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DINING GUIDE O u r F a v o rite R e s t a u r a n t s S eattleWeekly’s 2014

Seattle Weekly, April 09, 2014

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 1

DECONSTRUCTING DINING

D I N I N G G U I D E

Our Favorite Restaurants

SeattleWeekly’s 2014

2 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

• Mario Batali in GQ Magazine, March 2009 - “Go to Lowell’s for the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Fresh Oyster-Bacon Scramble and Dungeness Crab Omelet!”

• Food Network’s Giada De Laurentils’ Weekend Getaways “...get breakfast from Lowell’s Restaurant & Bar serving dishes made only [from] foods from local venders from the Pike Place Market.”

• Travel + Leisure Magazine, July 2011 - featured in “100+ Amazing Places to Eat Like a Local” & “Best Waterfront Seafood Shacks”

Seattle’s best kept hideaway since the fifties...Opening every day at 7AM, our 3 fl oors of panoramic water views and our unique fresh hand-crafted

food and drinks are the authenticity of vintage Seattle with the friendliest bar included. Lowell’s 1st fl oor entrance is located on the cobblestone street level, inside the main arcade,

in the very HEART of Pike Place Market.

www.EatAtLowells.com

The Freshest Tastes of the Pike Place Market

1410 12 t h SEATTLE , WA 98122OPEN DAILY 5PM - 2AM | AGES 21+

206-557-7430

S M O K E D

S I N G L E M A LT

S M O K E DMEATS & SEAFOODS I N G L E M A LT

WHISKEY & BEER

1410 12 t h SEATTLE , WA 98122OPEN DAILY 5PM - 2AM | AGES 21+

206-557-7430

S M O K E D

S I N G L E M A LT

S M O K E DMEATS & SEAFOODS I N G L E M A LT

WHISKEY & BEER

4 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

© 2014 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved. The ‘LEED Certification Mark’ is a registered trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used by permission.

Your table awaitsUrbane is inspired by the sustainable LEED certified building in which we are housed. Our regional menu is created from the ground up as we strive to bring you the best of the Northwest’s harvest prepared in an urban setting. Working with local growers, artisians, and wineries of the Pacific Northwest, our menu changes seasonally to focus on freshness and local authenticity.

Located a block from the Paramount and Nordstrom, Urbane is well situated to be the prelude and finale to your shopping or theater experience. Stop by today for a true taste of the Northwest.

4 SEATTLE WEEKLY • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

D I N I N G G U I D E

Putting together an annual dining guide in a city where new restaurants and bars (and bakeries and breweries and food trucks and, and, and) are opening at a dizzying pace is incredibly exciting—yet daunting. As I began thinking about how to sum it all up in these pages, it occurred to me that maybe the big picture really lies in

the details. After all, a delicious meal, a charming restaurant, a sublime cocktail all come down to details, don’t they? To that end, we’ve zeroed in on—deconstructed, if you will —some key aspects of the dining scene. We’ve talked to five chefs not about their grand vision or even their favorite dish, but rather about a single, out-of-the-box ingredient they’re particularly passionate about (including one that was transported from Vietnam and is currently growing in a jar in a very dark room). We teamed with Seattle architects to give you an insider’s look at just what goes into creat-ing a great dining space, with lots of fascinating anecdotes about local restaurants they’ve designed. We’ve also honed in on a style of wine that’s making its way onto many a Seattle drink menu, one that’s truly a sum of its parts. And of course, there’s our list of more than 100 favorite local restaurants—a gargantuan feat by our food contributors, and Seattle Weekly staff that means not every place we like makes the cut. With so many new establishments opening since last year’s guide, we simply had to let go of some. So though you won’t see some standard-bearers like, say, Canlis or Dahlia Lounge here, it’s not because their chefs aren’t holding the bar high (they are); we just needed to spread the love. I hope this guide will surprise and delight you—and most important, inspire you to get out there and eat!

Cheers,Nicole SprinkleFood & Drink Editor, Seattle Weekly

Food & Drink EditorNicole Sprinkle

Art DirectorKaren Steichen

ContributorsMark Baumgarten, Sara Billups,

Gavin Borchert, Gwendolyn Elliott,

Jay Friedman, Zach Geballe, Megan Hill,

Tiffany Ran, Kelton Sears, Nina Shapiro

PhotographyJoshua Bessex & Kyu Han

Cover IllustrationDan Stiles

2 014

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 5VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 5

Our Favorite Restaurants

N E I G H B O R H O O D I N D E XNORTH OF 50TH (PHINNEY, RAVENNA, GREEN LAKE, GREENWOOD, LAKE CITY, SHORELINE, TANGLETOWN)Kisaku 49mkt. 45Mojitos 43Thrive 49

BALLARDBastille Cafe & Bar 41Brimmer & Heeltap 45Delancey 46Golden Beetle 41Hilliard’s 39Senor Moose Café 43Skillet 39Stoneburner 46Veraci Pizza 47The Walrus and the Carpenter 47

FREMONT/WALLINGFORD/U DISTRICTAgrodolce 41Art of the Table 43Atlantic Crossing 38Bourbon & Bones 47Canon 38 Chaco Canyon 49Din Tai Fung 31Fremont Brewing Company 39Joule 31Le Petit Cochon 45Paseo 43Revel 33Rock Creek 47Roux 40Sunlight Café 49Tilth 46Vif Wine & Coffee 39

MAGNOLIATanglewood Supreme 47

QUEEN ANNEByen Bakeri 38How to Cook a Wolf 41LloydMartin 45Mezcaleria Oaxaca 43Rooftop Brewing 39Toulouse Petit 40

EASTLAKE/LAKE UNIONBlind Pig Bistro 45Little Water Cantina 43Louisa’s 39Sushi Kappo Tamura 49Westward 47

SOUTH LAKE UNIONSerious Pie 47

CAPITOL HILLBa Bar 31Bar Cotto 46Crumble & Flake Patisserie 38Honey Hole 49Jamjuree 31La Bête 45Linda’s 39Mamnoon 41Plum Bistro 49

Poppy 33Spinasse 41Sun Liquor 38Volunteer Park Café 46The Wandering Goose 49

MADISON VALLEY/MADRONA/CENTRAL DISTRICTChef Café 41Ezell’s Chicken 47Hi Spot Café 40Luc 41Twilight Exit 39

DOWNTOWN/BELLTOWNBoat Street Café and Kitchen 40Le Pichet 41Matt’s in the Market 45Miller’s Guild 45Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill 49Queen City Grill 46Radiator Whiskey 46Rob Roy 38Shiro’s 49Spur 46Tilikum Place Cafe 39Zig Zag Café 39

PIONEER SQUARE Altstadt 38 Bar Sajor 43E. Smith Mercantile 38Il Corvo 41Little Uncle 33Marcela’s Creole Cookery 40New Orleans Creole Restaurant 40

INTERNATIONAL DISTRICTBoiling Point 31Fuji Bakery 38Huong Binh 31Northwest Tofu 33Standard Brewing 39Uway Malatang 33

SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN (GEORGETOWN, COLUMBIA CITY, SODO, BEACON HILL)Columbia City Bakery 38Epic Ales 39Fonda La Catrina 43Traveler’s Thali House 49World Pizza 47

WEST SEATTLE/ALKI BEACHBakery Nouveau 38Marination Ma Kai 33Mashiko 49

THE OUTSKIRTSHitchcock, Bainbridge Island 45Bamboo Garden, Bellevue 31Noodle Boat, Issaquah 33Prima Bistro, Whidbey Island 46

FOOD TRUCKSEl Camion 40Maximus/Minimus 40Narwhal 40Off the Rez 40

2 014Table of Contents

Editor’s Note....Page 4

Five Local Chefs, Five Unique Ingredients....Page 7

Trend of the Blend....Page 19

Making a Restaurant....Page 21

Our Favorite Places to Eat and Drink....Page 31

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 7VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 7

JASON WILSON, Chef/Partner of Crush and Miller’s GuildJason Wilson is excited about crosnes (pro-nounced “crone”), which taste “almost like a sweet, radish-like turnip.” He first came across the tiny tubers at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, but hasn’t been able to find them locally—though that means he’s the only one in Seattle using the vegetable, which is native to Asia and kind of looks, perhaps unfortunately, like a cross between a chunk of ginger and a grub. In his restaurants, Wilson uses the ingredient in various ways, includ-ing slow-cooking them in butter and salt until tender, pickling crosnes, or even just eating them raw in their natural form, which he says is “delicious.” If you manage to get your hands on any of the unsung roots (they can be found online at earthlydelights.com), Wilson suggests frying them in tempura batter or adding them to soups, salads, and

vegetable dishes, as he’s done in the gorgeous dish pictured at top. “It’s a unique ingredient, and you can have fun finding uses for this uncommon root.” (Honest-food.net suggests sautéing them with peas, garlic, parsley, and lemon, and says to “look to the Chinese and French for inspiration,” as they are crosnes’ largest consumers.)

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5 Local Chefs, Five Unique Ingredients

Crosnes

Never before have chefs been so invested in every element of their plates. With access to amazing, increasingly varied product, the proliferation of foraging, and an embrace of global flavors, every last ingredient in a

dish is a force of its own. Here, five of Seattle’s favorite chefs share the ingredients they’re most excited about right now—from vinegar “mothers” brought back from Vietnam to a fish sauce that wars have been fought over. NICOLE SPRINKLE

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 9

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D E C O N S T R U C T I N G D I N I N G

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 9

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“Gum yum” SAM CRANNELL, Chef/Owner of LloydMartinOver at the perpetually popular Lloyd- Martin in Queen Anne, Crannell is cur-rently playing around with golden needles, also known as “gum yum”—which are the unopened buds of a day lily. He was introduced to them by one of the restau-rant’s “house” foragers from California. What’s most appealing about the ingredi-ent, according to Crannell, is that it’s “very exotic-smelling and tasting, and incredibly floral when it’s fresh-picked and used in a salad or sauté. But it is also really nice pickled. Most of its flower notes are tamed, and it lends a unique sweetness.” At Lloyd-Martin, he pickles the flowers in ramp pickle liquid and uses them on crudo in fall and winter. “Then we use them fresh in late summer in salads with fresh-cut herbs,

as a garnish for fish and shellfish, to infuse vegetable broths for soups, to make vinai-grettes for poultry, and for use in pestos and muddled in drinks.”

The ingredient is traditionally used in Chinese cooking, and dried versions of it (which can be reconstituted) can be found in the International District. If you want to try them at home, Crannell advises adding the needles to a stir fry, a salad, or a noodle soup, as a broth for fish, or in pesto. They’re also pretty easy to incorporate into salads.

Above, the golden needles garnish a crudo.

Here, in pickled form.

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 11

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 11

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ColaturaJASON STONEBURNER, Chef/Partner of Stoneburner and Executive Chef of Bastille Cafe & Bar

Jason Stoneburner has been using colatura, an amber-colored anchovy extract made by fermenting anchovies, for years at home. Packed with umami, it has a fish-forward flavor—in a good, oily fish-lover’s way. While he didn’t feel like the ingredient made sense with the dishes at Bastille, when “I opened Stoneburner, which has Italian influences, the wheels started turning on how to heighten dishes with it. I like the

depth that it lends dishes. It has this rich, funky, briny note that contributes massive amounts of flavor without adding weight to the dish.” To that end, he uses it in various pasta dishes, vinaigrettes, and condiments. The colatura-heightened condiments are usually spooned over grilled vegetables and meats. “Its history is really quite amazing; it dates back to ancient Rome, 3rd century B.C. Known as garum, it was reported to have divided social and economical classes based on its varying quality alone.” He says your best bet for finding it is at Marx Foods at 144 Western Ave W, and recommends the following preparations: heirloom toma-toes with olive oil, garlic, lime, and colatura; grilled asparagus or zucchini with olive oil, pistachio, lemon, mint, and colatura; or a simple pasta dish with olive oil, parsley, chili, garlic, and colatura.

Above, the amber-colored sauce. Here,

added to pasta and vegetable

dishes at Stoneburner.

“It has this funky, briny note that contributes massive amounts of flavor without adding weight to the dish.”

12 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 13

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D E C O N S T R U C T I N G D I N I N G

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 13

ERIC BANH, Chef/Owner of Monsoon, Monsoon East and Ba BarBanh is in the midst of a fascinating experi-ment: raising a few live vinegar “mothers” brought back from Vietnam by a friend. These slimy-looking things consist of acetic-acid bacteria and cellulose, which are a natural product of the vinegar-making process (like a mother yeast in bread). “Many families cultivated these vinegar ‘mothers’ back in

Vietnam. In the old days in Saigon, you couldn’t just buy a jug of vinegar. You’d bring a small container to the grocery store, and the owner would give you a scoop or two from a jar,” says Banh. “As a kid in Vietnam, I raised one for fun. They kind of look like jellyfish. They start to move and grow, and you have to cover them in the summertime because they attract vinegar flies.” Of late, he’s had two of them floating in a glass jar in a warm, dark room for weeks—after hav-ing been drenched in pure coconut water. Why go to the trouble? “So many cuisines use vinegar, yet no one puts much emphasis on it, or its quality. The flavor—which we refer to as tawa—is so much deeper, unlike regular distilled vinegar, which is sharp and too sour. I’ve been using champagne vinegar or Japanese rice wine in my restaurants as an alternative because they’re better quality, but they’re expensive. As far as I know, I’m the only chef in Seattle using these vinegar mothers.” What’s he doing with the first batch? “I’m just using them on salads to really showcase the flavor, since we won’t have enough to use in everything. Eventu-ally, I’ll use them to pickle vegetables like mustard greens, carrots, daikons, and small green tomatoes. And we’ll use them in our nuoc cham, of course!”

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Vinegar “Mothers“

Banh, above, dressing this

beautiful noodle bowl with his freshly made

vinegar.

14 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

NEW MENUMADEFRESHNEW MENUMADEFRESH

MAR470AM14_AIRMEXICO_NYVillage_9x11.indd 1 3/26/14 2:20 PM

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 15

D E C O N S T R U C T I N G D I N I N G

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she uses in all sorts of curries. “One popular dish is red bell peppers, eggplant, and paneer sautéed in tons of onions, tomatoes, and bitter-gourd masala.” While most Indian grocers carry frozen bitter gourd, Dhalwala says fresh is best. (I saw it fresh at Uwajimaya just last month.)  E

[email protected]

MEERU DHALWALA, Chef/Co-owner of Shanik Over in South Lake Union, Dhalwala is grinding bitter melon (also known as bit-ter gourd) into her own spice mixture, like a garam masala—or as she calls it, “a Meeru masala.” The chef grew up eating the melon in India, where it’s highly regarded for its health benefits: purifying the blood and helping to reduce blood-sugar levels. “Its bitterness is an acquired taste for non-Indians, but many Indians love to spice it up and enjoy its punch on the palate. In northern India we marinate it in salt to soften the flavor a bit, and then cook the bitter melon with lots of strong spices,” she says. “I grew up with a dad who loves strong, spicy, and bitter and a mom who loves spicy and soft. So for dinner we would often have lentil curry (soft) with spicy okra or bitter gourd (bitter). As a child I obviously liked the softer curries, but my parents always made us try a little of everything that was for dinner. As my palate matured, so did my love of the bitter touch within an overall soft meal.” Her masala is 80 percent ground bitter gourd with ground cumin and cayenne, which

Above, bitter melon gets incorporated into an eggplant

and paneer dish at Shanik. Here, the

fresh gourd is used in a housemade

spice mix.

BitterMelon

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18 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 19VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 19

table or in a restaurant? One thing to be wary of is that a poorly constructed blend can just kind of taste like “red wine.” That’s not neces-sarily bad, but it might be less exciting than a more well-defined wine. Another dirty secret of the winemaking trade is that blends can often be a dumping ground for lower-quality grapes. Sometimes blending lesser lots can save a wine, but sometimes the wines just taste flat and uninteresting.

That said, there are plenty of awesome blends to check out. Generally speaking, cabernet-heavy blends still need a bit of aging before they reach their true potential, while merlot- or syrah-based blends are ready to drink sooner. The added complexity in blends also makes them more versatile in food pair-ings: With a broader range of fruit and non-fruit characteristics, they “play nice” with more dishes. They do tend to be relatively heavy, but because of the broader range of fruits and the more complex structure, well-made red blends are often a nice compromise when you’re try-ing to please a lot of different types of wine drinkers. Almost everyone can find an aspect of the wine to love.

A couple of pieces of advice: In these rela-

tively early days of hybrid blends, I’d avoid the really inexpensive ones. While there might be the occasional gem, those wines are much more likely to be the dregs of the harvest. Look for wines over about $20 in the shop, or $50 in a restaurant.

Similarly, avoid wines that have too much merlot and syrah. Those two grapes both have a tendency to get super-ripe and juicy, and combined they can create the effect of an almost artificial sweetness, like cherry cough syrup. Specific amounts might vary, but I’d look for wines that are less than 50 percent combined syrah and merlot.

