Cake House

This is a great little bakery in Chinatown. Pastries and desserts are made daily by a husband and wife team. I highly recommend their coconut buns, a good-sized sweetbread-like "bun" filled with flakes of coconut--a steal at only $1.10 a piece. As the other review mentioned, their pastries are not super sweet, but I like that. I don't go to Chinatown that often, but when I do this place is a must. Make a day of it and stop by the pho restaurant next door or Hing Loon restaurant.

PROS: Inexpensive price, good selection of desserts, nice owners.
CONS:

Ralph A. Nord, DDS

I would highly recommend Dr. Nord and his staff. It is a small office and it can take a couple weeks to get an appointment, but it's worth it for the quality of people there. Dr. Nord takes a very informative and educational approach with patients. He is the only dentist I know of who provides patients with a printout showing exactly the spots where you have bleeding or have a lot of plaque build-up so you can know the spots that you miss during brushing. He also shows you on the computer set-up in the exam room how your teeth compare to your last visit. His office is within a whole building of dentists, so if you need some other kind of specialized procedure (like wisdom teeth extraction) he can easily recommend another dentist for you.

Headlines Salon Incorporated

I think this place is a little overpriced for the quality of services that you get. I know they offer a slight discount for first time customers. I used to go here pretty regularly to get my hair cut, and the stylists I had were decent but not great. I think the convenience factor is probably the biggest draw for this place, it's right in the Village. If you try it out, ask for one of the more experienced stylists (and expect to pay a little more). They do use Bumble&Bumble products which I really like. As far as their other serivces, my friend swears by their painted-on tanning services, although I have never tried it.

University Wines

A little off the beaten path.. used to be down in the Village, but now it's tucked away off of Sandpoint Way. Everyone who works there (and frequently it's the owner) is helpful and very knowledgable about wines--I've never been disappointed by any recommendations. The focus is mainly on French and other European wines. What I like best about this place is the lack of pretension (no wine snobs here!) and the fact that they don't try to take advantage of wine novices, like myself, and try to sell the most expensive bottle of wine. If anything, they try to find you the best wine in your price range. Also, I find that their prices are pretty comparable to larger wine stores and supermarkets.

Zovo Lingerie

I always love to come in here and browse because they have so many beautiful pieces.. but so far I haven't been able to justify spending upwards of $100 for a bra. Everything is beautifully packaged and displayed, and in the back they have a number of bath & body products, like Tocca (definitely marked up prices though). If you can afford it and are looking for something more distinctive and luxurious than Victoria Secret, this would be the perfect place to go.

PROS: Unique lingerie, cute gifts, great location.
CONS: Pricey

A la Francaise

You won't be able to walk in and not get something--it smells amazing in here! My favorite things are their buttery croissants. It's a great place to come in for lunch also, as they have salads, soups and small pizzas. Their desserts are wonderful also--I've ordered cakes for different occasions from them and they have all been good. If you come around certain holidays: Easter, Thanksgiving, you may come across their bunny or bear breads.. I highly recommend!

Pasta & Co

Right in the U. Village. They offer a great selection of take home foods, either frozen or deli foods. All of their frozen foods that I have tried are quite excellent, frozen pasta shells, lasagna and macaroni made with Beecher's cheese. Their deli section has many different kinds of pasta salads, but also crabcakes, chicken, mashed potatos. Their desserts (especially their cupcakes) are quite good as well. A wonderful place to stop in and bring home food for when you don't feel like cooking. They have a good wine selection and other specialty food items like varieties of olive oil, chocolates, etc. Now that they have a couple tables inside, you can go there and have soup or anything out of the deli case and eat it there. They also have full course take home menus, for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, where they provide you with an entire roast, potatos, dessert, etc.

Dahlia Lounge

since my office is only a couple blocks away. First, their amazing desserts. I ordered a bunch of different kinds of cookies for a holiday party, and they were all so good. Their Russian teacakes are a steal at 50cents apiece. Everything I've had there has been amazingly good. After 11am, they put out their lunch selection: soups and sandwiches. They make a great tomato soup and their sandwiches typically change every day, mostly just different variations on ham and turkey. If you get there early enough to beat the lunch crowd sometimes you can get in on their free samples. Today I had a little bit of caramel brownie...mmm. A soup and sandwich is not cheap though, almost $10 for both. Not someplace I could afford to go to every day, but I still think it's worth the money for what you get. I would highly recommend it for any special occasions.. they are very helpful getting your special order placed and box everything up very nicely.

Ram Restaurant

After 10pm, this place is all college students. They offer a different drink special every night of the week. On Sunday nights back in the bar all food and drinks are half price. Unsurprisingly, the place is packed on those nights and unless you get there early, you probably will be standing. The bar feels like wall to wall TVs, all tuned to different sports channels. It can get so loud you can't even hear yourself speak.. out in the main room it's not that bad. Food is better than average sports bar mainstays: burgers, onion rings and beer. Portions are generally huge. The mile high mudcake is like a fourth of a cake.

Piatti Seattle

Here they have two outdoor seating areas: the one that faces Barnes and Noble and the Gap (and therefore great for people watching) and the back area which is usually quieter and more shady. There's nothing better than sitting outside with a basket of bread and drinking a glass of wine in the summer. Their food is great all year round though. For lunch I like their panini sandwiches or one of their pasta dishes. I love their gnocchi. Their menu changes throughout the year (I am still waiting for them to get back their crabcakes) and they offer a number of daily specials. It's one of the pricier places in the U. Village, but I think it's nice to have the option of having a more upscale sit down restaurant, amidst all the super casual eateries there. I've never made a reservation there, for lunch or for dinner and never had to wait too long for a table.