It's football season, so naturally my thoughts turn to Lipton Onion Soup Mix. When it comes to the classic dip of one tub of sour cream mixed with one packet of Lipton "Recipe Secrets" Onion Soup Mix, I am proud to call myself the dip's Number One Fan. This devotion began at a young age and, to this day, there is nothing else I'd rather dip potato chips and carrot sticks into while spending a Sunday on the couch watching back-to-back games. Those softly crunchy dehydrated onion flakes are tasty and reassuring.

Lipton's powdered onion goodness is paramount to the Loco Moco from Kauai Family Restaurant (6324 Sixth Ave S, 762-3469), one of my favorite, go-to comfort dishes. Hawaiian food makes me sentimental; it fills my heart up as much as my stomach. I'm convinced that the warmth and flavor of the Loco Moco—a mountain made of scoops of white rice, a hamburger patty, and a fried egg all covered in brown gravy—are deepened by the familiar, salty sweetness the soup mix lends to the grilled hamburger patty.

Last weekend, while stealing two bites off a friend's plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes at Mecca Cafe (526 Queen Anne Ave N, 285-9728), I was thrilled to taste those unmistakable oniony Lipton bits. I can't wait to go back, eat an entire serving, then go home and take a nap. recommended