Papa’s Place Restaurant and Catering has been a mainstay in Country Village on the Bothell-Everett Highway for more than a decade, and so has its owner, Les Goetz.
Not only does Goetz, a Mountlake Terrace resident, own and oversee the business, but he’s also the one and only chef. Even after 11 years, he takes pride in each entree.
“I still enjoy what I do,” Goetz said.
Evidently, the customers enjoy what he does as well. Many stop by to try a fresh salad or sandwich while they’re shopping at Country Village, and others visit the area specifically for his food, Goetz said.
He prides himself on the freshness and quality of his entrees.
Goetz roasts his own meat, except for ham, and prepares everything made-to-order, he said.
On a recent warm, too-early-for-spring day, I stopped by to taste for myself just what was so special about Goetz’s food. The half of a roast turkey breast sandwich I tried would have been filling enough in and of itself. Made on whole-wheat bread, it had just the right amount of lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise.
In addition, I also tried the orange and cashew chicken salad. Made with hearty greens, fresh slices of tomatoes and red pepper, chunks of flavorful chicken and mandarin orange pieces, the salad was huge and filling, but not in a heavy way.
Everything he cooks is made from scratch, Goetz said, including the soup stocks, and he does not use butter as a base. It’s all heart-healthy, he said.
Some of the most popular dishes include the chicken-salad sandwich and his gourmet salad, which has spring mix salad, grated carrots, glazed walnuts, tomatoes, raisins, blue cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Goetz also serves roast beef, Black Forest ham, tuna, vegetarian and barbecue chicken sandwiches, as well as a penne pasta with chicken salad, Caesar salad with chicken or barbecue salmon, southwest chicken taco salad, Greek salad and a chicken cobb salad. There’s a healthy option for everyone.
If you’re in the mood for hot entrees, the penne pasta with chicken in a pesto sauce is also a popular choice, as is Goetz’s quiche, which includes spinach, artichokes and caramelized onions.
If you’re like me, you like to try a bit of everything, and Papa’s Place offers a number of combination meals to get you started. You can try traditional soup and half a sandwich or salad and half a sandwich combinations (each $7.55) or the quiche combo comes with soup and caesar or green salad ($8.95).
A whole sandwich costs $6.65 or half a sandwich runs at $4.60, with entree salads and hot dishes costing $8.25 each.
If you’ve saved room for dessert, try a homemade cookie or brownie, and Papa’s Place also dishes up Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream by the scoop.
Goetz said the catering side of the business has started to take off recently, and he also prepares all of the dishes himself. Corporate luncheons have become popular requests, but Goetz also can prepare food for private parties, weddings and other events.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
