While I’m sitting here waiting for Liz to get ready, I thought I would quickly write about Jaks in Issaquah. Jaks is one of those little local places that you would never know just how good it is by driving by. From the outside on Front Street, it just looks like nothing more than a smoky bar with a small neon sign that says “Jaks Grill” (you might wonder though, as a crowd of people waiting outside is typical).

Don’t let the exterior stop you - once inside you’ll be treated to some of the best steak in Seattle. I’m not sure exactly what makes it so tasty - while the prices there are extremely reasonable and the atmosphere comfortable, there’s just something about the way they prepare meat that makes you moan with every bite.

Insiders tip: If you can’t decide between having the “garlic mashed potatoes” or the “potato pancakes”, you don’t have to. Ask for the “UFO” - it’s not on the menu, but you’ll get both in a true “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” fashion - the pancake sitting on top of the large mountain of spuds.