25 for $25

[tighe]

Scrat and I went to 727 and had an odd sort of experience. The food was stellar, the braised Kobe beef shortrib I had had the most exquisitely tender texture and great flavor. The service on the other hand was truly abysmal. They were busy and looked like deer caught in headlights. I won't get into the gory details, but it was one of the smallest tips I've left in a very long time.

Edited November 14, 2003 by tighe (log)

[MsRamsey]

I might be organizing lunch at Earth & Ocean at 1PM next Thursday (the 20th).  Anyone interested?

I could be up for that, it's only a block from my office!

Hey laurel, count me in. I just found out that She Who Must Be Obeyed will be out of town, so a long lunch is okay.

[BastilaShan]

I'll join you guys for lunch at Earth and Ocean on the 20th!

Let me know when, where, how to meet up as this is my first time :)

Brasa has some excellent food!!

The paella, brouillabaise, mussels and grilled shrimp are sooo good.

I also love the Valrona warm chocolate cake. . . yummy!

Their waitstaff can be really aloof and stuck up though.

[laurel]

Looks like we have quite a few people interested in Earth & Ocean for lunch.

Details:

Earth & Ocean

1 PM, Thurs Nov 20.

I've also invited my regular Thursday lunch crowd, so it may be a big group (about 8). If you can, send me an email or PM if you want to come, so I can make a reservation on Tuesday.

[cheeseandchocolate]

Alright! A Brasa report:

My friend Keaton and I hit Brasa tonight for a little Sunday-night-catch-up dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. We arrived a few minutes late (grrrrr...parking in Belltown) and were promptly seated on the upper level, overlooking the main area, bar, and entrance below. It was a nice spot, especially when it came time to choose our dishes from the $25 menu--we peered over the railing and scoped out the dishes on the tables below, trying to identify what was what. Our waiter was quite young and very nice. We both wanted glasses of white, and he very knowledgeably offered his suggestions. Keats wound up having a very crisp, citrus-y wine (can't remember the varietal, though, nor the producer), and I had a Viognier, which was quite spicy and apple-y. Mmmm. We had a terrible time choosing what to order--we'd thoroughly studied the menu on nwsource.com, but it had changed. Curses! Tonight's appetizer options were as follows:

Curried mussels with coconut and cilantro

Butternut squash risotto with sage and crumbled bacon

"Wild" greens salad with sherry/shallot vinaigrette

Hummus with house-made pita

Spinach salad with goat cheese, shitakes, something else, and sherry/shallot vinaigrette

And entree choices:

Squab with chocolate risotto and dried cherries

Fish stew with saffron broth (today's fish were mussels, clams, and shrimp)

Petit filet with bleu cheese butter, mashed potatoes, and some kind of demiglace

Ravioli with aged Fontina Val D'Aosta and porcini jus

Lamb curry with minted yogurt, Moroccan flatbread, and saffron potatoes

We were seriously torn and asked if there was anything we really shouldn't miss on the menu. Our waiter steered us towards the lamb curry with minted yogurt and Moroccan flat bread, although he did say that the filet was awfully good. The squab sounded interesting, if not a bit odd. He said that the risotto was "quite chocolatey" and that it cut the "oilyness" of the squab nicely. I had a hard time imagining the flavor myself, but then again, I wasn't tempted by the squab to start with. Keats wound up ordering the butternut squash risotto and the lamb curry, and I went for the simple-but-refreshing-sounding green salad and then the lamb.

We had just enough time to enjoy our wine before the apps came out, along with a tray of four meager slices of bread, a small dish of olive oil, and a smaller dish of hummus and kalamata olives. The bread (two slices olive, two white) was quite dry and worthless, but the oil had a nice deep flavor, and the hummus was smooth and just right in terms of tahini, lemon, and garlic. My salad was perfectly dressed and tangy with sherry vinegar, and Keaton's risotto had a lovely consistency--not too runny, not too firm. They seemed to have throw into it some "warm" spices, maybe clove, cinnamon? The risotto was a bit pumpkin pie-y for my tastes, but the bacon and hint of Parmegiano Reggiano cut the sweetness and filled out the flavor.

The entrees arrived with just enough of a time lapse after our appetizer plates had been cleared, and they were deeeeeeeelicious. The curry flavor was not very pronounced, but the lamb was tender and earthy, tucked in a lovely, thick, meaty stew-type sauce. We each got a little bit of carrot and a couple small onions along with the potatoes; altogether, the dish seemed like a livened-up pot roast of sorts. A tasty pot roast, at that. No complaints here. I needed some tender meat and a warming sauce on a blustery night like this one. Mmmm, mmmm! Oh, and the Moroccan flat bread that came with was also delicious, chewy and just the right thickness to hold together as I dragged it through the meaty sauce. Mmmm, mmm!

