Lampreia

[Schielke]

Katie and I went to Lampreia Saturday night to celebrate our 6 mo. of Wedlock.

We had a really great time and am glad to see a restaurant such as Lampreia in Seattle. I am planning on writing a full review and dont have my notes with me so it will have to be delayed.

FYI, they are currently offering an "All about apples" tasting menu that looked pretty good!

Ben

[little ms foodie]

Katie and I went to Lampreia Saturday night to celebrate our 6 mo. of Wedlock. 

We had a really great time and am glad to see a restaurant such as Lampreia in Seattle.  I am planning on writing a full review and dont have my notes with me so it will have to be delayed.

FYI, they are currently offering an "All about apples" tasting menu that looked pretty good!

Ben

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Ben,

You can view and download this beautiful "All about Apples" cookbook here

I look forward to your review. I've heard a couple of very good things lately.

Edited October 18, 2004 by little ms foodie (log)

[jbonne]

i think i'm responsible for one of the wildly ranging stories, so i'll chip in an abbreviated two cents. (i have every intention of committing to the Web a fuller assessment when i have a free moment.)

after just one visit, i think i can confidently say that Scott Carsberg is brilliantly talented, and Lampreia shows Seattle's true potential for food greatness.

like so many others, the stories of moody chef antics and bizarre service kept us from making reservations sooner -- though it's been on my list forever, and i now regret not having made the visit years ago.

Carsberg's dishes are both brilliant and delectable, a rare combination these days. i'm utterly sick of extravagancies that don't actually feed me and delight my palate, but the items at Lampreia are masterpieces of well-chosen taste. the appetizer tart with shaved salads and zucchini pesto (more or less detailed in the latest profile of Carsberg in the NYT, which -- tellingly, i think -- seems to have devoted more print to Lampreia than most of the local media) is a perfect selection of balanced tastes. the fact that such attention is paid to a veggie starter was an immediate sign to me that we were in the hands of a master.

even when an item didn't quite gel -- the pineapple ravioli were a bit tricky to consume -- the care and attention to detail pleased me. (those are ravioli *made out of pineapple flesh*, btw, not out of pasta.)

and taste clearly rules the day. an element of our cheese course -- a simple hunk of Pecorino, presumably broiler-softened on a cedar plank and drizzled with white truffle honey -- may be one of the most divine things i can recall eating. at that moment, i felt we were paying not for Carsberg's elaborate preparatory talents but his sublime understanding of taste. that, more than anything, is why i like giving chefs my money.

as for service, it was a tad formal, but also marks perhaps the second time i've witnessed proper European service in Seattle, right down to the petit fours at meal's end, the use of tableside trays to present food and the fact that no plate was brought until we were quite ready and primed. forks were placed upside down, so they could easily be picked up for European-style usage.

our server was able to pinpoint the genesis of most of the Italian cheeses we selected. perhaps most important, he didn't flinch when we indicated we wanted to order several intermezzos rather than go straight into an entree. this, for those worried about cost, is a wonderful way to explore some of the best innovations on the menu. it also gave us latitude to have a full cheese course and dessert, including an extraordinary glass of Montbazillac. we felt just about full after that, no entree needed.

another note on prices: the apple tasting menu, essentially outlined in Carsberg's new e-cookbook, is $68 for at least six courses, including foie gras and an entree. that strikes me as eminently reasonable. (we're now hatching plans to return for the tasting menu.)

the wine list was well-balanced, too. We found a Giuseppe Cortese 1998 Barbaresco Rabaja that was an absolute bargain. My only wish is that they decanted it -- a '98 could use a bit of time to breathe -- and that they weren't quite so quick to refill our glasses.

in a brief stop by our table, Carsberg was charming and even a bit sheepish -- in no way helped by my gushing at how much we were enjoying ourselves.

not only does Lampreia wipe away nearly every one of its Seattle counterparts, i'd argue it's a world-class restaurant. we kept comparing it to a recent meal at a Michelin two-star in France. Lampreia blew it out of the water.

[SeaGal]

My husband took me to Lampreia for my birthday last Saturday (Dec 18th). It was our first time there and we were extremely happy with our meal, the decor and the service. We were warmly greeted and found the service very professional, but not at all stiff.