I think that for years, red blends carried a bit of a stigma in the minds of “serious” wine drinkers. They were simple wines, or a dump-ing ground for mediocre grapes, or a science project that didn’t show proper respect for the established (meaning French) traditions of winemaking. Yet it’s the willingness to experiment that has pushed the wine world’s frontiers in fascinating and exciting ways, and plenty of Washington winemakers have shown that you can create world-class wine without a slavish devotion to tradition.

So next time you’re choosing a bottle with dinner, consider one of the many blends you’ll find at a Seattle restaurant with a well-curated wine list. And as always, never be afraid to ask questions. If a restaurant’s cho-sen to include quality blends, it’ll no doubt have plenty to say about them. E [email protected]

D E C O N S T R U C T I N G D I N I N G

Americans are slaves to our single-vari-etal red wines. Confronted by a blend, many of us run back to the wines we

know: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and the like. Yet throughout much of the world, red wines are the product of two or more blended varietals. Increasingly, more Washington winemakers are going this route, and their wines are growing ever more common on local wine lists. Soon there will be nowhere to run to. With that in mind, here are some must-read tips and a little background to help you navigate the choices.

“The power of blends is for real,” says Woodinville winemaking consultant Erica Orr. “I think the blend is greater than the sum of its parts.” It’s definitely a fact (with a few rare exceptions) that wines made from multiple grapes tend to be more complex than those made from just one varietal.

But blending isn’t just about combining varietals. “Winemakers talk about blends from a varietal composition standpoint,” says Orr, “but also in terms of blending differ-ent ‘lots.’ The lot can be defined many ways: by vineyard, by clone, by how a vineyard parcel was fermented, if it was barrel-aged in new oak or neutral oak, how the barrels are toasted, etc.” The result is a blend that “is more interesting, more nuanced, and more delicious than just one of those parts.”

Generally speaking, blends fall into a couple of classic archetypes: Bordeaux blends emphasizing cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and southern Rhône blends that use grenache and syrah. Bordeaux blends are known for their beguiling combination of power and prettiness, tannic weight, and long aging potential. They also take very well to oak. Rhône wines tend to be more about earthi-ness, savory notes, explosive fruit, and acidity. Both have loyal followings—and a place on Seattle shelves and menus.

Of course, few Washington winemakers are content to stick with the tried-and-true blends that European winemakers have been making for centuries. With large amounts of both cabernet sauvignon and syrah planted in the state, it’s only natural that some wine-makers have started combining them. “I’m thinking of Guardian’s Chalk Line or Wil-liam Church 2 Spires,” Orr says. “The 2011 Callisto from Baer has 40 percent syrah in it. These wines can be really approachable and delicious young; they have a dark blackberry/black fruit character, a plushness from the syrah and a more high-toned, cherry-fruited, serious tannin structure from the cab.”

It’s that ease to drink young that drives some of the blends. According to Jeff Lind-say-Thorsen, head sommelier at RN74 and co-founder of WT Vintners, “Cabernet is king in Washington, even if syrah should be the star.” Yet cabernet sauvignon can be hard to drink in its youth: tannic, tight, and lack-

ing fruit. That’s why it’s classically blended with merlot in Bordeaux, and why cab/syrah blends are all the rage in Washington. They allow winemakers to get their wine on the market sooner while still offering a product that tastes good the moment the buyer gets the wine home. In fact, the combination of cabernet sauvignon with other varietals is considered by some local winemakers to be the future of the Washington wine industry.

Bottom line: Blends are definitely both a longstanding part of the winemaking world and something of a trend in Washington. But how do you approach them at the dinner

How to order these increasingly popular varietal mashups.

BY ZACH GEBALLE

Erica Orr, the “wine chemist” of Woodinville, is helping bring beautiful blends to the table.

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T rend of the Blend

“The added complexity in

blends also makes them more

versatile in food pairings.”

Dine withDine withDine withDine withGood Wine

MARK RYAN TASTING ROOMS

www.markryanwinery.com

WOODINVILLE TASTING ROOM

14475 Woodinville-Redmond RoadWoodinville WA 98072

ph. 425.415.3865

WALL A WALL A TASTING ROOM

26 E. Main Street, Ste 1Walla Walla, WA 99362

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MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington wines

in Woodinville since 1999. Specializing in

Bordeaux-style red wines from the state’s

premier AVA, Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has

been consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the creme de

la creme of Washington State producers…

the wines have overall classical profiles, with

bright acidity and tannin, that never lack for

fruit or depth. If you haven’t tried these wines,

now is great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95 points The Wine Advocate

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95+ points The Wine Advocate

2011 Long Haul 92-94 points The Wine Advocate

Mark RyanW I N E R Y

MARK RYAN TASTING ROOMS

www.markryanwinery.com

WOODINVILLE TASTING ROOM

14475 Woodinville-Redmond RoadWoodinville WA 98072

ph. 425.415.3865

WALL A WALL A TASTING ROOM

26 E. Main Street, Ste 1Walla Walla, WA 99362

ph. 509.876.4577

MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington wines

in Woodinville since 1999. Specializing in

Bordeaux-style red wines from the state’s

premier AVA, Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has

been consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the creme de

la creme of Washington State producers…

the wines have overall classical profiles, with

bright acidity and tannin, that never lack for

fruit or depth. If you haven’t tried these wines,

now is great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95 points The Wine Advocate

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95+ points The Wine Advocate

2011 Long Haul 92-94 points The Wine Advocate

Mark RyanW I N E R Y

MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington

wines in Woodinville since 1999.

Specializing in Bordeaux-style red

wines from the state’s premier AVA,

Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has been

consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the

creme de la creme of Washington State

producers... the wines have overall

classical profiles, with bright acidity and

tannin, that never lack for fruit or depth.

If you haven’t tried these wines, now is a

great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon93-95 points

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon93-95+ points

2011 Long Haul92-94 points

(LAST MODIFIED)February 6, 2014 2:55 PM

(FILE NAME)DEV 14 2x3 PGBW

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TD LW DS

Downtown Everett’s Own Boutique WineryTasting Room Open Thursday-Saturday

4:30pm – 10:00pmLive Music (No Cover) every Friday & Saturday

7:00pm – 9:00pm

425-339-0293 2802 Rockefeller Ave • Everett, WA 98201

or [email protected]

Live Music (No Cover) every Friday & Saturday 7:00pm - 9:00pm

425-339-0293 • 2802 Rockefeller Ave • Everett, WA 98201or [email protected]

Tasting Room Open Thurs. - Sat. 4:30pm - 10:00pm

AWARD WINNINGSPARKLING WINESWWW.TREVERICELLARS.COM

Facebook.com/Treveri

9774 HWY 14, Goldendale, WA 98620 | (877) 627.9445 | maryhillwinery.comWINE TASTINGS SCENIC VISTAS BOCCE COURTS LIVE SUMMER MUSIC GIFTS & APPAREL 9774 WINE TASTINGS SCENIC VISTAS BOCCE COURTS LIVE SUMMER MUSIC GIFTS & APPAREL

“Best Destination Winery”- SEATTLE MAGAZINE

“Washington Winery of the Year”- 2009 WINE PRESS NW

“Winemaker Of The Year”- 2013 INDY INTERNATIONAL

15500 Woodinville Redmond Rd NE STE C600 • Woodinville, WA 98072 • 425.527.0608 • www.TWWE.com

Wine TastingOPEN DAILY 12-5

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 21

Dine withDine withDine withDine withGood Wine

MARK RYAN TASTING ROOMS

www.markryanwinery.com

WOODINVILLE TASTING ROOM

14475 Woodinville-Redmond RoadWoodinville WA 98072

ph. 425.415.3865

WALL A WALL A TASTING ROOM

26 E. Main Street, Ste 1Walla Walla, WA 99362

ph. 509.876.4577

MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington wines

in Woodinville since 1999. Specializing in

Bordeaux-style red wines from the state’s

premier AVA, Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has

been consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the creme de

la creme of Washington State producers…

the wines have overall classical profiles, with

bright acidity and tannin, that never lack for

fruit or depth. If you haven’t tried these wines,

now is great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95 points The Wine Advocate

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95+ points The Wine Advocate

2011 Long Haul 92-94 points The Wine Advocate

Mark RyanW I N E R Y

MARK RYAN TASTING ROOMS

www.markryanwinery.com

WOODINVILLE TASTING ROOM

14475 Woodinville-Redmond RoadWoodinville WA 98072

ph. 425.415.3865

WALL A WALL A TASTING ROOM

26 E. Main Street, Ste 1Walla Walla, WA 99362

ph. 509.876.4577

MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington wines

in Woodinville since 1999. Specializing in

Bordeaux-style red wines from the state’s

premier AVA, Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has

been consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the creme de

la creme of Washington State producers…

the wines have overall classical profiles, with

bright acidity and tannin, that never lack for

fruit or depth. If you haven’t tried these wines,

now is great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95 points The Wine Advocate

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 93-95+ points The Wine Advocate

2011 Long Haul 92-94 points The Wine Advocate

Mark RyanW I N E R Y

MARK RYAN WINERY has been producing

premium, hand-crafted Washington

wines in Woodinville since 1999.

Specializing in Bordeaux-style red

wines from the state’s premier AVA,

Red Mountain, Mark Ryan has been

consistently among the most highly-

acclaimed wineries in Washington State.

“An estate that’s getting up into the

creme de la creme of Washington State

producers... the wines have overall

classical profiles, with bright acidity and

tannin, that never lack for fruit or depth.

If you haven’t tried these wines, now is a

great time to check them out.”

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

‘Top 100 wineries in the World’Wine & Spirits Magazine, 2012

2011 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon93-95 points

2011 Lonely Heart Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon93-95+ points

2011 Long Haul92-94 points

(LAST MODIFIED)February 6, 2014 2:55 PM

(FILE NAME)DEV 14 2x3 PGBW

xxE-mai led

TD LW DS

Downtown Everett’s Own Boutique WineryTasting Room Open Thursday-Saturday

4:30pm – 10:00pmLive Music (No Cover) every Friday & Saturday

7:00pm – 9:00pm

425-339-0293 2802 Rockefeller Ave • Everett, WA 98201

or [email protected]

Live Music (No Cover) every Friday & Saturday 7:00pm - 9:00pm

425-339-0293 • 2802 Rockefeller Ave • Everett, WA 98201or [email protected]

Tasting Room Open Thurs. - Sat. 4:30pm - 10:00pm

AWARD WINNINGSPARKLING WINESWWW.TREVERICELLARS.COM

Facebook.com/Treveri

9774 HWY 14, Goldendale, WA 98620 | (877) 627.9445 | maryhillwinery.comWINE TASTINGS SCENIC VISTAS BOCCE COURTS LIVE SUMMER MUSIC GIFTS & APPAREL 9774 WINE TASTINGS SCENIC VISTAS BOCCE COURTS LIVE SUMMER MUSIC GIFTS & APPAREL

“Best Destination Winery”- SEATTLE MAGAZINE

“Washington Winery of the Year”- 2009 WINE PRESS NW

“Winemaker Of The Year”- 2013 INDY INTERNATIONAL

15500 Woodinville Redmond Rd NE STE C600 • Woodinville, WA 98072 • 425.527.0608 • www.TWWE.com

Wine TastingOPEN DAILY 12-5

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 21

D E C O N S T R U C T I N G D I N I N G

These days, we take it for granted that the restaurants we flock to will come with a hand-somely appointed interior. Without the requisite charming ambience, even the best food may not alone draw us. But an inviting interior doesn’t come out of thin air; it’s the result

of months and months of talks and labor between chef/owner and architect/designer—a process that diners rarely get any peek into. Until now.

We asked local design firm Atelier Drome to give you a look at how a restaurant is made. The firm specializes in (among other things) restaurant design, with high-profile clients like Ethan Stowell, Nathan Lockwood, and others. From envisioning a concept to refining it and eventually constructing it, principals Henry Walters and Michelle Linden took us behind the scenes, with lots of anecdotes, sketches, and photos from real restaurants and coffee shops they’ve worked on.

E N V I S I O N I N G Seattle Weekly: A successful restaurant has a signature look and feel that gels with its overall concept—the story it’s trying to tell. Often a restaurateur knows what the story is, but isn’t sure how to translate that into a look. Can you give us an example of how you helped a client integrate their design with their story? Atelier Drome: We’re currently working on a few modifications for Seattle Coffee Works’ Pike Street location. SCW prides itself on its intelligent and ethical approach to coffee, which is evident in both their farm-to-cup philosophy (directly sourcing and roasting the beans) and their wide range of methods for making the coffee. From a design standpoint, we want to help inform their clientele about their ethical and distinctively delicious approaches to sourcing, roasting, and making coffee that distinguish SCW from your average coffee shop.

They have a “slow bar,” which is a separate section of the cafe where customers can learn about and taste-test the various methodologies. Right now, though, the slow bar is a bit hidden from view, so we’re organizing the signage, artwork (including photos of the farmers SCW works with), and seating at the slow bar to more clearly distinguish it as a place for enjoying and learning about coffee.

Left: Atelier Drome’s Henry Walters and Michelle Linden. Top: Interior window sketches of Roberto’s Venetian Trattoria. Below: Slow bar at Ballard Coffee Works.

Seattle architecture firm Atelier Drome shows us how it’s done.

BY NICOLE SPRINKLE

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M aking a Restaurant

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 23

f

PRIME STEAKS. LEGENDARY SERVICE.Fine Wine • Private Dining • Exceptional Menu

Downtown1511 6th Avenue I Seattle, WA 98101

206.223.0550

mortons.com/seattle

The heart of France in the heart of Pike Place Market

Join us for brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner & summer breakfast

1600 Post Alley • Pike Place Market, Seattle206.728.2233 • www.cafecampagne.com

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 23

What about actually finding a spot? It seems like more people are looking to open restaurants, but availability is increasingly scarce. As architect/designers, how do you go about sourcing a location that meets a restaurant’s needs? We often work with clients before they’ve even signed a lease to determine if a space is right for them. Before signing the lease for Roberto’s Venetian Trattoria, soon to open in Pike Place Market, we worked with the client

on schematic designs for three other down-town spaces. While working through the various options, we were able to compare seat counts, pedestrian traffic, view corridors, and general branding of the various spaces. Ulti-mately, we were able to help show how much more compelling the space at the market would be. For example, while its layout actu-ally had a slightly smaller seat count (though we were able to maximize it with the addition of an outdoor dining pavilion), the amazing

views of the water, foot-traffic patterns in the market, and a structure visible beyond the walls of its own restaurant (therefore increas-ing visibility and interest of passersby) gave it the advantage over the other spaces.

R E F I N I N G Once your client has found their dream location, I imagine there’s quite a bit of red tape in the form of approvals, leases, city code standards . . . What’s one of the most challenging spots you’ve had to deal with in this regard? Roberto’s has been a complex build-out. In addition to the remodel of a space within an existing historical building, we also designed

a new modern steel-and-glass outdoor din-ing pavilion and had to demonstrate via 3-D models that it would not block views of the historic Public Market sign visible along the Hillclimb and Western Avenue. Work-ing with the Market itself was particularly demanding, as we had to present all of our designs, plans, and 3-D models for review and approval before even applying for building and health permits. We feel proud that we were able to design the first new ground-up construction in the market in many years. I’ve been to a lot of restaurants lately which tout some original or found objects that they incorporated into the design scheme. The idea of recycling is very popu-lar right now. Have you ever worked on

Left: Roberto’s Venetian Trattoria exterior. Above: Pettirosa’s salvaged old gymnasium lights from Second Use and wood and steel chairs fabricated by Red Soul for Ballard Pizza Works.

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24 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

FARESTART PRESENTS

Guest Chef

Enjoy tastes from 30 of the area’s most highly regarded chefs and sips from 30 of Washington’s

top wineries, breweries, and distilleries.

Thursday, June 5th from 6:30–9:30 p.m.at Showbox SoDo

GENERAL ADMISSION: A limited number of early bird tickets will be available for $70 per person. When early bird tickets sell out, the price

will go up to $80 per person.

VIP Tickets: $130. Includes access to the VIP Lounge at 5:30 p.m., exclusive tastes, early admittance to main event, and a goodie bag.

This is a 21-and-over event.

TICKETS ON SALE NOWVisit FareStart.org to purchase today!

Proceeds benefit FareStart’s culinary job training programs for homeless and disadvantaged individuals.

1629 Eastlake Avenue East | Seattle206.322.6174 | www.siamthairestaurants.com

DELICIOUS MENU | HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS | CATERING

24 SEATTLE WEEKLY • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

a project that inspired you to use some of the existing interior elements?Many of our clients are eager to add salvaged materials, fixtures, or appliances to their projects. We’ve taken many treasure-hunting trips to local salvage shops, such as Second Use and Earthwise. While Pettirosso Seattle was under construction, we discovered four old gymnasium lights at Second Use that we knew needed a loving home. We convinced owners Miki and Yuki Sodos to purchase these giant caged lights, which are now a fantastic and unexpected feature in the main dining area.

What about collaboration? Besides con-tractors, whom else do you enlist to help bring a restaurant space to life?

