Nosh Pit Blog

Food News Roundup

Neighborhood Food News: Full Tilt Gains an Ice Cream Lab, Trophy Cupcakes Delivers

Plus: Met Market gets in the Valentine’s spirit, Tom Douglas Wants to Send You to Hawaii, Wild Ginger riffs on the Gauguin exhibit, and more.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Feb 08, 2012 at 10:30AM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Trophy Cupcakes now delivers. Photo courtesy their website.

BELLEVUE
John Howie is getting in on the Sunday supper trend. These new weekly meals will be sized for four and, of course, centered on a shared steak.

CAPITOL HILL
Eater Seattle reports that tonight at Bako there will be both free snacks and fashion. It’s a Wednesday night grab-bag of an event: a DJ, a fashion show, vodka drinks, and $5 Bako gift cards.

DOWNTOWN
Another downtown restaurant is finding menu inspiration at the Seattle Art Museum. Wild Ginger is creating a menu inspired by Gauguin’s Polynesia, on exhibit at SAM through April 29. The menu will be available tomorrow, but here’s a teaser: twice-cooked Indonesian wings, first simmered in a myriad of Southeast Asian spices, then fried and coated in hoisin barbeque sauce. Even better, these dishes are accompanied by a new tropical cocktail.

GREEN LAKE
Free babysitting at Café Bonjour on Valentine’s Day. Parents eat, kids play under supervision. (But if you have scored a sitter, boy have we got Valentine’s dinner ideas for you. Here and here.)

QUEEN ANNE
Metropolitan Market is going all out for Valentine’s: from 5-7 on Thursday there will be a champagne tasting, crab cakes, oysters, and chocolate covered strawberries at the Mercer Street location. And from 4-7 that same day, sample Cupcake Royale’s Deathcake and Macrina Bakery’s chocolate cherry heart loaf. Both pastries will be at the Queen Anne Ave location for sample and for sale on Saturday.

WEST SEATTLE
Full Tilt Ice Cream is expanding, though not with a new retail location this time (yet.) According to the West Seattle blog, the ice creamery is taking over a 6,061 square-foot space to use for manufacturing, storage, and as a laboratory, with tentative plans for retail space and perhaps a gallery in the future. The new space will allow Full Tilt to crank out more goodness, as well as give kids mouthwatering tours.

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Tom Douglas wants to send you to Hawaii. Two tickets to Kona, three nights at a swanky hotel, and a big seafood dinner are up for grabs. Drop by any of his restaurants to pick up the contest questions, or download it here and drop it off.

Dangerous: Trophy Cupcakes are now available by delivery. A day’s notice and a minimum order of a dozen cupcakes (maybe a batch of February’s special dark chocolate raspberry cupcakes…) will get you delivery for $15 in Seattle, $20 in Bellevue.

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Tags: Tom Douglas, Full Tilt, Neighborhood Food News Roundup, Cupcakes, Food News Roundup, Wild Ginger, Sunday Suppers, Free Food, Contests, Trophy Cupcakes

Street Eatin'

Truck Stop: Barbara Pagarigan of The Bistro Box

“I love the creativity behind this new world,” says the sandwich and slider chef.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Feb 08, 2012 at 09:00AM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

The Bistro Box: sliders, sandwiches, and more.

In Truck Stop, we meet the folks at the wheel of Seattle’s food trucks.

When the economy spiraled downward and Barbara Pagarigan found herself without a job, she did as many have done and turned to trucks. “Loving the idea and excitement they were stirring up, I started checking them out,” says the Washington State native. “I love the creativity behind this new world and the ‘location, location, location’ factor, so I made the leap.”

Said leap was launching The Bistro Box, a trailer dedicated to sliders, sandwiches (including—awesomely—breakfast varieties), and Belgian-style frites. Pagarigan is most often found shilling in Renton but recently joined the pod at Microsoft. Here, she pulls over for a few questions.

What item sells out first? Our french dip: toasted baguette loaded with natural roast beef, horseradish sauce, and au jus—customers say they drink it to the last drop.

What else should I try? The OMG sliders (because they are OMG astonishingly delicious): kobe beef with peanut butter, thick crispy bacon, and pepper jelly.