I really like the modern, but warm decor. We had reservations for 8:30 on a Saturday night and there were several other tables there, but not as many as I would have expected for a holiday Saturday night.

We started off with seared foie gras with slices of pears poached 3-ways: saffron, pistachio and the third I'm not sure, but it was reddish and could have been port or wine. The foie gras was excellent and slices of pear were perfect. We each had a glass of a really wonderful Montbazillac which as perfect with the richness of the foie.

Next up, my husband had quail baked in terra cotta (which they brought out to show him before cracking it open) over a bed of pureed beans (I can't remember if they were lentils or white beans) with truffled cheese on top. It made me think of really, really high-end refried beans and when the chef came to the table, he said he used foie gras fat in the puree. This dish was amazing, the flavor going way above and beyond the ingredients.

I had crab salad encased in thinly sliced apples with an apple gelee. This dish was the essence of dungeness crab and was very rich. I had a glass of Gruner Veltliner with this.

We had ordered a bottle of a 1997 Cote Rotie and my husband drank this with his second course and I joined him for the main.

We both had lamb loin for our mains. Cooked perfectly medium rare with a mustardy breadcrumb crust, it was served with a whole line of artful dabs of purees and garnishes. There were cipollini onions, purees of zucchini, green bean, and eggplant, tappenade and some other things that I can't remember. The sauce with the lamb was a beautiful and flavorful reduction of some kind (can't remember that either ) This plate was beautiful and was sooo good.

By this time, I was getting quite full, so decided to skip dessert and have the cheese plate which had the most wonderfully ripe gorgonzola dolce that I've ever had. Also had an aged pecorino, a washed rind cheese and a young cow's milk cheese. This was served with dabs of fruit purees, a toasted almond and some honey.

My husband had the warm chocolate dumplings with chocolate sauce--they were sublime. I've decided that next time I'll only order two courses so I have room for dessert. BTW, I thought the portions were quite generous. At the end of the meal, they also brought out a little plate of tiny treats-lemon shortbread, coconut macaroon, peanut butter cookie and chocolate truffle. They wrapped them up for me, as I was so full. That chocolate truffle was sublime.

They had a tasting menu and I'd love to try it next time. For there will be a next time. I loved this place. It wasn't cheap, by any means, but it was well worth the money for a special occasion.

At the end of the evening, the chef(!) helped me into my coat and walked us out the door. I've never had that happen before

[jbonne]

just curious: what's the current tasting menu? we didn't have the apple tasting menu last time, and now i regret it.

i don't regret our food choices at all, just that the apple menu was astounding ...

[little ms foodie]

Glad you had a great birthday dinner SeaGal! I know how much you love a nice crab salad!!!!

[SeaGal]

just curious: what's the current tasting menu?  we didn't have the apple tasting menu last time, and now i regret it.

i don't regret our food choices at all, just that the apple menu was astounding ...

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It was a seasonal/holiday tasting menu and looked very good. The things I remember were some type of salmon appetizer with caviar, foie gras with dried fruit, poached alaskan king crab with vanilla, sea scallops encrusted with porcini, a cheese course with warm pecorino and honey and a dessert with a cassata mousse involved. We were sorely tempted, but he wanted a chocolate dessert and I really wanted the lamb.

Jan

[Mr. Lucky]

To celebrate her new job a friend and I had dinner at Lampreia (my new job was celebrated at Rovers). The food was excellent. If I had to, I would choose Lampreia over Rovers. The flavors are more layered and distinctive, where as Rovers seems to be more about the rich sauces. Ideally I will never be asked to make that choice as both are so good. That said, the Lampreia experience was a little sour.

When we showed up at the restaurant we were very lively and joyous. We told our waiter that this was a celebration and we wanted champagne. Our server informed us that they were out of champagne and had been since Christmas Eve. We were extremely disappointed as champagne is a favorite of both of ours. (While eating an amazing dinner at Kong Hans Kaelder in Copenhagen in November we went through 3 bottles between the two of us.) We kidded the waiter that we would be happy to go around the corner and buy our own bottle and bring it in.