We feel really lucky to collaborate with some fantastic clients, contractors, and crafts-men. One of our favorites is Red Soul, a steel fabricator near Georgetown. We’ve worked with them designing/building wood and steel chairs for Ballard Pizza Works, as well as steel bench legs and table bases for Rione XIII, Staple and Fancy, and more. The guys at Red Soul got their start working on high-end custom choppers—which is a very different clientele than the average architectural fab-ricator . . . But they’re great at what they do, super-creative, and a lot of fun to work with.

Tell me about a design challenge that wasn’t typical for you.

When Ethan Stowell came to us to design Bar Cotto, he wanted the space to be a younger, brighter sibling to next door’s Anchovies & Olives, and he wanted both restaurants to connect physically and visually, as well as share restrooms, prep areas, and a walk-in cooler. We went back and forth on a variety of ways to connect the two spaces (even though their designs are totally differ-ent) without causing problems with sound or light in either space. Eventually, we came up with a design for custom steel-and-glass pivoting windows. These very heavy windows are balanced so that they’re simple to oper-ate. When closed, the windows still provide a visual connection, but when open, the two

spaces become linked, even though you’re still in separate spaces.

C O N ST R U C T I N GI imagine you work on a lot of older, even

historic buildings. What are some of the “surprises” you’ve stumbled upon in the process of constructing a restaurant space from a long-standing spot?

Sometimes when working in old buildings, we discover something totally unexpected. During construction of Pettirosso, we found a room that had been boarded up and for-gotten for at least 50 years! It still featured vintage wall coverings and light fixtures, and while we will never find out why it was cov-ered up, we’re sure glad we found it. After the space was uncovered, we were able to make modifications to the original design using the newly found space as a server and bus station, which enabled those items to be moved out of the dining room.

Besides designing a space and its interior elements, do you ever actually custom-make anything, or is that all left to various tradesmen?

As designers, we like to make objects with our hands that can inhabit the spaces we design. It gives us a more personal,

Top: Bar Cotto and Anchovies & Olives’ shared window. Bottom: Pettirosa’s 50-year-old “secret” room.

“While we have all come to

expect good design from our

restaurants, sometimes this

means a design that really

speaks to you, and other times

the design is a quieter player.”

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What is this place? This valley of reds and whites. Where wineries are thicker than Star-bucks, and brewers and distillers roam wild. Where chefs make nature their pantry, and a bike trail forks into a thousand tastes. Some heavenly corner of Europe? Think again, Seat-tle. This is a land called Woodinville.

Eats

Suds & Spirits

Eats

Suds & Spirits

Happenings

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 29VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 29

tactile connection to our work, and is often an inexpensive way to add a sense of craft to the project. For Ethan Stowell’s Bar Cotto, we designed and built the three large central pendant lights in the space out of bailing wire, using a yoga ball as a form. We really love to make things and would love to do it even more—it brings us back to our model building roots. Where do you see restaurant design headed in terms of new trends and styles?During the recession, we saw a lot of small 20-to-30-seat neighborhood restaurants open up, many by first-time owners starting a new career. As the economy has started to power back up, we’re starting to see larger or more extravagant restaurants opening closer to downtown.

Restaurant design in Seattle is all over the map; however, we notice a tendency towards an honest expression of the building shell, the use of natural, even reused materials in new and creative ways, and a focus on local arti-sans and craftspeople and their process in the objects that inhabit the space.

A focus in most of our restaurants has been to open the kitchen to the dining room. Chefs are rock stars, and Seattle’s foodies are fascinated by their process of creating stand-out dishes. It’s very rare that we work on a closed kitchen anymore. The open kitchen is a stage, a form of entertainment that thrills

and inspires. We hope that the boundaries between chef and diner continue to dissolve. As diners ourselves, when we go to a restau-rant we want to understand the full experi-ence of what is on our plate, and the more we can blur those lines, the more we all get a fuller experience. What are you most excited about right now? We particularly like how many restaura-teurs and designers are re-envisioning how their spaces interact with each other and the public, by combining several culinary con-cepts together around a shared kitchen within an open-market atmosphere, such as Melrose Market and Via6.

We also love all of the pop-up restaurants happening throughout the city. The benefits of pop-ups are so huge. They allow new chefs and restaurateurs to take a chance and develop a name for themselves before making the full

leap to a permanent home. In fact, many of our clients ( Juicebox and La Bodega, for example) have started as pop-ups. But the benefit isn’t just for the chefs—the whole city is benefit-ting. Both new and established chefs are able to take chances that you just wouldn’t be able to do in a typical restaurant. We know there is a whole city of full bellies (ours included) thankful for these pop-ups.

The interesting thing about restaurant design is that while we all have come to expect good design from our restaurants, sometimes this means a design that really speaks to you, and other times the design is a quieter player that allows the restaurant to speak for itself. Both approaches are difficult in their own way, but in fact sometimes it can be harder to create a design that simply retreats to the background and allows you to enjoy the food and the company. E [email protected]

Above: Bar Cotto’s pendant lights created from yoga balls. Below: Staple & Fancy’s open kitchen for rock-star chefs.

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prima bistroA Northwest Bistro inspired by French Classics

Locally sourced Seasonal MenuStunning Views and Deck Seating

Live Music Thursday Nights

“So magical that ferries will take you there”

360-221-4060 www.primabistro.comin historic langley on whidbey island

SCRATCH KITCHEN

SMART COCKTAILS

SOUTH LAKE UNION 1170 REPUBLICAN ST.

203.683.7632 WWW.ROWHOUSECAFE.COM

SCRATCH KITCHEN

SMART COCKTAILS

SOUTH LAKE UNION 1170 REPUBLICAN ST.

203.683.7632 WWW.ROWHOUSECAFE.COM

SCRATCH KITCHEN

SMART COCKTAILS

SOUTH LAKE UNION 1170 REPUBLICAN ST.

203.683.7632 WWW.ROWHOUSECAFE.COM

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 31

Nine neighborhood locations pccnaturalmarkets.com

SHOP FRESH SHOP LOCALSHOP PCC

3014 3RD AVE N SEATTLE | 206-284-3000 | www.pontigrill.com

We’re Wild About FishCelebrating Fresh Northwest Cuisine

Dinner daily from 5pm

Happy Hour Daily 4-6:30pm & 9-close

Private dining rooms perfect for weddings & graduations

plus two view patios.

Seattle’s Ship Canal with four private dining rooms and two outdoor patios that offer a prime view of

the water and the Fremont and Aurora bridges Audits

We’re Wild About FishWe’re Wild About Fish

O U R FAVO R I T E R E S TAU R A N T S

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 31

ASIAN BA BARIf you weren’t already a fan of Eric Banh’s hip Viet-namese restaurant and craft-cocktail bar, the addition of a slushy cocktail machine last summer may have done the trick. Truly, there’s something for everyone on this menu: rotisserie chicken with lemongrass; interesting vermicelli bowls (including one with seared catfish); pho that goes beyond the traditional with additions like duck-leg confit. But what really makes this restaurant a cut above Seattle’s many Vietnamese places is Banh’s dedication to quality, sustainable, locally sourced ingredients. The brisket and oxtail in his pho herald from Painted Hills Farm, the tofu from Northwest Tofu, the eggs from Wilcox Farm. There are also the many delicious and fanciful appetizers, like fried frog legs and a broiled mackerel wrap, that can easily add up to a meal. See the ingre-dient he’s most excited about right now on page 13. 550 12th Ave., 328-2030, babarseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

BAMBOO GARDENThe area’s finest Chinese food can be found on the Eastside, where you can sample spicy Szechuan fare. Bellevue’s Bamboo Garden is the best of the bunch. There’s a regular menu for the more timid, but I recommend the “Walk on the Wild Side” menu. Here you’ll find adventurous dishes like swimming fire fish, pork tongue slices, and sour & spicy jellyfish. My favorite is the spicy cauldron called “the other parts of the pig,” with pork intestines, pig-blood cubes, tofu chunks, basil, and pickled cabbage in a tangy broth. If things heat up too much, refreshing watermelon juice can come to the rescue. 202 106th Pl. N.E., Bellevue, 425-688-7991, bamboogardendining.com JAY FRIEDMAN

BOILING POINTEveryone can get what they want out of the Taiwan-ese hot-pot experience at Boiling Point, where din-ers choose their soups and add-ons for individually portioned hot pots. The many soup options, at varying price levels, include a spicy Korean kimchee and a curry fish-ball soup. The house-special soup is a hot-pot homage to stinky tofu, a fermented Taiwan-ese tofu that is also a popular side dish. The list of add-ons includes various proteins and seafood, plus assorted vegetables. While heating up is the preroga-tive here, special attention is given to the cool-down, with exotic slush drinks, milk teas, and snowflake

shaved ice. 1075 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue, 425-455-8375; 610 Fifth Ave. S., Seattle, 737-8506. bpgrou-pusa.com TIFFANY RAN

DIN TAI FUNGTaiwanese chain Din Tai Fung brought xiao long bao (a delicate Chinese soup dumpling) to the masses, and this year expanded from its Bellevue location to another in the U District. It’s no wonder the xiao long bao has become so ubiquitous that knowing patrons need only refer to it as XLB. Most XLB aficionados opt for the pork and crab for traditional decadence, but look beyond the bamboo steamers and you’ll see that the sides, soups, noodles, and wontons deserve a fair shake. The house chicken noodle soup is deeply therapeutic, the pork-chop fried rice is filling and satisfying, and appetizers like the seaweed and bean curd in vinegar dressing and soy noodle salad contribute crisp and clean flavors to a rich meal. Note: The Bellevue location is the first in the Din Tai Fung chain to have a bar, so order a lychee martini to wash these baos down. 700 Bellevue Way N.E. #280, Bellevue, 425-698-1095; 2621 N.E. 46th St., 525-0958, dintaifungusa.com TIFFANY RAN

HUONG BINHThere may be more glamorous spots in Seattle for Vietnamese food, but this is my favorite. Located in a restaurant-filled strip mall in the Little Saigon section of Seattle’s International District, Huong Binh has a wide variety of noodle soups, rice plates, rice-flour crepes, and more at reasonable prices. The grilled pork is a signature item. Weekend specials include bún mang vit, the duck broth soup with rice noodles and bamboo—along with an overflowing plate of poached duck—that you’ll see on nearly every table. 1207 S. Jackson St., 720-4907 JAY FRIEDMAN

JAMJUREEBeyond having the most fun restaurant name in Seattle, Jamjuree also has some of the most flavor-ful Thai curry the city has to offer. Never watery or mealy, its massaman and yellow curries are thick, sweet, and soul-rejuvenating in the same way Mom’s chicken soup is. 509 15th Ave. E., 323-4255, jamjuree.com KELTON SEARS

JOULEIt’s probably safe to say that if you haven’t been to Joule yet, you’ve been living under a rock. It’s been voted best restaurant (or some version thereof) by just about every national food publication or food award. Its particular brand of Korean/French fusion

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Westward on Lake Union

103 OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK

32 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

HAPPY HOUR All night Sun-Tues

starting at 4pm

Nijo Sushi Bar & Grill83 Spring StreetSeattle, WA 98104206.340.8880www.nijosushi.com

HOURSMon - Fri 11am to 11pmSat - Sun 4pm to 11pm

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 33

COMMITTED TO BRINGING YOU THE FINEST AND MOST AUTHENTIC

OF MEXICAN CUISINESODO location

1021 Occidental Ave206-659-0236

Between Century Link

and Safeco Fields

The Original North Seattle location

11728 Aurora Ave N206-367-2777

Next to Home Depot

Ballard location5314 15th Ave NW

206-297-1124At Mud Bay

New Ballard restaurant

6416 15th Ave NW206-784-5411Bringing the truck inside!

Ask us about Catering www.elcamionseattle.com

Wood-Fired | Authentic | Neapolitan

RED FISH BLUE FISH PHOTOGRAPHYO U R FAVO R I T E R E S TAU R A N T S

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 33

and its sexy interior have won over diners, and the kitchen has served as a training ground for many an aspiring Seattle chef. Their beef is some of the best you’ll have—whether in burger form, short ribs, tartare, or steak—and their variety of rice and noodle dishes are impressive, served with things like pickled mustard greens and salted pollack confit. In fact, it’s the unusual, delicious sides and condiments that really make the food shine here: walnut pesto, smoky yogurt, fish caramel pickles, spicy cod roe aioli, grilled kimchi, hot bacon vinaigrette. Cocktails too, get unusual treatments, with add-ons like lapsang souchong tea and Asian pear. Ditto for desserts, like a fig upside-down cake with blue cheese whip and Chinese sausage crumble, or their signature Joule Box (my favorite): pearl tapioca with ruby grapefruit brûlée and coconut. It tastes as good as it looks. 3506 Stone Way N., 632-5685, joulerestaurant.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

REVELIf you like Joule (above), it’s a safe bet you’re also a fan of its sister restaurant, Revel, also in Fremont. Like Joule, its focus is Korean fusion, minus the French part. Instead, you’ll find heartier, rustic offerings, like a pork belly and kimchi pancake or a short-rib rice bowl with daikon and mustard greens. Dumplings here are a far cry from what you’d ever find in the ID, with fillings like potato and leek, Gruyère, and truffle cream (OK, maybe there is some French influence here). On a recent visit, I enjoyed their young jackfruit curry with black lentil, mint chutney, and kale. The room, like Joule’s, is sleek, with pop art that changes regularly. On my birthday, we sat under a colorful painting of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly. And, also like Joule, it’s always packed, so get there early or call ahead. 403 N. 36th St., 547-2040, revelseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

LITTLE UNCLEKudos to Little Uncle for reinventing the ubiquitous, sleek yet staid, typical Thai restaurant. In the base-ment of a building in Pioneer Square, it’s actually a place you want to hang out. With comfy couches and bar seating, it has a decidedly cool, underground (both literally and figuratively) vibe. Add to that food that goes beyond staple dishes like pad Thai (though their vegetarian, gluten-free pad Thai is pretty damn good), and you’ll be forever ruined for mediocre Thai. There are daily specials—also novel for a Thai restaurant—but you can’t go wrong with their spiced braised beef rice-noodle soup with Chinese celery, fried garlic, and chili vinegar (it’s tangy and spicy in a perfect ratio, and I’ve made pilgrimages there by foot on the most miserably rainy days) or their poached free-range chicken with garlic and chicken fat rice, winter-melon broth, and spicy soy ginger sauce. Or fill up on a starter like curried rockfish fritters or griddled rice cakes with garlic chives. Here you’ll rarely find yourself reaching for sriracha sauce to bring flavor. The dishes come fully packed with it. Now if only someone would do the same for Chinese food . . . 88 Yesler Way, 223-8529; 1509 E. Madison St., 329-1503. littleuncleseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MARINATION MA KAIFans of the Marination food truck and brick- and- mortar “station” on Capitol Hill were thrilled when a second fixed location opened on Alki Beach in late

2012. The menu includes Marination’s signature Korean- Hawaiian- influenced tacos, filled with such fare as kalbi beef, ginger miso chicken, and spicy pork. The Alki location’s expanded menu both delves deeper into fusion cuisine— including fish and chips with kimchi tartar —and offers pure Hawaiian treats, like what island natives call “shave ice.” Best yet, you can enjoy this fare on Marination’s spacious patio overlooking the water, making it one of the city’s few informal, family -friendly eateries with killer views. The water taxi from downtown takes you right there. 1660 Harbor Ave. S.W., 328- TACO, marination-mobile.com/ma -kai NINA SHAPIRO

NOODLE BOATIn a town of 10,000 Thai restaurants (or so it seems), the best is actually a short drive away in Issaquah. Three reasons: the many unique dishes; the great prices, with most dishes about $10 or less; and Noodle Boat doesn’t dumb down the spice levels. Pay special attention to the third, as Noodle Boat closes six weeks each winter for a family (working) vacation in Thailand to make chili paste for the restaurant. Start with mieng kum: roasted coconut, peanuts, red onion, Thai chili, ginger, lime, palm-sugar sauce, and dried shrimp that you wrap in a cha-pu leaf. The explosion of flavors previews a menu full of fantastic food. 700 N.W. Gilman Blvd., Issaquah, 425-391-8096, noodleboat.com JAY FRIEDMAN

NORTHWEST TOFUSeattle has what few other diverse cities do—a place offering freshly made tofu. Lucky for us, Northwest Tofu also runs as a daytime restaurant, where Chi-nese families and knowing regulars plan ahead to get in for a weekend brunch of fresh soy milk and crul-lers, green-onion pancakes, and steamed buns. Here one can discover tofu’s many forms and textures, including chewy soy noodles, a silky tofu fa (a savory flan), and the light and crisp salt-and-pepper tofu. Northwest Tofu’s soy milk, fried tofu, and marinated tofu are made on-site and available for takeout. They also provide wholesale orders to local restaurants, so if you’ve had great tofu elsewhere, you might want to pay credit where it’s due. 1913 S. Jackson St., 328-8320 TIFFANY RAN

POPPY With its many delightful condiments and flavors, Indian food was made for tapas—and Seattle din-ers are lucky that Poppy on Capitol Hill figured that out. The chic yet playfully modern interior may trick you into thinking this is just another sophisticated Pacific Northwest restaurant, but the menu quickly disproves that. The thalis are what it’s best known for: basically a platter of six or so different appetizer-size dishes that together form a meal for two (with maybe a starter or two thrown in for good measure, like the irresistible eggplant fries with sea salt and honey). The thalis, which change regularly, are typi-cally defined by a protein, ramped up with veggies, starches, salads, and naan. For $27, expect something like yogurt and white-poppy-seed chicken with fried onions and raisins; smoked eggplant and lentil soup with coconut yogurt; celery, satsuma, and black-bean salad; vanilla parsnips with black pepper; black rice with yams and scallion; carrot and beet-green pick-les; and nigella-poppy naan. Come summer, ask for a seat in the back garden, and you’ll be surrounded by the lovely herbs and vegetables the restaurant grows. 622 Broadway E., 324-1108, poppyseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

UWAY MALATANGA popular Chinese model of hot pot, priced per pound, finds its way to Seattle with Uway Malatang. In this somewhat hidden spot in the International District’s Pacific Rim Center, diners can choose from assorted toppings like pork blood, tofu, seasonal greens, sliced beef and lamb, ramen noodles, and more for a Sich-uanese dry pot or a bone-soup hot pot. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch chef Cheng Biao Yang hand-pulling noodles

Marination Ma Kai

at GREEN LAKE

at CAPITOL

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Wecome To Your Neighborhood Pubs!

