Secrets of Pike Place Market, Seattle

This is my take on one of my favourite places in the US, in possible my favourite city (Boston may be a tie). I have visited Seattle many times, and obviously Ive been to Pike's Place Brewery...but have you ever been to the back to see the tiny Pike BMW? Go to the gum wall in the back and there is an entrance to the garage.

If you dont know what a gum wall is.....well its exactly what you think it is. Dont touch it, its gross. seattle's gross. but its also cool...very cool. There is an element of feeling like youre with humanity, a part of the community. walk the streets. dont drive. talk to the people. talk to the homeless. they are very chatty in seattle (one of them helped me figure out the complicated parking meter I was parked at).

Inside the Market of course there is lots of crowd during the day. you cant get through. The point is to meander.

Fresh fish is a must. They really do truck the fresh catches here, and you must take one home and eat it right away. Ask them when they caught it, if its fresh enough just chop it up into poke without even cooking it.

If you're lucky, you will find some items that are not always there. I walked past this basket of Morels. the KING of mushrooms! May be pricey but they're worth every penny! when they're fresh like this just roast them lightly to not kill their natural flavor, and chop them up with pepper.

Now at the end of the top part of the market, people stop to see the throwing of the large salmon. this is a great show, but there is a hidden restaurant lurking just past that, which you must not miss, called Maximiliens. There is firstly a wooden man pointing the way.

If you can go for happy hour, get everything on the menu! I did. And I ate it all, no shame. Salami plate, Cheese plate, Salmon Plate, beer, wine. instead of dinner, just take one of each appetizer, lol.

Across from Maximiliens, is a cheese shop. Cheese shops are plentyful in Seattle, which is nice (as opposed to LA, where we really only have TWO cheese shops for a region of 20 million people? Beverly Hills, and Long Beach. Seriously. I mean Whole Foods does a good job, and they are pretty much everywhere, but...sometimes you just need a cheese SHOP! "Limberger? Gloucester? Feta?" remember that Monty Python sketch?

And finally, a pic from the front. This pic is not one of the secrets of course, but its a great shot always. One small recommendation for you. There is a small unassuming French Bistro just a block north of the Market on 1st Ave called Le Pichet. It is EXTREMELY high quality French food for a modest dollar. Do not miss it for dinner!