klsalas's Profile
Seattle specialties
A few places like Anchovies and Olives serve Geoduck crudo which I think is pretty amazing. A&O also is one of the few places I have seen sea urchin apart from sushi places.
There are a number of varieties of great oysters in the Pacific NW. I was reading that over 65 varieties of oysters are marketed from Pacific NW appellations. Most of the oysters are species Pacifica (Crassostrea gigas) but variations in growing/cultivation and environment, tide etc each inlet, cove or flat result in an exciting amount of variation. There are some Virginica oysters like Mystery Bay (Marrowstone Island) and Totten Virginica (Totten Inlet), European Flat oysters like Snow Creek Flats in Discovery Bay and then of course there is the Olympia (Totten and Little Skookum Inlets.
There are also some great foraged Pacific NW specialties like WA Black Truffles, Black Trumpets, Stinging Nettle, Fiddlhead ferns, morels, spring king Bolete, elderflower, huckleberries, chanterelles and matsutakes. A few places around town really showcase these kinds of ingredients seasonally like Matt Dillon (Sitka and Spruce, Corson Building) and Jon Sundstrom (Lark). One of my best NW food memories was an exquisite pasta with morels foraged (I think) by Jeremy Faber of Foraged and Found Edibles for Cafe Juanita. I believe at the time although Holly Smith was owner and chef, Justin Neidermeyer (who opened Spinasse before Jason Stratton took over) was making her pasta.
NYC Folks looking for cheap eats in Seattle
I forgot for oysters that you should check out Taylor Shellfish at the Melrose Market.
NYC Folks looking for cheap eats in Seattle
Paseo (both Fremont and Shilshole (Ballard) locations) consistently end up at the top of Urbanspoon popularity rankings). They have top Cuban style sandwiches. I like the shrimp sandwich.
Carta de Oaxaca (Ballard) is extremely popular for inexpensive Oaxacan cuisine. I have been to Senor Moose a couple times as well. Great cheap Mexican breakfast.
For taco places I really like Malena's in Ballard. My favorite taco truck is El Camion (Ballard, behind Mud Bay Granary on 15th). I have been meaning also to make a special trip to White Center to get tamales and chicharrones from Carniceria El Paisano. My wife went with some friends to a pupuseria in White Center. However I can't remember the name right now.
I used to live in DC where there is a huge Ethiopian community and I love Ethiopian cuisine but I have only been to a few places here: Cafe Selam, Tana Market and Amy's Merkato (all on Cherry Street in the Central District); and Zuma Grocery in Greenwood on 85th. I could recommend all of them.
For dim sum I pretty much always go to Jade Garden on King in the International District. I was turned on to it from a friend born in Hong Kong. It is still overwhelmingly Chinese although it gets a lot of good press nowadays. I would also recommend generally the Uwajimaya superstore in the ID, which has great grocery selection but also a lot of good prepared foods.
There have probably been other threads on oysters on the half shell here but there are some great places to get oysters for a song in Seattle. Walrus and the Carpenter on Ballard Ave. is not inexpensive generally but Sunday to Thursday during their progressive happy hour they have 50% off oysters from 4-5 and 25% from 5-6p. The difference between W&TC and other places that have specials is that there are could be 8-10 options vs. some places that only feature specials on 1-2 oysters. Elliotts, Anchovies and Olives, Flying Fish all have happy hour oyster specials and now Bastille in Seattle is featuring $1 Hama Hamas on certain nights.
For something a little interesting and not at all expensive Copper Gate in Ballard is currently the only Scandinavian restaurant remaining in what is a traditional Scandinavian restaurant. This is going to change with the coming opening of Queen of Norway but for Copper Gate has a great happy hour from 5-7 with $1-$2 off just about everything including Kjottkaker (Swedish meatballs with celeriac-potato puree and lingonberry preserve), sursild (pickled herring, beets and pumpernickel), blaskjell (mussels, aquavit tomatic broth and bacon), house-cured gravlax, house infused aquavit, Icelandic style brennevin, danish style bitter dram and Finish salmiakki (Tyrkish Peber licorice candy infused vodka) etc.
I agree with the recommendation of Salumi. The cured meat is not tremendously inexpensive but it is still an excellent excellent value. The homestyle Italian food at lunch is a great deal and the communal dining and honor system wine from the mag on the table is classic. I haven't been in a while so I hope they still do that. On Tuesdays you can get housemade gnocchi. It used to be that the old aunt Izzy would make it with her gnocchi board in the front window. If you go, go early. They sometimes have a line start before opening at 11am. You can call in advance and order then go to the front of the line to pick up.
If I can think of more I will post again.
Where Are the Best Wine Shops in Seattle or Eastside?
