Matador, Seattle

Matador -

When their sinus-clearing habaneras aren’t hot enough for you, grab a table by Matador’s ornate iron fire-pit. Dates, mates, and singles on the prowl clutter the fire pit as if participating in some ancient mating ritual. If romance isn’t your purpose, forego the fireplace rendezvous and have a seat by the window. On hot days, Matador opens all of its picture windows for nearly-outside seating. I can’t say I was as impressed with the food as with the design. Northwest Tex-Mex varies only slightly from the usual fanfare; for instance, it includes egg-rolls on the menu, called “tex mex spring rolls.” Without dancing around the issue, they’re awful. Likewise, the drinks were disappointing. Most drinks cost $8 and a meal $15. But from what I’ve heard, happy hours serves-up drinks and appetizers for around $4.