up the inevitable "alternate" options at many mainstream restaurants. There's gourmet vegetarian, such as the Portobello Wellington at Cafe Flora. And now there's more of an in-between -- at the tiny Patty Pan Grill in Ballard.
Owner Devra Gartenstein, author of "The Accidental Vegan" cookbook, comes into the business with an existing fan base from local farmers markets.
Patty Pan's inexpensive food struck us overall as healthful and honest, filled with the likes of broccoli stems and collard greens and the garden's other wintry offerings. We quite enjoyed an enormous plate of free-range, organic scrambled eggs mixed with cheese and grilled vegetables ($6, with slices of seeded bread), but I bet we would enjoy it even more when the bounty of summer arrives. A big quesadilla ($6) with greens and broccoli was a crisp riff on the same theme, while lentil soup ($3.50) was simple and filling, reminding us of Indian dal.
We admire any attempts to de-guilt the experience of eating tamales ($3.50 apiece, or $8 for three). Regrettably, though, there's a tradeoff: Olive oil makes for stickier, more flaccid dough here than lard would have. For a clear conscience, though, we tried three kinds; we recommend the chile-cheese.
Patty Pan Grill, 5402 20th Ave. N.W.; 206-782-1558. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday. (Gartenstein is at the Ballard Farmers Market on Sundays.)
-- Rebekah Denn
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