A hot night in Ballard
Ballard used to be a sleepy Seattle neighborhood better known for its lutefisk than its lattes. But that all started changing a few years ago when its relatively less expensive housing prices started attracting the young and the hip. Now one would be hard-pressed to find a Ballard cottage or condo for under $400k. Last Saturday night was hot, and a perfect night for dining outdoors. Since I happened to be in the area, I suggested to my dinner companion that we park and stroll around the "new" Ballard. What a great idea that turned out to be! We came across the enchanting sidewalk dining area at the Hi-Life, a lively restaurant owned by the same folks who run my old standby on Queen Anne, The 5-Spot. Located in the handsomely renovated old brick Ballard firehouse, the Hi-Life offers a menu of local favorites as well as a regional menu that changes every six weeks or so. Right now they are featuring cuisine inspired by the French Riviera. Since my friend and I had been sailing along the Cote d'Azur two years ago, we enjoyed perusing the menu and reminiscing about the charms of the sidewalk cafes in France which, by the way, don't have anywhere near the excellent service level of our servers at The Hi-Life