I would second Esquin for selection and expertise. There is the relatively new Wine World Warehouse in Wallingford which bills itself as the largest wine shop in the NW. It was the brainchild of David LeClair. I like McCarthy and Schiering a lot as well (Capitol Hill and Ravenna). Pike and Western was mentioned. They are great and do a lot with a small space. They also get allocations of some hard to find wines. I also like Champion Cellars, which has been around since 1969 and has a lot of unusual bottles. On Ballard Ave I like the selection and style of Portalis. For Spanish and Portuguese wine including sherry and port absolutely Spanish Table is tops.
Just over a few block on Lander as you get close to Airport Way is the HQ for Garagiste. This is mailing list operation run by a guy named John Rimmerman. He has gotten tons of press and been called wine retailer of the year in several past years by Wine Enthusiast. This is from intowine.com's Top 100 most influential people in the wine industry list just released this month. " 57- Jon Rimmerman: is often credited with sparking the “email offer” revolution in fine wine sales. Rimmerman started Garagiste on a shoestring budget of just $500 with a simple concept: to bring the winemaker and consumer closer together by taking advantage of a then-new technology known as the email offer. Offering wines described in story form, Garagiste ranks in over $25 million in annual sales with over 100,000 subscribers."
uhockey reviews Seattle 12/27/11-1/3/12 including Pike's Place, Coterie Room, Bar Del Corso, Spinasse, Revel, Herbfarm, Serious Pie/Biscuit, Salumi, Walrus and Carpenter, Spur, and more
Thanks for the reviews. Wow, you ate a lot! Still, talk about maximizing your food experience! You hit several of my favorite spots. The bartender in your pics of Walrus and the Carpenter is Anna Wallace. She is great.
It's a real shame that Besalu was closed during your visit. It seems rare for visitors to try both Besalu and Bakery Nouveau in a trip (or if they do it seems they rarely post about it). Bakery Nouveau is very impressive and of course William Leaman won the 2005 Coupe du Monde de la Bolangerie as part of the Seattle Bread Baker's Guild team. However James Miller's croissant making skill is unparalleled in my experience. I have yet to find a croissant that is better and I have tried a fair bit to find one. I have lived in Ballard for 10 of the last 11 years and in that time I would say I have probably eaten at Besalu 600 times. Anyway, Besalu is a traditional mom/pop operation with James and his wife or another assistant baking small batches all day directly behind the counter. They work hard, particularly around Christmas time as they do a lot of special orders, full sized tarts etc. so they take off twice a year -- during the holiday season and during the summer, or maybe just before the summer. They also close for the weekend around a number of the major holidays throughout the year. They don't use Twitter or Facebook that I can see and their website is basically just a single page with basic contact information. It is always best to call when in doubt.
Seattle First Timer - Trip Itinerary Help Please!
You really made good ground and it sounds like you had a great trip. Willows has been one of my top US dining experiences and Revel is a regular for me. I do enjoy Staple and Fancy a lot but more often I hit Walrus and the Carpenter. I have enjoyed eating eating at Poppy once. I liked the concept and the space but not enough to do it regularly. Hey you can do a whole different slate on your next visit!
Any Good Oyster Bar Happy Hour places in Seattle???
Taylor Shellfish Farm at Melrose Market was an exciting development because they are one of the best suppliers around. Elliott's and Flying Fish are the cheapest I think. You could have a couple quick rounds at one of those two and then move to another place like Anchovies and Olives or Walrus and the Carpenter. Anchovies and Olives up on Capitol Hill (around 15th and Pine) has $1 oysters on the half shell between 5-6 and between 10-11, what they call Oyster Power Hour. They typically have a few oyster choices (the last posted menu shows three) and $1 is about 66% off of the usual price of $3. Walrus and the Carpenter has happy hour from 4 (opening) to 6pm Sunday to Thursday. The oysters are, as I recall, 50% off from 4-5 and then 25% off from 5-6. Full market price is usually in the range of $2-$3. They do typically have at least 8 oysters available. Walrus and the Carpenter and Anchovies and Olives are two of my favorites and either would be a memorable place to move on to some dinner after oysters. I would point out though that W&TC does not take reservations and it is small. Get there at (or even a couple minutes before) opening to maximize your chance of getting a seat for happy hour.
Check out this link in Seattle Metropolitan magazine for more options:
http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/nosh-pit/oyster-happy-hours-around-seattle-november-2011/
Pop-up restaurants
I was just reading about Little Uncle at La Bete. Basically another company took the name Shophouse. From the Stranger ...