Where do your recipes come from? They usually start with one key ingredient or flavor and emerge into a sandwich, spread, or entree. I consult the Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg quite often for inspiration combining flavors and ingredients. The best items on our truck didn’t take long to develop, if I have to work on it too hard it isn’t going to come together.

What, if anything, would you like to change about the city’s new street food regulations? Even with the new regulations there are still a lot of hoops to go through: permission from business owners, restroom agreements within 200 feet. I’d like to see those loosened up.

When I’m not in my truck you can find me eating at… My dining room table.

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Tags: Street Food, Seattle Food Trucks, Truck Stop, The Bistro Box

Food Events

Slideshow: Foodportunity Returns to Palace Ballroom

Check out what everyone was eating at Monday night’s networking event.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Feb 07, 2012 at 01:20PM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Metropolitan Market whipped up mac and cheese made with a nutty-sweet gouda.

View Slideshow »

Gastronomes and media folk descended upon Palace Ballroom Monday evening for Foodportunity, the network-and-nosh event put on by Keren Brown (aka Frantic Foodie).

Brown has organized Foodportunity for several years now, both here and in Portland. The idea behind these events is to come and converse with fellow food obsessives while sampling bites from top-notch restaurateurs and local purveyors. The chefs talk attendees through the dish they chose to prepare, which is a neat opportunity to get inside their heads. Name tags facilitate the networking side of things, as does the cash bar (it’s amply stocked). So convivial is the atmosphere even foodportunists flying solo will find someone with whom to chat.

Many of the people at Foodportunity are repeat attenders and will eagerly share lessons learned from past events. For example, they’ll tell you it’s best to arrive when doors open at 6, when few others are there. That way you can go nuts with the food and avoid the awkwardness of trying to converse while doing so. (Or worse, getting grub stuck between your teeth during a gab session—definitely a networking no-no.) Also: it’s easy to miss the booths hidden in the back right corner of the foyer, but they’re some of the best of the bunch.

Check out the slideshow for more from the event and a sampling of the food on offer.

All photos by Seattlemet.com photographer Lucas Anderson.

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Tags: Palace Ballroom, Seattle Food Events, Foodportunity

Seattle Restaurant Openings

Cafe Munir: Lively Lebanese in Loyal Heights

Bright little plates in a simple space make for a sweet shared meal.

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Feb 07, 2012 at 09:15AM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Inside the restaurant, handmade metal lamps sent from Egypt by Gargour’s family dangle from the high ceiling and a gilded portrait of his son hangs on the wall.

View Slideshow »

After moving to Seattle, Rajah Gargour missed the large, lively family meals of Lebanon, where he spent the first ten years of his life. So the Serafina and Szmania’s veteran brought them here, to his new Loyal Heights restaurant called Cafe Munir —which he’s confident is the only authentic Lebanese restaurant in Seattle. The airy white-walled space opened briefly in December, but Gargour held the official grand opening a few weeks ago, welcoming the neighborhood in for a colorful feast in the fresh space.

Currently he serves dinner only, but Gargour has plans for lunch, especially on Sundays, when he’s imagining a leisurely, end-of week family feast. With most items on the menu of hot and cold mezzes coming in around $5 and sharing plates the norm, Cafe Munir is a solid spot for dining cheap. But the refined space is nice enough for a quiet date, and the food sampled on a recent visit is certainly interesting enough to merit a drive from more distant neighborhoods.

“In Lebanon there’s a real tradition of…having big family lunches and dinners and drinking,” Gargour explained of the culture he wants to replicate in his new spot. He’s kept the interior simple with only a few thoughtful decorations, hoping to fill the space with something other than baubles. A real Lebanese feast, he says, is a “multisensory experience…shisha smoke in one nose and whiskey breath in the other…the people getting louder and louder.” Cafe Munir isn’t quite this raucous, but Gargour, a self-proclaimed whiskey nerd, does have an extensive collection of whiskeys and traditional Lebanese spirits stashed behind the bar.

