10 Best Restaurants 2009
Rover’s
2808 E Madison St, Madison Valley, 206-325-7442; rovers-seattle.com
THE VISION
“I wanted Rover’s to be a three-Michelin-star restaurant without all the fuss, where the food is top notch but the ambience is like you’re in my home. I took the ‘Chef in the Hat’ persona because I wanted to demystify this pompous, aristocratic reputation. Yeah, there was a time we only had a set menu. That did scare people. And I know it’s not your everyday restaurant. But my cooking continues to move away from my classical French training. Being in Seattle, you go to the Market, go to Chinatown, find all this new stuff you can’t wait to incorporate into your food. So my background is French, but the upgrades—like on Microsoft Windows—they happen every day!” — Thierry Rautureau, owner and chef, Rover’s
THE VERDICT
The tone of the service hasn’t changed: It’s still smart and elegant, never false or pretentious. And the food still has its trademark poise: No dish of game confit or Maine lobster will leave the kitchen without platings intelligent and painterly enough for the Musée d’Orsay.
What has evolved is chef and owner Thierry Rautureau’s sensibility. To be sure, Rover’s always felt très français. But something’s loosened up. There’s now the occasional Moroccan breeze, as in the swirl of harissa Hollandaise on the pork belly Benedict that Rover’s served during its spring and summer Sunday brunches. And there are preparations that defy classical conventions in favor of borderless innovation. Like one recent dish of spot prawns over pickled vegetables beside a verdant smear of pea puree, all in a tangy wash of chermoula—a dish that transcended formality to land closer to the neighborhood of unrestrained glee.
Make no mistake: Money will be spent. (And in the case of the eight-course $130 Grand Menu Degustation—big money.) Rover’s is no drop-in neighborhood joint. But when Rautureau saunters over in that silly hat, his welcome genuine and his smile down-to-earth, it can feel like one.
Published: October 2009
Serious pie is amazing! We try to treat ourselves every month.
Fairly new to the Seattle area, and this list was great. I am excited to knock out all 1-10!
We are from Wisconsin. While visiting our son in Seattle this summer, we celebrated my wife’s birthday at the Boat Street Cafe. A nice ambience. A varied menu. Fabulous food. The service was excellent.
I love this list! We’ve enjoyed a few of the Top 10 before, and look forward to going to the rest. Good to see Seattle classics on here like Canlis and Rovers, as well as some of the newer places like Spring Hill.
I agree with Jefferson…great list. Classics deserve to stay on the list if they continue to innovate and impress! Can’t wait for the parentals to come to town…going to Boat Street and Crush for sure!
I went through the whole list wrote them down and I want to try them all. Your reviews were great. My birthday is in feb and we are going to try one of these fabulous sounding restaurants. Thankyou Sherry in south king county.
Hey,
how are you?
i’m coming into seattle and was wandering if a pro like this blog could help me out in terms of…
1. best breakfast – i’m coming in on thurs, so cant do the corson building- so depressed
2. best lunch/dinner place to eat good seattle grub fare.
thanks so much!!! anything else i must eat etc like donuts just let me know too – yum yum.. i’m so jealous you have it all at your fingertips!
michelle
you should update for the best restaurant in 2009, don’t you think ?
Serious Pie is pretty damned good, but it says a lot about Seattle that one of it’s best restaurants is a pizza joint.
If Rovers can nail it’s consistency problem down, it would probably be a strong candidate for top spot in WA, maybe even contend for a michelin star.
For serious foodies, hop a ferry to Bainbridge (half an hour, great for visiting relatives) and walk to “The Harbourside Pub.” Looks like a fun, happy Pub joint with lots of micro-beers. What it really is that’s different is locally grown foods, highly creative seasonal choices of organic and grass-fed beef. The foodies will be happy and so will the whole family (no kids). There’s even a sunny deck. The owners have made this possible by working directly with local farmers—you can really taste the difference in the food. Best list for 2011?
Great list! will try some of those.
Serious Pie is seriously UN-amazing. None of Tom Douglas’s restaurants are at all impressive compared to chef owned restaurants in Seattle including most that are on this top ten list. Tom knows how to market himself and make money. Cooking great food with authenticity and sustainability? He doesn’t have it. Serious Pie is a step up from Pagliachi, but not anything I would write home about. I miss Brasa’s fig pizza…. that is worth writing home about.
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“Welcome to our site onslko.org!!! Friends today the world is facing uncounted problems in life, and happiness is the need of everyone. So visit here and full fill your life with happiness. Here is one solution of your all problems. Kindly visit www.onslko.org (The place of Miracles)”
Hi, this is a good post, indeed a great job. You must have finished good research for the work.
Today, however, the most important cities in the U.S. have the kind of gastronomic diversity and regionality that is rich in all departments, and even if you have visited recently, you can be sure that the next time you go, there will be more new restaurants and attractions in what could visit.
nice article enjoyed reading.
ok I am going to Seattle next week to visit a friend and I think we are definitely going to try some of the restaurants!!!!
I’m not much into reading, but somehow I got to read many articles in your webpage.
Its fantastic how interesting it is for me to visit you very often.
I think you reviews were great and good. I already bookmarked this website and shared with my friends on facebook.
Hi,
These are all great. Are there any michellin star restaurants in seattle?
Hi,
Are there any michellin star restaurants in seattle?
The photos made me go in the kitchen and grab something to eat.
Great… Excellent list of restaurant… thanks for sharing this…
Thank our extravagance of edible resources, entrepreneurial enterprise, and culinary exuberance.
Wow man, it is interesting.
I feel hungry