LITTLE UNCLE (THE POP-UP FORMERLY KNOWN AS SHOPHOUSE)
Little Uncle is a pop-up Thai restaurant brought to you by Lark sous chef Wiley Frank and his wife, Poncharee Kounpungchart, also known as PK (and also a chef). Little Uncle used to happen at Licorous, before it closed (and became a new bar called Canon); Little Uncle also used to be called Shophouse, before national burrito chain Chipotle expropriated that name (for their new Asian concept). Whatever: Little Uncle has a new home, on Monday nights at La Bête. If you go eat Little Uncle’s superlative Thai food, you will not regret it. (La Bête, 1802 Bellevue Ave, www.littleuncleseattle.com, 5 pm–11 pm)
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Chipotle
31827 Pacific Hwy S Ste A, Federal Way, WA 98003
La Bete
1802 Bellevue Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Need help choosing: Walrus & Carpenter or Ponti's?
I love Walrus and the Carpenter and I think you can certainly fill up there and have a very memorable meal. It has also been getting tremendous local and national press. It is definitely a hot restaurant. However you should know that W&TC does not accept reservations. It can be difficult to get into without a wait so there is the element of unpredictability. Also they focus on raw, smoked, cured -- crudo, tartare etc. -- and also salads, soups and forcemeat. They usually have steamed shellfish and fried oysters. Check out the representative menu to get an idea but definitely call and ask the restaurant shortly before you go if you have questions or concerns.
Power Lunch DC-Where To Take My Dad For A Power Lunch In DC-He Is From NY
When I worked downtown I would enjoy lunch at Old Ebbitt from time to time. it's an oyster bar and grill. Real classic DC. It is right next to the Treasury Dept and is w/i a couple blocks of the White House, the Old Exec Office Building, Dept of Veterans Affairs HQ, The Federal Circuit, The Justice Dept and a few heavy hitting law firms like Skadden Arps Slate Meagher and Flom and Miller and Chevalier (which I recall is in the same building). Oh yeah, and the Harvard Club of DC. http://www.harvard-dc.org/
Here is the link to the Old Ebbitt:
http://www.ebbitt.com/main/home.cfm?Section=Main&Category=About_the_Ebbitt
Check this article out from Congress.org too ...
http://www.congress.org/news/2010/05/26/dcs_top_five_political_restaurants
Just a thought. Some of the big private clubs in DC have reciprocity with other clubs. For example the Cosmos Club has a dining room with lunch. It doesn't get much more exclusive than the Cosmos Club. https://www.cosmosclub.org/Default.aspx?pageid=49&pageindex=0&status=3
Looking for good Pubs
I neglected to add that I was just reading a Lonely Planet guest post about a beer/pub trip and I thought you migth be interested in reading in.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/256/107070/There%E2%80%99s+Something+About+Seattle%E2%80%A6?destId=362101
Eating my way through Seattle
I was especially intrigued to hear about your experience at Willows Inn. I went there right after they reopened with the new kitchen in February and was blown away. I can't wait to go back -- especially once we reach the peak of the growing season. I'd love to hear your whole menu from the chef's table dinner. I would place my Willow's Inn dinner right up there with some of the best meals I have ever like Celler Can Roca.
Looking for good Pubs
Other posters hit most of my favorite places in Ballard, Fremont and Greenwood: The Dray, Brouwer's, Naked City, Noble Fir, Maritime. Food service is more fully featured at Brouwers and Naked City and both kitchens serve above average pub food. Paninis and a few small bites at the Dray. Antipasti at Nobel Fir (cheeses, artichokes, cured meats etc).
You should also consider going over to Fremont Brewing Co. for its "urban beer garden." They open up a large garage door on the warehouse during nice weather (when not so nice you enter through the front door) and inside the actual brewery there are a series of small booths and a large communal table made from old Ballard HS bleachers. Great beer, great scene with many biking in for growler fills and folks with kids and dogs. They are close enough to walk to all of the restaurants in downtown Fremont. There are free pretzels to snack on and you can also order in.
In Frelard (between Fremont and Ballard) is the underrated Leary Traveler. Good atmosphere, sports on tv, v.nice beer selection, really above average hearty pub menu.
If you are interested in checking out more breweries, not long ago I posed on TripAdvisor all of the brewers I could recall in/around central Seattle. Those include Pike (downtown/Pike Place Market), Elysian (Capitol Hill, Greenlake, SoDo), Pyramid (SoDo -- their original location), Hales (Fremont), Fremont Brewing (Fremont), Maritime (Ballard), Naked City (Greenwood), Two Beers (SoDo), Emerald City (SoDo), Big Al's (West Seattle), Schooner Exact (Georgetown/SoDo), Georgetown Brewing (Georgetown), Laughing Buddha (Georgetown), Odin (Southpark), Baron (Southpark).
A few itineraries involving a brewery, followed by a gastropub or small plates and maybe more beer: Pike Brewery followed by dinner at Lecosho (downtown); Fremont Brewing Company followed by dinner at Brouwer's (or Revel with more beers at Brouwer's thereafter)(fremont); Hales followed by dinner at The Leary Traveler(Fremont); Maritime Brewery followed by dinner at Walrus and the Carpenter or Staple and Fancy (Ballard).
Hope that helps
-K
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Fremont Brewing Company
3409 Woodland Park Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103
5 Corner Market - Closed?
Strange. I live right up the hill and had not noticed anything out of the ordinary. Their website contains the following message "Thank you for your support. We are currently closed." I know a guy who might know more info. I will see what he says.
