5 of 5 DeliciScore™ (From Heaven) Awarded to Metropolitan Market for their Prime Rib Dip Sandwich in Kirkland, WA on this 17th day of October, 2015 - Taking their French dip very seriously, as they should.

I just started a new job and was talking to some coworkers during week one (about 4 weeks ago now) about my French dip reviewing hobby.  One of the guys was telling me that the best French dip he had ever had was at Metropolitan Market (MM).  I realized a little while later that there is a MM very close to my work in Kirkland, so I made it a point to walk there for lunch one day.

Getting there.  It was a comfortable fall day and I walked about 15 minutes to get there.

Fall colors on the way there.

A quaint little house in the middle of Kirland that looks very out of place (see next picture for confirmation).

The Google Kirkland campus and the 12 flag flying.  Go Hawks!

More fall colors.  More browns than I'd seen at this point during the season this year.

The Met Market from the parking lot.  I brought my good point and shoot camera this day so my pics are better than they have been (sorry to all of you for the photo-less reviews lately as well as the not so vibrant smart phone shots I've largely made you suffer through previously.)

I got to the deli, where their Prime Rib Dip was reported to be.

A sign promoting a pork sandwich.  Sounds like a tasty treat for next time (this comment does not mean that I did not enjoy the French dip.)

I stepped up to the counter and there was a nice lady there ready to help me out.  Another nice lady asked if I was the one who had called on the phone asking about the Prime Rib Dip.  "Yes, that was me," I said with a proud smile.  I'm still able to roll incognito.  Not everyone yet knows about this hobby but they soon will.  Comfort food reviews, people.  Comfort food reviews.

I was taking a picture of her slicing the very beautiful Prime Rib when she told me, "No pictures, please." So I had to put my phone away.  You'll have to imagine her drizzling fresh pan jus onto my sandwich, cutting the great-looking baguette, and carefully placing the perfectly pink prime rib onto the bread.

She wrapped it all up for me, au jus, and I paid and got to my seat, which was a shared lunch location with three other dudes who seemed to be video game makers.  I didn't video tape the "unboxing" of this sandwich but I could have and that would have been satisfying for both me and you, dear reader.

Here's a pic of the dark, naturally made jus with horseradish in the background.

Here's a pic of the sandwich (upside down).  Check out the BLOOD SPLATTERS on this thing.  Also angular cut, which is requisite and strategic.  BLOOD SPLATTERS!

You can tell by looking at this thing that it means business.  The bread is great.  The sandwhich is pre-drizzles with pan jus (beef drippings).  The size was not huge but they do offer one with additional meat for a bit more.  The size was satisfying and sufficient.

Here's a close-up of the meat and pre-moistened baguette.  Blood splatters.  Pink meat.  Very authentic.

A picture of the juicy, dipped sandwich.

The size of the sandwich in hand on its way into the pool of jus.  It will soon meet (meat?) its fate.  Dark, nice jus.

The money shot.  It was really good!

I also enjoyed using their side of horseradish.  

The meat had some fat in it but it was good.  No complaint for that but I think I would prefer they remove all fat from the meat.  I don't think too many people like to eat beef fat.  

The jus scored a 4 of 5 because it was not hot enough.  However, it was the real thing and probably would score a 5 if there was a lot and it was hot.

The price was $9.99.  Not bad at all, in Kirkland, and with hand-cut Prime Rib.  

The sandwich comes by default with horseradish added pre-facto.  I do not prefer this and like to control my own horseradish intake and for that reason asked for it on the side, which was a good call.

The staff were nice and I could tell they were both passionate and proud of what they were doing.

Audio review

And here's some pics of the Fall colors on my walk home:

Meat: 5 of 5
Bread: 5 of 5
Au Jus: 4 of 5
Overall: 5 of 5

This is a great sandwich that can be found in a neighborhood grocery store (albeit a fancy one).  The people put great care and pride into creating this very nice sandwich that scores a 5 of 5 for all of the right reasons.  I'm a fan!

4 of 5 DeliciScore™ (Great) Awarded to Wedgwood Broiler for their Prime Rib Dip Sandwich in Seattle, WA on this 17th day of October, 2015 - Thanks, Tim! Solid choice.

