When a restaurant I like closes, it just breaks my heart. Maybe the restaurant owner feels a great sense of relief, but I'm just crushed. And it's happened to so many Renton restaurants over the years. It's a tough industry. When Gene's Ristorante on S 3rd was sold, it practically killed me. Gene was happy to no longer be working a million hours a week, and with many other irons in the fire, he wasn't able to clone himself. But hooboy was it a great place. I still miss than antipasto. When Japan Thai closed, it hurt. The owners were practically doing handstands they were so happy to get some semblance of a life back. But I was sad. Japanese and Thai food go really well together. When the Aloha BBQ on the Maple Valley Highway closed, I was devastated. That was another place that should have been a lot more successful than it was, fresh, creative, and inexpensive. About a month or two ago, Shuga Jazz Bistro closed. They had an insanely great Happy Hour, as well ...

First things first. Four Generals Brewing  opens this Friday, July 22nd, at noon. 229 Wells Ave S, beautiful downtown Renton. As Martha Stewart would say " It's a good thing." The Renton River Days parade is this Saturday, July 23rd, at 10 AM, in beautiful downtown Renton. S. 3rd St.( Renton's main drag) will be closed for the parade. It's a fun parade that nicely reflects Renton's diversity. It might be ruined this year by politicians running for office.  If you see some doofus in a pea suit marching in the parade, yeah, that's probably me. Uwajimaya(501 S. Grady Way) has fresh Yukon River Keta salmon filets for 9.99 per pound. You may be asking " Keta salmon? Isn't that another name for pink salmon? The cheap stuff? " Well, technically, yes, Sockeye and King salmon are usually richer, and more flavorful. But Yukon River's salmon are so especially rich and fatty(in a good way), that the Yukon River Keta salmon actually has a higher ...

C'mon Freddy, don't you mean where you drink beer? No. Because most of the time, when I drink beer, it's at home. But I am a big beer snob, and also a cheapskate.  And also lazy, which means I'm not going to drive half an hour to have a beer. My general guideline, for either refilling my 64 oz beer growler, or to sit down and have a pint or a meal with it, is that it be within about ten minutes from home. So while there are some fantastic breweries and pubs in the Seattle area, if they're not within about ten minutes from home, I'll only go there if I happen to be nearby. Anyway, where do I get beer? If I'm refilling my 64 oz beer growler, it's sometimes at Jude's Old Town in Rainier Beach, Seattle(9252 57th Ave S. Seattle). Jude's has a small selection of well chosen beers that cost only 12 dollars to refill a growler, a great price for a tavern. Jude's also has great food, and comfortable atmosphere. And they have a "growler club...

A good bakery is a major weakness of mine. My taste in items produced by a bakery is broad. Sweet is good. Savory is good. Bread is good. Pastries are good. Pie is good. Cookies are good.  I prefer places that use good ingredients, and have something special to offer. Some bakeries in Seattle are well known and very good.  Places like Bakery Nouveau, Macrina, Columbia City Bakery, etc.  If you don't know about these places you don't get around much in Seattle. But because these places are busy and well known, it really wouldn't serve anybody for me to talk about them. What's less known are the very good bakeries in places you wouldn't expect. Like Renton and Kent. Sugar, Flour, and More, in the Renton Highlands at 2830 Sunset Ln NE in the Renton Highlands, is an exceptional place. There are a lot of French inspired items, Mexican inspired items, and one of a kind items invented by the owner/baker, like Huitchacotle (corn fungus) bread. The baguettes are fantastic....

Things you should know about: The Red House, at 410 Burnett Ave S, Renton is hosting a Fall Harvest Festival benefitting the Renton History Museum, on Sunday, October 4th, from 12:00 to 6:00. Twenty five dollars gets you a buffet and dessert selection, cheese and wine tasting,  and live music. A worthy cause(Renton History Museum is an awesome place), and The Red House is always a pleasure to dine in. Arguably the best food in Renton, it's a restaurant in an old coal miner's rooming house. They know how to consistently make delicious food, and service is always friendly and competent. Odin Brewing, 402 Baker Blvd, Tukwila, is celebrating the first anniversary of their tasting room/pub in Tukwila this upcoming Friday and Saturday, September 25th and 26th. They will be featuring smoked wild boar and turkey legs for the celebration, and litres of their fabulous beer. Get in touch with your inner Viking. Kazi Grill, at 111 Airport Way S. in Renton, has a great 8.99 lunch...

I've seen a statistic somewhere stating that 90% of new restaurants fail within the first five years. And, as somebody who appreciates a meal out, I've seen time and time again, perfectly good restaurants go out of business. Sometimes they seem to have good business, other times not. And at the same time, there are perfectly mediocre restaurants that are always crowded, and raking in money. Maybe it's location, maybe it's skill? Maybe it's the fickle tastes of the masses? People who open restaurants know all this. Yet they keep opening up new restaurants. Some of them will succeed. On that note, three restaurants recently opened in the Renton area, and I hope all three stick around for a while. In Rainier Beach(Seattle), Jude's Old Town 9254 57th Ave S.(next to Rainier Avenue), describes themselves as a family friendly neighborhood bar featuring great food. It's so my kind of place. It's a cool old storefront. The food is exceptional. It's a s...

I know what you're thinking " That Freakazoid Freddy, he must be in his 50's, but you'd never know it by how mentally sharp he is. He's sharp as a tack . Hasn't declined one iota. I wonder what his secret it?" Here's my secret: http://www.medicaldaily.com/drink-beer-ward-dementia-antioxidant-found-hops-prevents-oxidative-stress-cognitive-320296 Yup. An antioxidant in hops apparently helps ward off dementia, and the Seattle area has many breweries that specialize in hoppy beers.  Renton has two breweries, Herbert B. Friendly, and Strong Arm. Both of these are tiny, and the beer is made adjacent to the brewer's homes. Renton does not have a brewery tap room where you can hang out and drink and eat. But nearby Tukwila does. Odin Brewing opened their facility in Tukwila last summer, and serves all of their beer, and barbecue made on the premises. They've got Trivia every Wednesday. It's a friendly, comfortable space, and the beer is a...