Uncle Mike's Barbecue is set to open in White Center Monday August 23 at 9640 16th Ave. S.W. and you might be suprised at what you find on the menu, even if you are a vegetarian. That's because the husband and wife team of Michael and Elizabeth Gordon that own and operate the restaurant are a carnivore and a vegetarian that saw an opportunity to satisfy the public taste for barbecue from both sides of the meat eating question.

It's quite likely in fact that this is the first barbecue restaurant with specific vegetarian entrees.

Who is Uncle Mike?

"Micheal has a large extended family," explained Elizabeth,"and everybody calls him Uncle Mike."

The idea for the restaurant grew out of the barbecues he has at their home every summer. He also barbecues for the holidays, often making a smoked turkey although he's known for cooking ribs, both pork and beef.

Michael, while he's mastered the art of barbecue, is also a licensed electrician. Elizabeth is formerly a disability rights lawyer and has earned her Masters of Divinity degree and is working on her dissertation in a Phd. program. "The focus of my research is spirituality and mental health," she said.

The meat side of the menu will feature brisket, hot links, chicken, and Michael may introduce smoked turkey legs to the menu later.

The vegetarian side has some intriguing choices for those so inclined, created by Elizabeth.

One sandwich is called 'Queens Delight' and is comprised of smoked mushrooms with veggies piled on. There will also be several salads such as Annie's Smoked Portobello Salad and another with a bbq based salad dressing. There will be a barbecued tofu sandwich too.

Since barbecue restaurants are almost exclusively devoted to carnivorous customers, Elizabeth felt there should be a better alternative.
"A lot of times when you go to barbecue places with friends and family you end up getting the side salad or the side mac and cheese and you don't feel like you are participating in the whole event," she explained. .

The restaurant will seat 48 people who will be served on wooden dinette sets that "provide a more homey feel" than conventional restaurant seating and the slogan for the restaurant is "Good food, good folks, good fun, come home to Uncle Mikes."

The sauce made there is spicy but not exceedingly hot and has a long, slow, sweet extension of its flavor. It's good enough to have inspired their neighbor across the street, Justin Cline of Full Tilt Ice Cream, to have made a barbecue flavor ice cream that has to be tasted to be believed.

Uncle Mike's Barbecue will open officially Monday Aug. 23. You can call the restaurant at 206-588-2713.

Their hours will be:
Mon-Thurs 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat, 10am-Midnight, Sun 10am-7pm

You can download a sample menu at the link above.