Comfort Food: Casserole

There’s nothing quite like Zayda Buddy’s in Ballard, which proclaims its undying love for tater tots with a huge sidewalk sandwich board outside the main entrance. Grab a seat inside this Midwest-themed diner and order up the famous tater tot hot dish, chockfull of creamy ground beef and topped with crisp tots and gooey melted cheddar ($9.99).

On any given evening, the room at quaint Heartland Cafe in West Seattle is filled with young parents too tired to cook, yet craving some homemade goodness. For those in search of some real rib-stickin’ Midwestern comfort, there’s the Volcano ($9.99)—a green bean casserole topped with house-made fried onions, all cradled in a lovely crater of soft mashed potatoes.