Nosh Pit

Valentine’s Day Dinners, Part III

Thalis, sweet-potato gratin…a pizza shaped like a heart. It’s all happening at Seattle restaurants.

Posted by: Hilary Meyerson on Feb 07, 2011 at 01:50PM 0 Comments

Valentine’s Day: Everybody’s doing it.

Still contemplating Valentine’s options? Tick-tock, amigo. Here are some more offerings.

Lovely Marjorie is open on the 14th with a $75 pre-fixe, a wine pairing is an additional $50. Check out the menu on the restaurant’s website.

Lakeside Bistro Feb 14. This French-Vietnamese restaurant is serving a four-course dinner by Chef Michael and a rose for whichever member of the couple likes roses more. Live jazz will be performed by singer Coreena Brown and pianist James Holden. Seatings at 5:30 and 7:45. $80 per couple. Call for reservations.

Poppy Feb 14. Chef Jerry Traunfeld has created a special Valentine’s Day menu of his signature thalis (a bunch of small dishes), it’s $100 per couple. Call for reservations. And do not skip dessert.

Ravish Feb 13–14. Chef Kelly has prepared a four-course menu that includes several choices for entrees, but the pomegranate braised short ribs with gruyere sweet potato gratin and sautéed French carrots looks especially good. Includes a glass of bubbly or a draft IPA. $60/person. Reservations recommended.

Zaw Artisan Pizza Feb 2-28. The new seasonal pizza is the “Anne of Green Apples,” a combination of thinly sliced Washington State Granny Smith apples, strips of brie, roasted garlic and pine nuts. $14. Keep things casual with the classic (heart-shaped!) Marg and Rita pizza with tomatoes. $16.75. Seasonal dessert: bake at home molten chocolate cakes. $7. All are typical Zaw take and bake, so you and your honey can spend Valentine’s Day in the ultimate intimate dining spot: your home. All locations.

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Tags: Valentine's Day, Special Dinners, Seattle Restaurants, Valentine's Day Dinners 2011, Romantic Dinners, Wine and Dine, Special Menu

Valentine’s Day Dinners, Part II

Reserve now at these lovely feasts happening around Seattle.

Posted by: Hilary Meyerson on Feb 02, 2011 at 03:19PM 0 Comments

One item on Crush’s Valentine’s dinner menu: lobster salad with blood orange.

Cafe Flora Feb 14. For the vegetable lovers, a four-course feast of “romance-inducing dishes” means wonton canape topped with avocado butternut pate and three sauces, almond phyllo roulade, and a “citrus kiss” salad of grapefruit, pea shoots, jicama, and watercress. End the meal with either devil’s food cake and molten Mexican chocolate or almond génoise with brown-butter buttercream, marzipan, and kumquat. $45/person; call 206-325-9100 to reserve.

Canlis Feb 13 & 14. By now the two-tops at Seattle’s romantic jewel are—surprise, surprise—basically booked, but larger groups can get in on the prix fixe food: cauliflower soup, Canlis salad, king salmon, and beef tenderloin followed by a decadent combo of chocolate cake, ice cream, and mousse. Couples may have a better chance at scoring a seat on the 13th. $125/person, with an optional $75 wine flight; vegetarian menu $95; call 206-283-3313 to reserve.

Crush Feb 11–14. What better spot to treat your crush? A special four-course menu offers delicacies such as gnocchi with black truffle and gruyere cream, Maine lobster salad, and slow-roasted wild salmon. Also available is a menu supplement of Hudson Valley foie gras steak, as well as the regular menu. $77/person, with an optional wine pairing at $54/person; call 206-302-7874 to reserve.

The Herbfarm Feb 11–14. The “Menu for Two Hearts” is made up of many (no doubt unforgettable) plates. $189–$205/person; call 425-485-5300 to reserve.

Lark Feb 14. Johnathan Sundstrom’s signature plates—smoked sablefish, seared Sonoma foie gras, artichoke-lemon burrata, and braised pork cheeks, to name a few—make up the three-tiered savories, topped off with your choice of dessert. $85 per person, with an optional wine pairing at $35; call 206-323-5275 to reserve.

Luc Feb 12–14. Look for shared specials, including leg of lamb, slow roasted pork, and salt roasted chicken. But first comes apple-parsnip soup with caramelized scallop, and for dessert, rum cake with passion fruit and meringue. $70/couple.