...but not Tutta Bella
On Capitol Hill maybe Ancovies & Olives. Lots of seafood. Great space and neighborhood feel. Not sure about high chairs but tables could accomodate kids in kid seats or car seats I think. In Ballard may be Staple and Fancy where they have booths where baby seats might be placed. Same thing with Walrus and the Carpenter. Mostly high metal backed bar stool seating but the wall seating has a wooden bench seat with a back. People are super nice at all three. Doubt they would give you grief about the babies -- especially at W&TC. If the weather warms up a bit W&TC also has outdoor patio seating at picnic tables with heat lamps.
romantic dinner walking distance from 1st & Madison
Try Lecosho on Harbor Steps. Owned by original owner of Matt's in the Market. Great creative Pacific NW food. Nice quiet location. 5 minutes from Hotel 1000
Foodie spending 4 nights in Seattle- What do you think?
Get a reservation for S&F! The bar is small and seats are often full. Ethan Stowell lives in Ballard and you are more likely to find him at S&F nowadays than his other restaurants. Same great cooking that made Union, How to Cook a Wolf and Anchovies and Olives great. Also a great space in the front of the renovated historic Kolstrand building at the bottom of Ballard Ave.
If you are willing to go to Ballard for S&F (Ballard is only about 6-7 miles from the heart of downtown; typically about a 15 minute drive) you may also want to consider The Walrus and the Carpenter, directly behind Staple and Fancy. GQ's Alan Richman has named W&tC as one of his top 10 restaurant openings. The chef is Renee Erickson of Boathouse Cafe. The restaurant is small and luminous -- a zinc oyster bar and handful of tables. I also love bartender Anna Wallace and her classic cocktails.
Absolutely you should check out Spinasse if you love beautiful Italian handmade pasta. Chef Jason Stratton is a Food and Wine Best New Chef of 2010.
Unless you really want to go to a Tom Douglas restaurant I would pass on Etta's. Nothing wrong with it specifically but I think there are more exciting places to try for a similar price tag.
Instead if you want to stay downtown and near the waterfront try Lecosho on the Harbor Steps by the original owner of Matt's in the Market.
I have also recently really enjoyed Le Bete just over Rt. 5 off of Denny. Top chefs with Spanish influenced cuisine.
In north Queen Anne/Fremont perhaps one of our most promising new chefs, Shaun McCrain, has been gettting great reviews for his nuanced and polished cuisine at the Bookbindery (attached to Almquist Family Vintners).
Hope that helps
-K
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Spinasse
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA
Your Favorite Dim Sum in China Town?
Jade Garden is my go-to for dim sum. I love it and used to eat there almost every weekend for a time. I only stopped because I felt I was packing on the pounds from too much delicious dim sum.
I have to say I have overwhelmingly gotten good service at Jade Garden. I am not of Chinese heritage and I don't speak Mandarin or Cantonese. On the other hand I have gotten to know a few folks there and find that being nice goes a long way. Also when any business gets to know you there is going to be better service. That doesn't mean its ok for them to give anyone bad service but it's a fact of life that they are going to treat you better when they know you and you patronize their business.
One thing I am not sure everyone understands is that the dim sum model is much more like a buffet or conveyor sushi joint. You are not getting the same level of individualized attention you get with a designated waiter. You are seated and the food goes around. The role of the server is essentially to show you what is available, give you what you order and make a check on your order card. You can't fairly compare service at a true dim sum place with table service at a fine restaurant.
One thing they do that I very much appreciate is that if you ask for something that is not currently available but is coming up shortly they will tell you "Later." When the item comes up they will bring it out to you. I don't know the system ... maybe some kind of waiting list in the back but it is really nice.
Jade Garden is very very busy during peak weekend hours. I go early (between 9 and 10 am) on Sunday. Of course that means that the number of carts and selection will not be as great. However I tend to order the same 5-7 dishes every time and they are available when I go and I rarely wait too long for the dishes I want. The crowd can be pretty mercenary.
However you are more likely to get one of the few 2 or 4 tops. I especially prefer the 4 tops on the railing overlooking the lower part of the front dining room but they are not easy to come by.
I do not find the cuisine unduly greasy at all. In fact I find the dim sum to be flavorful, well constructed and well seasoned. There are a fairly substantial number of offerings and unless you are really there during a slow period the dim sum are quite hot on average. Everything from the steam cart is going to be hot. Some dishes carried around on trays (typically specials) are intended to be hot and can go cold. Most dishes on the open carts are not necessarily eaten hot. I have never had to ask for a replacement dish that I felt was not hot enough. They would certainly replace it if you ask.
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Jade Garden Restaurant
7th S King S, Seattle, WA 98101
Txori's gone... other changes since 09?
New v. favorable review of la bete at Seattle Weekly ...
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2011-01-12/food/french-tickler/
Txori's gone... other changes since 09?