We were happy girls.

Dessert was also very good, but not outstanding. I had a warm individual apple tarte with vanilla ice cream, and Keats had a slice of frozen lemon mousse in what looked like creme anglaise (I didn't taste it, though...I had my head in the trough). My tarte had a wonderful buttery flaky crust, and the ice cream tasted homemade, or at least damn close. It was intensely creamy and had flecks of vanilla bean throughout. The tarte also looked wonderfully rustic, which always pleases me, aesthetically. I don't know; I just like things to look as though they were made with human hands, not with all kinds of tubes and such. Keaton thorougly enjoyed her mousse, although I would have been disappointed, myself. I just don't like slabs of things for dessert, whether we're talking mousse or torte or whathaveyou. But she said it was delicious and refreshing, and like I said, I had my head in the trough of tarte.

All in all, two three-course menus and two glasses of wine: $68.04, before tip. I think we wound up paying $80 total. Very, very satisfying. I'm trying to get over feeling overly stuffed. Ahhhhhh. Mmmmmm.

[tsquare]

... a tray of four meager slices of bread...  The bread (two slices olive, two white) was quite dry and worthless...

Interesting. They are making their own and it has been very good when I've been there. Not as crusty or heavy as most of the loaves in town, but quite tender and tasty. I wonder if you were victims of the crazy November promotion - or if the baker had the day off and you got leftovers...

[cheeseandchocolate]

Interesting. They are making their own and it has been very good when I've been there. Not as crusty or heavy as most of the loaves in town, but quite tender and tasty. I wonder if you were victims of the crazy November promotion - or if the baker had the day off and you got leftovers...

We *must* have gotten leftovers. The crust was definitely light and crisp, but the interior crumb was...crumbly. There was no nice, fresh elasticity to it at all. And one thing I forgot to add about the bread tray itself: it was lined with a white folded napkin, with the four slices they gave us covering only about 1/3 of the napkin, and the other 2/3 oddly covered with crumbs upon arrival. My first thought was that they'd brought us a tray and leftover bread recently cleared from someone else's table. The olive oil and hummus dishes were fresh, though. Hmmmm.

Edited November 17, 2003 by cheeseandchocolate (log)

[BastilaShan]

Is the Valrhona (?) warm chocolate cake part of the dessert choices?

I love that chocolate cake.

The curried mussels are also very good.

On a sidenote, Brasa has a very good bar menu which has half-price food from 5 to 7pm, I think.

Edited November 17, 2003 by BastilaShan (log)

[cheeseandchocolate]

Is the Valhala(?) warm chocolate cake part of the dessert choices?

I love that chocolate cake.

Oops! Forgot to mention dessert choices:

Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup

Frozen lemon mousse

Warm apple tarte with vanilla ice cream

Plate of three cheeses

Alas, no warm chocolate cake. I would have been allllllll over that.

[laurel]

This forum seems to have been slightly messed up by the upgrade, and I can't see some of the posts, so could anyone interested in lunch this Thursday (1 PM, Earth & Ocean) send me an email? Thanks!

[LaurieA-B]

Our dinner at Nell's is reported in The Stranger this week--check out November 13. It should actually be credited to scrat, who I am sure wishes she had not had to witness that particular scene. (For those of you who are not regular readers, Last Days regularly reports examples of inappropriate public grooming.)

[laurel]

Went to 727 Pine for lunch today. Excellent! The salmon was crisp and tender, and the roasted rings of delicata squash were also really well done.. sweet, slightly spicy, and caramelized. I also liked the cinnamon parfait dessert... rich cinnamony ice cream on a cinnamon cookie-thing with crunchy, vanillay roasted pears, bisected with a paper thin dried pear slice. I think 727 is my favorite of the 5 25/25 places I've been to.

[tsquare]

Ended up at Etta's last night. It was great (as long as you want the signature salmon or the other choice - last night, seared albacore.) The menu price for the salmon alone is $24. Served with a pile of cooked kale, and cornbread pudding (decidedly decadent.) App choices were black bean and ham hock soup or oysters - 2 very fresh ones. Dessert was coconut cream pie or chocolate bread pudding with housemade ice cream. We shared both. They have a specialty cocktail made with pomegranate - easy drinking - called a pink owie.

