Elemental@Gasworks

[little ms foodie]

or maybe it was Fegola?

[Peter Johnson]

(what is that grain that is similar to cous cous but has (bear with me) a little white "swirl" in each "bead"?). 

Was it quinoa?

Your description of the evening sounds lovely. I am intrigued by this place but I think to pull of something "different" you need to do so in an environment that makes people feel safe. Obviously if you pass some unknown test Phred can do that. I'm afraid I might not pass the test.

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Yes, yes! Thank you! Quinoa! Yum!

Seriously, I think there's just too much hand-wringing (no offense to you or anyone specifically) about it--Go! Enjoy!

I should add an aside, though, in the interest of full disclosure, that I can see where one thing might be a problem. The menu lists no ingredients; literally, it says "Lamb", "Baked Salmon", "Parmesan Flan", etc. For my wife and I, neither of whom is a vegeterian and neither of whom has a food allergy or restriction, we can just go with the flow--"Yes! Please! I'll have the flan, canneloni, and lamb," not knowing (or caring!) what the ingredients are, trying to reverse engineer the dishes as we eat them. It could be tricky for someone who has more restrictions, and they might not feel comfortable asking about the components of each dish in which they were interested.

[jbonne]

It could be tricky for someone who has more restrictions, and they might not feel comfortable asking about the components of each dish in which they were interested.

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actually, we asked a ton of pesky questions of Phred along these lines -- though in an interested, we're-a-bunch-of-food-geeks way. he couldn't have been more pleasant and eager to answer them.

[it's 5 pm somewhere!]

My spouse and I went to Elemental in response to the reviews. The first time, we were abruptly turned away, like others here. The second time, we arrived before 6 on a weeknight and immediately got a table. We really enjoyed the idea of the place--entrusting in the chef and the wine pairings. In the end, the secret wines were fun. We guessed almost all the varietals, but made little headway in having the host talk/chat about his picks (we felt unworthy). We were not impressed with the food at all. We each had 4 courses, so there were plenty of opportunities for the restaurant to impress, but it did not. The flavorings were not well thought out, and non-existent on the meat dishes. it could have been an off night, but not a single dish was worth trying again. would not rate the food highly against many other restaurants in Seattle. that said, we would probably give it one more chance because of its positives and potential for great food.

[SeAAttle]

We had a terrific experience at Elemental a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, we know Phred a bit from his days at Union Bay and had been told how things work. Arrived at 5:30 and got the last table. It was a Tuesday when they start a new menu for the week so things were a bit slower than usual. However, we were served wine while we waited. They start taking orders at 6pm (or rather, the menu is distributed, one table at a time, at 6pm). I did notice that Phred was rather abrupt in telling late arrivers that they were full.

The food was terrific and the wine servings were superb. We left at 8:30 and were the first to leave. The cost was very reasonable, including the wine flight (I stopped counting at 7 wines!) at only $15. Service was included and the credit card slip had no space to add gratuity. Phred happened to walk by as I took out my wallet to leave cash and said "Put that away."

We will return but not on a Tuesday. I wonder if they will survive based on the small number of tables and relatively low prices.

[Bruce Burger]

In my one visit I found the welcome and service friendly, and I love the personal nature of the place. However, while we had just a short wait (on a weeknight around 8:30), I would generally be deterred by the possibility of a long wait. Unlike some places that don't take reservations, Essential doesn't seem to answer the phone, so you can't even call to ask how long the wait will be.

The menu was very appealing and the food was good, though not amazing. Overall I'd say Food=B, Service=A, Wine=A, Price=A, Hassle=D.

Edited June 13, 2005 by Bruce Burger (log)

[tamiam]

I was in ChefWendy's party at Elemental several weeks ago and agree with all she said above. Phred is rude, controlling, persnickety, arrogant, and seems to forget who is paying the bill. The only time he shows his helpful side is when you are following along with some kind of uncommunicated will of his.

All of that could be interesting and even fun if the food was outstanding, but it was not. The menu was basically high-end takes on diner favorites--foie gras in the meatloaf kind of thing. You would not know this by reading the menu though--you can only find out what is being served by daring a conversation with Phred (the very guy who just forced a guest to stand, jacket on, without a chair, while personally attacking her, because he wanted to impose some kind of pointless rule and he didn't care that she just walked in and had no idea. Then he has to deign to tell you what it is you have the option of buying from him.