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Saturday 10am to 5pm

Sunday 11am to 4pm

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March 27 May 15 July 17

Sept. 18 Nov 20 6:00pm Seating is Limited

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CHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHEN601 West Holly St. • Bellingham, WA • 360-75-BEERS (752-3377)

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at GREEN LAKE

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CRAFT BEER& FOOD TODAY!8530 122nd Ave NE, B2 Kirkland, WA 98033

425-803-3996 www.mountainhomebrew.com

Your Beer and Wine Making Adventure Center!

Hours of OperationMon. thru Fri. 10am to 7pm

Saturday 10am to 5pm

Sunday 11am to 4pm

Your Beer and Wine Making Adventure Center!

March 27 May 15 July 17

Sept. 18 Nov 20 6:00pm Seating is Limited

To purchase tickets visit:

www.PyramidSeattle.eventbrite.com

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$ .00

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CHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHENCHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHEN601 West Holly St. • Bellingham, WA • 360-75-BEERS (752-3377)

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NORTHWEST SAUSAGE & DELI5945 Prather Rd, Centralia (800) 586-7760

Tasting Room Hours Fri & Sat 3:00-7:30 PM3516 Galvin Rd, Centralia • 360.736.1603 • DicksBeer.com

Ten beers on tap, paired with a fine selection of locally sourced, N W pub foodTen beers on tap, paired with a fine selection of locally sourced, N W pub foodJoin us in our Taproom, Bistro or Beer Garden - Open every day at 11am

Bellingham’s Craft Beer Destination

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Stop by our tasting room for aBeer or a sampler!

Tasting Room Hours:Mon-Fri: 2:00-9:00pm Sat: Noon til 9:00pm

Sundays: Noon til 7:00pm650 NW Bovela Ln, Suite #3, Poulsbo, WA 98370

360.930.8696 • www.soundbrewery.com

Stop by our tasting room for aBeer or a sampler!

Tasting Room Hours:Mon-Fri: 2:00-9:00pm Sat: Noon til 9:00pm

Sundays: Noon til 7:00pm650 NW Bovela Ln, Suite #3, Poulsbo, WA 98370

360.930.8696 • www.soundbrewery.com

Tasting Room Hours:Mon-Fri: 2 - 9pm Sat: 12 - 9pm

Sundays: Noon til 7:00pm

650 NW Bovela Ln, Suite #3, Poulsbo, WA 98370360.930.8696 • www.soundbrewery.com

Kölsch, Cream Ale, Blonde Ale

Lighter food: chicken, salads, salmon, bratwurst; Montery jack cheese.

British-Style Bitter Wide range of food: roast chicken or pork,

� sh & chips; mild cheese.

Pale AleWide range of food: meat pie, English

cheese; great with a burger!

India Pale AleStrong, spicy food (classic with curry!); bold,

sweet desserts like carrot cake.

Double/Imperial IPASmoked beef brisket, grilled lamb; Southern

chicken-fried steak.

Amber/Red AleWide range of food: chicken, seafood,

burgers; great with spicy cuisine.

Scotch Ale/Wee HeavyRoasted or grilled beef, lamb,

game, smoked salmon.

Brown Ale, AltbierHearty foods; roast pork, smoked sausage,

grilled salmon.

Abbey DubbelBarbecue, meat stews, or a nice thick steak

or smoked rib roast.

Abbey Tripel, Strong Golden Ale

Spicy Cajun food, crab cakes, pheasant or roast turkey.

Old or Strong AleBig, instense dishes such as roast beef, lamb

or game, grilled or roasted.

Barley WineEasily overpowers most main dishes. Best

with strong cheese or dessert.

PorterRoasted or smoked food: barbecue,

sausages, roasted meat, blackened � sh.

Dry StoutHearty, rich food; steak, meat pie; a classic

with raw oysters.

Sweet or Oatmeal StoutRich, spicy food like barbecued beef,

Oaxacan mole or hearty Szechuan dishes.

Imperial StoutEasily overpowers most main dishes, but stands up to foie gras, smoked goose.

HefeweizenGreat with lighter food: salads, seafood,

sushi; classic with weisswurst.

American Wheat AleBest with very light foods: salads, sushi,

vegetable dishes.

WitbierGreat with lighter seafod dishes—classic with

steamed mussels.

DunkelweizenSubstantial salads; roast chicken or pork;

excellent with hearty sausage.

WeizenbockRoast pork, beef, smoked ham

or game dishes.

Classic PilsenerGreat with lighter food: chicken, salads,

salmon, bratwurst.

Helles, DortmunderLighter food: salads, seafood, pork; works

with spicy Asian, Cajun, Latin.

Oktoberfest, Märzen, Vienna

Mexican or any hearty, spicy food; chicken, sausage, pork.

Amber LagerHearty, spicy food: barbecue,

hamburgers, chili.

Dark Lager, Dunkel, Schwarzbier

Hearty, spicy food: barbecue, sausages, roasted meat.

Maibock/Pale BockSpicy food like Thai or Korean barbecue;

great with fried chicken, too.

DoppelbockRich roasty foods like duck or roasted pork

shanks; great with cured meats.

Hard Cider*Wide range of foods, notably bold cheeses, charcuterie, pork shoulder, and grilled � sh.

Oak Aged Hard Cider*Robust foods, BBQ, pulled pork, brisket,

soft ripened cheeses

BEER & CIDER FOOD PAIRINGS

This information was provided by and is the property of the Brewers Association888-822-6273brewersassociation.org

*THIS CONTENT PROVIDED BY THIRD PARTY

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Tours Include: Craft Beer at each Brewery • Transportation to BreweriesPuget Sound Brewery Tours Growler •

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BEER TOURS

PugetSoundBreweryTours.com

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4 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2011

Tours Include: Craft Beer at each Brewery • Transportation to BreweriesPuget Sound Brewery Tours Growler •

Puget Sound Brewery Tours T-Shirt

BEER TOURS

PugetSoundBreweryTours.com

Contact us [email protected] call 206-384-3637

Follow Us

Alpenfire Cider (360) 379-8915 Alpenfirecider.com

Finnriver Farm & Cidery(360) 732-4337 Finnriver.comEaglemount Wine & Cider

(360) 732-4084 Eaglemountwinery.com

A Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine StoreA Specialty Beer and Wine Store

www.fullthrottlebottles.com * (206) 763-20795909 Airport Way S Seattle, WA 98108 * [email protected]

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38 SEATTLE WEEKLY • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

in the kitchen, and take that as a sign to venture beyond hot pot. These noodles are the showstopper, outstand-ing in their intentionally rustic nature and gratifying chew. Another notable option, the hand-shaven noo-dles, are also made in-house. 900 S. Jackson St., Suite 212, 467-0600, uwayrestaurant.com TIFFANY RAN

BAKERIES BAKERY NOUVEAUBakery Nouveau calls it chocolate “bread,” but it’s so rich, dense, moist, and cake-y you’ll probably want a fork. But it’s not so sweet that you can’t justify eating it for breakfast. Win-win! The treat ($2.25 a slice, $10 a loaf) sits atop a case filled with baked goods from macarons to sandwiches, with beautifully sculpted pastries and cakes and glossy, gemlike little candies that look like pieces for a board game in a pasha’s palace. A whiteboard lists the day’s breads: olive fougasse, ciabatta, challah, and pain au levain. With its brown, cream, and russet walls, the compact Bakery Nouveau is cozy and bustling—not exactly a place to while away an afternoon, but there’s seating enough to linger, enjoy your choice(s), stare at the temptations in the case, and contemplate whether you want to indulge in something to go. 4737 Califor-nia Ave. S.W., 923-0534, bakerynouveau.com GAVIN BORCHERT

BYEN BAKERIDespite its weird location on Nickerson Street in Interbay (though it’s technically classified as Queen Anne), this Scandinavian-style bakery is one of the best in the city. Besides delicious fruit danishes (apricot is my favorite), croissants, and the like, Byen bakes delectable Scandinavian treats, like a cardamom bun filled with pastry cream and topped with coconut (my new Saturday morning indulgence), kringles (pretzel-shaped sweet pastries), stollen (fruit cake), and lefse (a soft Norwegian flatbread). Did I mention the twice-baked almond croissant dipped in brandy or the raspberry coffee cake? Take a chance on this one-of-a-kind bakery. 15 Nickerson St., Suite D, 218-1000, byenbakeri.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

COLUMBIA CITY BAKERYWalk into this light- filled bakery on a weekend morning—a line of people waiting for croissants and breads baked at dawn, the tables filled with friends talking over coffee or parents sharing treats with their kids—and it feels like you’ve found the neighbor-hood’s heart and soul. There’s a reason everyone flocks here. The croissants rival those in Paris, the breads and rolls are sought after by restaurants around the city, and the pastries will make your eyes light up. The pear and cream-cheese danish is espe-cially good. 4865 Rainier Ave. S., 723- 6023, columbiaci-tybakery.com NINA SHAPIRO

CRUMBLE & FLAKE PATISSERIEThe lines may have let up a little at this Capitol Hill spot, but the quality remains high—not surprising, given that pastry chef Neil Robertson’s background includes a stint at Canlis. This jewel box of a place (takeout only) showcases crunchy kouign amann (like a croissant folded into itself), perfectly caramel-ized canelés, chewios (like a chewy Oreo), colorful macarons, and cream puffs filled to order. And don’t overlook the stellar smoked paprika-and-cheddar croissant, plus any other savory options. It’s no won-der Robertson’s been nominated for a 2014 James Beard award as the country’s best pastry chef. 1500 E. Olive Way, 329-1804, crumbleandflake.com JAY FRIEDMAN

FUJI BAKERYA brief closure last year—during which Fuji Bakery moved its production site—had loyal fans bemoaning the temporary loss of their favorite French-Japanese pastries. Since then, Fuji Bakery has reopened their Bellevue and International District locations and added a storefront to the primary production space on Elliott Avenue, where crowd favorites like the salmon brioche, mild curry bun, pear Danish, matcha

azuki bread, and Fuji’s signature melon pan are made. Owner Akihiro Nakamura uses Japanese flour and cultured European butter for his pastries, creating a light, airy texture and rich, complex taste—just another reason why in a city with so many bakeries, there remains no real substitute for this one. 1030 Elliott Ave. W., 216-3616; 526 S. King St., 623-4050; 1502 145th Pl. S.E., Bellevue, 425-641-4050. fujibakeryinc.com TIFFANY RAN

BARS ALTSTADTBrendan McGill’s German“Bierhalle”—large but cozy, with a roaring fire—is the perfect happy-hour spot on a Thursday or Friday night. While they have standards like hot pretzels, the wursts (like turkey and duck fat white sausage) and other fare like red potatoes, red cabbage, and herbs with a warm mustard vinaigrette are delicious. Then there’s the beer: more than 30 to choose from, as well as mulled wines. 209 First Ave. S., 602-6442, altstadtseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

ATLANTIC CROSSINGThe Seahawks might rightly have dominated Seattle sports conversation in 2013, but let’s not forget we have a reputation to uphold as a soccer stronghold as well. With the World Cup coming in June and the English Premier League nearing a dramatic finish, soccer bars are a must, and there is none finer in Seattle than Atlantic Crossing. Plenty of TVs carefully arranged to provide maximum excitement set the mood, but it’s the food that sets AC apart: creative takes on pub classics, well-executed and flying out of the kitchen even during the busiest moments. 6508 Roosevelt Way N.E., 729-6266, theatlanticcrossing.com ZACH GEBALLE

CANONCanon is where you go with your father to discuss business and Hemingway over a glass of whiskey. Honestly, though, you won’t get much talking done, with all the fawning over your drinks you’re sure to do. Canon’s whiskey concoctions are unreasonably delicious—this is the kind of bar that puts egg whites in their whiskey sours. Don’t take my word for it, though; Cannon’s daunting list of accolades places it at the top of Seattle’s most venerated bars. 928 12th Ave., 552-9755, canonseattle.com KELTON SEARS

E. SMITH MERCANTILE The bar in the back of E. Smith Mercantile is no secret. There are no hidden entrances or mysterious doorbells, just a horseshoe-shaped bar tucked behind the quaint boutique opened by Kate Pool and daugh-ters Jesse and Sara. The shop is named after Kate’s grandfather, E. Smith, and harks back to simpler days in his small mining town of Atlanta, Idaho. Its products also reflect a simpler time: artisanal foods, American handcrafted products, sturdy leather bags, and vin-tage apparel. Tired shoppers can retire to the bar for craft cocktails and small bites in an intimate 14-seat space that feels like you’re at a cozy campfire. Drinks at E. Smith may evoke the same experience, as its cocktails often echo the flavors of a gold miner’s era—honey, vanilla, whiskey, and mesquite—the good ol’ days. 208 First Ave. S., 641-7250, esmith mercantile.com TIFFANY RAN

ROB ROYA bulwark against Belltown’s ever-rising douche tide, Rob Roy is one of the city’s finest cocktail bars. Ever since its inception, it’s managed to fuse unusual ingredients (like gunpowder) with classic techniques in a space that feels both welcoming (the couches are super-comfy) and disorienting (hoof lamps, any-one?). 2332 Second Ave., 956-8423, robroyseattle.com ZACH GEBALLE

SUN LIQUORA small, dark bar on a somewhat-forgotten corner of Capitol Hill, Sun Liquor remains my favorite spot to cozy up with a cocktail and a first date. While of course the full range of spirits from their hilltop dis-

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 39

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sashimi grade fish • sushi • live oysters • Asian BBQprepared foods • beer, wine & sake • and more! ...................................................................................................................................

