Here's Where To Sample The Essence Of Northwest Cuisine, Seattle- Style
What is Northwest cuisine? For me it's a dozen fresh oysters, an oyster knife, my kitchen sink, and the solitude to slurp with abandon. But that answer just won't do when I'm asked, "Which Seattle restaurants best showcase Northwest know-how and Seattle flavor?" In answer to that may I suggest these:
-- Anthony's Pier 66 (Bell Street Pier, 2201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, 206-448-6688): It's the other Anthony's, that upscale answer to Anthony's HomePort. Downtown waterfront. Mount Rainier view. Seattle skyline. Fresh seafood. Chef Tony Ring's seafood-centric menu is Northwest-inspired and tweaked with a Pacific Rim bent. Two words: crab cakes.
-- Brasa (2107 Third Ave., Seattle, 206-728-4220): Seattle's latest "It" restaurant is already taking the town by storm, offering casual elegance and chef Tamara Murphy's Mediterranean-influenced take on seasonal ingredients. The bar scene's red-hot, the look's seductive and the menu changes daily (roast suckling pig, anyone?).
-- Campagne (86 Pine St., Seattle, 206-728-2800) and Cafe Campagne (1600 Post Alley, Seattle, 206-728-2233): Nodding to France yet distinctly Northwest, Peter Lewis' upstairs-downstairs Pike Place Market charmers offer posh and polish as a dinner and bar venue (Campagne), and as a very-French bistro (Cafe Campagne). Chef Jim Drohman reigns supreme.
-- Canlis (2576 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle, 206-283-3313): Old-Seattle glamour. New-Seattle savvy. Celebrate those special occasions with Chris and Alice Canlis at their stunning Lake Union aerie. Nearly 50 years of family tradition move into the new millennium with an oh-so-Northwest menu newly interpreted by chef-exec Greg Atkinson. Sommelier Rob Bigelow's wine list continues to astound.
-- Dahlia Lounge (1904 Fourth Ave., Seattle, 206-682-4142), Etta's Seafood (2020 Western Ave., Seattle, 206-443-6000), and Palace Kitchen (2030 Fifth Ave., Seattle, 206-448-2001): Nobody does it better than Tom Douglas - whose mighty triumvirate could well define Seattle cuisine: locally based, globally inspired, off-the-charts in execution. The Dahlia's got romance (in spades), Etta's does seafood (and then some), and the Palace rocks with rustic fare and a bodacious bar.
-- Flying Fish (2234 First Ave., Seattle, 206-728-8595): Always hopping, always happening, always ahead of the curve, chef Christine Keff wows 'em with fish and shellfish flown in from exotic locales - and does wonders with seafood culled from local waters, too. Don't-miss dishes (including Sister-in-Law Mussels and whole fried snapper given the Vietnamese treatment) show off Keff at her best.
-- Kaspar's (19 W. Harrison St., Seattle, 206-298-0123): Don't let that Swiss-born and trained pedigree fool you. There's nothing staid and Continental about imaginative wizard Kaspar Donier, who helps set the standard for Northwest-inspiration at this Lower Queen Anne dinner-house and wine bar. Wife Nancy and brother Markus help run the show.
-- Lampreia (2400 First Ave., Seattle, 206-443-3301): Chef-owner Scott Carsberg is a culinary genius who coaxes flavors out of the finest ingredients with minimal fuss, producing maximum effect. The setting: spare, sleek, sophisticated - the perfect complement to a frequently changing menu.
-- The Painted Table (Alexis Hotel, 92 Madison St., Seattle, 206-624-3646): It's now the Re-Painted Table, with a dining room remodel making things ever-so-much-more comfy-cozy. Meanwhile, chef Tim Kelley continues working with his vibrant palette, combining his love of Northwest ingredients with his New York-honed kitchen skills while riffing on French/Asian themes.
-- Rover's (2808 E. Madison St., Seattle, 206-325-7442): Enough about his hat! It's what's under it that counts: Thierry Rautureau - a highly trained, exquisitely skilled Frenchy with a casual Northwest attitude and a sense of humor that belies his serious abilities. This handsome Madison Park cottage is the place to go for a fussy, pull-out-the-stops prix-fixe dinner.
Find an occasion. Make a reservation. Decide for yourself if these suggestions define "Northwest cuisine" for you. Perhaps I'll see you there. I'll be the one eating the oysters.