In the end the food was nice--not worth driving out of your way for. The attitude was a pain in the arse, and heck, I can get it at work for free. And the game of not telling you what you are drinking shouldn't be forced on people who don't enjoy playing it that way. Just because someone can cook or pick a nice wine does not make them some kind of superbeing for the rest of us to bow down to.

Except maybe if it is me

[mamster]

I don't have a lot of culinary prejudices, but I'm allergic to food made by people named "Phred".

[SeaGal]

I'm awphully aphraid that I might not "get it" and have no desire to spend an uncomphortable evening pheeling like a phool just because I don't have the proper wine knowledge or cool phactor to phit in.

Jan

[tighe]

I don't have a lot of culinary prejudices, but I'm allergic to food made by people named "Phred".

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I'm glad YOU said it, 'cuz I been thinking it for a while....

and Jan....

that's the phucking phunniest thing I've read in phorever!

[olivina]

Phred (the very guy who just forced a guest to stand, jacket on, without a chair, while personally attacking her, because he wanted to impose some kind of pointless rule and he didn't care that she just walked in and had no idea.

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Seriously? Was it about her jacket? Did she say anything back?

I'm planning on trying to maybe or maybe not have dinner and/or get yelled at there this wednesday, but I'll be with a couple of big guys in case anything gets nasty.

[jbonne]

I don't have a lot of culinary prejudices, but I'm allergic to food made by people named "Phred".

actually, it's phood made by Laurie. wine poured by Phred.

i'm truly amazed how many folks have found the experience grating. it makes me wonder whether there's been a major sea change there since last i visited. (we've been staying away on the theory that they've been dealing with a post-review crush. that, plus the volume of wine and late night makes it a tricky choice for a weeknight.)

[reesek]

i'm confused about something...they open at 5 but pass the (single) menu around at 6?

is there bread? are you supposed to sit there drinking wine for an hour before you get to order? i can drink a lot of wine in an hour...

[Peter Johnson]

i'm confused about something...they open at 5

Correct.

but pass the (single) menu around at 6?

Yes and no. Everyone gets a menu. The menus are in fact distributed at 6:00.

is there bread? are you supposed to sit there drinking wine for an hour before you get to order?  i can drink a lot of wine in an hour...

It's a cocktail hour. We had cocktails and chatted. There was no bread. Perhaps one could ask for bread, we did not. But then, we often have cocktails and chat for an hour before dinner.

Come on, you guys, if you don't like the idea of the place, then DON'T GO.

I happen to love it.

Your mileage may vary!

YMMV.

[MsRamsey]

Come on, you guys, if you don't like the idea of the place, then DON'T GO.

Gee, I knew *that* was coming.

[olivina]

Its just that Elemental sounds so wonderfully quirky, us provincial types in Seattle can't help but have a little fun. . The owner/host's attitude does have a precedent often found in sitcoms and diner restaurants in NYC.

The food sounds great and maybe the guests that Phred is nice to feel special, because it is so exclusive.

I think he has gotten a LOT of airtime on this board because the place is not like a regular restaurant. I haven't even tried it, but have spread the word around. Phred is a marketing genius!

[vengroff]

Is there a second seating? 5pm is just to early for me to viably make it up there.

[MsRamsey]

The food sounds great and maybe the guests that Phred is nice to feel special, because it is so exclusive.

I think he has gotten a LOT of airtime on this board because the place is not like a regular restaurant. I haven't even tried it, but have spread the word around. Phred is a marketing genius!

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Yep Carla, I've been meaning to mention that you're just a little too hospitable at your place. A hissy fit here and there might really liven things up. You have that big open kitchen, and you're just squandering away all that opportunity.

[olivina]

The food sounds great and maybe the guests that Phred is nice to feel special, because it is so exclusive.

I think he has gotten a LOT of airtime on this board because the place is not like a regular restaurant. I haven't even tried it, but have spread the word around. Phred is a marketing genius!

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Yep Carla, I've been meaning to mention that you're just a little too hospitable at your place. A hissy fit here and there might really liven things up. You have that big open kitchen, and you're just squandering away all that opportunity.

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Maybe you can help me stage one? We could really do it up right! It could start with me throwing pizza dough at loud people talking on thier cell phones.

[malarkey]

Maybe you can help me stage one? We could really do it up right! It could start with me throwing pizza dough at loud people talking on thier cell phones.

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And swearing in italian! don't forget that!!

[jbonne]

Is there a second seating?  5pm is just to early for me to viably make it up there.