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O U R FAVO R I T E R E S TAU R A N T S

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 39

tillery is on display, the bartenders are rarely pushy about them. The drinks can be the star of the show, or you can sip a beer and both pretend that you find Tinder silly. 607 Summit Ave. E., 860-1130, sunliquor.com ZACH GEBALLE

TWILIGHT EXITTo make a good bar, all you need is beer, hamburgers, and a jukebox. It’s outrageous how few places man-age to ace the trifecta, but Twilight Exit does—and throws in an arcade room and a wonderful outdoor seating area to boot. In the heart of the Central District, you can easily spot the place by its ever-morphing, acid-influenced wall mural. Twilight Exit is Merriam-Webster’s definition of “chill”: all of the fun with none of the fuss. 2514 E. Cherry St., 324-7462, twilightexit.com KELTON SEARS

VIF WINE & COFFEEThis cafe and wine bar took over the former Herfy’s Burgers space to become Fremont’s gem of a break-fast spot and daytime eatery. Vif specializes in natural wines and specialty coffee; more recently, its Pho Friday has become a neighborhood event for which to mark calendars. Visitors can also snack on breakfast pastries, lunch salads, and tartines made from local produce—and enjoy a day of laid-back people-watching. In French, vif means bright, lively, and viva-cious, which aptly describes the establishment’s wine selection and its space, where natural light pours in through every large window. 4401 Fremont Ave. N., 557-7357, vifseattle.com TIFFANY RAN

ZIG ZAG CAFÉBar-watchers were curious to see what would hap-pen to Zig Zag when Murray Stenson left his long-time perch behind the bar in 2011. Would the pioneer of Seattle cocktail culture flop without him? Fortu-nately for all of us, Erik Hakkinen has proven more than capable of filling those shoes. Zig Zag remains a rare cocktail lover’s dream, with an ever-evolving selection, creative specialty drinks, and bartenders willing to answer your questions, no matter how silly they seem. 1501 Western Ave. #202, 625-1146, zigzag seattle.com ZACH GEBALLE

BREWERIESEPIC ALESBrewmaster Cody Morris doesn’t shy away from the bizarre with his concoctions; mushrooms, beets, and rooibos tea have been known to make it into his brews. Morris has mastered mainstream beers like IPA and oatmeal stout, but pushes the envelope with an ever-changing collection of sour beers. The tiny SoDo brewery is connected to Gastropod, an also-tiny restaurant and tasting room, where Morris’ beers are paired with ingenious dishes by chef Travis Kukull. 3201 First Ave. S., Suite 104, 351-3637, epicales.com MEGAN HILL

FREMONT BREWING COMPANYBursting onto the scene in 2009 with an extraordinary flagship pale ale and an IPA—the first signs this place was destined to become a powerhouse—Fremont Brewing has grown up, now crafting an impressive lineup of seasonal beers in addition to those two delightful originals. The company also experiments frequently with a Randall, a thingamajig that imparts flavors into beer by filtering them through an ingredi-ent like lemon or lavender. Add points for its focus on sustainability, lowering its impact with its brewing technology and packaging. 1050 N. 34th St., 420-2407, fremontbrewing.com MEGAN HILL

HILLIARD’SA cornerstone of Ballard’s microbrewery scene. Hilliard’s beer is extremely drinkable; the brewer specializes in standards like amber, blonde, saison, pils, and insanely popular 12th Can pale. Those reli-able brews come in tallboy cans year-round; in fact, Hilliard’s was one of the first Washington breweries to opt for aluminum, which is perfect for a day at the beach or a long hike in the mountains. At the brewery

you’ll find drafts like the pre-Prohibition-style Chrome Satan; an Irish dry stout called Murdered Out; and several creative seasonal brews. 1550 N.W. 49th St., 257-4486, hilliardsbeer.com MEGAN HILL

ROOFTOP BREWINGSweet little Rooftop Brewing, in a converted garage in a north Queen Anne alley, is run by a group of former home brewers who decided to take their passion pro. These guys know what’s up. A rotating cast of delicious small-batch brews is accompanied by standards like the Makeda Coffee Porter, strangely one of the few such beers in Seattle—rich, roasty, and delightfully caffeinated with coffee from Seattle’s Seven Roasters. And this past November, Rooftop’s IPA snagged first place in the 26th Annual PNA Winter Beer Taste. 6 Dravus St., 276-4091, rooftopbrewco.com MEGAN HILL

STANDARD BREWINGJustin Gerardy opened a brewery in a veritable beer desert on Jackson Street, so it’s no surprise he’s become a neighborhood superstar. Gerardy brews great beer, experimenting with different types of hops and yeasts as only a true beer nerd would. His lineup rotates, but the complex, hoppy depths of the Cas-cadian Dark Ale or the bright, refreshing Bee’s Wine Ginger Beer—not a beer at all, really—are go-to picks. 2504 S. Jackson St., 535-1584, standardbrew.com MEGAN HILL

BRUNCH

LINDA’SMost people go here just to get sloshed once night falls, but did you know they do indeed serve brunch if you aren’t too hung over to wake up for it? And, surprise surprise, it’s damn good too. For fans of Mexican-style breakfasts, Linda’s has especially got your back. Try the flautas: cheesy, eggy goodness wrapped up in fried tortillas. Chase them down with a pitcher of mimosas and meditate on how lucky you are to be alive with all this food in front of you. 707 E. Pine St., 325-1220, lindastavern.com KELTON SEARS

LOUISA’S More than a decade has passed since Louisa’s first opened as a relaxed neighborhood brunch spot and bakery that perfectly mirrored its perenially relaxed Eastlake neighborhood. But in the past few years, the corner spot with big windows overlooking Rog-ers Playfield has begun a transformation into a lively dinner-and-drinks option as well. Brunch is still the main attraction: the applewood smoked ham hash delightfully sweet, the biscuits and gravy packing a Creole kick, and the Lyonnaise breakfast salad fresh and tangy and filling—all served with toast from just-baked bread. Dinner focuses on comfort, with a tooth-some meatloaf and lightly spiced fried chicken as highlights. The cafe has also recently added a stage that is intermittently booked by a local music heavy and a full bar with a growing list of regulars. 2379 Eastlake Ave. E., 325-0081, louisascafe.com. MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

SKILLETI’ve awakened many a Sunday morning haunted by Skillet’s fried chicken thigh and waffle. The thigh, fried to crispy, golden perfection and laid ever so gently atop the waffle (made from cornmeal, because flour is for philistines), makes quite possibly one of the holi-est brunch unions in Seattle. If you want to journey even deeper down Decadence Lane, you can sub out the chicken for a slab of fatty, succulent pork belly. 1400 E. Union St., 512-2000; 2034 N.W. 56th St, 922-7981, skilletstreetfood.com KELTON SEARS

TILIKUM PLACE CAFÉOne of the things I miss most about living in Belltown is brunch at Tilikum Place Café, a lovely anomaly tucked next to The 5 Point Café and across from a nail salon and a Zeek’s pizza. With a beautiful arrange-ment of flowers at the counter to greet you, this quaint, Parisian-feeling restaurant, makes brunch the

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40 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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40 SEATTLE WEEKLY • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

special occasion it should be. While there are always many specials to consider, some of my favorite staple items include the baked eggs with spaghetti squash, fontina, roasted tomatoes, cream, and bread crumbs; a Dutch baby pancake, either savory or sweet (allow 20 minutes prep); the roast-chicken salad with roasted red peppers, boiled egg, and a light dress-ing of aioli; or the sardine sandwich. They also do delicious tarts and sides of housemade sausage and bacon. Coffee is served in individual French presses. Despite its odd-ish location, brunch is always packed, so do make a reservation. 407 Cedar St., 282-4830, tilikumplacecafe.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

BOAT STREET CAFE AND KITCHENI’d probably eat brunch here every weekend if I could find a willing partner to join in the ceaseless loop—and if it weren’t so tough to get a table. One of Renee Erickson’s spots (The Whale Wins, The Walrus and the Carpenter), Boat Street feels utterly Parisian in its perfected shabby-chic, romantic interior, as well as in its flawless execution of a French breakfast. It starts with the perfect baguette, real butter, and house jam (or the buttermilk biscuit with honey butter, or the fresh seasonal fruit scone). After that, it’s a tough call, but I stand by their specials: primarily the best eggs Benedict you’ll find in the city, with interesting twists like goat cheese, artichoke hearts, and hollandaise. That said, it’s hard to turn down their rustic cornmeal custard cake (like the most delicate, moist pancake you’ll ever eat) with sausage and maple syrup. There are all sorts of lunch items as well—steak au poivre with horseradish sauce on arugula, French-style potato salad, or a “True Cod Niçoise” salad. 3131 Western Ave., #301, 632-4602, boatstreetcafe.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

HI SPOT CAFÉThere’s usually a wait at Madrona’s Hi Spot for weekend breakfast. A little tip: Call ahead to get your name on the list. Hell yeah, they do that! The Hi Spot does all kinds of awesome, in fact, like enormous, mouthwatering pastries (try the cinnamon roll) and fabulous espresso (Fonté). Its most miraculous feat? Somehow, when the rest of us are hungover, the staff is fresh-faced and cheerful, and keep your coffee topped off while sharing laughs with co-workers (plus the place is so intimate, you never feel left out of the joke). When the sun’s out, sit on the patio and see that energy amplify threefold. Omelets are great, as are the other veg-friendly options, like the fabulous Asian-spiced tofu scramble. 1410 34th Ave., 325-7905, hispot cafe.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

CAJUN & CREOLE MARCELA’S CREOLE COOKERYChef Anthony McDonald, a New Orleans transplant, cooks up an assortment of hometown classics, from po’boys to the traditional muffuletta, crawfish étouf-fée, shrimp Creole, and an array of expertly fried items like alligator, oysters, catfish, and crawfish. McDonald and his wife, Marcela Fuenzalida, host crawfish-boil parties on Sundays in April, May, and June at the Pioneer Square restaurant. Leave room for the bread pudding, rich with whiskey sauce, or the bananas flambeau, a version of a Foster that is set aflame tableside. 106 James St., 223-0042, marcelas creolecookery.com MEGAN HILL

THE NEW ORLEANS CREOLE RESTAURANTThis Pioneer Square joint rocks with live jazz, zydeco, and blues bands almost every night of the week. The music accompanies food like fried oysters, jambalaya, and stuffed flounder. The New Orleans has managed to come up with vegetarian versions of super-meaty jambalaya and gumbo—both surprisingly flavorful and holding true to the complexities of the originals. Wash them down with a drink or two from a massive menu that includes New Orleans favorites like the hurricane, fruity and full of rum, and a classic mint julep. 114 First Ave. S., 622-2563, neworleans creolerestaurant.com MEGAN HILL

ROUXFollowing the success of his food truck Where Ya At Matt, New Orleanian Matt Lewis opened brick-and-mortar Roux in the fall. Authentic beignets piled with powdered sugar and coffee are available all day, and lunch mimics the truck’s fare, with fat po’boy sand-wiches, a salty muffuletta, and steaming bowls of gumbo and jambalaya. Dinner gets sexy with gussied-up versions of the stuff you’d find rural Cajuns cook-ing in their backyards: crispy pig ear, fried chicken gizzards, frog legs, and fried rabbit saddle. Wash it all down with a pint of smooth chicory amber, made in a partnership at Elysian Brewing. 4201 Fremont Ave. N., 547-5420, restaurantroux.com MEGAN HILL

TOULOUSE PETITThis gift to Lower Queen Anne has found the perfect marriage between the Deep South and the Pacific Northwest, with dishes like Dungeness crab over fried green tomatoes. At lunch, an impressive list of salads, sandwiches, and entrées includes highlights like po’boys with Mama Lil’s peppers and housemade andouille sausage with red beans and rice. The restaurant’s interior, with its plaster walls, ironwork, and ceramic and glass mosaic tiles, contribute to a pretty darn accurate impression of New Orleans’ French Quarter. 601 Queen Anne Ave. N., 432-9069, toulousepetit.com MEGAN HILL FOOD TRUCKSEL CAMIÓNA refreshing solution to the noticeable lack of Mexi-can food trucks around these parts. With locations in Ballard, SoDo, and North Seattle, you can get your fix of breakfast burritos bursting with scrambled eggs, cheese, onions, black beans, pico de gallo, and either ham, chorizo, or fajita-style veggies. Later in the day, there’s an array of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and enormous tamales. Other highlights here are the gorditas, thick handmade tortillas piled with grilled onions, Cotija cheese, salsa verde, avocado, and choice of meat, and the plato mole, two generous pieces of chicken swimming in a rich mole sauce. Locations vary. elcamionseattle.com MEGAN HILL

MAXIMUS/MINIMUSThe hulking metal pig that is the Maximus/Minimus food truck is hard to miss. The tank is often downtown or at the Fremont Sunday Market, serving home-style barbecue in two styles: maximus for a bolder flavor profile, minimus for something lighter and brighter. One highlight is the succulent and spicy maximus pork sandwich, whose minimus counterpart is sweet-ened with tamarind, honey, and molasses. A delightful vegetarian version is also available, as is the addition of Beecher’s Flagship cheese. Locations vary. 971-4150, maximus-minimus.com MEGAN HILL

NARWHALRenee Erickson’s adorable oyster food truck—con-verted from a vintage dairy van—shows up at spots like Hilliard’s Beer, the Queen Anne Farmers Market, and your buddy’s surprise party serving seafood-centric dishes. The menu is short and sweet, with the careful sourcing and attention to detail we’ve come to expect at Erickson’s restaurants. Recent standouts include a smoked-trout salad with lentils and crème fraîche, fried oysters with espelette aioli, and a cucumber gazpacho with crab salad. Locations vary. 395-5147, narwhaloystertruck.com MEGAN HILL

OFF THE REZDid you know you’re allowed to pile barbecue pork into elephant-ear-style fry bread and shove it in your face? Well, you are! It’s called an “Indian taco,” and it’s just as mind-blowingly tasty as it sounds. Mark McConnell, Off the Rez’s owner, grew up eating Native American food at family powwows in Mon-tana, and thankfully he brings that culinary tradition to your drunk weekend outings. The menu might sound a little unusual at first: cumin crema burger? What is that? I’m not sure, but it tastes incredible, as does pretty much everything at this gem of a street-food

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stand. Locations vary. 414-8226, roaminghunger.com/ off-the-rez KELTON SEARS FRENCHLE PICHETIn a city that’s zealously embracing French bistro-style food, Le Pichet still manages to be the most Parisian of the bunch. Their roasted chicken is unrivaled, their charcuterie varied and flawless, their onion soup one of the few I’ve ever tasted where the cheese doesn’t completely overwhelm the delicacy of the broth. If you’re looking for a lunch sandwich for less than $10, their $7 sandwich en baguette is a steal, with its choice of Paris ham, jambon cru, pâté, or chicken-liver terrine with Gruyère or your choice from the cheese board. The $6 desserts are also thoroughly French in all the right ways. 1933 First Ave., 256-1499, lepichetseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

BASTILLE CAFE & BARThis large French brasserie on Ballard Avenue is always hopping. Though it’s not pushing any boundar-ies, that’s part of its appeal—this is the place to get solid standards like steak frites, a croque monsieur, moules frites, and pâté while sipping a French 75. But, being Seattle, it also offers things like raw kale salad or roasted delicata squash. In the summer, reserve one of their evening seatings on the rooftop garden (it comes with a tour) and watch all the Ballard hipsters mosey down the avenue. 5307 Ballard Ave. N.W., 453-5014, bastilleseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

LUCAfter Rover (now closed) and before Loulay (recently opened), there was Luc, the most laid-back of Thierry Rautureau’s French restaurants. Tucked away in Madison Valley, this dimly lit, very romantic restaurant can as easily be a place for a special-occasion meal as for a dinner alone at the bar. Either way, the food doesn’t disappoint, with classic French standouts like a white-bean cassoulet with duck confit, braised lamb, pork sausage, and arugula salad, or trout amandine with root-vegetable hash, parsley, almond, and lemon. Of course you can always just go for the burger, with Luc’s aioli, tomato jam, caramelized onion, and fries (add comte cheese or Zoe’s bacon if you wish). A four-course prix fixe menu is served each night. 2800 E. Madison St., 328-6645, thechef inthehat.com/luc NICOLE SPRINKLE ITALIANAGRODOLCEAgrodolce serves southern Italian fare, the brainchild of Maria Hines and executed by executive chef Jason Brzozowy. The menu pulls inspiration from the coast and the land in dishes with handmade pasta. Ingre-dients—like the smoked mussels, the lacinato kale, and the grass-fed lamb—are local, sustainable, and organic, as Hines is wont to do. Surprisingly for an Italian restaurant, Hines and Brzozowy offer several vegan and gluten-free dishes, and manage to make them without sacrificing flavor or quality. Of late, they’re even milling their own grains in the basement (like Emmer) for freshly made pasta. 709 N. 35th St., 547-9707, agrodolcerestaurant.net MEGAN HILL

HOW TO COOK A WOLFThe many iterations of Ethan Stowell’s core concept all have their unique charms, but How to Cook a Wolf remains the most well-articulated version of the kind of Italian cuisine Stowell has championed. Tiny and compact, it has an openness that inspires a sense of trust and belief, akin to a magician rolling up his sleeves to prove he doesn’t have a card stuck there. The food draws both from Italian classics and Northwest staples: witness a geoduck crudo. The pasta is handmade and delicious, and the cured meats always excel. 2208 Queen Anne Ave. N., 838-8090, ethanstowellrestaurants.com ZACH GEBALLE

IL CORVOEven in this era of gluten shame, few things satisfy quite the way a bowl of handmade pasta, perfectly sauced, can. Mike Easton’s food remains dedicated to excellence through simplicity, with just three pastas and a few antipasti available on any given day. Don’t let the crowds faze you; the food (and the sense of contentment) is worth the wait. 217 James St., 538-0999, ilcorvopasta.com ZACH GEBALLE

SPINASSEThe effect of seeing your pasta being made in front of you can’t be underestimated. Whenever I go to Spinasse, I inevitably gravitate to the bar, where I can watch the team of pasta makers mix, shape, and cut while I enjoy the fruits of their labor. With a sterling wine list centered on nebbiolo, the gem of Piedmont, and a thoughtful, varied menu that highlights the pasta, Spinasse remains Seattle’s benchmark for fresh pasta and Northern Italian fare. 1531 14th Ave., 251-7673, spinasse.com ZACH GEBALLE

MIDDLE EASTERN & AFRICANCHEF CAFÉIt’s a fact well known to most intrepid diners: The less assuming an ethnic joint looks, the more likely it is to be good. Chef Café delivers on that count, as the odd name and tired decor can’t obscure the fact that it’s the home of Seattle’s best Ethiopian food. Portions are almost overwhelmingly generous, and they have by far the best injera I’ve had in the city. Other high-lights include the yebeg wat (lamb), sega tibs (beef), whatever fish they happen to have, and katenga, a toasted and buttered injera appetizer. Service can vary wildly in attentiveness and speed, but the food is always worth it. 2200 S. Jackson St., 568-2681 ZACH GEBALLE