I went to a party on a Saturday night about a month ago now for my good friend Greg's 40th birthday party.  It was a great and fun night, keg and all.  Yes, there was some drinking involved.  While there, I ran into and struck up a conversation with my old buddy Tim S.  Tim and I go way back and have had some fun times together at previous parties thrown by Greg.  It was a lot of fun talking to and joking around with Tim.  I was talking to him about my French dip reviewing and he asked me if I'd been to the Wedgwood Broiler (WB) yet for their French dip.  He is a super big fan of the place and it sounds like he has a ton of history there.  Since I hadn't been there before, in Tim's eyes this was very bad and I needed to go immediately.  I felt it requisite to visit WB soon thereafter and give their French dip a full review.  I went the next day.  The review of this legendary Prime Rib Dip follows.

I talked Jessica into running up to WB, which is about 20 minutes from our house.  We pulled up on a nice, sunny, early Fall day about two hours before the Seahawks game started.  

Here's the WB from the parking lot.  Nothing too fancy, pretty funky, but I was pumped.

I entered first while Jessica walked the dog and got settled into the bar, which was mostly empty.

Here's a picture of the bar from my seat.  It was super dark in there and really felt cave-like.  But nice.  It had a real 70's vibe to it, which I found comforting and nice.

I ordered a bloody mary (two, actually).  They were good and spicy, traditional.  Nothing too fancy, save the dill bean which was tasty.

Drink in hand, I began poring through the menu and spotted the *section* with French dips on it.  Not just the traditional, classic French dip, but also a Prime Rib dip (which is what I ordered) and a burger dip.  I really am fond of burger dips.  It might be true that I prefer the traditional roast beef French dip least of all of its brothers.

The place has an old, funky 70's throwback feel but it feels very welcoming.  The service was good and the waitresses were very nice.  The bar was cozy and cave-like.  The bloody mary was very strong and served in a low glass.  

I was impressed when I ordered the Prime Rib Dip: you get to choose how fine you want your prime rib sliced and are asked if you want dressing on the side of the salad or tossed in.

The Prime rib dip arrived.  As we can see above, we got it with the side salad and the jus is extremely dark, which wound up being an absolute coup.  The sandwich itself was average-sized but good.  It came with a plastic cup of good (Beaver I believe) creamy horseradish.  Just from the picture above, we can tell that this is not, per se, a gourmet French dip but it is a good one.

Here's a closer shot of the sandwich itself.  You can tell that it has standard bread and a good amount of beef.  The beef was nice and supple.

So I dove into the sandwich (first sans jus, then later with the jus).  The jus was very (midnight) dark and it was really good.  It wasn't too salty and had a deep, satisfying flavor.  Because of its value and usability, it scores a 5 of 5.

The sandwich itself was small and "classic" but that's fine.  They don't have to be over the top to be great.  As for the beef, it was good, soft and tasty but did not have an overly distinct beef flavor.  There was also a little fat in there but I don't mind.  That must means it is authentic prime rib.

The creamy, spicy Beaver horseradish on the side was a hit with me this day and gave you that big nasal hit that is so fun.

This meal also came with a salad that had very cold lettuce, which was a major plus.  Tim had told me to get bacon bits on the salad and I forgot, which resulted in cheeze-its and salami, which is their default.  It was a simple salad and there was evidence of other herbs on the simple salad, making it fancier than "just iceberg".

Here's the salad, which was quite good.  Cold lettuce goes a long way in my book.  I score it a 4 for its creativity and value.

Beirut no no no was playing on the radio.  I got my French dip comfort food fix on a Sunday and two Bloody Mary's to straighten out my mood and outlook.

So circling back to the party at Greg's, I am greatful that I was introduced to Wedgwood Broiler from Tim and others.  Tim takes this place seriously and I verified that their three French dip varieties and their Prime Rib Dip in particular are solid units.  The place is cool, old, swanky and comfortable and I felt at home.

Bread: 3 of 5
Meat: 4 of 5
Non-Meat Toppings: 4 of 5
Sandwich: 4 of 5
Au Jus: 5 of 5
Salad: 4 of 5
Overall Meal: 4 of 5