The food is multi-sensory too—Lebanese tradition eschews individual plates in favor of dozens of colorful little bites called mezze; this culture was doing small plates before small plates were hip. The chef-owner wants his food to reflect the same purity as his space: “We’re trying to do things very simple…we don’t care about garnishing for looks, we’re garnishing just for taste.” Nothing is frippery here; a good example is the muhallabieh, a light milk pudding breezily flavored with orange flower water and topped with finely crushed pistachios. Or the traditional semolina cake made new with house-made arak syrup, the tiny pasty buzzing with anise.

The restaurant’s color, says Gargour, should come from the dishes and the people gathered to eat them. And soon a table was filled with color: first tiny fried pastries stuffed with bright pink beetstalks, lamb, and pinenuts, one of Gargour’s twists on a Lebanese basic. Seconds later, red muham’marra, which Gargour likened to romesco—a rich puree of roasted red peppers brightened with chilies and walnuts. This was served alongside the less traditional bright spring green mukhaddara, a Cafe Munir blend of poblano peppers, mint, almonds, and pistachios. Then batinjan Josephine, a bowl of incredibly rich labne—yogurt strained for a day to peak creaminess—topped with a mound of roasted onion, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Soon after that: the most delightfully smoky baba ganoush I’ve ever tasted and delicate arayess, minty haloumi cheese wrapped in delicate phyllo and fried.

In keeping Cafe Munir simple, Gargour keeps the focus on the food and the act of sharing it, recreating those Lebanese family meals he remembers. The slideshow above shares more details on the space and the food.

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Tags: Seattle Restaurant Openings, Restaurant News, Cafe Munir, Rajah Gargour

Shift Change

Branzino Brings in New Chef, Revamps Menu

“It’s kind of like we’re hitting the reset button,” says Garrett Michael Brown.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Feb 06, 2012 at 01:46PM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Does a new chef and menu signal a comeback for Branzino? Photo courtesy branzinoseattle.com.

Belltown’s Branzino opened several years ago to plaudits and accolades from local food folk. The appearance of the restaurant’s executive cook, Ashley Merriman, on Top Chef kept the buzz coming for awhile thereafter, then the spot sort of fell out of conversation. But Branzino’s most recent hire believes the restaurant is about to get its second wind.

“It’s kind of like we’re hitting the reset button,” says Garrett Michael Brown, new executive chef. “We’re poised to make a comeback and hit it again.”

Brown started the day after Christmas but only recently revealed the transition. Before settling at Branzino, Brown engaged in a bit of kitchen hopscotch following the closure of Verve, where he spent five years: for a few short months he was at Oddfellows, then took an even shorter stint at Terra Plata.

With the addition of Brown has come a slew of changes. All the pasta is now made in-house, for example, and the kitchen is aging and curing meats. The menu rotates weekly, and is far more rooted in local ingredients. Brown describes the focus as “Northwest based in Italian.”

So, anybody been lately? What’d you think?

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Tags: Shift Change, Garrett Michael Brown, Branzino

Food And Drink Events

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner

Beer and chocolate at Pike Brewing, Gail Simmons at Book Larder.

Posted by: Brian Colella on Feb 06, 2012 at 12:20PM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

“Foreplay before the big day” at Pike Brewing Co.’s Chocofest.

MONDAY February 6

Thanks to a juggernaut of tweets, blog posts, and sneak peek videos, most local food peeps are well aware that Andrew Zimmern’s Seattle episode of Bizarre Foods airs tonight. His Puget Sound exploits included a trip to Marination Mobile, and the food truck and sibling restaurant concocted a special today-only menu item in honor of the TV host. It’s a kimchi fried rice with Spam, but in this case Spam stands for “Some People Are From Minnesota,” which happens to be Zimmern’s home state. Apparently Zimmern isn’t such a fan of this particular precooked meat product. Offer some proof that you hail from Minnesota and you can score a free Spam slider as well.

TUESDAY February 7

Central District youth organization Coyote Central has launched a monthly pop-up-ish dinner in its new professional kitchen, inviting notablelocal chef to put on a three-course meal (with wine) for about $50 a person. Marjorie chef Paul Hyman kicks things off. Other chefs on the calendar include Terra Plata’s Tamara Murphy, Wayne Johnson of (as of recently) Ray’s Boathouse, and Plum Bistro chef Makini Howell, recently deemed easy on the eyes over at Eater Seattle. Proceeds support Coyote’s culinary youth program, and middle-school-aged graduates assist with service and plating. Hyman’s dinner is $45, or $160 for four.

