Or a Santa Fe Chicken sandwich. Or Linguini Con Vongole (linguine with clam sauce). Or the eyeball- -popping 74th St. Gumbo.

Yet it's the menu that keeps the Moon Time thriving, "We just keep getting busier and busier," said manager Chris Taylor.

Some of the menu items (the Moon Burger, the gumbo) may be familiar from the other pubs owned by partners John Grollmus, Brad Fosseen and Jeff Meagher: The Porch in Hayden and the Elk in Spokane.

But remember, the Moon Time was there first. It set the standard, and continues to do so in many ways.

A saucer-sized disc of ahi tuna was covered in a grated potato crust (like a latke mixture) and pan-seared until golden brown. The crispy crust made a satisfying snap under the fork. The ahi was cooked through, yet not dry because the crust prevented the fish from drying out.

Drizzled over the top was a crawfish cream sauce, which provided a rich, savory sop for the potato crust. On the side were Several silver-dollar-sized corn cakes, studded with nutty wild rice. A sweet honey - chipotle sour cream was poured over the top, like a particularly tangy orange-colored syrup.

Well, at the Moon Time, the price is $9.75. Less than one Alexander Hamilton.

And the sandwiches, available anytime, are an even better bargain. The old standbys are two kinds of burgers, occupying opposite ends of the camivore-herbivore spectrum.

On the carnivore side is the Moon Burger ($6.50), a thick, chargrilled, lean beef patty topped with cheddar. What shoots this burger over the moon is the topping of caramelized onions. A person can become addicted to those sweet, deep-brown beauties.

On the vegetarian side, the Anasazi Bean Burger ($6.50) is a handmade patty of mashed Southwest beans (similar to black beans) mixed with a healthy wallop of spices and served on a grilled bun. Think of it almost like a retried beans patty, pan-seared and topped with cheddar.

The patty is nicely crisped on the outside for a nice crunch, and the chilies give it a nice mouth-kick. My only complaint is a somewhat mushy interior, but I suppose that goes with the bean territory.

Other sandwiches include the smoked Turkey ($6.95), the Caribbean Pork ($7.25) and the popular Grilled Lamb ($7.25, like a gyro on a roll).

However, I am convinced the Moon Time's most inspired sandwich is the Santa Fe Chicken ($6.95). The tender chicken breast looks deep fried, complete with crunch, but it's not. It's breaded, pan-seared and oven-roasted.

It arrives on a toasted bun and the first bite might surprise you. You'll detect a tangy sweetness from the honey-cream cheese and a distinct, earthy-hot richness from an entire roasted poblano chili skin. Throw in a little mayo, a little red onion and some Monterey Jack cheese and you've got a brilliant combination of flavor and texture.

All sandwiches arrive with either potato chips, potato salad or roasted corn pasta salad. The latter two are homemade and highly recommended.

The Moon Time has a knack for Italian fare as well, especially its Linguini Con Vongole ($9.25). A generous collection of fresh steamed clams decorates a tangle of linguine, parsley, butter, red chili, parmesan and garlic. French bread is served on the side for sopping.

I must pay homage to the 74th St. Gumbo ($6.50), a bowl of utter dynamite. A nutty brown roux provides the base; chicken, sausage and shrimp provide the protein.

This recipe was borrowed from the 74th St. Ale House in Seattle, and it is thicker, richer and more fiery than any gumbo I tried in an entire week of gumbo-trekking in New Orleans. I have always been impressed with the intensity of flavors and the no skimping preparation, but one warning: It's not for the heartburn prone.

With all of those dishes, the Moon Time is exceptionally rich in can't miss main courses. Yet let's not forget, it's also a pub.

A beer-expert pal accompanied us on one visit and was pleased that the Moon Time has both a nitrogen tap and a hand pump for cask- conditioned ales. On one visit, we tried the Boundary Bay cask conditioned IPA out of Bellingham. It arrived British style, at room temperature.

Most of the beers come chilled, of course. The Moon Time even has two British-style ciders on tap, including the bone-dry Taunton's Blackthorn from Somerset, England.

To accompany those beers and ales, I highly recommend the Spicy Curried Cashews ($3.25), which have a serious yellow-curry kick.

"Now, those are some quality beer nuts," said our college student dining companion.

One plaintive complaint: What happened to the caramelized onions on the roasted garlic and onion bread ($3.25)? The Moon Time has replaced them with plain old roasted onions, which is fine, but hardly as addictive and distinctive.

A quick note about the service. On a busy Friday night, our server took our five-person, nine-item order by memory, without benefit of pencil or pad.

We glanced at each other, girding for disaster.

Soon after, she returned with all of the correct dishes, all of the correct sides, served to all of the correct people. Now there's a 20-percent-worthy waitress if there ever was one.

The Moon Time has one other quality which is more difficult to put into words. It just seems... homey. On one recent visit, a 6-year-old kid was sitting at the bar with his mom having dinner and a pop. It seemed utterly natural.

The Moon Time invariably seems less hectic than its Spokane sister, the Elk, probably because it is more spread out and has higher ceilings. The Elk may soon solve this problem, since it is making plans to expand into an adjacent space.

In the meantime, the Moon Time manages to be a prime local variation on British hospitality.

Except for the food, which, thank goodness, doesn't seem British at all.

Entrees range from $8.50 to $9.75, sandwiches from $6.50 to $7.25. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, and nonsmoking until 9 p.m. Visa, MasterCard and local checks are accepted.