Swing for tasty bites with your virtual golf at Back9 Parlor

LYNNWOOD — The menu at Back9 Parlor is about what you’d expect at a golf course clubhouse: polish sausages, pulled pork sandwiches and nacho fries.

That’s because Back9 is a golfer’s hangout, with sophisticated virtual golf simulators and, of course, a full bar.

I asked my dad, Jim Thompson, who golfs more than I do, to join me there for lunch. Back9 Parlor has some irresistible-sounding appetizers such as mac and cheese wedges and totchos — nachos made with tater tots instead of tortilla chips.

Back9 Parlor, which opened in March, is run by four friends from Edmonds: Brian Remington, Rian Cool, Scott Taffera and David Bowman. They wanted to give fair-weather golfers a place to have fun and improve their game during winter.

Appetizers are the specialty here. They include flatbread pizza, fries with cheese dip, chicken wings (with a choice of buffalo or barbecue sauce) and soft pretzels. The only vegetarian option on the menu is a platter with garlic hummus, pita bread and olives for $8.

“My wife is vegetarian, so she was like, ‘You’ve gotta have something for us,’” Remington said.

The mac and cheese wedges ($8) are the most popular appetizer. My dad and I thought these cheesy, breaded bites were perfect. They’re served with boom boom sauce, a spicy, garlicky condiment that Dad thought tasted like “ranch on steroids.”

“It has a nice little kick, but it’s not overwhelming,” he said.

Remington, 40, said the mac and cheese wedges are his No. 1 recommendation.

“It’s a foreign object to people because it’s not on many menus,” he said.

We also tried the totchos ($10), which are tots covered with melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, black olive, red onion and jalapeno. We chose pork as an add-on; flank steak, chicken and chili also are available.

The totchos were a nice change from the usual nachos. Dad said they’d feed a crowd.

“There’s enough here that this is a great appetizer for four to six people,” he said.

I ordered a flank steak sandwich ($13) with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo served on toasted ciabatta. The steak wasn’t as warm as I would’ve liked, but it was still delicious. You get your choice of fries seasoned with Old Bay or tater tots. I went with the fries, which were light, crispy and flavorful.

Dad scarfed down his Polish sausage ($8), topped with ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, onion and your choice of chili, nacho cheese or cheddar in a toasted bun.

“A toasted bun makes all the difference in the world,” he said. “It takes it to a whole different level.”

Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twit ter: @ByEvanThompson.

If you go

Back9 Parlor, 3105 Alderwood Mall Blvd., Suite A, Lynnwood, is open 1 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Call 425-582-9813 or go to www.back9parlor.com.