SUNDAY February 12

Pike Brewing brings together chocolatiers, winemakers, brewers, cheesemakers bakeries, and restaurants for the fourth annual ChocoFest. Pregame for Valentine’s Day with beers brewed specially for the occasion—Pike will be offering the XXXX Cocoa Cherry Porter—and maybe pick up some great last-minute gifts from local vendors, all while supporting FareStart. Call 206-812-6604 to reserve your spot.

This month’s Sunday supper at Ethan Stowell’s Tavolata features Garfield’s favorite. Chef Brandon Kirksey’s four-course menu offers two lasagnas: beef ragù and Swiss chard with mushroom. The communal-table dinner starts at 6 and costs $25 per person. Call 206-838-8008 to reserve one (or more) of the 26 seats.

TUESDAY February 14

Tom Douglas is hosting a special Valentine’s night at the Palace Ballroom, to help you and a special someone get a little bit closer—longing gazes and G-rated canoodling are encouraged. Warm up at 7 with cocktail hour and a truffle-making demo, then sit down at 7:45 for four courses including a third course served for two to share (if you want). Feeling footloose? Get down to the sounds of the Jacqueline Tabor Trio. Tickets are $75 per person plus tax and gratuity.

BEYOND

Feb 27 Chris Camarda and David Oldham of Andrew Will will be on hand at RN74 to give guidance in enjoying the Vashon Island–based winery’s vintages. The Behind the Bottle series brings in guest winemakers to demystify the sauce, while lead sommelier Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen explains the food pairings.

Feb 29 Book Larder and Tom Douglas are coming together to present a dessert party and conversation with the author of Talking With My Mouth Full, Top Chef judge, and host of Top Chef: Just Desserts: Gail Simmons. The $45 ticket includes desserts, a glass of sparkling wine, and a signed copy of her book. Perhaps a few glasses of that sparkling wine will inspire Simmons to drop a hint or two as to whether Seattle might actually host the next season of Top Chef.

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Critic's Notebook

How to Look Like a Seattle Restaurant

Opening a Seattle area restaurant? Check out our handy design template!

Posted by: Kathryn Robinson on Feb 06, 2012 at 09:00AM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Tin Table, a Type 2 Seattle restaurant. Exposed brick wall, check.

Prospective restaurateurs, listen up: Anyone opening a restaurant in the greater Seattle area is legally bound to follow one of three design mandates, on file in the city licensing office. Doubt it? Then why does it seem as if every new Seattle restaurant looks like one of the following?

1. Cool. Stark. Minimalist. Hard-edged. (Frequently deafening.) Think Black Bottle, Spring Hill (soon to be Ma’Ono), Revel, Crush, Boom Noodle, Mistral, Madison Park Conservatory.

2. Hipster chill, mottled concrete floor to exposed ductwork ceiling. Must have at least one wall of exposed brick; extra points if faded paint from a ‘40s-era wall ad is barely discernible. Think Tavolata, Brave Horse Tavern, Staple and Fancy, Terra Plata, Tin Table.

3. Elegant Designer Living Room, upholstered in creamy neutrals. Think Art at the Four Seasons, Canlis, The Book Bindery, John Howie Steak House.

Of course there are exceptions. Think of the overwrought Old World opulence of the Georgian Room; the early-Rococo, late-exploded-flea-market Bizzarro Italian Café; the sparkling, retro-cute Skillet Diner. And don’t forget the magnificent theater pieces from restaurateurs/set designers Deming Maclise and James Weimann, whose Poquito’s is a visual feast of lush Mexican tile and wrought iron, and whose Bastille could be arrested for impersonating a Paris train station.

Maclise and Weimann will be among the panelists tomorrow night (Tuesday, February 7) at Town Hall in the Seattle Architecture Foundation forum, Restaurant Design: How Design Affects the Dining Experience. My esteemed colleague Allecia Vermillion will moderate as they, along with restaurateurs Ethan Stowell and Chad Dale, discuss and debate and digest this most under-discussed critical aspect of the dining experience.

