For Political Reporters, Seattle Means Good Eating

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Political reporters may or may not stick around for the state's Republican caucus this weekend, since three of the candidates are scheduled to be in Ohio when results are announced, but Politico's Dylan Byers has suggestions for where Mitt Romney's embeds should eat after covering his Bellevue fundraiser tomorrow night.

"Unfortunately, campaign reporters work so hard that they often don't have time to seek out a great meal, and I certainly don't see them finding time for a drive to Lummi Island's Willows Inn, or east of the mountains for a tour of wine country," says media columnist Byers, who's been talking up his hometown's food scene to colleagues on the campaign trail. "Reporters are people too, and they like to eat well, but very often they have to take what they can get."

A dedicated eater, Byers has tried to transcend the typical "what you can get" reporting diet by seeking out such gastronomic masterpieces as Sean Brock's legendary burger at Husk in Charleston, S.C. He thinks other reporters can have similarly memorable meals at Salumi, The Walrus and The Carpenter and Paseo.

Bowing to the realities of reporting deadlines, Byers is also offering suggestions for downtown dining (Matt's in the Market), pizza (The Independent) and late-night eats. "Best bet is Cafe Presse on 12th Avenue, which has the best Croque Madame in the city," he says. He adds that the coffee and cocktails are strong here too, catnip for writers caught in a 24-hour news cycle.

"Coffee is absolutely key for reporters, who by my last count average 4-5 cups a day at least," he says. "Fortunately, there's good coffee on almost every corner in Seattle. But Vivace and Victrola are musts."

Finally, Byers has sketched out an ambitious itinerary for fellow reporters who may find themselves with extra time in Seattle because their candidate unexpectedly withdraws from the race:

"They should spend their morning at The Hi-Spot in Madrona, follow it up with lunch at Wild Ginger downtown, then end with a big fat prix-fixe at Tilth in Wallingford," he says. "Then they should all go to Smith on 15th and get hammered at the big table."

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