I just had a great take-out lunch from the newly-opened Willie's Taste of Soul Barbecue,
located just north on Rainier a ways, near the light at Walden (where Chubby and Tubby
used to be.) The brisket was tender and delicious, the "medium" sauce was flavorful and
suitably spicy, and the peach cobbler…not to be missed, my friends, not to be missed.
I've eaten a lot of Jones, which I love, and not enough of Willie's to really make a head to head
comparison between them. But in my universe, More Barbecue is undeniably a Good Thing and
I'm glad to see another great source opening up nearby.
Naturally I thought of passing along the recommendation to my fellow citizens here, and
then I started thinking about having grabbed a few great lunches at two more new restaurants
at the corner of Rainier and Walden, too.
Two Asian restaurants share the building on the northeast corner of that intersection. Rainier Teriyaki is closer to Walden, and has food from a wide range of Asian cultures (didn't someone say they wished for closer Korean food? there's some on the menu here). Thien Phat next door serves Vietnamese and Chinese food, with more of a formal feel than its casual teriyaki neighbor. Thien Phat also has a screamin' deal on banh mi sandwiches for takeout at lunchtime, ca. $2 for a
great sandwich and a can of soda. Yum!
It looks like the other three parcels at that corner have been turning around too…I'm hoping to
have an excuse to stop into the supermarket at the southeast corner and see what they've got
in store!
It's great to see the Rainier corridor "revitalizing" in the Walden area, just like things are starting
to get hopping further south in Hillman City.
And it's so easy to feel happy and philosophical on a rare sunny winter day, with a tummy full
of delicious barbecue…thanks, Willie's!