Should be great. See you there at 7pm.

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Tags: Mistralkitchen, The Book Bindery, Spring Hill, Black Bottle, Critic's Notebook, MistralKitchen, Terra Plata

Action Items

Restaurant Shifts and Shakeups

This week: Spring Hill surprised Seattle with a concept overhaul, Microsoft became home to the newest food truck pod, and Seattle Pie Company announced their move from Magnolia to a pie-boat on South Lake Union

Posted by: Anne Larkin on Feb 03, 2012 at 01:00PM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Seattle Pie Company is moving…to a pie boat. Photo courtesy of their website.

OPENINGS

Eat Local
Queen Anne’s prepared foods purveyor is opening a second shop in the Joule building on Broadway, according to the CHS blog. This shop will be larger than the original Queen Anne location, with a broader selection of artisan-y handmade foods that you can pretend you made yourself.

The Wurst Place
It’s finally opening today, beer and sausage lovers rejoice.

Lunchbox Laboratory
Puget Sound Business Journal reports that the Bellevue outpost of the gonzo Seattle burger shop is opening this Saturday. From that day on the location will be providing its famous giant gourmet burgers every day from 11 to 11.

Mestizo Tequila Ultra Lounge and Grill
In Belltown, what used to be Twist Restaurant and Lounge is becoming Mestizo Tequila Ultra Lounge and Grill, a lounge complete with more than 200 types of tequila, says Eater Seattle.

Microsoft Food Truck Pod
The Microsoft campus is now home to a fleet of food trucks: Where Ya At Matt, Street Treats, and the new Portland-transplant Happy Grillmore, to name just a few, are all moving east for lunch.

Restaurant Zoe
The new home in Capitol Hill is almost ready —there’s hopes to be hosting diners by Valentine’s Day. Though owners Scott and Heather Staples are bringing along most of the staff from the original Belltown location, pretty much everything else will change: menu, logo, prices. Plus they’ve got plans for a deck, kitchen garden, and even rooftop bees.

CLOSINGS

Greenwood Market
Greenwood Market is closing on Saturday, making room for nearby Fred Meyer to expand. Phinneywood reports that as the store’s inventory winds down, there’s lots of Gefilte Fish up for grabs.

Seattle Pie Company
Magnolia Voice reports that the neighborhood is losing Seattle Pie Company. The beloved pie shop is moving to South Lake Union and setting up shop on a boat, making the establishment Seattle’s first floating pie company.

SHIFT CHANGES

Cicchetti
Eastlake’s small plate drinkery has a new bartender, Kate Perry of Tango.

REVAMPS

Ma’ono Fried Chicken and Whisky
Spring Hill surprised us all on Tuesday with news of its pending transformation February 8 they’ll become Ma’ono Fried Chicken and Whisky, with a Hawaiian-inspired menu centered on shared fried chicken dinners. We’re excited.

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Tags: Pie, Burgers, Spring Hill, Fried Chicken, Seattle Food Trucks, Shift Change, Food Truck Pods, Ma'Ono Fried Chicken and Whisky

On the Agenda

Of Dining and Design

Come hear the restaurateurs behind some of the city’s hippest spaces talk shop.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on Feb 03, 2012 at 11:45AM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Does the food at Poquitos taste better because you’re eating it in an awesome space? I plan to ask the owners. Photo by Geoffrey Smith.

I’m hardly a design expert, but I do know that a good meal takes on added layers of enjoyment when you eat in a well-conceived space. We ostensibly go out to eat for the victuals, but dining is its own form of theater…even food trucks. I’ll admit it: I enjoy a good meal or cocktail all the more in a beautiful setting.

Hence I was flattered to be asked to moderate the Seattle Architecture Foundation panel Restaurateurs and Their Spaces on Tuesday, February 7 at 7pm at Town Hall. Organizers somehow managed to get four very busy guys to in the same room on the same night to answer questions about the dozen-plus restaurants, bars, and coffee shops they have opened and owned around Seattle.

