Originally published Friday, October 3, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print view
Dining Deals
Serendipity serves up comfort food in a warm, inviting space
Dining Deal review: Serendipity, a new neighborhood cafe in Magnolia, succeeds with a family-friendly atmosphere, great service and a mac-n-cheese dish to die for.
Seattle Times NW Ticket editor
Serendipity
Eclectic/Cafe3222 W. McGraw St., Seattle
206-282-9866
Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. (kitchen closes at
9 p.m.) Mondays-Saturdays and 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.
Etc: Street parking, no obstacles to access, all major credit cards accepted. Don't be fooled by area sidewalk construction; Serendipity is open. Wine and beer available.
Prices: $ (breakfast meals $4-$9, sandwiches $7-$9, dinner entrees $9-$14).
Talk about thinking positively. In these trying economic times, two Magnolia families opened a cafe this summer, hoping to put good fortune right in the name — Serendipity.
The new restaurant — a family-friendly spot in a family-friendly Seattle nabe hungry for good restaurant options — just might have some good luck in store. Sisters-in-law and co-owners Jen Young and Nanette Baker spent the last year rehabbing the former Magnolia Tree gift and card store, before opening the warm, homey Serendipity in July.
The menu: It's in flux at the moment, as Young and Baker — who work in the front of the house and kitchen, respectively — add in some family recipes and autumny fare such as chicken potpie and lasagna.
We stopped by to sample the dinner menu, which ranges from angel-hair pasta ($9) to a pork-chop dinner with garlic mashed potatoes ($14). A kids' dinner menu is basically child-size portions of several of the main menu's offerings, including the pasta, grilled cheese and meatloaf. And Serendipity just introduced a full breakfast menu, featuring biscuits and gravy, eggs Benedict, buttermilk pancakes and egg dishes.
What to write home about: The Grown-up Mac & Cheese ($9) was oh-so-good, a mix of creamy (cheeses like fontina, mozzarella, Romano and white Cheddar, and I don't even want to know how much heavy cream), crunchy (Parmesan-toasted fresh breadcrumbs), al dente (elbow mac that wasn't overcooked!) and divine (a touch of truffle oil). My kids chose the tyke-version angel-hair pasta ($4.75) and meatloaf ($5.50). The latter was a treat: a well-seasoned homemade loaf with garlicky mashed potatoes that my 6-year-old scarfed. (It also came with a spicy tomato cream sauce that he didn't care for but I loved; the cream sauce comes on the $12 adult version, too).
What to skip: The pasta. Overcooked and swimming in liquid (oil? undrained pasta-boiling water?), my picky-eating 8-year-old wasn't being picky by skipping this dish — just smart.
The setting: Serendipity is going for an inviting living-room feel, with a warm brown on the walls and a kids' play room at the back of the house. Kids will love it — especially the gelato bar near the play area. I got talked into a lemon gelato ($4.75 for a large) that was suck-in-your-cheeks tart and terrific.
Summing up: We topped off our meal for three with a house salad and a couple of sodas, checking out at $43.95 with tax and tip — a night worth the price. With good service, an inviting décor and a simple menu that seems to have something for everyone, I'm not betting against Serendipity.
Raina Wagner: 206-464-8147
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
E-mail article
Print view Share:
Digg
Newsvine
![]()
Restaurant review: Artisanal at The Bravern shows French flair in delicious style
Freeloader alert: Free fries, free hot drinks, free donuts
Dining Deals: Gojo: Ethiopian favorites, spiced with love
Happy Hour: Monsoon East blows into Bellevue with a tasty menu
New eatery Sip offers free lunch Nov. 18

LA Galaxy's David Beckham
Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham talks about the upcoming MLS Cup final during after a team practice.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Italian lead prosecutor argues Knox motive was hatred
- Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
- Tugboat sinks on Seattle's waterfront
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Man shot in chest on E. Union Street in Capitol Hill
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Mariners Blog | A Mariners-Tigers swap makes a whole lot of sense for both teams
- Senate vote clears hurdle
235 - Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
119 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
117 - Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
115 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
114 - Prosecutor requests life in prison for Amanda Knox
87 - Cutting through breast-cancer confusion
86 - Game thread
70 - New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
52 - Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
46
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Nonprofits get creative using Twitter and Facebook to make donation easier
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Great places to cross-country ski for free (or almost) in the Methow
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Recipes: Sesame Pork Roast, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce and more
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- 175 foster kids in Washington get 'forever families'