After nursing our disappointment a bit, we settled down to eat. We talked about ordering the tasting menu, but after nearly a week of non-stop holiday eating we both settled on ordering ala carte. We started with the delicious tiered salad tart which had a base of thinly sliced avocado, a rosemary tart, a mix of greens, and some purple potatoes. I’m not doing the salad justice, but it was perfect. My next course was the King Crab rolled up in tart apple slices. This was truly a perfect dish. I’m all about flavors and texture and this was amazing. The apple slices were so thin that the normal crunch of an apple was erased. Instead the texture and the taste of the apple melded perfectly with the crab. I think I spent ½ an hour savoring this dish. My companion had the pink raviolis. I can’t remember much about them, but she scooped ‘em fast! My final dinner course was the bass in porcini sauce. Again, another excellent dish –the richest in flavor. I couldn’t quite finish it and reluctantly left a bit on my dish. My friend and the #1 uni with an eggplant puree. She is an experienced tuna eater having spent many years in Japan and uncountable hours in sushi restaurants. She is not easily impressed, but this dish swayed her. Next we each ordered a cheese. The details elude me, but one was a warm pecorino (I think) with honey and white truffle sauce served on a cedar plank. The other dish was a wine infused sheep’s cheese. I loved them both, but preferred the wind infused cheese slightly. It was sublime.

While eating our cheeses we noticed that two tables had been served champagne. I posited that they must have reserved the wine when they made their reservation to ensure that they got a good bottle. When our waiter came by to take away our cheese plates I asked him if he would advise us to order champagne ahead next time we make a reservation. He looked confused and said, “We have bottles of champagne, just not champagne by the glass”. We were shocked and said that we had had every intention of buying at least one if not two bottles to go with our dinner. It was bad enough to be told at the beginning of the meal that there was no champagne, but it was worse to realize that it was assumed that we (or anyone) would not be purchasing a bottle. It really left both of us in a funk that definitely affected our perception of the meal. That said, we did order dessert and tried to talk ourselves out of being bummed. I half expected that the server or management would send each of us a conciliatory glass of champagne with their apologies, but none appeared. To his credit, the server was very sorry and a bit embarrassed that he had made the mistake. This makes me think that the fact that he did not go the “extra mile” is a management issue. The staff is probably not encouraged to be more than sufficiently courteous. Certainly when it comes to service, Rovers beats out Lampreia by a mile. We finished off our desserts (lemon tart for me –good, but not exceptional and chocolate dumplings in a white chocolate sauce for my friend which she said were a wonder), had coffee and the petit fours (exceptional) and left having never re-captured our initial exuberance due to the champagne mix-up.

All in all, the food is remarkable and worth every penny (at $200 with tip I thought it was cheap), but the experience was a bit of a downer.

[seacrotty]

He looked confused and said, “We have bottles of champagne, just not champagne by the glass”. We were shocked and said that we had had every intention of buying at least one if not two bottles to go with our dinner.

All in all, the food is remarkable and worth every penny (at $200 with tip I thought it was cheap), but the experience was a bit of a downer.

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That goes beyond simple miscommunication to genuine screw up in my book.

c

[jbonne]

This makes me think that the fact that he did not go the “extra mile” is a management issue. The staff is probably not encouraged to be more than sufficiently courteous.

agree, sort of. it's just weird he said that. if nothing else, wouldn't even a modestly encouraging server go a bit further: "we don't serve any Champagnes by the glass, but would you be interested in a bottle to go with your meal?" doubly so since it's a good hint he might be up for a nice fat 18-20% on top of a bottle cost, which presumably would be $65+.

you might want to drop them a discreet note. Carsberg is pretty focused on service (we found it to be one of the few places in Seattle with proper European-style service), which makes it even more surprising. i'd lay even money he'll get to the bottom of it.

(one sidenote: was the Champagne listed on the wine list?)

p.s. extra points for your grace in handling the situation and politely inquiring about the fact that other patrons were sucking down Champagne right near you. i'd have been seething, and i never seethe.

Edited December 31, 2004 by jbonne (log)

[MsRamsey]

If they were out, how hard would it have been for them to go to Pete's and pick up a bunch of bottles of decent sparklers (to serve by the glass)?

Edited December 31, 2004 by MsRamsey (log)

[Foodie-Girl]

I also think a note (mine wouldn't so discreet...LOL) is called for in this situation. I will be very much surprised if the chef doesn't make things right with you.

What a terrible blunder not to ask if you were interested in a bottle. I'm really floored by your experience...

