Artemis L.
Yelp
This is my first time reviewing the Sunlight Cafe on yelp. I've only been an active yelper since 2019, and the last time that I went to this restaurant (prior to today) was in 2018.
However, from 2002 to 2018, this was one of my top-5 frequently-visited restaurants in the Seattle area. I must've visited well over 100 times in the past.
The new location of this restaurant is pleasant, and I'm glad that it is so close to where the old location used to be.
My friend Katrina and I sat on the outside patio to eat our lunch. Katrina is a Filipina immigration attorney, and her husband works for the Federal Government. We met in 2010 because we both own condos in the same building, which we both used to live in with our husbands, but we both now rent out our condos. We used to hang out so frequently in years past - we went to Zumba classes together when that was a thing, invited each other over to our respective condos for tea and dinners, explored Seattle together, and even volunteered together. Life has gotten busier, though, and even though Katrina is one of my very few friends left who is still local (most of my close friends have ended up moving out of Seattle sooner or later, across the country or across the world), I'm lucky if we get together once per year now (in person, that is... I did attend her church via zoom for several weeks last year). We used to hang out once or twice per week! I'm glad we're still in touch, though. Friendships shift and change throughout the years. I've always loved the song lyric/saying, "Make New Friends, but Keep the Old... One is Silver and the Other's Gold."
Our waiter, Jesse, was really sweet and pleasant. He told us that it was his 4th day on the job! At the end of our meal, he said that we were very pleasant and it had been a nice experience serving us! An unusual compliment from a server, but it seemed very genuine, and it was well-received by both of us.
Katrina, who is vegan, ordered the Falafel Salad, and she seemed to enjoy it.
I ordered the Steamed Vegetables and Tofu, a dish that I've eaten countless times in past years. It was fine, a bit bland (I have a lemon allergy so I didn't get the lemon tahini sauce that is an option to order with it, and in the past I usually ordered it with a peanut sauce, but I forgot to check if that's still an option), so I doused it with the hot sauce that was on our table, and then it tasted great.
The real star of our meal for both Katrina and I was the lima bean gumbo soup. It tasted terrific - hearty and very flavorful, with possibly a Cajun/Creole blend of spices. Both Katrina and I were attempting to identify which spices were in the soup, but we couldn't be sure. I would guess possibly paprika, maybe a bit of mustard, garlic powder, and/or mild chili peppers, but I'm not sure whether or not I'm correct.
Our waiter, Jesse, kindly took a couple of photos of Katrina and I, but when I checked my camera later, the photos were not on my camera, and Katrina had already left. I felt a bit sad about this since I don't think that Katrina and I have taken any other photos together, which is quite unusual for having been friends for so many years, but I didn't think to check my camera after Jesse took those photos of the two of us together, I just took my camera back from him without checking, so that's on me.
My pick-up uber was scheduled for 3:10pm, and Katrina had to leave at 2:45pm for an appointment. Jesse checked in with me and asked me how the photos of Katrina and I came out, so I told him what happened. He seemed genuinely empathetic and we started chatting for a bit (3pm or so isn't most restaurants' busy times, and the restaurant didn't have many other patrons at this time). I found out that both Jesse and I majored in Law, Societies, and Justice / Political Science at the University of Washington, and that Jesse minored in Philosophy. I graduated in 2002, Jesse graduated in 2005. I didn't declare a minor, but I loved my Political Philosophy classes, particularly the classes about Ancient Greek Philosophy.
Both Jesse and I had considered going to law school, and neither of us actually did. Law school aspirations are somewhat common in our shared majors.
Anyway, it was great to chat with Jesse for a bit after Katrina left while I was waiting for my uber, and I felt that the interactions with him were pleasant, friendly, and uplifting.
It was great to go back to one of my former favorite haunts and find it more or less unchanged from several years ago. I'm very glad this place made it through the pandemic. It's been in the same basic location for decades now! I really enjoyed the service and the food. The chairs on the outdoor patio were surprisingly comfortable, too. I don't think I'll be waiting another 4 years before visiting the Sunlight Cafe again.
Since my food photos (and a couple of photos that Katrina took of me at this restaurant today) are on my camera card, I'll be uploading them later.