Rover’s Feb 11, 13, 14. A $45 Friday lunchtime celebration features four courses, with smoked Wagyu beef as the main. Or, join chef Thierry Rautureau by night for an elaborate menu featuring diver’s sea scallops, moulard duck confit, Wagyu beef, and savory black cherry gelee. Vegetarian menus are also available. $115/person, with a $60 wine pairing; reserve wine pairing $120/person; call 206-325-7442 to reserve.

Salty’s Feb 14. Come for their signature seafood or stick to the mainland and order off the vegetarian menu. Either way, end the meal with Fire and Ice, a warmed chocolate cake-slash-ice cream sandwich. Entrée prices include starter, main dish, and dessert, $59–$99. A Valentine’s weekend brunch at Salty’s on Alki and Redondo Beaches takes place Saturday and Sunday; $38–$45, kids $16–$23; children four and younger free.

Staple and Fancy Mercantile Feb 14. Start off with an assortment of shared dishes, then choose your own pasta (gnocchi with beef short rib, conchiglie with swordfish puttanesca), main (duck breast, daurade with artichockes), and finally, dessert (chocolate cake and bourbon ice cream or ricotta cheesecake). $75/person; call 206-789-1200.

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Tags: Valentine's Day 2010, Valentine's Day Dinners 2011, Romantic Dinners, Wine and Dine, Special Menu

Valentine’s Day Dinners, Part I

Reserve now at these lovely feasts happening around Seattle.

Posted by: Hilary Meyerson on Feb 01, 2011 at 10:47AM 0 Comments

How sweet it is: Maria Hines will serve Theo Chocolate ganache at Tilth on Valentine’s Day.

Anchovies and Olives Feb 14. A kumamoto oyster amuse with horseradish and lime ice kicks off the multi-course seafood-centric menu. What follows is of your choosing: selections such as lobster risotto with kabocha squash and mint, salt cod ravioli, yellowfin or escolar crudo, branzino for two, or arctic char with walnut agrodolce and braised red cabbage round out the offerings. $75/person; call 206-838-8080 to reserve.

Bastille Café and Bar Feb 14. Start the night with two boozy creations crafted especially for the occasion: the Blushing Belle, made with gin, house made Grenadine, fresh lemon, Cointreau, and lavender bitters ($9), or the Between the Sheets: cognac, light rum, lemon juice, and Cointreau ($11). Then it’s on to chef Shannon Galusha’s large plates for two, among them an 18-ounce filet mignon and a seafood medley of oysters, mussels, lobster, crab, tuna pave, and wild spot prawns. Dessert and the daily menu also will be available. Plates for two $36–$75; call 206-453-5014 to reserve.

Fresh Bistro Feb 11–14. “Culinary aphrodisiacs” populate this menu meant for two: Kumamoto oysters on the half shell, ahi tuna poke, red wine- and peppercorn-encrusted Waygu tenderloin served alongside Maine lobster. For dessert? A chocolate truffle trio with warm almond milk. $80/couple, with an optional $35 wine flight for two; call 206-935-3733 to reserve.

How to Cook a Wolf Feb 14. For chef Matt Fortner’s several-course menu, Painted Hills tartare, yellowfin crudo, or roasted beet salad precede heartier dishes like potato gnocchi, cavatappi with lamb ragu, seared arctic char, pork belly and brussel sprouts, or veal short rib agrodolce. As for the sweets, it’s chocolate cake with orange ice cream or a pear tart with caramel-hazelnut gelato. $75/person; call 206-838-8090 to reserve.

Hunt Club at the Sorrento Feb 11–14. Seared weathervane scallops with pancetta crisp, arugula, and melon salad and a Chateaubriand with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, both meant for two, highlight the hotel’s new Italian-accented menu. End the evening on a sweet note: Dessert is chocolate pot de crème with fresh berries and Grand Marnier whipped cream. $22–$50 per entree for two; call 206-343-6156 to reserve.

Pomegranate Bistro Feb 14. You and your sweetie can share poached crab and shaved truffles, baby beets dressed in a champagne syrup, pan-seared black bass, and braised beef cheeks. All, of course, with pink champagne and chocolate dessert. $65/person, $95/person with wine; call 425-556-5972 to reserve.

Tidbit Bistro Feb 14. Awww. Heart-shaped lobster ravioli grace this Spanish-Italian bill, which also features lamb turnovers and prime rib with a mushroom reduction and Yorkshire pudding. $60/person, with an optional $35 wine and cocktail pairing; call 206-323-0840 to reserve.