Lots of changes since 2009, especially in my neighborhood (Ballard). I would heartily recommend The Walrus and the Carpenter, the gorgeous oyster bar and small plate endeavor of Boat Street's Renee Erickson, which has already turned up on the GQ (Alan Richman) top 10 new restaurants in america list. It's simple but beautiful cuisine in a classic spot secreted away behind Ethan Stowell's new restaurant Staple and Fancy Mercantile in the historic Kolstrand Manufacturing building on Ballard Ave . The W&C had 7 different WA oysters on the menu last time I went about 2 weeks ago. Make sure to go early as they have happy hour specials. Staple and Fancy is also great. Small plates, focus on locally sourced ingredients, attention to detail. Stowell is one of Seattle's best chefs (Union, Anchovies and Olives, How to Cook a Wolf, Tavolata ... ) and lives in Ballard so S&F is where he is most likely to be cooking.
Also new in Ballard, 5 Corner Market Bar and Kitchen. They are still making early adjustments but the gastropub shows promise. The chef came over from Quinn's and Quinn's was one of my favorite gastropubs for years. They are brand new but may have hit their stride by your next visit.
Bastille (Ballard). They opened in mid 2009. French cafe. The chefs Shannon Galusha and Jason Stoneburner worked at places like Campagne and How to Cook a Wolf so they know what they are doing and Peter Lewis from Campagne consulted on the launch. It's really a pretty slick operation. Amazing space with a late closing back bar and rooftop garden that provides a fair amount of their produce (obviously more seasonally). It's fairly simple food overall but with some panache (they have great housemade pates) and I have always experienced great execution there.
In late February 2011 Maria Hines from Tilth is going to be launching the Golden Beetle in Ballard. She is an award winning chef (celeb chef in the making really) who has focused on the finest organic and local ingredients. The new restaurant is going to be North African/Middle Eastern cuisine.
Also a couple new and interesting openings in Fremont just the next neighborhood over from Ballard. We just checked out Revel and Quoin from the chefs at Joule. Really satisfying Asian street food from husband and wife team Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi (previously of Alain Ducasse and Bolud's DB Bistro Moderne). It really feels like a bigger and better Momofuku Noodle Bar.
I have not been yet but eagerly anticipate going to Showa in the near future for 80's Japanese comfort food at Showa, an Izakaya bar in Fremont.
A couple other places that are standouts. They are formal by Seattle stds but I hope you at least take a look at them. The Bookbindery on the Queen Anne side of the ship canal across the Fremont bridge features up and coming culinary star Shaun McCrain who has worked in kitchens having at least 7 Michellin stars including Per Se, Michael Mina and Talivent. We loved our meal there. Really really refined modern American cuisine. It is also adjoining a winery and features a number of affordable Washington wines on the wine list.
La Bete in Capitol Hill (really at the border of Capitol Hill, South Lake Union and downtown) is high quality Pacific NW with Spanish influences. Aleks Dimitrijevic worked at El Raco Can Fabes, Mugariz, Bouley and Danube as well as Harvest Vine and several Ethan Stowell restaurants in Seattle. Tyler Moritz worked for Janos Wilder before working with John Sundstrom at Earth and Ocean and Lark as well as with Ethan Stowell at Union.
One more bit of gossip. Michael Mina is supposed to open a Seattle RN74 (wine country cusine) in April 2011.
Le Pichet or Bastille?
Bastille. I have eaten at Bastille dozens and dozens of times since they opened. Shannon Galusha worked at Campagne as well as Veil and Jason Stoneburner hails from How to Cook a Wolf. They are top chefs and I would put their food up there with any French restaurant in town -- though they specialize is more rustic dishes and not haut cuisine. Amongst the many stand outs on the menus are housemade forcemeats and the produce that comes from their rooftop garden (obviously more a factor in Summer). Le Pichet is charming and I don't have a bad word to say about Jim Drohman but I love Bastille.
PS It's really not that tough a reservation. It is a big space and I tend to find that there are a number of spots for walk ins. That being it can be busy on weekends.
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Le Pichet
Seattle, WA, Seattle, WA
Campagne
86 Pine, Seattle, WA 98101
Bastille Cafe & Bar
5307 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Anyone been to The Book Bindery yet?
We went last night at 5pm. It was a great experience. I have to agree that the food is very refined and perfectly prepared.
They offered an amuse bouche of a small flute of cauliflower soup with truffle oil. We then ordered the sweetbreads with caramelized cauliflower, golden raisins and brown butter emulsion, and the foie gras terrine with poached quince, candied almonds on a black cardamom financier. We followed those dishes with the "flavor curve" steak with bordelaise sauce with twice baked fingerling potatoes and bone marrow- stuffed cipollini and hand made cavatelli, foraged mushrooms, sylvetta, pickled pearl onions and foie gras emulsion. For desert we had a turkish coffee pot de creme and beignets with pumpkin butter and cream. Amazing.
The wines of Mike Almgren's adjoining winery (there are now at least on the list including a dolcetto, two different grenaches, a mouvedre, a malbec, a syrah and a petit sirah that I recall) were also a good deal at $35 a bottle. That's a $10 markup over the winery price. We had the mouvedre as well as two cocktails.