GOLDEN BEETLEFrom the outside, it’s easy to mistake this Ballard restaurant for just another Thai establishment. But walk inside and enter the lovely Middle Eastern world created by Maria Hines, complete with beau-tiful light fixtures and large black-and-white photos of her travels in that region—of the people who inspired and taught her. One of my go-to restaurants during the week, I can rarely resist the perfectly cooked herbed falafel (delicate and not greasy, and made with fava beans instead of chickpeas); her chickpea and lemon stew (add lamb if you’re a meat eater), which I almost always end up covertly licking the last drops of; or the almond-stuffed med-jool dates with a Meyer-lemon gastrique, grilled romaine, and urfa. Of course, because it’s Maria Hines, almost all dishes are organic and sustain-able, and come with a vegetarian option. The wood-fired pizzas are delish too; try the duck sausage with peanut berbere, Gruyère, and pickled serrano. 1744 N.W. Market St., 706-2977, golden-beetle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MAMNOONMamnoon is that rare breed of Middle Eastern restau-rant that manages to be supremely stylish while also serving impeccable food. And while the large, open space doesn’t feel cold, it definitely encourages you to bust out your finer fashion. The menu is catego-rized by small plates, salads, the oven, and the grill—and you’ll want to sample a bit from each. Try not to overindulge in the bread plate, with exquisite versions of regional types, including a Syrian flatbread. There are almost always specials, and they’re almost always fantastic, so be sure to heed your waiter’s advice on those. Otherwise, the fried cauliflower with tarator and parsley and the muhammara (a dip made of walnuts, pepper paste, pomegranate, and cumin) make perfect starters. I tend to get two and skip the salad. As for the oven, it’s worth it to splurge for the $38 Chilean sea bass with pepper paste, pine nuts, cabbage, mint, and cilantro; it’s a large portion and cooked to perfection (easily shared by two). You

42 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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can’t go wrong with anything from the grill, but if you ordered the sea bass, I suggest the reasonably priced kefta (minced lamb, onion, pistachio, baharat). End your meal with Turkish coffee–flavored ice cream or the creamy labneh cheesecake with walnut toffee and ksara pluot. 1508 Melrose Ave., 906-9606, mamnoonrestaurant.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MEXICAN & SOUTH AMERICANFONDA LA CATRINAThis Georgetown Mexican restaurant has one of the best interiors come summertime, with a back patio that gives you an up-close view of planes flying into the Boeing airfield (sometimes jet fighters that shake the joint). While like most Mexican restaurants in Seattle, they don’t get everything right, Fonda La Catrina makes the best “dark” mole in town; with roasted peanuts, almonds, and ancho, negro, and morito chiles, it has just the right smokiness and touch of heat. Other notables: lengua (tongue), a vari-ety of tortas (Mexican grilled sandwiches), and a flan made with goat milk. 5905 Airport Way S., 767-2787, fondalacatrina.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

LITTLE WATER CANTINADespite its misleading moniker, Little Water Cantina boasts a view that contains a lot of water: all of Lake Union, which on a sunny day makes this the city’s most alluring Mexican restaurant. The menu is modest but populated with a diversity of flavors, from the wild-boar torta, balanced between sweet grilled pineapple and an immodest three-chili sauce, to the steamed local mussels in a tequila-spiked broth. The tacos are spring-fresh year-round with a few great sauces, and during lunch the kitchen serves cheap and tasty tortas. And that name? Actually, it refers (I think) to the restaurant’s commitment to water conservation—as well as to sipping agave, with more than 80 bottles to choose from. 2865 Eastlake Ave. E., 397-4940, little watercantina.com MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

MEZCALERIA OAXACAQueen Anne Avenue might not seem like it’d have one of the city’s best Mexican restaurants, but it does. Mezcaleria Oaxaca, which just opened a new location on Capitol Hill (where you would expect great Mexican), was voted one of the best Mexican restaurants in the U.S. by Travel & Leisure last year. What’s the appeal? For starters, the housemade masa that makes up the delicious tamales. Then there are the chicken thighs in a sauce of tomatoes, chiles, olives, almonds, and raisins, and a chile-marinated, slow-roasted goat, with black beans and corn masa. But it may be the drinks that really define it. This is the place to try mezcal, a strong spirit made from the maguey plant. You can sample more than 30 of them straight via tasting flights, on their own, or mixed in a house drink. 2123 Queen Anne Ave. N., 216-4446, mezcaleriaoaxaca.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MOJITOSIt’s easy to miss this tiny, no-frills restaurant off the Lake City Way exit, despite its bright-yellow exterior. But if you don’t seek it out, you’ll be deprived of what may be the best South American food in Seattle. The 12-year-old restaurant serves straight-up Latin-

American and Caribbean home cooking, with dishes from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, full of flavor and prepared, with unwavering consistency, by South Ameri-can cooks. My hands-down favorite item on the menu is the mojito pescado: fish cooked in a banana leaf and seasoned with paprika and cinnamon. Even better, it comes with some of the most addictive soupy black beans and rice, sweet plantains, and—believe it or not—a real salad with tasty greens, ripe avocado, and tomatoes. They also serve a mean mojito (how could they not?). On Sundays, the South American

community pours in for sancocho (a hearty fish-and-potato stew popular throughout South America and the Caribbean). Kids will enjoy playing the drums and other Yoruba-based instruments. 7545 Lake City Way N.E., 525-3162, mojito1.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

PASEOThe line out of Paseo exists for a reason. In this mod-est space, the best sandwiches in town—hell, in the region—are served. They are of Caribbean origin, served on an aioli-smacked baguette with cilantro, jalapeños, and caramelized onions. What you ask the guys behind the counter to put in it is a matter of per-sonality. The Caribbean Roast is a perennial favorite (the slow-roasted pork should fall apart in your hands), but there’s something here for everyone: the Smokin’ Thigh for chicken lovers, the spicy Tofu Delight for vegetarians. And if bread isn’t your thing, the West Caribbean Bowl—packed with salsa, jalapeños, and a chicken thigh—will more than suffice. 4225 Fremont Ave. N., 545-7440; 6226 Seaview Ave. N.W., 789-3100, paseoseattle.com MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

SEÑOR MOOSE CAFEThough La Carta de Oaxaca on hip Ballard Avenue gets all the fanfare, the less-stylish Señor Moose, stranded next to a parking lot on a desolate block of Leary Avenue, wins me over. The space is old-school hacienda style (lots of Day of the Dead decor), and the food comes on platters. But don’t be put off by its homely vibe. They’ll surprise you with their inventive-ness: A jicama salad, served simply with cucumber, lime, cilantro and chile, is a great starter before mov-ing onto something heartier—say, a taco filled with sweet potato, panela cheese, spinach, black beans, and pepitas, or chicken livers sautéed with bacon, jalapeños, and onions and served with refried beans and rice. They also do classics, including enchiladas suizas, carne asada, and a variety of moles. Extra kudos for a variety of margaritas and fresh juices, plus delicious guacamole. 5242 Leary Ave. N.W., 784-5568, senormoose.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

NEW PACIFIC NORTHWEST

ART OF THE TABLECreativity can be a blessing and a curse in the restau-rant business. Innovative food might get you noticed, but push the boundaries too far and you could leave most diners behind. Dustin Ronspies manages to tread that razor’s edge, fusing an eclectic mix of ingredients and techniques into what can only be considered Seattle cuisine. His intimate Fremont restaurant seats the lucky few who get to explore that new frontier on any given night. Lately, it’s not just locals who have taken notice; Ronspies was one of the 2014 James Beard Award nominees for Best Northwest Chef. 1054 N. 39th St., 282-0942, artofthetable.net ZACH GEBALLE

BAR SAJORHere the open kitchen and bar and split-level space symbolize that Pioneer Square is open for business (and recreation), with chef/owner Matt Dillon at the heart of the renaissance. Come for lunch if you want to take advantage of the daylight that illuminates the space, and bring a few friends to enjoy a perfect plate of pickles and some lovely tartines (I especially recommend any seasonal fish or mushroom offerings)

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 45

while you await your order of whole chicken cooked in the fireplace, deliciously simple with some lime and harissa notes. 323 Occidental Ave. S., 682-1117, barsajor.com JAY FRIEDMAN

BLIND PIG BISTROThe most frustrating thing about the Blind Pig Bistro is also its genius: a complete lack of sentimental-ity. Early on in the life of the exceptional restaurant, smuggled into Eastlake in an unassuming strip mall, chef/owner Charles Walpole made good on his prom-ise to wipe away any dish his staff tired of by eliminat-ing the sturgeon, to howls from diners. No matter, the chalkboard menu of eight to 10 dishes rarely disap-points. From a perfectly prepared pork belly (which hasn’t been on the menu in some time, but is seared into my brain) to a simple charred eggplant purée that co-stars with flank steak to an architectural and entertaining endive salad, the dishes here are always an adventure. You’ll go back, but you’ll never have the same experience twice. 2238 Eastlake Ave. E., 329-2744, blindpigbistro.com MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

BRIMMER & HEELTAPThis Asian-inflected bistro/gastropub is the epitome of a neighborhood restaurant. Proprietor Jen Doak works the room with her infectious, down-to-earth charm as diners feast on half-size or whole portions of Mike Whisenhunt’s (Joule, Revel) unique brand of comfort food. With staples like Chinese-style baked buns filled with kobacha squash and glazed with a sherry, seaweed, and walnut crumble and broiled pork shoulder with caramelized-onion kimchi, this is the kind of restaurant where you’ll always feel com-fortable dropping in alone for a bite and a cocktail at the buzzing bar, with its retro white leather seats. The space, formerly inhabited by La Gourmand, is bright and lively, just like its owner. 425 N.W. Market St., 420-2534, brimmerandheeltap.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

HITCHCOCKHitchcock’s Brendan McGill was voted The People’s Best New Chef in a Food & Wine magazine national contest, and his place is well worth the short ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. What’s the best way to experience this eclectic restaurant? Pick a price for a tasting menu (you can order a la carte, but the tasting menu lets you name your price for a chef-determined number of courses), then sit back and enjoy all the dishes that showcase pickling, fermenting, preserv-ing, roasting, grilling, and more. McGill always maps out an adventurous meal, with fascinating ingredient combinations and flavors from start to finish. If duck is on the menu, request it. (Hitchcock Deli, next door, is also fantastic.) 133 Winslow Way E., #100, 201-3789, Bainbridge Island, hitchcockrestaurant.com JAY FRIEDMAN

LA BÊTEAleks Dimitrijevic’s La Bête is as ornate and whimsical as its contemporary-American menu, which is bol-stered by a sophisticated weaving of European influ-ence and, more recently, Arab flavors borrowed from its Monday-night Middle Eastern pop-up headed by La Bête cook Taylor Cheney. Whether it’s kasespatzle for brunch or tabbouleh on a Monday night, dishes are served on fine china and the restaurant is adorned with vivid artwork by Dimitrijevic himself. Despite its apparent elegance, the Capitol Hill restaurant fits right into the scene with its bar-friendly food and cocktails curated as carefully as its atmosphere. 1802 Bellevue Ave., 329-4047, labeteseattle.com TIFFANY RAN

LLOYDMARTINIt baffles me that LloydMartin doesn’t get mentioned more often when discussing the city’s best restau-rants. Sure, it’s not in Capitol Hill or Ballard, but the food at chef Sam Crannell’s Queen Anne jewel is some of the most creative and well-executed in the city. It’s the little touches, like beautifully composed soups poured tableside and perfectly cut bread, plus an innovative bar program, that should put it on any serious Seattle diner’s short list. 1525 Queen Anne Ave. N., 420-7602, lloydmartinseattle.com ZACH GEBALLE

MATT’S IN THE MARKETWhen guests come to town and ask for a restaurant recommendation, I’m quick to send them to Matt’s. Not only does it boast a view of Pike Place Market and the Sound, but under chef Shane Ryan, the farm-to-table-style food is nearly always on point—and walks a fine line between sophisticated and laid-back. The interior is pretty yet understated, the large windows the focal point. In a nutshell, it’s kind of everything you want from a Seattle restaurant. In summer, the restaurant hosts one of my favorite events: tasting menus created by Ryan and a visiting chef from another city. (I had the best meal of last summer at one of these.) But on any given night, you’ll find delicacies like a wild mushroom salad with spin-ach, tuada, a fried duck egg, and caramelized shal-lots, or steelhead with celeriac, buttered radishes, blond radicchio, and celeriac chips. If you love foie gras, this is the place to get it, served with a pistachio streusel, watercress, a Sancerre poached pear, and brioche. 94 Pike St., #32, 467-7909, mattsinthemarket.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MILLER’S GUILDConnected to downtown’s Max Hotel, this new res-taurant from Jason Wilson (Crush) takes the wood-fired-oven trend to a whole other level. The restau-rant’s nine-foot custom-made Infierno wood-fired grill is no joke. A huge contraption—part grill, part smoker, and a whole lot of flames—it dominates the open kitchen and is used to cook steaks, ribs, lamb, quail, even octopus. In keeping with the theme, piles of firewood surround you in the lofty, high-ceilinged dining room, as do barrel casks of aging liquors. Not only meats are cooked on the fire, but beets and cau-liflower too. The cocktail menu here is interesting and makes frequent use of flavored shrubs and bitters, as well as their own house-aged spirits. The soaring room, perhaps thanks to the roaring fire, manages to feel cozy. 612 Stewart St., 443-3663 , millersguild.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MKT.Ethan Stowell’s 600-square-foot 28-seater, wedged between Elysian Brewing Company’s pub and Mighty-O Donuts in Tangletown, delivers well-executed Pacific Northwest cuisine, minus his usual Italian focus, with thoughtful flourishes. You won’t want to miss the “snack” of Dinah’s cheese from Kurt Tim-mermeister’s Vashon farm; though that cheese has become ubiquitous on menus, Stowell serves it with a tomato preserved in honey, a sweet little chunk of heaven. Likewise, the hamachi sashimi is predict-able, but the tangy and crisp citrus-cucumber ice it’s served with isn’t. Mkt. gets clever with entrées too, like generous-sized sea scallops, perfectly cooked, atop a stew of white beans with smoked pork shank. Stowell fans may feel disappointed by the scarcity of pasta dishes here, but the restaurant’s wood-fired oven best suits meats like grilled lamb tongue, rabbit, and quail—all with delicious, creative accompani-ments. Three barrel-aged house cocktails change up regularly. 2108 N. 55th St., 812-1580, ethanstowell restaurants.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

LE PETIT COCHONWhen you’re the brother of the esteemed chef/owner of Art of the Table, there’s bound to be some pressure. Fortunately, chef Derek Ronspies does his bro Dustin proud. While his new Fremont restaurant is very focused on the “snout to tail” movement and offers lots o’ offal (gizzards, blood sausage, animal-face fritters), all dishes are creatively conceived, surprising with their varied flavors. Those gizzards, for instance, come flavored with harissa, while a lamb’s-head fritter is served with chickpeas, an orange saf-fron vin, carrot jam, and Savoy cabbage. Offal aside, LPC serves the best pork chop I’ve had—the “Olsen Farms Phat Ass” chop is thick as hell but perfectly moist and juicy—no matter what its accompani-ments, which change often. In fact, most of the menu changes daily (including the best of seasonal pro-duce), though certain items are ever-present. For des-sert, don’t miss the foie gras donuts, always served with some delicious flavored ice cream and compote.

