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| Season after season, the dining just keeps getting better. Read about the Secret Diner’s experiences: |
| Dine Around Seattle November 2007 Re-cap |
It's time to step away from the table. November's Dine Around Seattle promotion has come to a close after a month packed with delicious meals. Local restaurateurs welcomed guests for another busy month of dining. Restaurant participation expanded and patrons enthusiastically embraced the addition of five new restaurants, Mixtura, Veil, 35th Street Bistro, Barolo and BOKA, which were all strong players amongst their peers. Following is a round-up of my thoughts and observations from a month of meals:
From the Heart of Washington Award
While local produce and meat were included on menus around the city, no one did a better job of promoting their sources than newcomer 35th Street Bistro. Highlighting pork from Walla Walla's Thundering Hooves, mussels from Taylor Shellfish Farms in Shelton and organic greens from Carnation's Full Circle Farm, the Bistro's menu was loaded with pedigreed seasonal ingredients.
Tour Walla Walla
Diners took a tasting tour of Walla Walla Valley during November's Dine Around promotion with glasses, bottles and flights showcasing wines from this popular region's producers. I saw labels from longtime favorites like L'Ecole No 41, Seven Hills and Woodward Canyon and was excited to try wines from newcomers Sleight of Hand, Waters, Tertulia Cellars and Otis Kenyon. Some favorite boutique producers like Bergevin Lane, Isenhower Cellars, Rulo, Buty and Walla Walla Vintners also had a good showing. On the sweet side, late harvest gewürztraminers from Forgeron Cellars and Three Rivers Winery lent their charm to many desserts. Dozens of wineries were featured throughout the promotion on lists around town; Cougar Crest, Saviah Cellars, Glen Fiona, Beresan, Nicholas Cole, Ash Hollow, Dusted Valley Vintners, Cayuse, Poet's Leap, Amavi, Dunham Cellars, Couvillion, Syzygy, Leonetti, Pepper Bridge, Reininger, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Five Star, Basel Cellars and Fort Walla Walla Cellars. My favorite flight was at Six Seven where three wines (Buty semillon/sauvignon blanc, Isenhower Paintbrush Red and Otis Kenyon syrah) were generously poured tableside and served at the same time, giving us a chance to contrast and compare each with our food throughout the meal. At $15 for the flight, it was also one of the best deals I encountered.
Trends to Watch
Chefs are deconstructing classic dishes, giving them a new personality. At Sazerac, the Caesar salad's anchovy arrives on garlic crostini instead of mashed into the dressing. At Barking Frog, steak tartare became a quasi-burger and fries. Cassoulet got a makeover at Cascadia, with pheasant leg and sausage in place of the typical pork products. Fish Club served a tiramisu-inspired espresso panna cotta with crispy cake crumbs and a mocha tuile.
A fan of salty flavors, I couldn't be happier to see the trend of savory seasoning perking up sweet endings. Crystals of fleur de sel in caramel sauce at 35th Street Bistro, a sweet and salty chocolate cake at Earth & Ocean, salted peanut ice cream at Veil and the salted chocolate covered caramels at Brasa were strong examples of this tasty trend.
Most versatile seasonal ingredient
There was hardly a restaurant that didn't feature squash in some form. Whether pumpkin, butternut or delicata, it appeared most often pureed for soup, but squash also filled pasta, was cubed and roasted for salads, whisked with eggs for a savory flan and sweetened for puddings, cakes and tarts. Some favorite squash preparations: pumpkin cranberry bread pudding at BOKA, cardamom spiced puree with pork belly at Brasa and the deeply flavored butternut squash soup with smoked chevre at Earth & Ocean.
Also making a welcome showing was celery root. My favorite dish with this underappreciated vegetable was ricotta ravioli with celery root cream and braised oxtails at Fish Club. At Veil, it was an elegant soup with the surprise of rosemary marshmallow. Restaurant Zoe also created a delicious soup with it, simply dressed with crčme fraiche and fines herbes.
Kudos as well to Cascadia, Six Seven, Nell's and Eva for showing off fall's other underachievers, parsnips and rutabagas, while Etta's, Flying Fish, Ponti and Sazerac made magic with sweet potatoes.
Most unique menu offerings
Interestingly, the newest restaurants joining the Dine Around promotion this fall also offered some of the most unique food choices. Though I approached them with some trepidation, the grilled beef hearts at Mixtura were outstanding, beefy and tender, with a lightly smoky flavor from the grill. Barolo's baby octopus sautéed with chickpeas was a novel and delicious treat. Bubbling hot brandade (salt cod puree) at 35th Street Bistro was infused, but not overwhelmed, with garlic and had a wonderfully creamy texture. I loved the playful marshmallow garnish on soups both savory and sweet at Veil.
Best meatless entrees
Amazingly savory, Mixtura's quinoa-based "risotto" was rich with flavor from wild mushrooms and truffle oil. Cascadia's exquisite morel mushroom and salsify tart was elegant and earthy, with truffled mashed potatoes and tender lentils and beans whose rich flavor was freshened with racy pomegranate molasses. Six Seven's winter vegetable cassoulet beautifully showcased the subtle charm of parsnips, rutabagas and sweet potatoes.
The Favorites
As I thought back over my dining experiences, I was a little astonished to realize that since I tasted my own food and my guests, during the last month I have sampled 60 appetizers, 60 entrees and 60 desserts. From that lengthy list, here are a few that really stood out…
Appetizers
Peanut dusted calamari with sweet chili sauce at Yarrow Bay Grill
Brandade with garlic crostini at 35th Street Bistro
Onion and taleggio tart at Eva
Cured salmon and ahi tartare with pickled cucumber salad at Third Floor Fish Café
Hot and sour spicy seafood miso soup at Nishino
Gnudi with brown butter balsamic vinaigrette and crispy sage at Restaurant Zoe
Entrees
Pheasant leg and smoked sausage cassoulet at Cascadia
Grilled thick cut pork chop on the bone with fig and cherry compote at Andaluca
Ricotta ravioli with celery root cream and oxtails at Fish Club
Trofie pasta with mascarpone, chanterelles and lemon zest at Earth & Ocean
Halibut with rock shrimp croquette at Ray's Boathouse
Crispy skinned roasted chicken with lemon risotto at Tulio
Desserts
Sticky toffee pudding and the burnt creamsicle at Yarrow Bay Grill
Salted peanut ice cream with peanut butter chocolate crunch at Veil
Frangipane tart with pistachios, figs and honey at Campagne
Cherry clafouti at Szmania's
Pumpkin cranberry bread pudding at BOKA
Vanilla bean caramel custard with port meringue at Mixtura
A Note on Service
In general, I'd say the quality of service at restaurants we visited was good. A few places had staff that did an exceptional job across the board, including a warm welcome, support for the Dine Around promotion, tableside manner and professional skill; Cascadia, Eva, Ponti, Ray's Boathouse, Szmania's, Veil and Yarrow Bay Grill.
We're lucky to have such a diverse and talented group of chefs and restaurateurs in the Seattle area. If you had a favorite, I encourage you to show your support and visit them again. Until March,
Secret Diner
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