Game
for variety?
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Seattle
Mariner's fans chow down at Safeco Field. |
Sports
fans fill up at The Safe
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Stacee
Sledge |
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July 4, 2002 -- This
little anecdote might give you a glimpse into what the Seattle
Mariners and Safeco Field mean to me: To celebrate our second wedding
anniversary last year, my husband and I splurged on sixth-row seats
along the first-base line.
Since the symbol of the second anniversary is cotton,
we even contemplated sharing a cotton candy. Instead, we were tempted
by the myriad of other culinary choices at The Safe. Our solution? Go
back as often as possible to see those glorious M's play -- and sample
new gastronomical goodies each time.
Growing up in Iowa, my team of choice was the Kansas
City Royals. I don't remember ever eating anything but hot dogs at
those sweltering summer games, but times have changed, especially in
Seattle.
Every time I go to a Mariners game, the smell of
garlic wafts through the air every few minutes, as someone passes by
with a heaping order of Grounders garlic fries. The brilliant creation
of Ivar's restaurants, these fries were inspired by the popular Gilroy
garlic fries at San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park. Sprinkled liberally
with minced garlic, kosher salt and fresh parsley, these slivers of
fried Idaho spuds will more than satisfy. In fact, the lasting garlic
effect may tip off your co-workers the day after you play hooky for an
afternoon game.
Safeco Field |
Location:
1250 First Ave. So.,
Seattle
Phone: (206) 346-4000
Serving: Traditional ballpark fare
alongside mouth-watering Northwest chow and Asian cuisine.
Menu items sampled:
Garlic fries $5
Kidd Valley cheeseburger $5.50
Kidd Valley Chocolate shake $4
Ichiroll combo $12
Major League Mariner Dog $5.50
Chicken fingers and fries $6.75
Bubba's Burly Burrito $5.50
Bubba fries $4.75
Salmon sandwich $7 |
For our anniversary this year, we chose the romantic
repast of Kidd Valley cheeseburgers and the above-mentioned garlic
fries. Call us traditionalists.
The Kidd Valley cheeseburger is a generous portion of
charbroiled burger on an enormous sesame seed bun, piled high with
lettuce, onion, pickle and tomato. Skimpy isn't a word you'd associate
with this burger, and one made for a filling meal -- except for my
husband, who can eat enough for a battalion of batboys and still have
room for dessert.
He ordered a Kidd Valley chocolate shake to chase down
his burger, a thick, creamy, sweet reminder of childhood. I snuck sips
here and there, otherwise equally engaged by watching the game and
that catch of a catcher, Dan Wilson. Additional treats can be sampled
at the Sweet Spot, which sells a variety of bulk candies, while ice
cream and frozen treats can be found at the Frozen Rope.
A second visit to Safeco last week saw us sitting in
the bleacher seats with friends near the Hit It Here Cafe &
Terrace. The newly redesigned casual restaurant offers appetizers,
salads, burgers, hand-carved sandwiches, fresh pasta entrees and fish
and chips. You can also finish your meal with their popular Big Fat
Chocolate Cake and deep-fried cheesecake. If you want to watch the
game from the Hit It Here Cafe, you need to purchase specific tickets.
Maybe that's how we'll celebrate next year's anniversary.
We wandered around with our friends Patrice and Wes,
checking out the bullpen and looking at Mariner merchandise. My
husband set his sights on a salmon sandwich, those mandatory garlic
fries and sushi (I told you he liked to eat!), while the rest of us
went in search of more traditional fare.
My husband appeared with two cardboard trays laden
with garlic fries and a scrumptious salmon sandwich. He was content,
for the time being.
Patrice came back to our seats loaded down with a
Bubba's veggie burrito and Bubba fries. She worked on the fries first,
a carton of tater-tot look-alikes with a kick, dipped in a chipotle
chile sauce. Her burrito was wrapped in foil and remained piping hot
until she was ready to eat it a couple innings later. A soft tortilla
wrapped around the usual burrito filling of black beans, rice, salsa
and cheese. She was pleased.
Our other baseball cohort, Wes, went with the
obligatory Major League Mariner Dog. Grilled through and served on a
fresh Gai's bun, the hot dog was, in the words of my husband,
"embarrassingly large." Wes piled on the fresh condiments,
finished off the gargantuan dog, and then declared that a Minor League
Mariner Dog might have been a better way to go.
A few innings later my husband was ready for that
sushi. He ordered the Ichiroll combo at the Sushi & Sake stand
down by the bullpen and couldn't stop raving. Six spicy tuna rolls
joined three pieces of nigiri sushi and rounded out with fresh ginger
and fiery wasabi.
As for my food selection for the evening, well, not
every meal can be a home run. My fatal error may have been in waiting
until the seventh inning to grab a bite. I chose chicken fingers and
french fries from the Rolling Roof Refreshment stand. The three
sizeable chicken strips were made of high-quality white meat, but
served only slightly warm and with a different sauce than the one I
requested. The real disappointment was the soggy and cold french fries
served under the chicken fingers. Next time, I'm sticking with those
glorious garlic fries.
For fans who like to follow a diet that allows them to
run the bases without becoming winded, the Health Hut offers
heart-healthy dishes that make a guilt-free alternative to regular
ballpark fare, serving fresh soups, salads, veggie dogs, fruit cups,
granola bars and smoothies.
As you might expect, prices can be a bit steep on many
items, just like at other sporting venues. Now that's one tradition I
remember clearly from my Kansas City Royals days.
Several times a year we enjoy sampling the foodstuff
at The Safe and watching the Mariners make mincemeat of their
opponents. Of course, the game is the main attraction, but the variety
of vendors offering any food item you could possibly crave is also
grounds to take yourself out to the ballgame again and again.
The
Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine
alone, not The Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop
me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com.
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