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Right.

This would be Ethan Stowell, I presume, owner of the place? I think I was surprised by how much the menu differed from the first one I saw - it could have been very disappointing to someone looking for offal, for instance. Also, I though the food and room were well executed, but the service wasn't quite so much - it created a disconnect for me. It was also very dull in there - not lively. I don't care for a lot of noise, but some sense of enjoyment around is appreciated. I'm curious about your take on the decor - I liked it, but didn't find it strikingly better than Brasa, 727 Pine, Waterfront, Zoe, Flying Fish, or even Fish Club. Different, and handsome, but in what ways was so it that much better? We've got carpet, dark wood, upholstered benches, nice lights, mirror, voltives, artwork...I did like the weight and height of the chairs - no dangling feet, no tipping over.

Very interesting - I couldn't decide what I though - wrote it out to help it gel. Was there enough sauce for you tighe? I thought of you when there wasn't any left in my bowl. Can you believe we both passed on the pork bellies (sorry mamster) and didn't sample the pastries (sorry nsm). Neither of us mentioned - the wine list also has a fairly large selection of half-bottles, as well as magnums.

Now serving Sunday brunch!

The first week this place at 1st and Union (Seattle) opened, I sauntered in for a look at the place and the menu. A modern room, with nice detailing, colorful carpets, fine art, and handsome furniture. The menu - composed of a choice of a tasting menu or ala carte starters, seconds, mains, and dessert. Heavy on some rather challenging ingredients including liver, tongue, sweetbreads, but also full of seasonal foods and lively descriptions. New staff appeared uneven in experience and training, but excited and ready to start. Stayed for a cocktail – selected something with Champagne. The bartended apologized when he presented the bill – they hadn’t stocked a mixer brand of bubbly and the price of the drink seemed awfully high to him. Actually, it wasn’t that out of line – I think it was $8? After giving them a month to settle in, stopped in for dinner. They haven’t done much to announce themselves. The room was very empty, though a dozen or so dinners were seated over the next hour. Offal was completely absent from the current menu (not that I would have selected any for myself.) I was told that the menu changes regularly and this was just coincidence. The tasting menu ($45) looked pretty interesting with smoked salmon, pork bellies, sturgeon, and, and a handful of other items including a cheese course and dessert. But not quite the night for that. I had a decent glass of wine ($8). Amuse bouche of a small cup of duck broth (stock?), rich and soothing, a little salty, but not overwhelmingly. A toothsome hedgehog mushroom risotto ($9) was accented with basil oil. Duck confit ($16), tender, salty, flavorful, was served atop braised chard with roasted figs and a port reduction (a heavier hand with the sauce would have been appreciated.) Bread appeared to be the ubiquitous rosemary bread. Overpowering for the delicacy of this cuisine. Remarkably, I didn’t have dessert – or even look at the menu. The service was fairly formal, yet not really. A lot of production in the offering of silverware and it’s removal. I ended up with only a sharp knife for buttering bread. I felt as though they were concerned I might walk off with any unused utensils. Also, when plates were being removed or water refilled, the buser would excuse himself – I think it would be better if he was silent or else actually engaged in conversation. This just seemed awkward. They do have something of a bar menu after 11 pm.

Excellent report. It sounds like you accepted their offer. Get them to send you to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal to study the local curds! Maybe that suggestion should wait awhile.

I didn't order it - but the restaurant I went to last night had it as soup with creamed crab. (Why is this is in the China thread - more a general cooking thread?)

Oddly enough, these Northwesterners went out for tartare and ended up heavily flambeed: flaming skewers and dessert

Marbled halvah cheesecake decorated with chocolate coins!

Oh, all new space courtesy of the Washington Trade and Convention Center. There was a low-income type apartment building that was demolished. Amazingly enough, 2 new buildings were constructed on First Hill to replace the units and the displaced tenants were given the opportunity to move in to the new places.

Hmm, what happens when the amount he owes for lunch exceeds the $20?(!)

