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Monday, September 26, 2011 | by HEATHER LOGUE
Where’s the real retro dining in Seattle?
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The counter at Randy's Restaurant. A city obsessed with all things newer often overlooks the familiar. Character can’t be created—it develops over time. Old bars and restaurants cultivate atmosphere over decades, aging in a way that invites one more cup of coffee or pint of beer. The rise of nouveau-retro spots like Skillet and Li’l Woody’s is a welcome (and delicious) addition to our region’s diverse dining scene. But their predecessors—the haunts of our greasy past—are the root of the trend. And they still exist. I found the quintessential ‘50s diner vibe— checkered floors, neon signs and vintage jukebox playing Bobby Darin—at the Luna Park Café. It’s perched high above the last cityartsonline.com/issues/seattle/2011/10/genuine-article
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Genuine Article | City Arts
remnants of Luna Park, a swath of land once home to the Ferris wheel, dance halls and swimming pools of Seattle’s own Coney Island. Luna Park Café is perfectly gaudy, and its saucy waitresses serve giant portions as they buzz around rusty signs from the old Granada Theatre and the original Luna Tavern, built in the aftermath of World War II. But Luna Park isn’t quite the real deal— it underwent a major makeover in 1988. Mike’s Chili Parlor started serving the secret Semandiris family chili recipe in 1922, and looks it. Located at the north side of the Ballard Bridge, this ancient oasis has hosted four generations of drinkers, chili-eaters and history. Mike’s charm lies in its simple stools and worn booths, its blinking tube TVs and the aging video game console in the corner. It’s a watering hole where old men sit on benches and devour ball games and chili dogs, a tourist destination where out-of-towners tiptoe in with trepidation, whispering, “Are you sure this is the place from Diners and Dives?”
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Mike’s options range from a smothered chili burger to chili steak, chili fries or chili pasta, all of which feature spicy beef ladled over beans, topped with cheese, onions and Tabasco, if you’re up to it. The recipe has been guarded for years, with hardly a tweak to the original batch. The stubborn brick structure, capped by a towering, dingy 7-UP sign, was built by Semandiris hands in 1922—and it stayed put while mega-gyms and grocery stores thickened around it. At Mike’s, you sit where many have sat before.
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South of the city, nestled amidst the warehouses and runways of Boeing Field, is Randy’s Restaurant, the greasy spoon where model airplanes go to die. Medals, flight suits, commemorative plates and vintage photos line the walls. A kind older gentleman escorts customers to their seats and proffers a menu bursting with a bounty of “Bomber Omelets” and “B-52 Buffalo Patties” along with grilled sandwiches and soups. Owned by retired Air Force veteran Richard Roadenizer and his wife, Lucia, Randy’s has been slinging coffee and browning bacon for 30 years, serving pilots and crew alongside hungry regulars. With dark booths, stained glass and a row of coffeepots stretching down the length of the counter, Randy’s embodies the essence of American diner, like a museum you can taste. Mike’s Chili Parlor 1447 NW Ballard Way Seattle, WA 98107 206.782.2808 Randy’s Restaurant 10016 E. Marginal Way S Tukwila, WA 98168 206.763.9333 Luna Park Cafe 2918 SW Avalon Way Seattle, WA 98126 206.935.7250 cityartsonline.com/issues/seattle/2011/10/genuine-article
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Genuine Article | City Arts
Photography by Joysha Fajardo SEE MO R E IN FO O D SEE MO R E IN THE OC TOBER 2011 ISSUE
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