Cheap Eats: Bookish Bite

By Allison Austin Scheff

(Photo by Victoria Lahti)

The Elliott Bay Café has long been a cozy oasis in the basement of the beloved Elliott Bay Book Company. There was just one sticking point: The food wasn’t very good. Then, last November, Brasa chef/owner Tamara Murphy took over the café, and the longtime practitioner of the local-is-better doctrine spiffed up the place. The dingy bathrooms now have pedestal sinks, the dining room has a fresh coat of honey-colored paint, and Murphy’s favorite local foods—Willie Green’s Organic Farm produce, Bluebird Grain Farms farro, Zoe’s Meats—are featured on a worldly, affordable lunch menu. Seared chermoula-rubbed skirt steak is slathered in a feta-mint-yogurt sauce for a jaw-dropping take on the old steak sandwich (served with salad of the day, greens or chips for $8.50). Herbed goat cheese, fontina and cheddar ooze onto semolina-rosemary bread, with a little tomato jam and spicy pickled peppers, in what might be the city’s best grilled cheese sandwich (with greens or chips, $7.20). Missing from the regular menu, however, is something porky (Murphy is famous for her whole-roasted pig), so be sure to order the porcine specials (green chili pork, $8.20, on one visit) whenever they appear. Open daily. Breakfast, lunch, light dinner. 101 S Main St.; 206.682.6664; elliottbaybook.com ¢

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Tags: Food Pioneer Square