One of our family's favorite restaurants that has spanned several generations is The Old Spaghetti Factory in downtown Seattle. As a kid, my family would go there for a family occasion with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Now that I am a parent, I understand why The Old Spaghetti Factory was the restaurant of choice; it's casual and noisy, which is perfect for kids, and it's relatively inexpensive.
Two things stick out from childhood experiences there. First, one time, when the restaurant was really busy, the adults wanted to wait in the bar but in Washington State, minors cannot even put their big toe in a bar. Since our party was large, tables were set up in such a way that the adults were sitting inside the bar and the kids were out in the very large waiting area. We thought that was pretty wild.
Second, one of my cousins was very social, so by the time we left the restaurant, we had a full report on all the people sitting near us, and on the way to the restroom. Including why they were having dinner there and pretty much their life story!
Once we moved to Phoenix and started our own family, we continued the tradition of eating at the restaurant in downtown Tempe on Mill Avenue. We would take the kids there for dinner on New Year's Eve and if we were really lucky would score a table in the cable car!
Oh, and one more thing. My favorite dish: spagetti with clam sauce and a side of misithra cheese.
52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History, by Amy Coffin of The We Tree Genealogy Blog, is a series of weekly blogging prompts to encourage people to record memories and insights about their lives for future descendants. It's not necessary to be a blogger to join in. Just record your memories on your own if you wish.
© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum
OMG, I LOVE that place! We used to go to the one in Newport Beach, CA, and it would always be standing-room only, no matter when you came. I've tried to get in the last few times I've been in that area, but it's been too crowded for my impatient family to handle. The Mizithra (sp?) cheese was my favorite. Mmmmm!
ReplyDeleteI had the same memories of the Newport Beach Spaghetti Factory, too. I liked the combo that was meat sauce on one half and mizithra/brown butter on the other. Thanks for the memory!
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