I've been to Lampreia twice and the service has been outstanding on both visits.

The food? Sublime !

[little ms foodie]

I have never worked in the restaurant business but if they were out for so long couldn't they choose to open a bottle they had and serve by the glass? This whole thing sounds weird! I would call Carsberg.

[Mr. Lucky]

Thank you all for your support. It's heartening to know that I'm not the only person who thought this was odd.

I think I will drop the chef/owner a note. I do hope that Seattle chefs and restaurateurs are savvy enough to read eGullet -it's such a great, honest forum.

I agree about the not going out to buy some "interim" champagne or sparkling wine. A trip to Esquin wouldn't seem out of the question.

My next eating adventure will be in Las Vegas and I hope it's a good one.

[hungry_moose]

Does anyone know if Lamperia currently has a tasting menu?

We walked by there on our way to Cascadia the other day and did not see a mention of the tasting menu on their menu posted outside.

-h_Moose

[tighe]

Does anyone know if Lamperia currently has a tasting menu?

We walked by there on our way to Cascadia the other day and did not see a mention of the tasting menu on their menu posted outside. 

-h_Moose

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When I was there a week ago, they had a seasonal tasting menu featuring asparagus and also offered chef's menu option of 5 to 9 courses.

[lronick]

My wife and I went to Lampreia during our trip to Seattle last week (August 13). We had a good meal, but not one that justifies the high prices and stellar reputation that it has. Here's a short report.

Since our hotel (Inn at El Gaucho) was only a block away from Lampreia, we walked by it many times during the week of our stay and saw almost no traffic. That was a bit cautionary, but I knew Lampreia from its reputation and the comments on this board, so I made reservations on Wednesday for Saturday night. I had no trouble getting a 7PM reservation, but when I called on Saturday afternoon to move the time back to 7:30. they couldn't do it. I guess they do book up on weekends, but when we were there, it sure didn't look like all the tables were occupied.

Although the menu didn't list them, they offer 5-course and 8-course tasting menus, vaying in price based on the ingredients the chef decides to use. We had the 5-course menu, and were charged $85 each. The waiter said the 8-course dinner is typically about $115. We had a bottle of Domaine Serene pinot noir from Williamette valley on the waiter's recommendation ($85), which was delicious. Interestingly, he didn't open the bottle until after the first course, which, I assume, he deemed unsuitable for the pinot. He was probably right.

Service was good, the waiter was friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. However, the pacing of the dinner was, in my opinion, a tad fast, something that a good waiter should be able to control. The first course arrived within 5 minutes of our ordering. Each course after that was also delivered within 5 minutes of their removing the plates from the previous course. So, we finished the meal pretty quickly. However, the whole meal did take almost 2 hours, mainly because we lingered over dessert and tea. It didn't seem like they needed the table for another reservation, since the place looked maybe 75% full.

Portion size was OK for a tasting menu, although a big eater might have left hungry. It was enough for us. The courses went as follows (since there was no printed menu for the tasting menu, the names for the dishes are my own):

1) Dungeness crab roll - a cylinder of crabmeat wrapped in an impossibly thin layer of canteloupe, topped with three impossibly small, perfectly spherical canteloupe balls, served with a jelly made from canteloupe juice and white wine. A very sophisticated dish, well executed.

2) Gazpacho - A small cup of gazpacho poured at tableside over a small ball of fresh mozzarella, a chunk of avocado, and a disk of parmesan cheese. Also a nice dish, but the gazpacho was a bit bland and the dish overall was not particularly flavorful. After all, mozzarella and avocado are not two of the most flavorful ingredients, and didn't realy add much more than texture to the soup.

3) An open raviolo stuffed with ricotta salata and a poached chicken egg yolk. This was probably our favorite dish. It was perfectly seasoned, and the egg yolk was just the right consistency - it ran over everything when you broke the thin cooked covering. I'd like to know how he did that.

4) A simply sauteed veal chop with no sauce, topped with one slice of cooked zucchini and a slice of lemon zest. While the veal was of high quality, this was a very unsophisticated dish. There was no other garnish except for what I mentioned - ONE SLICE of zucchini. The meat needed a sauce, however simple, to enhance its flavor - it was just a nice piece of meat that tasted like, well, meat. There wasn't even an herb flavor like rosemary to make it more interesting. Also interesting was the fact that my wife's chop was literally 1/2 the size of mine. I guess they figured women can't eat as much meat as men. She was fine with that, but the discrepancy was very obvious and unusual.