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 45

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 45

while you await your order of whole chicken cooked in the fireplace, deliciously simple with some lime and harissa notes. 323 Occidental Ave. S., 682-1117, barsajor.com JAY FRIEDMAN

BLIND PIG BISTROThe most frustrating thing about the Blind Pig Bistro is also its genius: a complete lack of sentimental-ity. Early on in the life of the exceptional restaurant, smuggled into Eastlake in an unassuming strip mall, chef/owner Charles Walpole made good on his prom-ise to wipe away any dish his staff tired of by eliminat-ing the sturgeon, to howls from diners. No matter, the chalkboard menu of eight to 10 dishes rarely disap-points. From a perfectly prepared pork belly (which hasn’t been on the menu in some time, but is seared into my brain) to a simple charred eggplant purée that co-stars with flank steak to an architectural and entertaining endive salad, the dishes here are always an adventure. You’ll go back, but you’ll never have the same experience twice. 2238 Eastlake Ave. E., 329-2744, blindpigbistro.com MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

BRIMMER & HEELTAPThis Asian-inflected bistro/gastropub is the epitome of a neighborhood restaurant. Proprietor Jen Doak works the room with her infectious, down-to-earth charm as diners feast on half-size or whole portions of Mike Whisenhunt’s (Joule, Revel) unique brand of comfort food. With staples like Chinese-style baked buns filled with kobacha squash and glazed with a sherry, seaweed, and walnut crumble and broiled pork shoulder with caramelized-onion kimchi, this is the kind of restaurant where you’ll always feel com-fortable dropping in alone for a bite and a cocktail at the buzzing bar, with its retro white leather seats. The space, formerly inhabited by La Gourmand, is bright and lively, just like its owner. 425 N.W. Market St., 420-2534, brimmerandheeltap.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

HITCHCOCKHitchcock’s Brendan McGill was voted The People’s Best New Chef in a Food & Wine magazine national contest, and his place is well worth the short ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. What’s the best way to experience this eclectic restaurant? Pick a price for a tasting menu (you can order a la carte, but the tasting menu lets you name your price for a chef-determined number of courses), then sit back and enjoy all the dishes that showcase pickling, fermenting, preserv-ing, roasting, grilling, and more. McGill always maps out an adventurous meal, with fascinating ingredient combinations and flavors from start to finish. If duck is on the menu, request it. (Hitchcock Deli, next door, is also fantastic.) 133 Winslow Way E., #100, 201-3789, Bainbridge Island, hitchcockrestaurant.com JAY FRIEDMAN

LA BÊTEAleks Dimitrijevic’s La Bête is as ornate and whimsical as its contemporary-American menu, which is bol-stered by a sophisticated weaving of European influ-ence and, more recently, Arab flavors borrowed from its Monday-night Middle Eastern pop-up headed by La Bête cook Taylor Cheney. Whether it’s kasespatzle for brunch or tabbouleh on a Monday night, dishes are served on fine china and the restaurant is adorned with vivid artwork by Dimitrijevic himself. Despite its apparent elegance, the Capitol Hill restaurant fits right into the scene with its bar-friendly food and cocktails curated as carefully as its atmosphere. 1802 Bellevue Ave., 329-4047, labeteseattle.com TIFFANY RAN

LLOYDMARTINIt baffles me that LloydMartin doesn’t get mentioned more often when discussing the city’s best restau-rants. Sure, it’s not in Capitol Hill or Ballard, but the food at chef Sam Crannell’s Queen Anne jewel is some of the most creative and well-executed in the city. It’s the little touches, like beautifully composed soups poured tableside and perfectly cut bread, plus an innovative bar program, that should put it on any serious Seattle diner’s short list. 1525 Queen Anne Ave. N., 420-7602, lloydmartinseattle.com ZACH GEBALLE

MATT’S IN THE MARKETWhen guests come to town and ask for a restaurant recommendation, I’m quick to send them to Matt’s. Not only does it boast a view of Pike Place Market and the Sound, but under chef Shane Ryan, the farm-to-table-style food is nearly always on point—and walks a fine line between sophisticated and laid-back. The interior is pretty yet understated, the large windows the focal point. In a nutshell, it’s kind of everything you want from a Seattle restaurant. In summer, the restaurant hosts one of my favorite events: tasting menus created by Ryan and a visiting chef from another city. (I had the best meal of last summer at one of these.) But on any given night, you’ll find delicacies like a wild mushroom salad with spin-ach, tuada, a fried duck egg, and caramelized shal-lots, or steelhead with celeriac, buttered radishes, blond radicchio, and celeriac chips. If you love foie gras, this is the place to get it, served with a pistachio streusel, watercress, a Sancerre poached pear, and brioche. 94 Pike St., #32, 467-7909, mattsinthemarket.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MILLER’S GUILDConnected to downtown’s Max Hotel, this new res-taurant from Jason Wilson (Crush) takes the wood-fired-oven trend to a whole other level. The restau-rant’s nine-foot custom-made Infierno wood-fired grill is no joke. A huge contraption—part grill, part smoker, and a whole lot of flames—it dominates the open kitchen and is used to cook steaks, ribs, lamb, quail, even octopus. In keeping with the theme, piles of firewood surround you in the lofty, high-ceilinged dining room, as do barrel casks of aging liquors. Not only meats are cooked on the fire, but beets and cau-liflower too. The cocktail menu here is interesting and makes frequent use of flavored shrubs and bitters, as well as their own house-aged spirits. The soaring room, perhaps thanks to the roaring fire, manages to feel cozy. 612 Stewart St., 443-3663 , millersguild.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

MKT.Ethan Stowell’s 600-square-foot 28-seater, wedged between Elysian Brewing Company’s pub and Mighty-O Donuts in Tangletown, delivers well-executed Pacific Northwest cuisine, minus his usual Italian focus, with thoughtful flourishes. You won’t want to miss the “snack” of Dinah’s cheese from Kurt Tim-mermeister’s Vashon farm; though that cheese has become ubiquitous on menus, Stowell serves it with a tomato preserved in honey, a sweet little chunk of heaven. Likewise, the hamachi sashimi is predict-able, but the tangy and crisp citrus-cucumber ice it’s served with isn’t. Mkt. gets clever with entrées too, like generous-sized sea scallops, perfectly cooked, atop a stew of white beans with smoked pork shank. Stowell fans may feel disappointed by the scarcity of pasta dishes here, but the restaurant’s wood-fired oven best suits meats like grilled lamb tongue, rabbit, and quail—all with delicious, creative accompani-ments. Three barrel-aged house cocktails change up regularly. 2108 N. 55th St., 812-1580, ethanstowell restaurants.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

LE PETIT COCHONWhen you’re the brother of the esteemed chef/owner of Art of the Table, there’s bound to be some pressure. Fortunately, chef Derek Ronspies does his bro Dustin proud. While his new Fremont restaurant is very focused on the “snout to tail” movement and offers lots o’ offal (gizzards, blood sausage, animal-face fritters), all dishes are creatively conceived, surprising with their varied flavors. Those gizzards, for instance, come flavored with harissa, while a lamb’s-head fritter is served with chickpeas, an orange saf-fron vin, carrot jam, and Savoy cabbage. Offal aside, LPC serves the best pork chop I’ve had—the “Olsen Farms Phat Ass” chop is thick as hell but perfectly moist and juicy—no matter what its accompani-ments, which change often. In fact, most of the menu changes daily (including the best of seasonal pro-duce), though certain items are ever-present. For des-sert, don’t miss the foie gras donuts, always served with some delicious flavored ice cream and compote.

46 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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46 SEATTLE WEEKLY • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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701 N. 36th St., Suite 200, 829-8943, gettinpiggy.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

PRIMA BISTROThis is one restaurant I’ll happily travel to Whidbey Island for, especially in summer with its sweeping bay views. An unassuming structure that shares space with a retail store, this French-meets-Pacific Northwest gem is one of my favorite restaurants of the year. Chef Sieb Jurriaans, a tall, tattooed, ponytailed dude, has created a menu that rivals any in Seattle. The details are what really raise this restaurant above the rest: His sautéed wild mushrooms are foraged by him in a nearby forest, his tartare is hand-chopped to order, his charcuterie comes from his own meat locker. You’ll find his house pancetta in the salade lyonnaise, along with frisee, a poached egg, and a warm sherry vinaigrette. The semolina-crusted Northwest oysters come with a to-die-for truffle may-onnaise, and I may have dreamed about the pan-fried veal sweatbreads with an apricot-thyme gastrique. Though ferry lines can be long in summer, do your best to beat them and get out here for a meal. 201 1/2 First St., Langley, 360-221-4060, primabistro.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

QUEEN CITY GRILL “Oh, it’s no problem. Just come in,” said the maitre d’ when I recently called the Queen City Grill about making a reservation. But I didn’t take the ready avail-ability of tables (on a Thursday) as a warning sign, and neither should you. In fact, the Grill was warmly abuzz that evening, filled with one convivial party of a dozen and pairs of young women chatting at the bar. Com-fortable and effortlessly sophisticated, it’s “a romantic restaurant for guys,” says my plus-one (emphasis his), and it’s our go-to spot for special occasions. No one does old-school, traditionalist dining better (for those not on a Canlis budget): oysters, scallops, Caesar

salad; crab cakes, salmon, duck confit, steaks; bread pudding, Key lime pie, ice cream. Go ahead, chase your food trends elsewhere; what the Grill offers is a simple, classicist commitment to the basic elements that make restaurants wonderful. 2201 First Ave., 443-0975, queencitygrill.com GAVIN BORCHERT

RADIATOR WHISKEYThree words: smoked pig face. That’s what this Pike Place Market pub, which boasts a menu of gut-warming, elevated comfort foods, is best known for. With the same owners as its longstanding neighbor, Matt’s in the Market, its bourbon brown walls and barrel wood accents nevertheless create a rather different vibe that echoes the bold, smoky flavors of its food and drinks. If staring a pig in the face will thwart your appetite, the fried pork shank, braised beef brisket, turkey drum confit, and lamb-neck sloppy Joes are all equally robust options. For dessert, the warm chocolate-chip cookies come with—what else? a shot of whiskey, much of which comes in barrels on tap. 94 Pike St., Suite 30, 467-4268, radiatorwhiskey.com TIFFANY RAN

SPURDon’t write off Spur because it’s in Belltown or because it’s been around for a while. A pioneer in Seattle’s craft-cocktail scene, bartender Ken Gray still makes one of the best drinks in town. As one of the first gastropubs, Spur’s food is outstanding too. When-ever I go, I always sit at the bar—mostly because I love to talk to Gray about all his various housemade concoctions and allow him to customize a drink for me. While that’s being done just about everywhere now, Gray actually puts serious thought into it. Spur also happens to have, hands down, one of the best appetizers in Seattle: the sockeye salmon crostini with mascarpone, capers, and pickled shallots for $4 apiece. I share four with a friend, along with perhaps

some pork-belly sliders or veal sweetbreads. Spur has one of my favorite desserts, too, the fruit in which changes seasonally: a sponge cake with meringue, jasmine, full-bodied Leatherwood honey, and, cur-rently, pear. 113 Blanchard St., 728-6706, spurseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

STONEBURNERThe latest eatery from James Weimann and Deming Maclise (Bastille, Poquitos, Macleod’s, Von Trapp’s), Stoneburner fills a needed niche for fresh comfort food on Ballard Avenue. Named after Bastille chef Jason Stoneburner, it’s filled with found objects col-lected from globetrots, and connects to the posh Hotel Ballard. But a space that could feel highbrow is redeemed by warm lights, a reclaimed pressed-tin ceiling, and a menu that’s reasonably priced—equal parts veg and meat and full of flavor-forward familiar fare like handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza. 5214 Ballard Ave. N.W., 695-2051, stoneburnerseattle.com SARA BILLUPS

TILTHSet in a darling Craftsman on Wallingford’s busy 45th Street, Tilth serves hippie fantasy food for dinner and brunch. Chef Maria Hines highlights New American cuisine with as many certified-organic ingredients as she can get her hands on, in addition to wild stuff that grows in the woods. Portions are small but art-fully crafted and richly flavored. The menus change monthly to keep in tune with the seasons. 1411 N. 45th St., 633-0801, tilthrestaurant.com MEGAN HILL

VOLUNTEER PARK CAFEWhether you’re perched in a window seat with a cup of coffee gazing at the leafy North Capitol Hill street outside, or crammed into a communal table for a big sandwich at lunch, Volunteer Park Cafe doesn’t disappoint. The emphasis here is on simplicity—let

the local ingredients shine and you can’t go wrong. Menu items are rustic, with sandwiches on crusty bread, housemade granola, quiches and stratas, and enormous fresh pastries and cookies. 1501 17th Ave. E., 328-3155, alwaysfreshgoodness.com MEGAN HILL

PIZZABAR COTTOEthan Stowell’s salumeria is heavy into cured meat, but the long list of Italian-style pizzas shines brightly. Dough is fermented for four days before being stretched into thin rounds topped with the likes of anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, and fennel frond pesto. The best pizzas here are completed with slivers of the silky, delicate artisanal cured meats Bar Cotto hangs its hat on, like salami, guanciale, and prosciutto. 1546 15th Ave., 838-8081, ethanstowellrestaurants.com MEGAN HILL

DELANCEY So let’s get the pizza out of the way first. As a former New Yorker, this is the closest Seattle gets to NYC’s storied pies. It’s not just the thin crust, but that perfect amount of grease in the cheese (not running down your chin, but enough to leave lovely little orange dots of it on the plate). Add to that an interesting array of add-ons, like shaved fennel, padron chilies, and housemade sausage, and you’ve got a delicious pizza that’s never dull. But Delancey is much more than a pizza joint: It’s a neighborhood destination, off the beaten path in Ballard, where the servers rarely change—and where a rotating menu of seasonal salads or veggies always feels inspired and full of flavor, like Billy’s Summer Gem tomatoes with sheep’s-milk feta, preserved Meyer lemon, and a basil shallot vinaigrette. On a recent visit, I had a delightfully crispy radicchio with a light breadcrumb topping—the only

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 47

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 47

radicchio I’ve ever had that wasn’t overly bitter. Cock-tails, too, are special, and often come bearing house-made liquors. Seasonal fruit desserts shine here, but there’s always the bittersweet chocolate-chip cookie with a sprinkle of gray salt if you want to keep it sim-ple. The only drawback: the long, also New York–like waits. 1415 N.W. 70th St., 838-1960, delancey seattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

SERIOUS PIEIn the entire Tom Douglas empire, this busy crowd-pleaser may be his best restaurant, perhaps due to its specificity. A variety of the signature hand-shaped, oblong pizzas are available; top recommendation is the pie with soft-cooked free-range eggs, smoked prosciutto (or sometimes guanciale), pecorino sardo, and arugula. Serious Pie is an especially attractive option for downtown happy hour, with mini-pizzas priced at just $6 and selected glasses of wine or pints of beer only $5. A handful of starters and sweets can round out the meal. 316 Virginia St., 838-7388, tom douglas.com JAY FRIEDMAN

VERACI PIZZAProof you don’t always need a brick-and-mortar restaurant to craft great pizza. Veraci’s Italian-style pies have a home base in Ballard, but Veraci takes its show on the road to farmers markets, festivals, and parties around town, too. Each batch of dough is prepared by hand in a mixing bowl, achieving perfect chewiness, and baked in a wood-fired oven for a light char. Local ingredients like chanterelle mushrooms, Beecher’s cheese, and Zoe’s salami further set Veraci apart. 500 N.W. Market St., 525-1813, veracipizza.com MEGAN HILL

WORLD PIZZANo one had heard of World Pizza when I suggested it for a recent lunch with co-workers. And yes, some were skeptical about it being “all vegetarian.” But I knew one bite is all it would take—and I was right. To sum up how awesome World Pizza is, here’s what you need to know: The location is warm and invit-ing, the service is gracious, and the pizza is the cat’s meow. You must try the house special, the roasted red potato/garlic/rosemary/gorgonzola pie. Or anything with Field Roast pepperoni. With a mouthful of ’za, my colleague, SW reporter Ellis Conklin, said it best: “This isn’t, just, like, good vegetarian pizza. This is, like, really good pizza.” 672 S. King St., 682-4161, world pizza.tumblr.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOT

SEAFOODROCK CREEKRock Creek is notable not only for its chef—Eric Donnelly, formerly of Toulouse Petit—but for a global-focused menu that offers fin fish from all over the world (just in case you’re a little tired of salmon and halibut) like pompano, ono, and amberjack. Donnelly still claims, however, to work with sustainable fisheries throughout the globe. The flavors at this soaring space in upper Fremont are big and bold, and lean toward the South American. There’s a huge selection of small plates, my favorites among them the wild Mexican prawns with garlic, chili, and rosemary served over Anson Mills heirloom grits, and the oven-roasted Bar-ron Point oysters that demand you slurp up every last drop of the toasted fennel, garlic, and pastis-flavored butter. If you don’t make a meal out of the small plates, there’s just as much to choose from for mains, like Neah Bay black cod served Provençale style or the Hawaiian ono with a sweet/tart date compote and lemon escarole. Wash it all down with a refreshing Pisco or bubbly-based cocktail. 4300 Fremont Ave. N., 557-7532, rockcreekseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

TANGLEWOOD SUPREMEOne of the top hidden gems in our local restaurant scene. Striving for sustainability, this “local seafood bistro” serves ocean treats that are fished with good practices. And while there’s a Northwest focus to the menu, plenty of Asian and Mediterranean influences also make the food interesting. The seven-course

tasting menu is a steal at $45, while happy hour brings bargain prices. Anytime you go, you can sit at the counter and watch the chefs in action. 3216 W. Wheeler St., 708-6235, tanglewoodsupreme.com JAY FRIEDMAN

THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTERThough you won’t ever find me waiting an hour for a seat at this hyper-trendy, nationally acclaimed Ballard oyster bar, there’s plenty to like. First of all, it’s small and bustling—the way popular oyster bars tend to be in New York, but weren’t in Seattle previously. While people are drawn in by the oysters, with usually at least six local varieties available on the half shell and fried, there are also daily-changing from-the-ocean items like grilled sardines, smoked trout, and scallop tartare. Besides seafood, local cheeses, inventive salads, and a beef dish or two make sure that there’s something for everyone. 4743 Ballard Ave. N.W., 395-9227, thewalrusbar.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

