Saturday adventure

By Stephanie

Stir crazy at home, we decided to take a walk somewhere different. Walk, drive, what's the difference? We loaded up the little car and headed out to West Seattle via Georgetown. I thought I knew how to find the First Avenue Bridge, but as Boeing blazed by on both sides of Marginal Way, we could tell my navigational skills were failing. We have no GPS to guide us on our adventures. A little u-turn, crossing of a small draw bridge and a road closed barricade led us to the edge of South Park. Twisting turns here and there and we were headed further south. Another U-turn and some patience and we started to recognize a few features from last summer's trip over for dinner at an old friend's home

Target number one? Zippy's Giant Burgers at 1513 SW Holden. The reward? A #11 for each of us and a share of fries. The #11 is a hand formed beef patty grilled up and served on a soft hamburger bun, topped with chipotle mayo, a mix of smoked and jack cheese, chopped iceberg lettuce, and a heap of Mama Lil's pickled peppers. That is one great burger - easy to handle wrapped in a paper jacket, not intimidating in size but generous, with char, smoke, and a vinegar twang. The fries were hot, not greasy, a bit of skin still on. The small space has a couple of bar height tables and counters, a few stools, and a line to the door in mid-afternoon. They have good sodas in the cooler and milkshakes are available, but we had another idea. 

Target number two? Full Tilt Ice Cream at 9629 16th Ave SW. That's White Center, where the parking is angle back-in only and the sidewalks are littered with smokers. We had been hearing about Full Tilt for the last year, missed an opportunity once or twice. The back of the store is heavy with pinball machines and small kids fresh from softball games (and their parents who love them.) Up front, a few bright tables and a small ice cream case presided over by the owner. This is not your high end restaurant artisanal fancy pants ice cream served in one spoon quenelle fashion. This is a place to get a big split scoop of inventive flavors. I found the flavors subtle, as well as the colors. The green tea with dark chocolate chips was not labeled matcha. The chocolate orange was rich with both flavors. Taro, a Philippine specialty, was lightly colored, smooth and unusual (unlike at a local bakery where the color screams purple and the flavor seems imaginary.) A red berry with dark chocolate had a great balance of fruit tangy and sweet while the birthday cake peppered with sprinkles featured the bright lemon flavor of the cake. The waffle cones are made on the premises as is the ice cream. We tucked away a couple of half pints in the freezer for another day, waiting for the promised arrival of store number two within walking distance of our own abode.

The walk? We considered the Chinese Garden at South Seattle Community College or the beach nearby, but with the temperature dropping to 38, we headed home.