The Elephant & Castle

1415 Fifth Ave (Downtown), 624-9977. Daily 11 am-midnight. $$.

As this Canadian chain expands into the United States, one might wonder why, in health-conscious Seattle, we need old British standbys like Welsh Rarebit Toast (smothered in cheese sauce, $3.95), Shepherd's Pie (ground beef topped with mashed potatoes, $9.95), and Roast Beef Stuffed Yorkshire (a fat-laden biscuit stuffed with beef and topped with gravy, $10.95). But at this restaurant--named after a British corruption of the French "L'enfant en Castile" (a 14th-century Spanish prince)--ethnic nostalgia overrules dietary concerns, and the sheer tastiness of the cuisine further removes any hesitation. The Cock-a-Leekie Soup, made with chicken and leeks, is delectable, as is the clam chowder (both $4.95). The Prime Rib ($9.95-$12.95) is flavorful and cooked just right, and the Lancashire Hot Pot ($9.95), a beef, lamb, and potato stew served in an herbed breaded bowl, is a delightful comfort food. The Elephant & Castle's interior is comfy and spacious, and boasts a glitzy, well-stocked bar. Avoid Thursday and Friday evenings, though, unless you enjoy meat markets of the human variety. MELODY MOSS


Le Pichet

1933 First Ave (Belltown), 256-1499. Sun, Mon, & Thurs 8 am-midnight (closed Tues-Wed!); Fri-Sat 8 am-2 am. Coffee daily from 8 am-noon; dinner from 5:30-10 pm; lighter fare available all day. $$.

Le Pichet is a work of French literature posing as a restaurant. The narrow room is warm with soft aromas from the kitchen--oregano and red wine layered with the salty, arid perfume of cured meats. In the back, there is a bar just big enough for a few young intellectuals--drinking brandy they probably can't afford--to converse about the death of God, the curling smoke from their strong cigarettes reflected in the large mirror hung behind the bartender, who polishes a thick glass with the hem of his apron. The feeling is crowded and urban and rich, as if you were in another city in another time, an expatriate in your own town. Food comes in simple groupings: entrées, mixed plates, and specials, plus an ever-present assortment of cheeses chalked out on the cheese board. The house rightfully prides itself on ptés and smoked meats, and their grilled fish, with the right wine, is indescribable. Late-night hours and cheap wine complete this novel experience. JAMIE HOOK


Mama Lou's

2218 First Ave (Belltown), 733-8226. Mon-Thurs 5 pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5 pm-2 am, closed Sun. $$.

Mama Lou's interior borders on Disneyland does Mexicana, and its menu, while ambitious, does not always taste as good as it reads. Some items, however, are remarkable, like the full-bodied Green Chili Stew ($4.50), with truly spicy New Mexico green chiles, tomatoes, potatoes, and roasted pork. Little touches like Mama's delightful palate cleanser of fresh fruit sorbets and mint leaves made me want to cheer. (Their spicy is that spicy.) The signature Enchiladas Santos ($9.25), corn tortillas stacked with shredded pork, cheese, SPICY red chile sauce and onions, and topped with two fried eggs arouses my admiration for the unabashed heat of Mama Lou's spicy--so hot it feels smoky on my tongue after a while. The Camerones al Tocino ($16.95) features six FANTASTICALLY LARGE tiger prawns, skewered and stuffed with a poblano chile slice, wrapped in BACON and basted with cilantro jalapeño glaze on top of a mountain of roasted vegetables, pickled cactus, and black rice. Exploding with salty-sweet perfection, the prawns temporarily stunned us into forgetting that we spent SIXTEEN DOLLARS AND NINETY-FIVE CENTS PLUS TAX on six prawns. Yeah, yeah, so they were incredibly tasty. I can replay that first bite bursting in my now-salivating mouth, like a first kiss remembered. RACHEL KESSLER


Vintage Cafe

Seattle Goodwill, 1400 S Lane Street (off Dearborn, Rainier Valley), 329-1000. Daily 10 am-8 pm. $.

Smell the hot dogs and hot fat spluttering in the deep fryer from the Seattle Goodwill Vintage Museum, and wander over to the juicy Sinai kosher dogs ($1.69, $2.79 chili dog) beckoning from the little wiener Ferris wheel. Several older gentlemen sit at tables, slurping their 59-cent coffees, exclaiming things like, "Harvey! This shirt! Forty-five cents! Can you believe it?!" Burgers and sandwiches (tuna, egg salad, ham, grilled cheese, bacon, etc.) run from two bucks to three and are made to order. All manner of deep-fried items are available, but the onion rings (a mere $1) stand on their own--real onions with a thick, crunchy coating, not those paltry diced onions in soggy breading one finds elsewhere. The Vintage Cafe is what "cheap eats" should be: cheap. (The soup is 89 cents.) It's not fancy, except for the white wrought-iron patio furniture in the outdoor seating section. It is the kind of place to visit when you are hungry but want to keep the bargain rush going. RACHEL KESSLER


Super Bowl Noodle House

814 NE 65th St (Green Lake), 526-1570. Sun-Thurs 11:30 am-9:30 pm; Fri-Sat 11:30 am-10 pm. $.

Unlike its football-game namesake, this Super Bowl doesn't promise the moon and then leave you disappointed. A small but bright and clean joint, Super Bowl offers a variety of noodle dishes--mostly soups--that all prove satisfying and surprisingly filling. The Turbo Noodles ($5.95) are the stuff of dreams: wide rice noodles simmering in a red broth with pork, shrimp, fried tofu, won tons, fish balls (insert joke here), and more, with a hint of cilantro. A warning for the heat-shy: If you don't like your food spicy, definitely try it with "one star." If you don't like noodles, try the Shrimp Rice Soup ($5.95) or Seafood Rice Soup ($6.95), the latter featuring fish, shrimp, squid, fried tofu, green onions, cilantro, and slivers of ginger. Good eats, cheerful staff, low prices... is it any wonder most folks at the Bowl are regulars? SCOTT McGEATH

Price Scale (per entrée)

$ = $10 and under; $$ = $10-$20; $$$ = $20 and up.