We did not have any problem with a delay in seating (of course we were the very first table seated). We were seated in the corner right right by the window looking into the barrel room and over the dining room including a view of the ship canal. Very nice. The service was very attentive and professional.
The total for two was about $170 exclusive of tip.
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Book Bindery
198 Nickerson Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Ballard
If you haven't gotten to Ballard yet the excellent farmer's market is today. It is late in the season but it is still a very well attended market with produce, foraged mushrooms, baked goods, meat, seafood and much more. There are typically also buskers around the market and as mentioned in my last post a couple better restaurants such as Bastille and Volterra have brunch. The market starts in about 45 minutes.
-K
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Volterra
5411 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Ballard
Hey AG,
For breakfast (or lunch) I would recommend Cafe Besalu. James Miller has received James Beard nominations for several years now but has not advanced to the short list. However his croissant dough pastries are, in my view, likely as good as any in the world (and believe me I have eaten a lot of mediocre croissants in the US and Europe to test that claim). James, the chef/owner, will be there. He is there all day every day they are open making small batches of pastry at a time so that what is in the case is as fresh as possible. As the day goes on he adds quiches and some tarts. My go-to order there is the onion-gruyere tart and the pain au chocolate. By the way the Besalu baristas are underrated. They do a very nice latte at Besalu.
I do enjoy Honore as well but I give Besalu the distinct advantage. Actually Fresh Flours down on Ballard Ave is also quite enjoyable. They also have soup and sandwiches at lunch.
In Ballard unfortunately the best restaurants are open for dinner only. These include the Walrus and the Carpenter (oyster bar and small plates, creative Pacific NW cuisine, Rene Erickson), Staple and Fancy (small plates, creative Pacific NW cuisine, Ethan Stowell), Bastille (French, Shannon Galusha) and Volterra (Italian, Don Curtiss). All of these are on historic Ballard Ave. Actually Volterra does a brunch on Saturday and Sunday and Bastille does Sunday brunch. All of these are on historic Ballard Ave.
http://www.bastilleseattle.com/
http://www.thewalrusbar.com
http://www.volterrarestaurant.com/home.html
http://www.ethanstowellrestaurants.com/stapleandfancy/
An earlier post mentioned Paseo. This is a caribbean sandwich place. They do amazing Cuban style sandwiches. They are not only in Fremont however. About two years ago they opened a location down near Shilshole Marina (the Puget Sound waterfront of Ballard). Both locations are walk-up. However there is some picnic table seating at the Ballard location. Paseo constantly ends up at the top of restaurant lists in Seattle. On Urbanspoon Paseo (Ballard) has a 96% "like" rate based on 430 votes. The Fremont location has a 92% "like" rate based on 2060 votes. The Paseo location in Fremont is the #1 restaurant in Urbanspoon seattle overall. Whereas the Ballard location is #51 (despite having a higher "like" rate because of the higher number of votes for the Fremont location). The food is exactly the same at both locations. I have been to both and enjoy them equally. So if you like a good Cuban, Paseo is definitely worth checking out.
Interestingly the #2 best rated restaurant in Seattle is La Carta de Oaxaca in Ballard. This is a Oaxacan style Mexican restaurant on Ballard Ave. They are open for lunch. For authenic regional Mexican cuisine I really enjoy La Carta. It is simple with a very light with great decor (mostly black and white photographs -- not pinatas and straw hats). I like the posole and tamales de mole negro. http://www.lacartadeoaxaca.com/
Also popular in Ballard for Mexican is Senor Moose on Leary Way, just off of Ballard Ave.
For seafood and great views you could get lunch at Ray's Cafe. It is the more casual upstairs restaurant at Ray's Boathouse. The cafe has a much sought after outdoor terrace overlooking Puget Sound with the Olympics in the distance as well as the entrance to the ship canal before the locks. This time of year of course is perhaps not ideal for sitting outside. In fact I am not sure if they have the terrace open during the Fall and Winter. Nonetheless there are good views from inside the contemporary bar/cafe as well through wall to wall windows. They really focus on seafood and I think overall they provide a good lunch in the cafe. I really enjoy the downstairs Boathouse for a fine dinner as well. http://www.rays.com/cafe Urbanspoon does not break out the cafe from the Boathouse. Rays overall is #9 in popularity by their index. Rays is close to Paseo ... just up the street a bit.
Oh, I would be negligent not to mention the excellent Tall Grass Bakery in Ballard. They are right next door to Besalu. Amazing loafs if you are in the market for a baguette to go. They do some other interesting breads though including a hominy bread that I love and use with meals throughout the winter.
