Holiday Eats in the Pacific Northwest

Happy holidays everyone! Although I was only home for a short period of time, we still managed to fit in a few visits to some new places. Having gotten accustomed to the more expensive and "quality over quantity" style of New York cuisine, I can't get over how big the portion sizes are in Seattle (though quality is still great!). 

Staple & Fancy

Staple & Fancy Mercantile, opened in 2010, is the brainchild of chef/entrepreneur Ethan Stowell and his wife, Angela Stowell. The refurbished Kolstrand Building in which the restaurant is located was previously the site of a staple and fancy mercantile factory, hence the name of Stowell's latest venture. The restaurant sits next to another famous Seattle establishment, Walrus & the Carpenter, solidifying the more gentrified corner of the town of Ballard. The interior has a decidedly "Seattle hipster" feel and is relatively spacious and industrial-looking while still managing to maintain a warm and welcoming ambience. The food is similar in that manner and is generally served family-style with a strong Italian influence.

Appetizers (clockwise from top left):
Bruschetta, smoked fish, picked onion, watercress
Grilled Octopus, smoked olive and potato salad, celery, lemon aioli
Fried Oysters, fennel salad, calabrian chili aioli

Pasta and Mains (clockwise from top left):
Tagliarini Vongole, clams, oregano, chili
Wood Grilled Whole Fish, brown butter, capers, lemon, fried herbs
Rigatoni, duck, kale, rosemary
Prime New York Steak, hen of the woods mushroom, salsa verde

Desserts (from top to bottom):
Passion fruit panna cotta
Chocolate terrine with orange marmalade

We ordered off the a la carte menu, but Staple & Fancy is well known for their Chef's Choice omakase-style menu, where your table will receive a selection of appetizers, pastas, entrees and desserts to share for $55 per person. Our bill ended up being slightly cheaper, though we did notice there were some off the menu items that were served to the neighboring table that opted for the tasting menu. 

Canlis

As a Christmas gift to our parents this year, my brother and I decided to take our parents to Canlis, one of the top fine dining restaurants in the Seattle area since its opening in 1950. I was only able to secure a late reservation (9 PM... pretty late for parents who normally go to bed around 10 PM every night), but it was worth it as we were seated at a huge table that would normally fit six people in the corner with unobstructed views overlooking Lake Union. Canlis is famous for its amazing customer service, from complimentary valet and coat check where they will remember your car/coats without even giving you a numbered ticket, to even a personal escort to the bathroom (it is a bit difficult to find). 

San Francisco Snapshot: Auberge du Soleil + Benu

This is extremely delayed, but.... visited San Francisco for the first time (that I can remember) this past Labor Day weekend! All I can say is, super jealous of the amazing weather all year round, but we're having a pretty warm winter season here in NYC this year so thanks El Niño! Anyway, a brief photo summary of this past vacation:

Auberge Du Soleil

I can't imagine a more perfect way to end a day of wine tasting in Napa Valley than dinner with a few of your closest friends on the terrace of Auberge Du Soleil, overlooking an amazing view as the sun sets. The service and food was decent, though I feel a large contributor to their one-Michelin star award would probably be its location / view.

Amuse + Palette cleanser:Tomato + Ricotta, Corn soup (I think) and
Appetizer: Sauteed Foie Gras
Second Course: Seared Ahi Tuna
Main: Prime Beef Pave
Dessert: Chocolate Devil's Food Cake, Mint Ice Cream

If only every day could end like this...

Benu

No words (that I could come up with, at least) could ever perfectly describe just how good Benu is. It has been called Asian fusion, but comparing it to those "Fusion"-style restaurants so many of us are familiar with is like saying Babbo, Batali's pasta haven in New York's West Village, tastes just like Olive Garden. I know, blasphemy, right? Having been awarded its third Michelin star only a year ago, Corey Lee's Benu is both classic and innovative. Being Asian, our group was very familiar with many of the flavors and concepts presented to us, but each dish still managed to surprise and impress us with its execution. That being said, culinary perfection does not come cheap - tasting menu without wine, tip or tax is currently priced at $248 per person.

Here and There

Just a few random posts from past meals out around the city:

Maialino

Proschiutto + Mozzarella; Bread Basket; Fritto Misto (with soft shell crab!!!)