Those guys would be chef-of-many restaurants Ethan Stowell; James Weimann and Deming Maclise of Poquitos, Bastille, and Macleod’s; and partner-in-many-restaurants Chad Dale, who is involved with Staple and Fancy, Walrus and the Carpenter, and Revel. Maybe you’ve heard of them?

Honestly, one of those bobble-necked drinking bird dolls could facilitate an entertaining conversation among these gentlemen. I’m guessing they have some memorable tales of design triumphs and the crazy things that happen when you tear out walls in old buildings. Also, can someone please share details about the secret spot where all these restaurants find incredible salvaged fixtures and furniture?

I’m told the key to being a good moderator is drinking wine (in moderation) before said moderating occurs. Grab your $20 ticket right over here and please do say hello.

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Tags: Ethan Stowell, Seattle Food Events, Deming Maclise, James Weimann, Chad Dale

Street Eatin'

Here Comes Another Food Truck: Off the Rez Hits the Road

Find the truck in SLU, Fremont, and serving late-night grub on Capitol Hill.

Posted by: Christopher Werner on Feb 03, 2012 at 08:55AM Speech Bubble 0 Comments

Off the Rez, ready to roll. Photo courtesy Off the Rez.

The street food news has been flying lately, and look, here’s more.

Co-owner Mark McConnell says he’s rolling out Off the Rez for a “soft opening” on Saturday, February 4. The truck, known to elicit some lively discussion, is parking outside Big Mario’s and Caffe Vita from 10pm till bar time.

After this weekend McConnell and chef Donovan MacInnis are headed for Boren and Harrison on Wednesdays from 11 to 2 and Evo on Thursdays, same times. As for the possibility of more midnight stints, McConnell says, “We’re going to try doing Vita late night every week and see how that goes.”

The arrival of the Rez is exciting, and not solely because the Indian tacos and frybreads promise to be excellent drunk food: The Native American-inspired truck is the first of its kind here and ensures the hard-to-find cuisine—absent even at brick and mortars—is readily available.

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Tags: Street Food, Seattle Food Trucks, Off the Rez

Seattle on TV

Will Seattle, in Fact, Host Top Chef?

We’ll know in a few weeks.

Posted by: Allecia Vermillion on Feb 02, 2012 at 01:50PM Speech Bubble 4 Comments

Earlier this week Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau president Tom Norwalk caused a significant uproar amidst food nerds locally and nationally when he let fly to KIRO’s Josh Kerns the fact that Seattle is a finalist to host the next season of Top Chef.

Norwalk confirmed to Seattle Met that our city is indeed one of two remaining contenders for the culinary competition reality show: “We got close last year and didn’t get the nod.” He says the final decision should come within the next few weeks.

At issue for this season, and any season, is whether the host city can pony up enough money to help cover production costs, an estimated $200,000 to $300,000. In exchange, Seattle would be the setting for at least 10 episodes of chef competition, culinary hijinx, restaurant wars, man buns, and the occasional on-camera meltdown. A Seattle-based season would guarantee lots of Space Needle, fish-throwing, and local chef cameos on millions of TV screens around the country.

Top Chef won’t share the identity of the other city vying for hosting rights, says Norwalk, though we’re hearing some (highly unconfirmed) rumors that Portland was also under consideration.

If Seattle doesn’t make the cut again this year, at least we’re still in for some local restaurant television action with the upcoming premiere of Check, Please! Northwest. There’s also the Top Chef season nine finale in Vancouver.

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Tags: Reality TV, Seattle on TV, Top Chef

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day Dinner, Part II

Book a table for two at any of these decadent feasts.

Posted by: Emily Dhatt on Feb 02, 2012 at 01:20PM Speech Bubble 1 Comments

Photo: Lucas Anderson

Valentine’s dinner goes Mediterranean at Golden Beetle.