A few other foodie tips for Ballard. Dish it up does kitchen design consultation and offers cooking classes. They also have a nice selection of retail merchandise for the kitchen. Dandelion Botanicals offers a large range of herbs, spices, essential oils, salts and some vegan products plus books and gifts. Local food celeb Kathy Casey has her food studio and corporate HQ on lower Ballard Ave. Savour, a new local gourmet shop on Market Street near the top of Ballard Ave. has some great deli, speciality food products, sandwhiches to eat there or to go, a small selection of merchandise and a well thought out wine selection. Maritime Brewery is over near the Ballard Bridge. There is a brewery and tap room/restaurant attached. Portalis has a large selection of bottles for sale as well as a cafe. It is on Ballard Ave. On 24th Ave. near Cafe Besalu is a new wine cooperative called Vintner's Annex. It is a shared tasting room for several Woodinville winemakers.
http://tallgrassbakery.com/
http://dish-it-up.com/
http://www.vintnersannex.com/
http://savourspecialtyfoods.com/
http://www.portaliswines.com/
http://www.dandelionbotanical.com/
http://www.kathycasey.com/locations.html
Good luck and enjoy.
-K
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Ray's Boathouse Restaurant
6049 Seaview Ave., Seattle, WA 98107
Honore Artisan Bakery
1413 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA
Senor Moose Cafe
5242 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Cafe Besalu
5909 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Volterra
5411 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Market Street Cafe
609 Market St, Kirkland, WA 98033
Pike Place Recommendations
If you are looking for hard to find food (grocery) items there are a few very valuable places in/abutting the market complex. I love DeLaurenti (especially around the holidays when the crush is amazing to see) for deli meats, cheeses, olive oils and other Italian speciality items and they also have a large wine section with one of the best cocktail bitters selections I have ever seen. http://www.delaurenti.com/
Bavarian Meats is also great for deli meats. http://www.bavarianmeats.com/ Below the market on Western I love Spanish Table for a formidable Spanish and Portuguese wine selection as well as more speciality Spanish food items than you will find anywhere else (perhaps on the West Coast). They also have ceramics and cookbooks as well as paella pans. http://www.spanishtable.com/
Essentially next door the owners have opened Paris Grocery, which is not yet the equal of Spanish Table but shows promise. http://www.parisgroceryseattle.com/Paris_Grocery/Welcome.html
Also on Western, just north of Spanish Table on the other side of the street, is World Spice, as beautiful a spice market as I have seen in the U.S. They have many rare spices, spice blends and also a nice tea selection. http://www.worldspice.com/home/home.shtml
A couple other food standouts -- Uli's Sausage (http://www.ulisfamoussausage.com/index.asp) and Beecher's Cheese (http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/).
Pike Place Market art and institutions: Rachel the Pig and the Market Clock; the Totem pole in Steinbrueck park; Pike Place Fish Market (flying fish); original Starbucks location (actually it is not the original but it is the oldest remaining location); Athenian Inn (100 year history made famous in Sleepless in Seattle) and Lowell's (Lowell's has been around for the better part of 100 years in one form or another having started as a roaster and the original Manning's Cafeteria before becoming Lowell's over 50 years ago). http://www.athenianinn.com/about.php; http://www.eatatlowells.com/
There are so many places to eat I could not even put a dent in the list but I very much enjoy Campagne and Cafe Campagne. both are French, Campagne is more refined Southern France inspired by Pacific NW ingredients and consistently ranks among the top of Seattle fine dining spots. Cafe Campagne is more rustic but always very satisfying to me during afternoons in the market. http://www.campagnerestaurant.com/camp_home.html
I have been to Matt's in the Market only around the time of their renovation. However, if you haven't heard, original Matt's founder, Matt Janke, has now opened the excellent Lecosho, just a couple blocks away on the Harbor Steps between 1st and Western. http://www.lecosho.com/
Restauranteur Tom Douglas has opened Seatown recently right next to Etta's, largely a counter space with raw oysters, smoked seafood and caviar with blinis. They do have a short list of appetizers and entrees -- seafood and rotisserie meats. http://tomdouglas.com/index.php/restaurants/seatown
After a trip last winter to Reykjavik where I ate at the wonderful Icelandic Fish and Chips (one of my top couple fish and chips experiences ever! http://www.fishandchips.is/eng_menu.htm) I have been thinking I should check out Jack's Fish Spot where what is fresh in the case is what they are making at the counter. http://www.jacksfishspot.com/index.html
Steelhead Diner gets quite a bit of acclaim. Kevin Davis was formerly Exec Chef at acclaimed Oceanaire. Somehow my wife has gotten there 2-3 times and I have yet to make it in. http://www.steelheaddiner.com/index.html
Hope that helps
-K
PS If you are down on Western behind the market, Zig Zag is a top (if not the top) place to get a cocktail in Seattle. Bartender Murray Stenson has been acclaimed as the top bartender in the US. Whether that is actually provable or not he is definitely outstanding.
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Pike Place Market
1501 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
Cafe Campagne
1600 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101
Spanish Table
1426 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Steelhead Diner
95 Pine Street, Suite 17, Seattle, WA 98101
Zig Zag Cafe
1501 Western Ave Ste 202, Seattle, WA 98101
Jack's Fish Spot
1514 Pike Pl Ste 2, Seattle, WA 98101
Campagne
86 Pine, Seattle, WA 98101
Athenian Inn
, Seattle, WA 98101
amazing mexican restaurant in northwest albuquerque?
