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). 

Amuse Bouche: Chickpea fritter, bread + butter

First and Second Courses (clockwise from top left):
Steak Tartare: Peter Canlis' recipe, raw Wagyu tenderloin
Peter Canlis Prawns: Dry vermouth, garlic and lime
Dungeness Crab: Cabbage, sunchoke and buttermilk
Carrot: Celery, apple and cashew
Canlis Salad: Romaine, bacon, mint, oregano and Romano cheese

Third Course (clockwise from top left):
Black Cod: Sweet potato, turnip and buta-furikake
Filet Mignon: Chanterelle, spinach and cipollini onions
Muscovy Duck: 28-day dry-aged duck breast, onion and quince
Wagyu: American grown kobe-style New York Strip

Fourth Course (clockwise from top):
Macarons: Rum Raisin & Chocolate Mint
Banana Mousse: Chocolate ganache, peanut and miso
Souffle: Grand Marnier and creme anglaise
Cake: Grape, hazelnut and elderflower

At $100 per person for a four-course prix fixe without drinks, tax or tip, I do think the price is a bit steep for what you get (some of the dishes were a bit salty and the Wagyu, which had a $20 supplement, was not as tender as I would have expected), but the views and atmosphere of the place really made the night special, not to mention the top notch service. Definitely great for a special occasion, but I think the general consensus was that we would rather return to Altura for our future higher end meals.

Thanks again Seattle!