Anchovies and Olives
The Capitol Hill pasta house will create a seafood-focused five-course dinner. Among the pastas are salt cod ravioli pappardelle with Dungeness crab and smoked tomato. Entrees are roasted pork loin, grilled swordfish with horseradish cream, and king salmon with fregola sarda.
Price: $80/person
When: Feb 14 from 5–11

Bastille
For a pseudo-Parisian V-Day, Bastille has cultivated a small collection of romantic dishes: a dozen Hama Hama oysters on the half shell; scallop cru with lime; golden turnip ravioli gratin with marinated leeks and Washington truffles; and entrecote for two with pommes dauphinoise and artichoke mustard. Plus, “his and hers” punch cocktails: hers is flowery and champagne-heavy, his is citrus-based and laced with bourbon and rum.
Price: Plates range from $14–$60
When: Feb 14 from 5–11

Golden Beetle
Maria Hines’s multi-course menu is inspired by Mediterranean flavors: grilled halloumi cheese, grape leaf–wrapped albacore, wild boar shank tagine, black walnut backlava, and more.
Price: $37/person
When: Feb 14 from 5–10

Hitchock Restaurant
Hitchcock’s prix fixe menu features entrees such as grilled Pacific octopus, smoked quail, and black trumpet and hedgehog mushroom risotto.
Price: $65/person
When: Feb 14 at 5
Menu

How to Cook a Wolf
New chef Jake Martin’s four-course menu includes casarecce with rabbit sugo, braised pork cheeks, seared day boat scallops, and grilled beef strip loin with charred eggplant. For dessert: vanilla bean panna cotta, pecan tart with bourbon ice cream, or warm chocolate cake with salted peanut butter ice cream.
Price: $80/person
When: Feb 14 from 5–11

Salish Lodge
Available Valentine’s Day and the weekend previous, the five-course menu at Salish Lodge features Northwest delicacies like vanilla bean and butter-poached lobster, duo of Oregon lamb and elk in wild mushroom demi-glace, and seared day boat scallops with white bean puree. If your sweet tooth isn’t satisfied by the honey-pear tart or the chocolate souffle, book a getaway package complete with mini chocolate fondue and port served in-room.
Price: $130/person
When: Feb 10 & 11 from 5–10; Feb 14 from 5–9:30
Menu

Salty’s at Alki
Salty’s serves up some serious sweetness with its Valentine’s menu: coconut-crusted wild prawns, spiced top sirloin with blackberry honey-glazed carrots, white chocolate mousse cake, and tableside bananas foster for two.
Price: $59–$119/person; vegetarian menu $55–$90
When: Feb 14 from 5:30–8:45
Menu

Staple and Fancy Mercantile
Chef Ethan Stowell offers up apps to share, like Hamachi crudo, pork belly with apples and walnuts, and Shigoku oysters on the half shell. Guests choose their pasta, main, and dessert courses. Enticing entrees include grilled beef tenderloin, roasted duck breast with fried Brussels sprouts, and fennel grilled swordfish. Desserts are creme fraiche panna cotta and warm chocolate cake with peanut butter gelato and peanut brittle.
Price: $80/person
When: Feb 14 from 5–11

Tulio
Tulio’s a la carte menu sets the mood with aptly named cocktails like I’ll Melt With You (prosecco and raspberry granita) and Blushing Lady (vodka, Pama lieueur, grapefruit juice, and a sugared rim). For something a little more substantial, consider the black truffle chicken, scallops with potato puree, and crispy pork belly.
Price: $12–$36/plate
When: Feb 14 from 5–10
Menu

Volunteer Park Cafe
Charming Volunteer Park Cafe will serve up a five-course dinner on the 14th. Highlights include the second-course "fondue for two,” zesty blood orange and shaved fennel salad, and lamb rack with minty white beans and pomegranate Greek yogurt.
Price: $75/person
When: Feb 14 at 7

Add a Comment »

Tags: Valentine's Day Dinners 2012

Nosh Pit

Neighborhood Food News: Full Tilt Gains an Ice Cream Lab, Trophy Cupcakes Delivers

Truck Stop: Barbara Pagarigan of The Bistro Box

Slideshow: Foodportunity Returns to Palace Ballroom

Cafe Munir: Lively Lebanese in Loyal Heights

Branzino Brings in New Chef, Revamps Menu

Nosh Pit Weekly Planner

How to Look Like a Seattle Restaurant

Restaurant Shifts and Shakeups

Of Dining and Design

Here Comes Another Food Truck: Off the Rez Hits the Road

Will Seattle, in Fact, Host Top Chef?

Valentine’s Day Dinner, Part II

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