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rolling seatings. apparently they turn tables 2-3 times a night, sometimes more.

we were in again last night, and had another terrific experience. full details later ...

[chefturnedbum]

[being an old school owner I think you must kiss arse to have that comfort zone but I ate there and putting up with that jackass is well worth it. It is an experience. The rudeness will become his signature and the food will back up what he does. A modern interpretation of Vongerichten or Gordon Ramsey. The place is packed despite his shortcomings. I was a single diner and he almost did not want me in but I told him I was a chef and the doors opened. When I had Blue Onion I was so nice to everyone. Now I am going to beat them into submission. People seem to love it. I guess S & M is not dead (lol).

[jbonne]

i'd promised a while ago to fill in the details of our previous dinner at Elemental.

we went in on a Wed. about 945p.

Phred looked like he was being a bit heavy-handed at the FOH, but he also recognized us immediately and was warm and welcoming, though he mentioned a few decibels too loudly about a nearby table having lingered for over two hours. (i assumed it was deliberate.)

when we queried him about the post-review crush, he said that things had gotten hairy for a while and lots of people had come in, been told there was a two-hour wait, agreed to wait and then started getting impatient after 45 minutes. so he started to just tell people they were full for the night. (no idea what tone he took when he told folks this, but i can see where that information, delivered in a stern tone, would be interpreted as a seating-Nazi move.)

it sounded as though the goal was to start chasing away one-timers and ensure there was enough room for his regulars. i wouldn't personally agree with the approach, but that's his decision, not mine. in any case, it sounds like there are enough regulars to keep them plenty full.

also, they appear to have added an additional server pretty much full-time.

one-tops are an obvious problem for them, and not sure how they can solve that.

no reservations also an obvious problem, and i'd personally wish that they instituted a rez-only policy, but that's because i'm a reservations fan. every time i've gone in there, we got a seat without a problem. but we also have never walked in before 9p.

i asked him what the safest time would be to come in and get seated, perhaps 10p or so? he said things usually start to calm down after 830-9p, when the 2nd seatings are finishing up. i'm sticking with 930-10p as a failsafe.

only problem with that: limited kitchen stock. they were out of one dish i'd really hoped to try (calamari canneloni) when we got there.

my takeaway lesson: i think Phred is taking the court-your-regulars approach to an extreme. that may not be the best business decision, but he's chosen it and he's sticking by it, and i wish them well. certainly i'll do my part, because i like them and i like their food and the whole approach.

but many people won't. many people also don't like Lampreia for a similar reason, though others have argued that Scott Carsberg is just misunderstood. in New York and other cities, you'll find little boites that have what can initially be a snooty attitude because they're catering to their regulars.

most have been around longer than Elemental (Rao's comes to mind) and gained their reputation over time, but again, if they can make it work, more power to 'em. they're committed to fostering a small, close-knit community of diners there, and while i think that's an inappropriate approach for a larger venue, it's not completely unreasonable for one this small.

[little ms foodie]

elemental is closed until July 19th fyi

[Peter Johnson]

Had another delicious dinner at Elemental last night. Arrived at 5:50, panicking that there wouldn't be a place to sit--fortunately, we got one of the last two 2-tops. Phred brought out a nice, warm, mulled brandy to start; continued with a martini as part of the cocktail hour, served with a dish of truffle-oil popcorn! We ordered the three-course prix fixe, and as is typical, they "coursed it out" so we shared six courses in total. We started with smoked trout bruschetta, four toasts topped with a white bean/sage topping and smoked trout on top of that. Second course was a baked blue cheese/onion tort with greens on the side. Third course was chestnut/bacon ravioli served in a brown butter broth (we received bread which served perfectly to mop up all that butter (we're not proud!)). Fourth course was seafood chowder; they actually split this into two bowls which were filled with various pieces of seafood and tiny mussels, all in a heavy-cream broth. Our entrees were baked true cod over greens; final dish was "carolina pork," which was pulled pork in a slightly sweet tomato/vinegar sauce, with "sides" of skillet-baked corn bread and collard greens. Pushing the limits of our stomach capacity, we asked for a "mini" cheese plate and wrapped it all up with creme caramel. Of course, we had at least one (and sometimes two) wines, names/origins unknown save for our hushed guesses, with each course, a very tasty grappa after dessert, and a scotch to wrap everything up. Total cost for two: 120, including service.

Great food, great time, great value. This is right up there in its candidacy for my favorite restaurant in Seattle!