EATING WITH A VIEW: STONE HOUSE CAFE ON RAINIER AVENUE

Lunch: Chicken Fried Steak, French Dip, Corn Beef Hash

A new spot, The Stone House Café recently opened up on Rainier Avenue in the south side of Seattle, right along Lake Washington. I've driven by this area many times and had no idea they turned the stone buildings into a restaurant and bakery! I wasn't sure what to expect when I pulled in but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.

Let's talk about their bakery first. Right next to the restaurant is another small stone house that houses their bakery. The bakery is quaint and definitely homey feeling. Treats inside include red velvet cupcakes, bear claws, croissant donuts, cookies and gluten free options as well! I tried an almond croissant and these pineapple coconut bars and definitely enjoyed them, especially when the baker warmed them up. If my facts are correct, I believe the baker is from Hawaii so of course there's some island influence to the baked goods. I can definitely see myself reading or working while sitting inside the bakery, especially on a nice sunny day.

Now to the restaurant itself. The place provides inside and outdoor seating and you can imagine how nice it is when it doesn't rain. With a cute little bar setup inside to the patio seating, it makes for a comfortable experience when dining. There's also cute little quirky decoration that makes the whole place feel very vintage/rustic, but in a good way. Using mason jars in all sizes to little centerpieces made out of stone, it fits the whole setting very well. Plus its all across the nicest view of Lake Washington for you to enjoy.

 They also have a 'backyard' side that I think they can use for 'special' occasions or more outdoor seating. It's like their own little garden.

I've eaten here twice: once for breakfast and once for lunch. I sat inside the first time for breakfast, but the second time I was able to enjoy my lunch outdoors! Speaking of food, here's a few pictures.

They don't have an incredibly large breakfast menu but what I did order was great. I had the croissant french toast with fresh fruit, a side of bacon and eggs (sides come separate with an additional cost). I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and would have it again and recommend it to french toast lovers.

The second time I went here, I had their lunch (breakfast ends at 11 but 3 of their breakfast dishes carry over including the Chicken Fried Steak) and ordered their Chicken Fried Steak. Above are the pictures of my lunch with a view. If it was about 5 degrees warmer or with blue skies and some sunshine, it would've been even better. This dish comes with eggs and potatoes and a thick gravy sauce. I really liked the sauce and didn't think it was too salty or anything. The chicken fried steak was a bit tough at some parts so I'm not sure if I would order it again, but the potatoes were good and eggs and mixing it all together to eat made it better. My mom had the French Dip w/ salad and she enjoyed it as well. It had melted cheese and onions in it and wasn't too salty but flavorful. My aunt had the Corn Beef Hash and Eggs and enjoyed it as well. The corn beef was cut up in cubes and not overly salty. Her eggs were over easy but it was overcooked just a bit but other than that, she enjoyed it as well.

Overall, I did enjoy both breakfast and lunch here and would definitely come back again to try other dishes or even a drink (or two). I think the location is key and having it be so close and convenient to me gives it an added bonus, especially for the area where there aren't many restaurants around. They are fairly new so service and cook time is a bit slower but the staff are really helpful and friendly so it really isn't a big deal. Prices are decent, not the cheapest but not super expensive either. There's a nice sized parking lot and parking across the street. If you're in the area and want to enjoy some food and drinks with a nice view, I'd say give it a shot, at least once. At least stop by the bakery to try some of their baked goods and enjoy your surroundings.