Seafood Stew; Sucking Pig; Trio of pastas (vongole, cacio e pepe, ragu)

L'Artusi

Roasted mushroom with pancetta and fried egg, Crispy potatoes

Potato Gnocchi + Rabbit Cacciatore, Olive Oil Cake
Rhubarb Crostata, Cavatelli + Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Nakazawa

Dreams do come true! After multiple failed attempts, I was finally able to reserve two seats at the bar at Sushi Nakazawa. Daisuke Nakazawa, who most people recognize as the Jiro apprentice who labored over his egg tamago for months and cried when Jiro finally approved of it, personally serves each piece of his omakase menu to his customers, which made getting a week night reservation top priority for me (he doesn't work on the weekends). Sitting at the bar is a completely different experience compared to the dining room, and though it serves the same menu for $30 more, it is without a doubt worth the extra money to watch the sushi chefs cut, prepare and season each piece of nigiri. Sushi Nakazawa is not super traditional as each piece of fish is enhanced in some way through salt, smoke or shiso leaves, but I felt that made the entire meal more exciting. Final verdict? Worth it!

Ivory King Salmon, Japanese salt

Copper River Salmon, Hay Smoked

Scallop, Yuzu

Cuttlefish, Shiso Leaf, Ume Plum Jelly

Japanese Flounder, Dried Cherry Blossom

Rosy Seabass

Mackerel three ways: Spanish, Horse, Mackerel

Spotted Prawn, Ossetra Caviar

Snow Crab, Innards

Farewell to Sugiyama

It's been over 15 years since Sugiyama was first given three stars by Ruth Reichl during her last year as a food critic for the New York Times. Since then, countless restaurants have come and go, but Sugiyama has remained a stationary institution, continuously opening the eyes of weary, critical New Yorkers to the traditional kaiseki cuisine of Japan.

All good things must come to an end, and it was a bittersweet dinner as we visited the restaurant before its closing at the end of May.

We trusted our waiter with a sake recommendation and he did not fail us!
Sakizuke: Seasonal appetizer (monkfish liver)
Zensai: Delicate arrangement of seasonal Japanese fish and vegetable

Tukuri: Assorted sashimi
Suimono: Seasonal clear soup
Nimono: Seasonal vegetables cooked in light sauce

Ishiyaki: Tenderloin served on hot stone
Oshinogi: Oshisushi

Shokuji: Home made rice with various vegetables, miso soup, and Japanese pickles
Dessert: Grape fruit wine jelly with cream

If you have the chance, visit soon and say your own goodbyes!

Lucky Peach

Ever since watching The Mind of a Chef, I've been dying to try David Chang's Momofuku Ko, his chef's table, tasting menu-format restaurant in the East Village. Thanks to the best boyfriend, I had the opportunity to finally try it out during my birthday weekend. What followed was three hours of culinary innovation and an open-kitchen experience.

lobster paloise, tartlet

vegetable roll 

millefeuille

madal - consomme, shiso

razor clam - pineapple, basil

sunchoke - dry aged beef, tarragon

uni - chickpea, hozon

Skewers + Plates

Slowly making my way through my most recent food experiences... Had the extreme luxury of dining at a few more Michelin-starred restaurants over the past few months. From Japanese to French to Modern American, the prix-fixe / tasting menu format really allowed us to experience the most of what the places had to offer.

Torishin

Torishin offers probably one of the best tasting menus for the value - $65 per person for an appetizer, a few small plates, 8 skewers (6 meat, 2 vegetable), a rice dish and dessert. I'm usually not a huge fan of chicken (which this place specializes in), but every skewer I tried was different in texture and taste, while still bursting with flavor. I was unbelievably stuffed by the end and would probably opt for a la carte next time I visit, but for those who have a big appetite, this is the perfect dinner spot.

A few skewers (I think these two are chicken thigh and heart), grated daikon and an appetizer of grilled uni that we ordered on the side

Yam, radish, tobiko, quail egg and seaweed; chicken breast with plum and shiso; chicken meatball; chicken oysters; shishito peppers; chicken cartilage

Potatoes; another appetizer ordered on the side (scallops and mushrooms); oyako don (chicken and egg over rice); green tea ice cream

Dovetail

At $88 a person, the four-course menu at Dovetail is not a bad deal and the portions are definitely sufficient. For an even more affordable multi-course meal, I would recommend going on Sunday nights for their "Sunday Suppa" menu, which offers an appetizer, entree and ice cream sundae dessert for under $60. Overall, the food and presentation was executed very well, but there was nothing extremely special about the cuisine that would bring me back anytime soon. However, definitely a solid option for those looking for a fancy / romantic date night or dinner out with the parents!