Tilth Feb 14. Swoon over the culinary creations of Maria Hines, whose four-course feast boasts porcini crème brulee and Dakota beef sirloin with a truffled potato puree. Dessert choices include a Theo Chocolate ganache cake. $85/person, with an optional $50 wine pairing; call 206-633-0801 to reserve.

Urbane Restaurant Feb 11–14. The Hyatt at Olive 8 restaurant offers a five-course menu with the option of adding four additional ones. Selections include a trio of paddlefish caviar and chive scrambled egg with Potatoes Anna, maple glazed crispy pork belly, grilled king salmon, or seared Painted Hills beef tenderloin with whipped potatoes, Oregon black truffle sauce, and vegetable pave. For dessert, go nuts with a chocolate extravaganza. $60–$105/per person; call 206-676-4600 to reserve.

Volunteer Park Café Feb 14. Chef Ericka Burke will create a heartfelt five-course dinner featuring blood orange salad, brown butter squash bisque, seared sea scallop, and beef tenderloin. Save room for dessert—a bittersweet chocolate tart ends the meal. $95/person with wine pairing; call 206-328-3155 to reserve.

Waterfront Seafood Grill Feb 11–14. Specials for the weekend include asparagus salad with grilled scallops, hearts of palm with Maine lobster, brie cheese–stuffed filet of beef, seared halibut cheeks, and for dessert, chocolate panna cotta with brandied bing cherries, chocolate flourless soufflé with chantilly cream, or chocolate and port ganache. The regular menu will also be on hand. Specials range from $18–48. Or, on February 12 enlist in Sparkling Wine Boot Camp, an afternoon of champagne and sparkling wine tastings with food pairings. $35 per person; reservations recommended; call 206-956-9171.

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Tags: Valentine's Day 2010, Valentine's Day Dinners 2011, Romantic Dinners, Wine and Dine, Special Menu

Valentine’s Day Desserts

Still don’t know what to get yours truly? Act fast and order these delicious sweet-nothings.

Posted by: Kaitlin Nunn on Feb 09, 2010 at 07:00AM 0 Comments

The Porcupine Chocolate Heart at Essential Bakery Cafe. Photo courtesy the establishment.

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The Porcupine Chocolate Heart at Essential Bakery Cafe. Photo courtesy the establishment.

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Cupcake Royale’s Deathcake Royale. Photo courtesy the establishment.

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Cara Mia at Essential Bakery Cafe. Photo courtesy the establishment.

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Shoofly Pies. Photo courtesy Kimmy Hsieh Tomlinson.

If you can supply the sweetheart, we’ve got all sorts of local goods to really sweeten up your Valentine’s Day. Five bakeries and pastry shops point us to their best-selling treats this time of year.

Bella Dolce
This wee storefront has been perfecting their deservedly famous red velvet cake for over seven years. If you’ve already been there, done that, try a rich hazelnut raspberry linzer tart. The price for a 10-inch torte is $35, although you can get the four-inch version—perfect for two—for $7.98. Order ASAP.

Cupcake Royale
For the fourth year in a row owner Jody Hall whips up a lethal combination of local ingredients—Theo Chocolate, Stumptown-derived espresso ganache, Royale’s signature chocolate cake—to create Deathcake Royale. One costs $6.65 (“Just a penny shy of evil!” says Hall) and is meant to be shared. Ordering several days in advance is highly recommended. Call 206-883-7656 or go online to do so.

Essential Bakery Cafe
The must-try seasonal sweetbread is the Cara Mia, $9, a heart-shaped chocolate French bread stuffed with chunks of chocolate and cherries. Also of note is the Porcupine Chocolate Heart, a chocolate chiffon cake laced with Grand Marnier, Belgian dark chocolate mousse, and sprinkled with shards of white and dark chocolate. It sells for $10.50. Place your order by noon 48 hours in advance of pick up.

Hoffman’s Fine Cakes and Pastries
At this Eastside establishment the cake of the month is Strawberry Kisses: devil’s food cake draped with strawberry mousse, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. $22.25. Order ASAP.

Shoofly Pie Co.
Their dry-bottomed shoofly really is the standout item, but for Valentine’s the hottest-selling pies are cherry (nicknamed Bleeding Hearts) and chocolate cream. A nine-inch pie goes for $20, five-inch minis are $6.50, and slices are $3.50. Call at least 48 hours in advance to make sure your pie of choice is available.

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Tags: Valentine's Day, Desserts, Romantic Dinners, Wine and Dine