Nordstrom took over the space formerly occupied by Frederick and Nelson.

Cafe Campagne - big bowl of cafe and over the top french toast? Portage Bay Cafe (U-district) for eggs scrambled up with a whole mess of stuff, decent fresh potatoes grilled and spiced, good coffee. Also a breakfast bar of fruit and toppings for the line up of pancakes and crepes and such. I like Jitterbug Cafe - on 45th in Wallingford - same people as Coastal Kitchen, eat at the tiny bar and watch the cooks.

but can't you do that locally at El Gaucho? Flaming kebabs and desserts. Maybe drinks? (or is it the word "flambeed" - that doesn't look right.)

you might enjoy this (or a number of other threads): lunch at Salumi

I just had a chance to scope out his new book (thanks to a friend). The intro is captivating and tells a very textured story about the big dinners he enjoyed as a kid growing up with a giganto family. It's a great guide for people who really like to entertain. I'm already trying to figure out who I can invite over to make the "Chinook Salmon Roast" dinner menu. No one bit - this sounds like an open invitation to me! Or a good set-up for the interest expressed in a bunch of people cooking together?

Stepped inside today. The cold case held some mixed green salads, quiche, pate sandwiches, and pork rilette (sp?) sandwiches. With the choice of pork or pork, I went on to Salumi. The overall menu looked tasty - Friday special is petit cassoulet. Tomorrow, they are supposed to start having desserts. Oh, it was around 1:30, and very quiet. Bon Appetit!

I went for you. A cold sandwich of Dario salami on a giant roll with onions and peppers. Dario is a non-garlic salami spiced with lots of pepper and mace. The second half will be dinner. Also picked up some pancetta for whatever strikes me this week - pasta, soup, breakfast... Mama Batali was very pleased with last night's show.

Look at this website for some package deals - the rates may not sound too low - but they include parking, which can really help. I stayed at 5th Ave Suites a few years ago and enjoyed it, and the location a lot. Portland deals

and not exactly a walk along the monorail route!

Nancy Leson's take on the subject: what she said

and Gelatiamo!

NW Bookfest this past weekend - 4 more (food related books) for me: Beard on Food, James Beard (1st edition, $1.00) The Northern California Best Places Cookbook, Cynthia Nims (also $1.00) Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook, Leslie Mackie & Andrew Cleary (1/2 price, just released!) Seductions of Rice, Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid (1/3 price of hardback - less than the cost of the recently released soft cover). Made the potato-cauliflower curry last night.

I went. Enjoyed the lack of crowds at the whole festival. The cooking stage was not too exciting this year. Never saw the crowds like last year for Alton. Still ended up smelling like the food booths adjacent. Still tortured by the unforgiving folding chairs. Saturday: Eric Gower was the best presenter I saw. His recipes (and personality) are interesting, his premise, questionable. Experimentation with traditional Japanese ingredients used in "brighter, contemporary ways". (Not really a quote.) Kirstin Dixon was done in 1/2 hour - and wasn't tolerable to watch. Missed Rick Rodgers (there were other presentations of interst going on) Chris Prosperi was giggly nervous (?), but made, and served, crab cocktails - a riff on bloody mary's with plenty of vodka and Maryland crab he smuggled in. Sunday: The Cookbook review panel was okay, not terrribly exciting. A noticable lack of ethnic or pastry recommendations. Cynthia Nims is a fast talker. Not a great public reader. Lisa Shara Hall was really interesting. Her book is beautiful, but pricy at $40. Nice present material with a bottle of vino. She exudes authority and competence in the best way. Braiden Rex-Johnson, queen of the finger quotes. Someone could do her a favor and break her of that habit. To me, she sounded very self serving. It was difficult to take her seriously as a writer or editor. That said, I'll admit I own one of her books! That's all I caught, at the Beard Stage.

What was the result of this investigation? Am I living close to the source, yet in a region that claims to have no decent deli food? I had a nice pastrami sandwich at Persimmon, in Seattle, recently - even though they put mayo on it!!!