Great bread selection (truffle arancini, cornbread and multigrain cracker); Potato soup (I think) and a tiny lettuce wrap; Steak tartare, chayote, pumpkin seeds, masa

Venison, saucisson poivre, salsify, trumpet mushrooms; Tuna crudo, baby beets, watercress, pumpernickel; Baked cauliflower, caramelized onion quinoa, dandelions 

Popcorn sorbet; Mignardises; Bittersweet chocolate souffle, cardamom, earl grey ice cream; Brie creme brulee, pecan financier, pineapple, sherbet

The Modern at MoMA

My friend was super excited about visiting The Modern, mainly because it was located in the Museum of Modern Art, and was known for its supposedly artful presentation and ambience. The dining room itself is beautiful with floor to ceiling glass windows that showcase the outdoor sculpture garden (unfortunately we had a later dinner so were unable to enjoy the views outside). Right outside is the Bar Room, an open area with a more casual dining atmosphere with smaller tables and a bar.

Going Global: California to Stockholm

Sharing a few more of my recent restaurant visits...

Upland

Upland is honestly one of my favorite places I've been to over the past few months. The layout of the venue is open and casual and the vibe was very lively and energetic the night we went. I usually don't comment on the service (prefer to focus on the food...) but our waiter was extremely personable and engaging throughout our entire meal without approaching the line of being too overbearing. The food and wine was also on point - not sure what all this "California-inspired" cuisine really means, but it was a great balance between "the classics" and innovation. Best part of the night? The bread. May or may not have polished off two whole loaves...

Unfortunately this was one of those prototypical NYC restaurants that loves dim / candle-lit lighting..
Warm and crusty potato bread; Beef Tartare, black trumpet mushroom, puffed farro, anchovy + egg yolk

Roasted Short Rib (for two), castelvetrano olives, walnuts, celery + horseradish
Whole Crispy Mushroom; Estrella pasta, chicken liver, sherry, rosemary + sage; Chocolate tart

Aquavit

I also had the opportunity to visit Aquavit, the modern Nordic establishment that just earned its second Michelin star this year. Good food, good wine and good conversation made it the perfect reunion for the Senior Eating Club. It was my first experience with the suddenly popular "New Nordic" cuisine, and I found that it involved a lot of smoke and seafood, which was more or less what I expected but was still executed very well. We opted for the Chef's Tasting to get a true experience of what Aquavit had to offer, and though I have to honestly say that it wasn't exciting enough to warrant a return visit anytime soon, the food was all very good and the dessert was definitely something to remember (and the only thing that I would strongly consider going back for).

Family Feast: Altura

Christmas Dinner at Altura

After so many years of Christmas surprises, presents and delicious meals, my brother and I decided to turn the tables and treat our parents to a nice meal. Altura has been named "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation and has appeared in countless reviews and articles for its locally sourced, open-kitchen concept. Its affordable wine pairing option also made it the perfect choice for a fun family outing post-Christmas. I think we found a new fav in Seattle!

Amuse Bouche: Fermented potatoes with arugula/pesto puree, house-cured ham, Japanese parsley, Italian olives

First course: Foie Gras seared and chilled

First Course: Wagyu beef crudo 

Course 1: Spicy grilled octopus

Course 2: Gnocchi with lamb and wagyu beef ragu

Course 2: Wild Boar Tajarin

Course 2: Pappardelle with spicy ragu of braised tripe and oxtail

Course 3: Wagyu steak with toasted farro and hedgehog mushrooms

Love in the Language of Food

Happy Valentine's / Presidents' Weekend! My feelings about the holiday:

And I did! Had an amazing home-cooked dinner with the roommate and boyfriend - so much better than spending a crazy night in one of the many overcrowded and underlit restaurants serving overpriced tasting menus. Instead, I ate until I was about to burst and spent the rest of the night nursing a rather painful food baby...

Look at that marbling... Excuse me while I have some alone time with these beauties. Is that weird?
Washyu NY Strip (left) and Flat Iron (right)

Anniversary Celebration New Zealand-Style

As a way to celebrate Valentine's Day and our 3-year anniversary (killing two birds in one stone, yeah!), David and I decided to visit The Musket Room tonight. I haven't had much Australian or New Zealand cuisine before, and I can't say I found it to be much different than food served in New American-style restaurants, but I loved our experience. The ambience was extremely unpretentious for a one Michelin starred establishment and the service was consistently warm and friendly. They even made the effort to make our anniversary dinner special with a personalized dessert presentation and menus / mignardises to take home at the end of the night (though I just opened the menu and found that half of the courses were incorrectly documented... oh well, guess it's the thought that counts. They probably didn't expect people to actually open the lovely wax-sealed paper).