Secret Diner #1- Top Ten List March 2009

Admittedly, I’m cheating a little here on my top ten list.   I’ve opted to go with ten categories versus ten things, which means I get to share more of the good stuff. As I pondered my Dining Around, news came across the wire that Mark Fuller, chef/owner of Spring Hill, was announced as a Food & Wine magazine “Best New Chef” 2009.   It certainly says a lot about the quality of dining experiences available to Dine Around Seattle patrons.  I’m feeling the love for the F&W editors right now, because, funny enough, Spring Hill was tops on my list too…

Favorite stops: Welcome Dine Around newcomers Spring Hill and Cremant! Juicy sous vide chicken at Spring Hill and fork tender beef short rib Bourguignon from Cremant were among the highlights of the two strongest meals I enjoyed.  While they have diverging styles of cooking – contemporary, farm-driven Northwest at Spring Hill and classic French bistro fare at Cremant – both restaurants underscore the beautiful results of pristine ingredients handled with skilled technique.

Unsung hero: Third Floor Fish Café should garner more recognition.  Having dined here a number of times now, I’m amazed this restaurant doesn’t have a higher profile.  I’ve been continually impressed with the quality of the food, interesting dishes, friendly service and dramatic third floor Lake Washington view.  It’s not edgy in the way some newer, hipper spots are, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this eastside gem.

Service: An integral part of any dining experience, service can make or break a meal.  A particularly exceptional server can make the most mundane of meals a pleasure. While I wouldn’t dream of calling any of our meals mundane, the staff at the following spots sure did up the pleasure quotient:  Lola where Alonda was full of great information about wine and food.  At Six Seven, we were warmly welcomed by Lara and given excellent recommendations.  Downtown at ART, Rishi anticipated our needs and brought things before we even knew we needed them. On the eastside, Kaja at Third Floor Fish Cafe demonstrated grace under pressure, providing great service while juggling a super busy section. Also of note is the polished team service at Serafina, a fleet of folks keeping us served, cleared, breaded, watered and wined without missing a beat.

Trend spotting: Plain white china in a multitude of shapes is now a restaurant staple.  The latest element I noticed while out and about were placemats, in particular, Chilewich’s woven vinyl versions, adding style to smart tabletops at ART, Spring Hill and Six Seven.  Less sterile than a plain tabletop and dishwasher safe, I can see why these sleek and modern looking mats would appeal to a restaurateur.  Not sure if it’s a trend, but my other tabletop favorite find was the petite Staub cast iron pot that delivered bubbling brandade at Café Campagne.

Herbivore’s dilemma: It’s a toss-up for my favorite veggie entrée.  From a comfort food standpoint, it would have to be the golden, crispy-edged dumplings oozing melted gruyere at Dahlia Lounge.   On the formal side, Six Seven’s elegant fava bean risotto revealed layers of subtle flavor highlighted with sunny Meyer lemon and basil purée.

Hot Pockets:  Serafina’s housemade ravioli stuffed with creamy pureed asparagus and melted fontina served in golden chervil butter had us swooning. Has asparagus ever been so sexy? 

Got Goat?: Lola does. Braised in coffee with hints of anise from tender fennel and a dash of ouzo, the meat was delicious, mild and fork tender.  Opa!

Sweetest Finish: People who claim they don’t eat dessert make me suspicious. How could you miss Flying Fish’s melt-in-your mouth almond butter cake infused with ginger syrup or the silky yogurt sorbet at Spring Hill?  What about the amusing and mighty delicious citrus “Jello-O” at Nell’s?  Surely your willpower would crumble at the thought of Cremant’s decadent hot chocolate. 

If it ain’t fried, it ain’t food: In some parts of the country, that may be true.  Not so much here in the health-oriented Pacific Northwest.   But deep-frying is a skill and, when done well, a real treat.  On that note, kudos to Flying Fish, Barking Frog and Ponti.  Flying Fish’s outstanding calamari was among the best I’ve had, tender squid encased in a light, crisp and greaseless batter, made even better with fiery honey jalapeno aioli.  Barking Frog’s Grand Marnier prawns are a signature item, their transparent cornstarch coating a delicate counterpoint to rich orange-accented mayo.  Ponti’s juicy golden prawns had a Pacific Rim accent, zesty mango wasabi coulis for dunking.

Thanks for your support:  Leading the pack in their support of the Dine Around promotion, through special menus, server recommendations, web site promos, host mentions and rotating menus, these folks deserve an A+ for effort:  Dahlia Lounge, Lola, Nell’s, Serafina, Six Seven, Spring Hill, Szmania’s and Third Floor Fish Café.

Secret Diner #2- Top Ten List March 2009

Another successful month of eatery with Dine Around Seattle. There was a LOT to love on this journey, but I’m forced to choose ten things that really struck me, so here they are in no particular order (except for #1).

10. Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo at Steelhead Diner. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out it had a large hand in keeping the place so packed on a Monday night.

9. Veal marrow bones at Brasa. Hooray for originality executed to savory, flavorful perfection. Another apology to my vegetarian date (although secretly I’m elated I didn’t have to share a bite).

8. The ambiance at Chez Shea, both in the restaurant and the equally cozy lounge, was a terrific backdrop for a dish that we see much too little: escargot. I felt romantic and Parisian with every garlicky “land lobster” bite.

7. Ray’s Boathouse is so solid year after year in every category, and this year they hit it way out of the park with the “Glimpse of Spring Strawberry Rhubarb Tart.” I hope the glimpse lasts well into the season, and beyond!
 
6. It would be too obvious to list the infamous mouth-melting ricotta gnudi at Restaurant Zoe, so I’ll gush over the steelhead salmon (yes, it’s a salmon, albeit a trout-like version) in a savory stew-like bed of black lentils, wild mushrooms, and sweet chestnuts. Wow.

5. I must tip my hat to the finest pork belly ever to pass my lips at Crush. Now if only they could make a low-cal version… HA.

4. Nishino created an especially great experience start to finish, from big details like creative entree options to lesser-recognized details like menu presentation, but it was the white salmon carpaccio that stayed on my mind in the days to follow.

3. Sashimi scallops at Bellevue’s 0/8 Seafood Grill caught us completely off guard with their unctuous toro-like texture and special pop from an acidic miso vinaigrette.

2. The black quinoa entree at Earth&Ocean in the W Hotel was a welcome sight, and a surprising success. I eat quinoa on a very regular basis, and I’ve never had a preparation that comes anywhere close to the crispy, rich, complex final answer Chef Adam cranked out.

1. But, the thing I’m taking away from all the eating madness this time around is a new perspective on what constitutes fine dining. Dine Around Seattle continually impresses me with their choosiness about the list of participants. And although the restaurants vary far and wide in concept and cuisine, the overall emphasis on creating a complete experience from greeting to exit was consistent. I left each restaurant feeling like I’d been welcomed, and taken care of in whatever manner is their signature style. In fact, Secret Diner #1 and I got to talking about the idea, and we’ve decided to pen a short missive on the subject. See below.

Until next time, happy dining around Seattle.