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.
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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).
