ARMED WITH SHINY NEW pastry chef credentials from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Anita Ross went looking for a job. Instead she found an awakening: Pastry chefs make a lot of dough, but not a lot of money. So she came to Seattle—that promised land of fresh food all over the wilderness and fresh foodies all over the city—and fired up her griddle at the farmers markets. Into her golden crepes she slid delights like Washington apples with whipped cream, and chunks of roast duck with local, organic baby spinach. Crowds gathered, a fan base grew, Ross met every farmer and fisherman and forager selling alongside her—and she began to dream. Why not her own restaurant, in the neighborhood, Ballard, whose farmers market always brought her the most business? Voilà Anita’s Crepes, a seven-table splash of sunshine that opened a couple months back on Leary Way. Creperie by day, French bistro by night, Anita’s hit the ground running, with all the suppliers and all the customers Ross cultivated in her farmers market days. As for the money? “I thought I made a lot last week—but once I paid the bills, not so much.” Ah, overhead. (Closed Mondays.)
Published in the 100 Years of Seattle Music issue of Seattle Met.
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