5) Dessert - a peach "soup" with a dollop of vanilla cream, and a plate of tiny cookies/truffles. It was kind of like a virgin "bellini". The soup was flavorful and refreshing, with a thick consistency, and the cream was a nice addition. It wasn't anything that showed off the skills of a pastry chef, or, for that matter, required a pastry chef to prepare it. IMHO, it also lacked the complexity I would expect from a restaurant of this caliber. The cookies and chocolate truffle were good - each was about the size and shape of a small marble, just enough for one bite. I think there were 2 each of 5 different flavors.

Dinner came to about $280 including tax and $2.50 for a cup of tea (shouldn't they throw in the tea with an $85 tasting menu??). With a $50 tip, $330 was a lot of money for 2 people to spend for a meal that really didn't blow us away. We had just as good or better meals for 1/3 the price at Etta's, Flying Fish, and even Belltown Bistro. Sure, not the ambience or the fancy preparations of Lampreia, but good food nonetheless.

[ned]

I'm basking in memories of yet another mind boggling meal at Lampreia. Last night they offed a couple of tasting menus. Naturally the wife and I chose the longer one. Most memorable in this order were: gravlox of Idaho Kobe, steamed squash blossom stuffed with salmon belly topped with generous slices of summer truffle, Chef Carsberg's signature dungeness crab roll, this time wrapped in cantaloupe rather than apple (the apple is prettier but once it's in the mouth it's kind of a toss up between the two), breast of squab cooked sous vide with sage served on concasse of tomatoes. He did a cheese, pecorino that had been baked on a cedar plank and drizzled with truffled honey. . . yowza.

The squash blossom dish is really something. Waiters deliver little staub pots with little lidded steamer baskets. The lid comes off and reveals this precious package. . . just stunning beautiful.

Hats off. What a gem Seattle has in Lampreia.

[highflyingbird]

I went there a couple weeks ago for the second time, and after really loving it the first time, came away disappointed.

I agree with the post above about the final course of the tasting menu. We had an unadorned (NOTHING on the plate) piece of fish that was unremarkable. No artistry involved in that at all.

The crab wrapped in canteloupe was not nearly as tasty as the apple version we'd had before. And it was salty.

Zucchini Blossom with salmon belly. Fantastic. That was our favorite thing. Delicate flavors...

Fois Gras terrine was very good and a big portion, but the apricoy aspic on top lacked any acidic flavor needed to counter the richness of the fois gras..

The desserts were very good, though. Especially a chocolate one.

The pacing was very fast, though. We felt kind of rushed. And while Scott can be very nice, there's always a little feeling of discomfort...like something miss piss him off at any time. It's strange.

Another thing that is not great: the prices for the tasting menus are not printed on the menu. We were never told how much it was, which is odd. Somewhere along the process, the price should be made known to the customer.

[ned]

I agree with the post above about the final course of the tasting menu. We had an unadorned (NOTHING on the plate) piece of fish that was unremarkable. No artistry involved in that at all.

Another thing that is not great: the prices for the tasting menus are not printed on the menu. We were never told how much it was, which is odd. Somewhere along the process, the price should be made known to the customer.

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I wonder if you had the five or eight course meal. And if you had the five, would you describe the fish (what fish was it btw?) as an entree of sorts? I ask this because, to me, and I'm a huge fan of Lampreia, Scott has an odd relationship with his entrees. They are conservative and not so inventive and haven't hardly changed at all since I've been going there (1996). The rest of the menu, that which is above the entrees as well as beneath them has always been wildy creative and individualistic and changes often. As a result, I seldom, if ever eat Scott's entrees. I sometimes wonder if he leaves them on the menu out of a feeling of obligation although that wouldn't explain why one of these dishes ended up on a tasting menu. I've eaten the veal chop a couple of times and feel similarly to Ironick. . . it is lacking in something. Maybe Scott's taste in proteins has become minimalistic in a way that his patrons don't share? I don't know.