I am assuming you were really interested in New Mexican cuisine.
Mary and Tito's gets most some of the most acclaim. It is at 2711 4th Street, N.W.,
(505) 344-6266. They also won a James Beard American Classics award earlier this year. They are open for dinners as well as breakfast and lunch
My favorite place to eat in Abq. is Barela's Coffee House. However it is only open for breakfast and lunch and it down in the South Valley near Old Town. In the interest of full disclosure it is owned by a relative. However you can read on Urban Spoon and other sources that it is well loved. 1502 4th St SW. (505) 843-7577
I also love Parea's Tijuana Bar in Corrales.
Pizza for Very Discerning Visitors
I have been to Serious Pie only once. I liked the atmosphere a lot and the pizza topping combinations were creative. I have been to Delancey several times as I live in Ballard. Delancey has a traditional list of topping combinations generally (with some stand outs seasonally such as the Padron chiles). The crust is thin but not unduly so. It has some chew and is neither too crisp nor too wet in the center. However I really don't see them as a classic NY pizza. On the other hand I can recommend them. They use quality ingredients and the pizzas smell, taste and look great. Delancey is also a very attractive space with a limited list of appetizers and desserts in addition to their pizza. I don't think you would find a meal there to be a waste. There is not always a line at Delancey. Admittedly though your best option is to be there when they open ... Regretfully now that it is Fall outdoor seating is not likely an option as it was in the Summer. The outdoor seating really helped relieve the crush.
I am a huge neopolitan pizza fan and have been to several Neopolitan pizzerias (and resturants featuring Neopolitan style pizza) around town including Tutta Bella (Columbia City and Wallingford), Via Tribunali (Capitol Hill, Queen Anne and Fremont/Wallingford), Picolinos (Ballard), Mama Melina (Bryant/U.District) and Queen Margherita(Magnolia). I don't tend to prefer Tutta Bella mostly because of the loud family ambiance. However the pizzas are not bad and they meet the Vera Pizza Napoletana requirements (and are VPN certified). For awhile I was especially enamored with Via Tribunali (specifically their Capitol HIll shop and then their Queen Anne location). However when they started their corporate expansion and pizzaola Dino Santonicola left Via T., I felt like they dropped just a notch. Via T locations are also VPN certified. If you go to the VPN America website you can see that both Via T. and Tutta Bella have turned into chains with a number of locations. Dino landed at Ristorante Picolinos in Ballard and promptly turned their pizza from mediocre to, in my view, best of the neopolitan pizza in the city. They are also now VPN certified. However I regret that Dino is no longer with Picolinos. He is in the DC area working on another venture. I have not been since he left so I cannot say whether they have continued to make pizza to Dino's standards. I have not tried Pizzeria Pulcinella in S.Seattle but it was a reader favorite in 2009 and they are also VPN certified. Mama Melina is another place that Dino helped out. I have only been once -- during a pre-opening party for their new location down near U.Village. The pizza was excellent. Queen Margherita is not on the VPN list but I thought that their pizza was amazing on my first visit there.
Other places that serve NY style pizza that I have enjoyed include Snoose Junction in Ballard, Flying Squirrel Pizza (now in a second location at Sunset Tavern in Ballard) and the interesting thin cracker crust Minnesota style pizzas at Zayda Buddy's in Ballard.
Enjoy
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Serious Pie
316 Virginia St, Seattle, WA 98101
Queen Anne Cafe
2121 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Tutta Bella
4918 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Via Tribunali
317 W Galer St, Seattle, WA 98119
Picolinos
6415 32nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Delancey
1415 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA 98117
Din Tai Fung: Opening date?
If you are near the ID check out Jade Garden on 7th and King. A friend born in Hong Kong first brought me to JG a few years ago. Among the excellent dim sum offerings are xiao long bao.
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Hong Kong Restaurant
302 N Olympic Ave, Arlington, WA 98223
Jade Garden Restaurant
7th S King S, Seattle, WA 98101
SEA Coffee: Vivace, Victrola or Cafe Besalu?
Did you get to Besalu?
Incidentally I think Lighthouse roasts some excellent coffee and although Besalu is rightfully acclaimed for its pastry (I think the croissants are world class and have never found one better .. and I have been looking) their baristas are excellent ... underrated in fact.
Of course Seattle has many excellent coffee places. Although I really enjoy the Stumptown on 12th (I was cool to them as an Ore. import, until I found out they were roasting here and they have amazing cofee and branding) if you want to broaden your horizons a bit next time I can recommend Herkimer and Fonte as well. Both I think are competitive with the other recommendations you have received. Herkimer is a bit off the beaten path up on Phinney Ridge but I love it. A buddy of mine from Naples turned me on to them. You can hit Fonte downtown. They have a new spot on first avenue downstairs from the Four Seasons.
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Stumptown
1115 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
