I’d heard tales around the office about a mammoth tater tot at Diamond Knot in Mukilteo, but just like a mythical beast, none of my coworkers had actually seen it.
This mystery called for a dining adventure.
Curious, I texted a friend to see if he’d tried the tot after his shift working on the Mukilteo-to-Clinton ferries, which dock near the brewery and alehouse on Front Street.
Matt Thompson’s (no relation) reply was the confirmation I needed — but it was tantalizingly vague. “I tried it. It’s good.”
Not wanting to go searching for the Tater Tot ‘Squatch alone, Matt accepted my invitation to join me at Diamond Knot.
That’s a lot of build-up for a tater tot, so I’ll skip right to the point. The stuffed Knot tot is bar-food perfection.
The giant tot has been on Diamond Knot’s menu for about two years. The tots, $2.99 each, come stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon. Dip them in the restaurant’s signature pub sauce, which tastes similar to McDonald’s Big Mac sauce.
Fried pickles at Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse are another bar-food delight. (Evan Thompson / The Herald)
We modestly ordered two to share, though, in retrospect, I could have easily had four to myself.
I thought they looked about as big as a hacky sack. Matt mused that they might be closer to the size of a child’s fist. Either way, they’re gargantuan when compared to the typical thumb-sized tater tot.
As the crispy breading gave way with my first bite, the warm filling oozed into my mouth. The potatoes, cheese and bacon were all delicately balanced — though, I doubt many would disagree with us, the more bacon, the better.
“The crispy outside is what does it,” Matt said. “You can’t go wrong with potatoes and cheese either.”
We also ordered brewpub wings with extra spicy buffalo sauce ($12.99) and fried pickles ($7.99).
I’m not a fan of spicy food, but Matt is. I gave the wings a try anyway. I had to cool off with sip of water between each bite, but the spiciness of the wings grew on me. The wings are breadless but crispy and not smothered in too much sauce.
Diamond Knot’s brewpub wings are plenty spicy if you order them with the extra spicy buffalo sauce. (Evan Thompson / The Herald)
The fried pickles — served chip-style on a large plate — were equally tasty. Matt gave them props because the breading was equally proportionate to the pickle. They reminded me of fried zucchini I liked to eat back in college, only better.
Of course, the Knot tots stole the show.
I imagine that some people might do a double take when they see them on Diamond Knot’s menu. But I can assure you — they are real, and they are delicious.
Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @ByEvanThompson.
If you go
What: Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse
Where: 621 Front St., Mukilteo
When: 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
More: 425-512-8080 or www.diamondknot.com
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