The Ruins

[Schielke]

Has anybody here ever been to The Ruins? I guess it is a private club, and is supposed to be great. Have you heard anything about it? Do you know any members?

Check out This and This

[girl chow]

The owners of Le Pichet told me they met through the Ruins. The woman co-owner (I forgot her name, Joan or Joanne maybe?) was the catering director, I believe. Wasn't Jim Drohman (spelling?) the kitchen manager? I could be wrong.

They do catering for lots of local upscale events, but their dining club is private. I don't believe it's all that exclusive. I don't think there is such a thing in Seattle. It wouldn't be allowed.

[MsRamsey]

My friend Rose and I snuck in there one night a few years ago and had a look around. We could hear staff working in the kitchen, but no one caught us.

[LEdlund]

I went to a wedding there a couple of years ago. I kind of liked it. The decorations are really over the top: stuffed elephant in one room, that sort of thing, but all in all it was pretty and romantic. I ran into a friend who was working the event while I was there. When I see her again, I'll ask for some "inside scoop".

A friend of mine looked into joining (becoming a member, whatever it is they require so that you can dine there), but unfortunately I don't remember now how much it cost. I remember thinking the price was reasonable.

[Jim Dixon]

We ate at the Ruins a few years ago with some well-heeled Seattle friends who live just up the hill. I liked the feel of the place, a nondescript warehouse with a clubby restaurant hidden inside.

I don't really remember what we ate, but seem to recall it was good. The idea of paying a substantial membership fee and still forking over for a high-priced dinner rubbed me the wrong way, though.

Jim

[Schielke]

But how else do you know you are better than any other slob off the street forking out 100 bucks for dinner?

[tsquare]

and this:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/29826_dine04.shtml

not that it tells you what you want to know.

[robert brown]

I was out in Seattle a couple of years ago for an exhibition we organized that was held jointly with an artist friend. We went with eight people or so. They let us bring wine, so that part of it was really good. I remember the food as being quite good, not extraordinary, though. It certainly wasn't mediocre. That's all I can say. It's worth a visit if yiu can get in.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

girl chow is right about Joanne Herron - she used to be the catering manager at The Ruins. I organized a holiday party at The Ruins for a company I used to work for, and when I started the process, she (Joanne) was still there. Seems like she left soon after - it must've been late '99 or early 2000.

The setting is luxuriously eccentric, yet manages to be comfortable. The food was good quality, especially considering it was mass produced for a large-ish gathering.

As I remember, there was an up-front initiation fee, an annual fee, plus the cost of eating there. There was a limit on memberships, and you had to be nominated for membership by an existing member. Not much different from a country club membership, when you think about it. I do remember our party had to be "sponsored" by a current member.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

Ah, here's a snippet about joining The Ruins. Seems they were accepting new members again, at least last October.

I wonder if their cookbook collection is as good as heyjude's? It'd be worth seeing, I bet.