I do have to respond to Ironick's comparison of Lampreia to Etta's, Flying Fish and Belltown Bistro. It's a comparison of apples and oranges. These are just different calibur restaurants. They have different objectives, a different level of focus and artistry. . . my friends and family love me for comments like I'm about to make: they are just objectively different. One might like Tom Douglas's french fries, fried calamari or crab cakes. . . this isn't what's going on at Lampreia.

Edited September 11, 2005 by ned (log)

[lronick]

I do have to respond to Ironick's comparison of Lampreia to Etta's, Flying Fish and Belltown Bistro.  It's a comparison of apples and oranges.  These are just different calibur restaurants.  They have different objectives, a different level of focus and artistry. . . my friends and family love me for comments like I'm about to make: they are just objectively different.  One might like Tom Douglas's french fries, fried calamari or crab cakes. . . this isn't what's going on at Lampreia.

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I knew I was leaving myself open for a potshot when comparing Lampriea to mid-tier places like Etta's, etc. Of course you're right to say it's apples and oranges. I was just trying to say that overall, I felt that I got more VALUE from the mid-tier restaurants than I did at Lampreia. An example of a meal that I felt was well worth the money was a trip to Citronelle in Wash. D.C. the week after I went to Lampreia. The checks were virtually identical, but the value received at Citronelle far exceeded Lampreia. Michel Richard is amazing, and EVERY course was extraordinary. I highly recommend Citronelle to eGulleteers who live or visit DC. IMHO, it's the best restaurant in the city.

[chefturnedbum]

When I was a young stupid, arrogant man I was offered a job as Michel richards personal assistant. I had to call that day or I lost the opportunity. Wisely I went tubing down the Salt River instead and called the next day. What a dose of reality as I was punished by the man and lost out. One of the great failures in my career. Guy is such an amazing chef and I agree that it is an amazing venue.

]

[snekse]

Has anyone been here recently? I'm looking for the best fine dining experience in Seattle; is this it?

[Foodie-Girl]

I was there in May....another outstanding meal.

For the "best" it's a close call between Lampreia and Mistral in my somewhat humble opinion.

Mistral is my very favorite in Seattle.

Has anyone been here recently?  I'm looking for the best fine dining experience in Seattle; is this it?

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[tsquare]

Thanks for asking. I have been meaning to write up a special dinner. My first experience. A Friday night - no turns of the tables, maybe 1/2 full. Maybe one person under 50. How do they survive?

The meal was well paced, with excellent service, and a few extras, courtesy of the Chef, including a glass of champagne. That always helps. An amuse of avocado tartlet was more pronounced in flavor than avocado alone - how is that possible? The crust could have been better. There were some nice wines by the glass - I don't recall what we ordered.

I loved Tomatoes Lampreia - a bowl with a number of small bites, topped with a light gazpacho. Particularly interesting was the half tomato, half basil popsicle. Also, black truffle gnocci was a revelation. Mild at first, the truffle took an extra beat to work its way up to the sinuses, then, Wham! Fois was impressive, and I don't particularly care for it - but his was great. Octopus was excellent too, a very reasonable portion. The raviolo - any time, but that's me. I wish we had ordered the squash blossom dish as I think that is another signature item.

The entrees - I would probably order more of the 1st and 2nd courses instead. That said, the duck and the fish were very good, especially the apricot confit/? for the duck. It was served 3 ways - patially completed (with a hit of wasabi?), preserved, and sauced. This was an interesting and tasty sequence of flavors and textures. The infamous veal chop was big, but perhaps uninspired.

Desserts - the chocolate mousse with caramel - very yummy. The pineapple ravioli - good, not my style. The other dessert was inventive - but my memory fails - some sort of dumplings with chocolate sauce? It was good. A litttle dessert wine, and I was finished.

Same after meal treats as noted in earlier posts. I hadn't reviewed this before going, so they came as a nice surprise - even if I took them home to eat the next day. Seems like they might need to shake up the mix to keep people coming back - but just about every party departed after speaking with Scott - "great as usual" etc., so he has a following.

Can't compare to some of the other top line houses in town, but this was very good. The room/ambiance is a little stiff for my tastes, though one diner was there in a t-shirt emblazoned with some strange saying about bad girls, everyone else had made an effort to look nice.

Edited September 2, 2006 by tsquare (log)