[BastilaShan]

Sigh, today is the last day for the 25 for 25 promotion . . .

Went back to 727 Pine for their Kobe Beef lunch and it was amazingly good again. This time the beef portions were much larger as it is the last day and probably trying to finish off all the beef.

Unfortunately, it is not one of the regular menu items.

That Cinnamon parfait dessert is awesome! Very rich though and need to go to the gym soon :)

[Ye-Ye Girl]

It's back again in March!

March 2004 - 25 for $25

[BastilaShan]

Anyone interested in going to Nell's on a Friday evening for dinner?

http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/nws_vd.cfm?c=r&id=3553

Also thinking of lunch at 727 Pine

http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/nws_vd.cfm?c=r&id=4214

They have unfortunately removed the kobe beef from the menu.

[MsRamsey]

Anyone interested in going to Nell's on a Friday evening for dinner?

http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/nws_vd.cfm?c=r&id=3553

The $25 menu is available only Sunday through Thursday (and then some places are closed on Monday, and the Georgian is closed on Sundays and Mondays).

Edit: I see the Georgian has dropped out this time....

Edited February 23, 2004 by MsRamsey (log)

[malarkey]

Edit: I see the Georgian has dropped out this time....

oh DAMN.

[BastilaShan]

Ok thanks, maybe Sunday or late Monday night then. :)

[tighe]

I really wish they could manage to bring some new restaurants into the fold for this. Maybe I'm just getting jaded, but I'm not nearly as excited about it this time around.

Edited February 23, 2004 by tighe (log)

[bbqer]

I really wish they could manage to bring some new restaurants into the fold for this. Maybe I'm just getting jaded, but I'm not nearls as excited about it this time around.

It would be nice to see a few more different restaurants in this promotion. I would think being part of this would truly benefit a restaurant, both short-term and long-term.

BTW, Tighe, congrats on your 1000th post here. I always enjoy reading your cogent remarks.

[BastilaShan]

They should do something similar to Vancouver, which had over 100 restaurants in their promotion.

I read somewhere(Seattle Weekly?) that Fire and Ice Lounge and Bueno Aires Grill also has a $23 3-course dinner offer.

[tighe]

BTW, Tighe, congrats on your 1000th post here. I always enjoy reading your cogent remarks.

Hey thanks, I can definitely understand how my less-cogent remarks wouldn't be as enjoyable.

I read somewhere(Seattle Weekly?) that Fire and Ice Lounge and Bueno Aires Grill also has a $23 3-course dinner offer.

There seem to be a number of plasce that have some ongoing prix fixe offers, including Brasserie Margaux which has 3 courses for $25 all the time.

[tsquare]

And Cascadia, Cafe Campagne, Assagio, Axis...

For February, Brasa has a $25 dinner that includes fish stew, glass of wine, and 3 cheese, sliced fruit & chocolate covered almond course.

[girl chow]

Holy cow! Check out this press release and please note the part where it says "eight courses" for $25!!!!

SEATTLE – Ethan Stowell, executive chef and owner of Union, announces the availability of his $25 tasting menu during the month of March.

The eight-course offering features examples of Union’s daily changing menu, which includes fresh local ingredients as well as items from around the world. The $25 tasting menu offers a variety of daily options, including, Potato Leek Soup with soft poached chicken egg and spoonbill caviar; Roasted Sea Trout with shaved fennel and blood orange salad; Braised Rabbit Leg with roasted fingerling potatoes and brussel sprouts, braised reduction; Lemon Sorbet with candied orange and blood orange; and Honey Parfait with armagnac jus and pear compote.

“Union offers a daily changing menu and we are excited to feature a variety of dishes on our $25 tasting menu,” said owner and executive chef Ethan Stowell. “Each March and November 25 restaurants partner with their 25 for $25 promotion. It is a terrific idea that helps both restaurants and diners in the Seattle area. But there are many more than 25 restaurants that need and want to showcase their cuisine and certainly enough guests to support more than those 25 restaurants selected to participate. Union is proud to offer our own eight-course tasting menu during the month of March.”

Stowell, a Seattle native, has cooked in many of Seattle’s most respected kitchens including Nell’s, The Ruins, The Painted Table, and Szmania’s. Union, located at 1400 First Avenue on the corner of First and Union, is open for dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. in the dining room, Monday through Sunday and the bar is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling (206) 838-8000. Union opened on Monday, Sept. 29, 2003.

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