It’s been a while since I’ve spent an entire day on a neighborhood food road trip, but with summer finally and (hopefully) well underway, and beautiful views from the beach at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, I thought now would be the perfect time to spend a day in Shoreline. From decadent cinnamon rolls and crunchy fish tacos to incredible fried chicken and pizza, here are three of my favorite places to try.
Sweet Pearl Bakery
641 NW Richmond Beach Road, Shoreline; 425-478-3789, sweetpearlbakery.com
This walk-up bakery is located in the parking lot next to Rite Aid and just a five-minute drive from Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. It opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday and is the perfect place to grab a warm cinnamon roll ($5.50) before heading to the beach. Some say the most important part of a cinnamon roll is the frosting, but they’re wrong. The frosting is the cinnamon and sugar seeping out between the fluffy bread layers, and if you’re lucky, some of it will seep out of the bread and create a crispy, caramel-sweet layer at the bottom of each bun. Forget the frosting, we want more of this. Luckily, Sweet Pearl’s cinnamon rolls are just that. If rolls aren’t your thing, they also offer a selection of freshly baked brownies, cookies, and (after noon) cupcakes.
Las Brasas del Volcan
19953 Ballinger Way NE, Shoreline; 206-708-6531, lasbrasasdelvolcan.com
My colleague, Thanh Vinh, has eaten his body weight in tacos, so I was intrigued to hear him talk about how good Las Brasas del Volcan is. The interior has the feel of an old-fashioned Taco Bell, with low ceilings and arched windows. The menu is the length of a book, with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The carne asada is a must-try. I had it on a Francisco huarache ($17.99), a slightly thick, sandal-shaped tortilla topped with refried beans, Oaxacan string cheese, sour cream, lettuce, onion and cilantro, and perfectly charred, tender carne asada. The tacos de pescado ($19.99) were also excellent. The two tacos came on fresh white corn tortillas and were stuffed with crispy, delicate fried white fish, pico, lettuce and a slightly spicy chipotle mayonnaise. Las Brasas has a salsa bar with nearly a dozen different salsas, chili oils and more. The charred pineapple salsa is especially recommended when paired with the guacamole and freshly fried chips ($9.99).
Ridgecrest Public House
520 NE 165th St., Shoreline; 206-823-7792, ridgecrest.pub
While I really appreciate the atmosphere this little neighborhood pub brings to this quiet strip mall, the main reason I visit is for the food trucks. I’ve been there on Sunday mornings for their breakfast sandwiches (and had great coffee at their sister joint, Drumlin), and I’ve been there in the evenings, especially when the Impeccable truck is parked outside (every other Thursday) for a delicious fried chicken sandwich. I recently went for Oscar’s Pizza on a Monday, but instead of having a beer, I was drawn to the newly opened Ridgecrest Books and browsed for books while my pizza baked.
Speaking of that pizza (and did you vote for your favorite Seattle pizza recently?), it’s thin-crust New York style with barely any burnt bits to be found. The sauce is slightly sweet, which goes really well with pies like the Jenny Special ($30.50), topped with Italian sausage, red onion, Mama Lil’s peppers, goat cheese and mozzarella. The cheese pizza is also typical of this style. And if you don’t want to bother eating a whole pie, Oscar’s sells slices. You can find it in Ridgecrest every Monday.
The Impeccable Truck is out to prove the staying power of a good fried chicken sandwich. My favorite is the simple Impeccable ($13.99), with a crispy, juicy fried chicken thigh, housemade mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, and beer-battered fries ($3). A must-have for me is the Comeback Sauce, which tastes like a mix of sweet chili, Sriracha, and ranch.
Jackie Varriano covers the Seattle area food scene. She loves digging into stories that discuss why, when and what we eat in and around our hometown. Reach her at jvarriano@seattletimes.com or on Twitter: @JackieVarriano.