WESTWARDThere’s very little not to love about Josh Henderson’s new seafood restaurant. It sits smack on the water, between a marina and a boat shop. It has a separate oyster bar with an oyster guru (David Leck, formerly of Taylor’s). It has outdoor seating, including a firepit fashioned out of oyster shells. It has a happy hour. It has an attached grocery, Little Gull, where boaters can dock and stock up on things like a charcuterie plate or an oyster knife. The interior is smartly, subtly nautical, but with playful quirks like oil paintings of Captain Stubing and Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. It doesn’t get more Seattle than this. The food (mostly seafood but with some stellar non-aquatic choices, like a braised lamb shoulder with tzatziki sauce, herb salad, and housemade whole-wheat pita) is inflected with Mediterranean spices like za’atar, ras el hanout, and saffron and served with sauces like lebneh, avgolemono, and sesame-seed pistou. Don’t miss their Spanish sardine bruschetta with avocado, celery heart salsa verde, and pickled red onion, or the grilled Bering Sea octo-pus with toasted orzo yiouvetzi, saffron, preserved lemon, and aioli nero. 2501 N. Northlake Way, 552-8215, westwardseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE

SOUTHERN & BARBECUE

BOURBON & BONESWhen you start a fried-chicken cult following, you’ve got a lot to live up to when you open your own estab-lishment. Such is the case for Mike Law, who made the Wandering Goose’s Friday-night fried-chicken suppers legendary. Now he’s inside his custom-built 10 X10 smokehouse, where he smokes whole pigs, sausages, and bacon. Still serving the best fried chicken in Seattle (by the piece or the bucket), he also brings Seattleites his Lexington (Carolina)-style barbecue, brisket, and sinful Southern sides like mac ’n’ cheese, grits, baked beans with pork-belly bacon, smothered collard greens, and a vinegary coleslaw that’s my version of crack. The tiny roadhouse-style restaurant sports a taxidermied wild boar head, skulls, and jars of pickles and other pickled things. Order at the register and grab a seat—or better yet, bring it all back home and spread out the finger-lickin’ good feast. 4350 Leary Way N.W., 582-2241 NICOLE SPRINKLE

EZELL’S CHICKENWorld-famous as Oprah Winfrey’s favorite fried-chicken restaurant (a signed picture of her hangs over the register), Ezell’s preternaturally tender chicken lickin’s will comfort you in your sadness and help you achieve spiritual transcendence in your moments of joy. The dinner rolls that come with every chicken meal are made from magically sweet fairy flour that melts in your mouth. When you want some down-home baked beans, mashed potatoes, or no-fuss fried chicken, Ezell’s is the only place to go. There’s a reason Esquire called it “The Most Life-Changing Fried Chicken in America.” 501 23rd Ave., 324-4141, and eight other locations. ezellschicken.com KELTON SEARS

Open Daily: 9am - 9pmSat & Sun: 8am - 9pm

1924 N 45th St, Wallingford • 206-633-4141 www.cafenikolas.com • Free wi-� and parking

Chicken Souvlaki Platter: includes a small greek salad and

Galaktobureko for dessert

$12.95

48 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

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VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • Seattle Weekly 49

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O U R FAVO R I T E R E S TAU R A N T S

VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014 • SEATTLE WEEKLY 49

HONEY HOLESituated between a high-end sex shop and a magickal pagan/occult store, Honey Hole might be the best barbecue joint in town. The cozy restaurant specializes in sandwiches—like The Bandit, juicy, sauce-slathered brisket topped with coleslaw and melted sharp cheddar—that will haunt your dreams. Plus, Honey Hole has hands down the best French fries in Seattle—thick golden straws that are always perfectly crisp and never soggy or limp. And hey! You can pick up that vibrator and book of spells you’ve always wanted on your way out. 703 E. Pike St., 709-1399, thehoneyhole.com KELTON SEARS

THE WANDERING GOOSE If nothing else, every Seattleite must, at one point in this precious life, take in The Wandering Goose’s Fried Chicken Friday, where what is arguably the city’s best buttermilk fried chicken is served with table-slapping hot sauces and your choice of col-lard greens, mash, peas, grits, coleslaw, or mac and cheese. You might be tempted to return the next morning for the Hangtown Fry, a heart attack in a skillet sizzling with fried oysters, pork belly, and poached eggs, or one of their cheap, easy, and delectable biscuit sandwiches. 403 15th Ave. E., 323-9938, thewanderinggoose.com MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

SUSHIKISAKUKisaku in Tangletown is the perfect neighborhood sushi restaurant, high in quality and reasonable in pricing. Order omakase (translation: “chef’s choice”), and chef Ryuichi Nakano will wow you with a fresh assortment of fish. Adventurous? Be sure to request shirako (cod sperm, with a creamy, custardy texture), amaebi (eat the sweet shrimp raw, and then the head and shell fried), and my personal favorite: hotate kombu jime (kelp-marinated scallop—ask for it, and Nakano will probably know I sent you!). Kisaku is also a popular destination for lunch. 2101 N. 55th St., 545-9050, kisaku.com JAY FRIEDMAN

MASHIKOAt first glance, that platter of sushi that Hajime Sato serves you at Mashiko in West Seattle looks like any other. But take a closer look. And listen to the man as he explains what you’re eating. While you won’t find bluefin tuna or unagi (eel) here (Mashiko’s mission is sustainability), you will find fish that’s a little different, often local, and still delicious. At some sushi places, I just want to eat nigiri (raw fish with rice); at Mashiko, it’s interesting to see what ingredient combinations Sato will serve you. Order omakase (chef’s choice) and you might get geoduck and scallop ceviche with Asian pear, shirako with cucumbers, and white king salmon tartare topped with a quail egg. 4725 California Ave. S.W., 935-4339, sushiwhore.com JAY FRIEDMAN

NIJO SUSHI BAR & GRILLMany people know Nijo for its excellent sushi. Fewer know that this sophisticated downtown spot also has arguably the best happy hour in town— in which you can get not only affordable sushi but an array of other tantalizing, Japanese- inspired dishes that you may come to love even more. Because happy hour stretches until 7 p.m., it’s easy to make a dinner of it, especially given the fulsome and varied small plates on the menu. Be sure to try the unusual octopus and potato dumplings, the exquisitely tender beef skew-ers, and the egg rolls, filled with plump chunks of avocado. Most dishes are under $6, as are the cock-tails, which run toward the tropical with infusions of mango, coconut, and passion fruit. Budget $50 for two and you’ll have a feast. 83 Spring St., 340- 8880, nijo sushi.com. NINA SHAPIRO

SHIRO’SFor the most traditional sushi in town, Shiro’s has been the longstanding mecca. The restaurant is named after sushi chef Shiro Kashiba, who studied

with culinary masters in Tokyo before moving to Seat-tle in 1967 and opening his namesake restaurant in 1994. Sure, there may be rolls and tempura at Shiro’s, but the way to go is omakase (chef’s choice): You’ll be treated to an array of sushi and traditional dishes reflecting the Northwest’s seasonal bounty, which may include buttery broiled black cod, briny uni with assorted sashimi, or deep-fried soft-shell crab. Deli-cate flavors and respect for ingredients remains a key focus at Shiro’s—and with so many sushi restaurants in town, it never hurts to stick to the time-tested. 2401 Second Ave., 443-9844, shiros.com TIFFANY RAN

SUSHI KAPPO TAMURAThis Eastlake spot is at once upscale and yet casual. You can get a table, or instead sit at the counter—the place I prefer to sit at a sushi restaurant—where Taichi Kitamura holds court. Be sure to check out the fine selection of ippin ryori (small plates): You might find mustard greens and Washington albacore tuna with almond wasabi sauce, salads made with greens from the restaurant’s garden, and braised Wagyu beef shoulder with maitake mushrooms. After some ippins, go on and enjoy Kitamura’s outstanding sushi. 2968 Eastlake Ave. E., 547-0937, sushikappotamura.com JAY FRIEDMAN

VEGETARIANCHACO CANYON, THRIVEChaco Canyon is hands down Seattle’s best vegan, raw-centric restaurant. While Thrive is also popular with raw-food junkies and those with severe food allergies (its pesto-stuffed mushrooms and ocean rolls are to die for), I fell in love with Chaco Canyon’s hot sandwiches and cider. One thing both cafes have in common: great juice bars; get the Gold Rush at Thrive and the Zen Calm at Chaco Canyon. Thrive: 1026 N.E. 65th St., 525-0300, generationthrive.com. Chaco Canyon: 4757 12th Ave. N.E., 522-6966; 3770 S.W. Alaska St., 937-8732, chacocanyoncafe.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

PLUM BISTROAny restaurant that can unify omnivores and veg-etarians through a dish called “Mac ’n’ Yease” is doing something right. It’s that dish—whose recipe remains highly guarded and was not included in owner Makini Howell’s recent cookbook—and oth-ers, like jerk-spiced tofu burgers, handmade pizzas, and smoky, charred vegetable sides, that keeps this bustling bistro packed night after night. From Tobey Maguire to India.Arie, it’s also your best bet for sighting health-conscious visiting celebrities. 1429 12th Ave., 838-5333, plumbistro.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

SUNLIGHT CAFÉThe U District’s Sunlight Café feels like your favorite aunt or grandma’s cozy eat-in kitchen, serving simple, hearty, comfort-style dishes. Everything’s vegetarian, so no matter what you order, you know someone’s watching out for your health, too. I like Sunlight’s breakfasts and brunches the best—the perfect times to bask in the sunlight that streams through the wall-sized windows and linger over a ginger-sesame tofu scramble before heading outside to start the day. 6403 Roosevelt Way N.E., 522-9060, sunlightcafevegetarian.com GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

TRAVELER’S THALI HOUSEVegetarian restaurants are hard to come by on Bea-con Hill, so don’t pass by this one. It accommodates vegan and vegetarian preferences graciously, and offers plenty of daily specials along with its exten-sive general menu. If you’re a first-time diner, don’t worry about being overwhelmed with options; just ask for the server who looks like Neil Young, and he’ll expertly steer you toward a dish you didn’t even know you wanted. Save room for dessert: The fabu-lous Indian sweets come from Renton’s Pabla Indian Cuisine. 2524 Beacon Ave. S., 329-6260, travelers thalihouse.com. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT

50 Seattle Weekly • VORACIOUS DINING GUIDE 2014

o u r favo r i t e r e s ta u r a nt s

BALLARDBenito’s, Chicago-Style, 49Blue Glass, Global Comfort Food, 38Cash & Carry, Grocery, 48el Camion, Mexican, 33Plaka estiatorio, Greek, 40senor Moose, Mexican, 38veraci Pizza, Pizza, 33

BELLTOWNfive Point Café, 24-Hr Diner / Dive Bar, 10‘ohana, Hawaiian / Japanese, 41spur, Gastropub, 03

CAPITOL HILLLa Bete, Northwest, 09Capitol Cider, Local & Gluten-free, 18Lost Lake Café, 24-Hour Diner / Lounge, 10Manhattan restaurant, Steakhouse, 09the old sage, Urban Smokehouse, 03Poquitos, Mexican, 08tavern Law, New American, 03von trapp’s, Beerhall, 08

DOWNTOWNfarestart, Varies by Chef, 24fonte, Café & Wine Bar, 39 Hard rock Café, American, 14 Morton’s, Steakhouse, 23nijo sushi Bar & Grill, Sushi, 32sweet iron Waffles, Waffles, 45the triple Door, Lounge, 12urbane, Modern Northwest, 04Wild Ginger, Pan Asian, 12

EASTSIDEagave Cocina & tequilas, Mexican, 45Cash & Carry, Grocery, 48Lucky strike, American, 47Lunchbox Laboratory, Burgers, 51oma Bap, Korean, 38PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31uwajimaya, Grocery, 39Wild Ginger, Pan Asian, 12

EDMONDS / EVERETTCash & Carry, Grocery, 48PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31the new Mexicans, Mexican, 42

FREMONTBallroom, American, 41norm’s eatery and alehouse, Bar & Grill, 43PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31Ponti seafood Grill, Seafood, 31

GEORGETOWN Brass tacks, Gastropub, 11

GREEN LAKE Greenlake Bar & Grill, American, 51nell’s, New Northwest, 42PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31

GIG HARBOR / BREMERTONBremerton Bar & Grill, American, 51Cash & Carry, Grocery, 48Lunchbox Laboratory, Burgers, 51

INTERNATIONAL DISTRICTnew Hong Kong, Chinese / Dim Sum, 32 uwajimaya, Grocery, 39

NORTH SEATTLEel Camion, Mexican, 33Lake forest Bar & Grill, American, 51PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31

PHINNEY / GREENWOODel Chupacabra, Mexican, 41Gorgeous George’s, Mediterranean, 42

PIKE PLACE MARKETathenian seafood & Bar, Northwest, 43Lowell’s restaurant, Northwest, 02Café Campagne, French, 23Maximilien in the Market, French, 15Matt’s in the Market, New Northwest, 05radiator Whiskey, Modern Comfort, 05

PIONEER SQUARECaffe umbria, Italian Cafe, 11

QUEEN ANNELaredos Grill, Tex Mex, 29Paragon, Bar & Grill, 15Pho viet ahn, Vietnamese, 42Plaza Garibaldi, Mexican, 49seattle Center armory, Variety, 06teatro Zinzanni, Dinner Theatre, 44

RENTON / TUKWILACash & Carry, Grocery, 48uwajimaya, Grocery, 39

SEWARD PARK / RAINIER Cash & Carry, Grocery, 48Mutual fish, Fish Market, 43Hong Kong, Chinese / Dim Sum, 32PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31

SODOCash & Carry, Grocery, 48el Camion, Mexican, 33

SOUTH LAKE UNION / EASTLAKEeastlake Bar & Grill, American, 51Lunchbox Laboratory, Burgers, 51row House, Comfort Food, 29serafina & Cicchetti, Italian, 18siam thai Cuisine, Thai, 24

WALLINGFORD / U DISTRICTagua verde, Mexican, 45fainting Goat, Gelato, 42 nikolas Café, Mediterranean, 47

WEST SEATTLEel Chupacabra, Mexican, 41PCC natural Markets, Grocery, 31stuffed Cakes, Sweets, 38Zippy’s Giant Burgers, Burgers, 48

DAY TRIPPrima Bistro, French Bistro, Langley, 29Pullman Chamber, Wine Tasting, Pullman, 48

MORE FUNBumbu truck, Indonesian Food Truck, 43seattle restaurant Week, Event, 46 Jemil’s Big easy, Cajun Food Truck, 42LikeYourLiqour.com, Craft Spirit Website, 16

NW BEERS & CIDERSpresented by Washington State Beer Commission

2 towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR, 37

99 Bottles, Federal Way, 37

alpenfire Cider, Port Townsend, 36

Big time Brewing Co., U. District, 34

Bottleworks, Wallingford, 34

Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, 35

Brouwer’s Café, Fremont, 34

Burgundian, Wallingford, 34

Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, 34

Dick’s Brewing Co., Centralia, 35

eaglemount Wine & Cider, Pt. Townsend, 36

fiddler’s inn, Wedgwood, 34

finnriver farm & Cidery, Chimacum, 36

fort George Brewery, Astoria, 34

full throttle Bottles, Georgetown, 36

Goodlife Brewing, Bend, OR, 37

Hale’s ales, Ballard, 36

Hopvine Pub, Capitol Hill, 34

Hopworks urban Brewery, Portland, OR, 37

Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham, 36

Latona Pub, Green Lake, 34

Malt and vine, Redmond, 37

Maritime Pacific Brewing Co, Ballard, 36

McMenamins, Queen Anne & Mill Creek, 36

Mountain Homebrew & Wine, Kirkland, 34

outlander Brewery & Pub, Fremont, 37

the Pine Box, Capitol Hill, 37

Puget sound Brewery tours, Various Tours, 36

Pyramid Brewery, SODO, 34

schilling & Company, Fremont, 36

scuttlebutt Brewing Co., Everett, 34

six arms, Capitol Hill, 36sound Brewery, Poulsbo, 35

tug inn, West Seattle, 37

World of Beer, Capitol Hill & Renton, 35

NW DISTILLERIES & MIXOLOGISTS

Bainbridge organic Distillers,

Bainbridge Island, 17

Bar Code, Bellevue, 17

the Barrel thief, Fremont, 16

Brass tacks, Georgetown, 17

Dry fly Distilling, Spokane, 16

JP trodden Distilling, Woodinville, 16

rob roy, Belltown, 17

tatoosh Distillery, Seattle, 13

NW WINES & WINE TASTINGButler transportation & Woodinville

Wine tours, Woodinville, 25-28

Mark ryan Winery, Woodinville, 20

Maryhill Winery, Goldendale, 20

olympic Peninsula Wineries, Peninsula, 20

Port Gardner Bay Winery, Everett, 20

treveri Cellars, Yakima, 20

Woodhouse Wine estates, Woodinville, 20

Woodinville tourism, 25-28

r e s tau r a n t a dv e r t i s e r i n d e x

n O r t H W e s t l i b at i O n a dv e r t i s e r i n d e x

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