What is the restaurant at the Edgewater like?

"About three years ago they did an overhaul on the interior to a sort of high-tech/lodge look. They put in a deck and slate tables. And they upped the ante with the food and the service. The food is very good now, which I'd heard it wasn't in the past."

How long have you worked there?

"I started at the end of May."

How long have you been in the business?

"I started out of high school, so '84. I bussed tables, waited, hosted, everything. I bar-managed the Alibi and started the restaurant at the Frye [Art Museum]. I helped put together the menu there."

So you've done it all. Is there a particular job, not the place but the position, that you like working?

"The one I'm in is pretty good. I get to use my wine knowledge and my food knowledge. And I'm union so I'm a supervisor but I'm still one of the peeps, not quite the boss, but I get to boss people around [laughs]."

What do you like best about working in restaurants?

"The influx of new people, contact with people. You meet so many different people."

What kind of customers do you get?

"It's a mix of international travelers and Belltown locals, which is an interesting mix. I wouldn't say quite upscale but it's nice. People ask if there's a dress code." NATE LIPPENS