Eastside Big Tom - Olympia, WA

I've been shopping on Craigslist lately for an upright/double bass to start taking lessons on. I found a teacher and have been missing playing jazz. Oh, sweet jazz.. I took a quick little drive down to Olympia to check out a bass that was made in the Czech Republic and was bought from the mother of one of the members of the Pixies. Crazy story! I've checked out a couple though and haven't decided on one yet.

It was a reasonable drive and I hadn't eaten yet, so I decided to explore the options of where I could grub down in good ol' Oly. After unsatisfied with what I found on yelp, I googled.. Wait, I'm not supposed to tell you my secrets. Yes, of course I google. And after googling "cheap eats olympia, wa", I found Eastside Big Tom.. "All day drive thru (and mind you, walk up) burger landmark." The word LANDMARK caught my attention. I knew this was I place I needed to visit.


I arrived to a large gravel parking lot with many signs labeled "BIG TOM". There was a sign with an arrow leading me to the "Garden of Eatin'." A strange food court littered with dinosaurs, Star Wars figurines, and murals of prehistoric proportions. There they have a stand just for sundaes, scoops, milkshakes, and malts. I walked up and asked if that was the case and he said "yeah, for food orders just walk up to the back door of of the drive thru and they'll take your order." So I did just that..


The fare was typical drive in fare - burgers, shakes, fries.. with a few other options fish 'n chips, fried prawns, and other greasy, gooey goodness. It seemed like I had to order the Big Tom and got some tots with Goop® and tartar on the side. Goop® is their trademarked custom condiment, which seems as though it's a mix of mustard, mayo, and sweet relish. The service was friendly and prompt and they seemed to take pride in their strange establishment. Side note: 
If you do visit, like a lot of local places.. it is cash only. But they do have an ATM.







The burger was totally messy- which, in my opinion, is how it should be. I really appreciated that they gave me like ten napkins.. because I honestly needed most of them. And for everyone who doesn't know me, I'm a messy freakin' eater. Tots were hot and crispy, and I also liked that they provided salt on the side. I was watched by one of the largest squirrels I've ever seen. He probably lives off of the scraps there. I'm not worried about him at all..

Everything about this place was odd. But it was home-y and quirky and I liked it a lot.. and I told them after I ate in the Garden of Eatin'. This restaurant was a real piece of art.
A placed imagined in the mind of the owner. Unfortunately because it's still freezing cold out, I didn't have a milkshake or malt but I'll be back when our lovely state defrosts..

Paseo - North Seattle, WA

Paseo is a local place that many have been to, but it's still somewhat hidden amongst the artsy Seattle neighborhood of Fremont. I heard about it on the travel channel because they were known to sell out of their sandwiches daily. There is some history behind this place that I researched out of curiosity. The long lines were before Paseo closed down and switched ownership. At the time the closing was mysterious, but the news came out that the ownership was treating employees poorly. With new ownership, everything seems to be running well and their identity as a restaurant was never lost.

Paseo is tiny, has limited seating area, and can get packed out. But their sandwiches and other Cuban inspired cuisine are absolutely fantastic and are easy to take on the go. I visited this restaurant while exploring Fremont with my friend Alana. We went after a day at the Woodland Park Zoo nearby. The exterior is bright pink and shiny sheet metal, with lawn furniture seating outside during the warmer months. The staff was very friendly while ordering at the counter. I was blown away by the Paseo Press.. it goes up there with the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. The flavors just meld together beautifully. It is slow marinated pork, ham, swiss, banana peppers, carmelized onions, doused in a special tangy aioli on a crispy, toasty roll. Grab napkins and be prepared to get messy. I just barely finished this sandwich, so you may either share or come home with leftovers. Go to Paseo, get a Paseo press and enjoy the best Cuban Seattle has to offer. Please bring your dire hunger.  

Gene's Po-Boy - New Orleans, LA

I found myself in the rugged and rebuilt city of New Orleans, Louisiana during Mardi Gras this year. And I say it that way because it was unplanned that I was to visit during one of craziest celebrations nationally known. My friend Shoshana and I decided to go to NOLA the night before... realizing in the morning that the next day was Fat Tuesday. We arrived, rented a car, visited her dad in Baton Rouge, and headed back down to the city. After driving around the French Quarter for an hour and basically getting nowhere, we decided we should return the car the next day and take public transit.

NOLA Tip #1 - Don't rent a car. Stay near the Quarter and take public transit (bus or railcar), uber, taxi, etc. AND, from the airport there is a poorly marked bus called the E-2 express that will take you into downtown for $2.50. It is located in the departures area of the airport. Don't pay $20-30 for a taxi or for the downtown shuttle.

Anyways... leading up to the trip, I chatted with my coworker Steve about NOLA. Being one of his favorite places to visit, he gave me a host of places to eat and things to do. I wrote a list down and totally forgot to bring it. But there was one place I remembered him mentioning. This place was Gene's, famous for their limited menu of sandwiches - quoted by Steve "we have four types of sandwiches - beef, other beef, hot sausage, and cheeseburger". This is where the locals eat. I knew I had to visit because these are the places I look for.

On our way to Gene's, it was sad to see the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina and that poverty was worsened by the disaster. Gene's is located outside of the city where things are still being rebuilt and is not in the nicest of neighborhoods. We pulled up to a parking lot, knowing that we had arrived. Marked by the hot pink exterior and the plain signage... reading "Gene's Po-Boy", as well as google maps telling us that we had arrived. We stepped into the shop and were greeted by a bright colored yellow menu, a steel counter, bathrooms to the right, a poker booth, and no seating area. I ordered a roast beef with everything on it (on the menu it's called "D'Phillis Roast Beef - had roast beef, gravy, mayo, your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle). In the south, expect politeness everywhere but at Gene's don't expect nice service or smiles. The sass is all part of the experience. Got my sandwich, said thank you, and we left.

I opened up the sandwich - wrapped in a paper plate and wrapping, as if to say good luck. Gooey, messy, and oozing with flavor.. I knew I couldn't eat this in the car. OH, and I forgot to grab napkins. I licked off my hands and we were on our way. When we arrived where we were staying that night, I couldn't wait any longer and dug in.

And, I'll say this.. Gene's does not make best sandwich I've ever had. However, it is delicious, full of salt, full of flavor, and it all becomes this messy glob of a sandwich you can't resist.. probably especially if you're drinking. I'll say it again - this place is open 24/7 and they sell $10 sandwiches that could feed two people. Amongst all the good food in New Orleans, make a stop at Gene's, and get more than a taste of local flavor, get an experience.