Restaurants

Restaurant Reviews from around the country

The Wall Street Journal

I had the honor of being interviewed for a special weekend edition of  the Wall Street Journal. You can read all about my fave Seattle picks!

Posted by Kathy Casey on July 11th, 2011  |  Comments Off on The Wall Street Journal |  Posted in Restaurants, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Recent Posts, Tasty Travels

Keren Brown’s Food Lovers’ Guide to Seattle

The Frantic Foodie Keren Brown shares the inside scoop in the Food Lovers’ Guide to Seattle. With delectable recipes from Seattle’s iconic eateries, this is the ultimate resource for food lovers to use and savor!

A bounty of mouthwatering delights is in this engagingly written tome, as well as a rich array of other, indispensable food-related information including:

  • Favorite restaurants and landmark eateries
  • Specialty food stores and markets
  • Farmers’ markets
  • Food festivals and culinary events
  • Recipes from top Seattle chefs

To commemorate Keren’s book, she will be hosting a faboo book launch and signing on July 25, 2011 from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club. A bevy of bites will be provided by Apulent Events & Catering as well as a wide range by local establishments from restaurants to specialty shops. Make sure to mark your calendars!

Tickets for this event must be purchased in advanced and are available through Brown Paper Tickets. With the exception of the ticket processing fee, all proceeds will go to FareStart.

Hope to see you there! – Kathy

Posted by Kathy Casey on June 27th, 2011  |  Comments Off on Keren Brown’s Food Lovers’ Guide to Seattle |  Posted in Restaurants, Books to Cook, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Recent Posts

Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter

I gathered up the team and we headed for Vegas, baby! And the VIBE was great!

We just recently got back from Vegas and had an amazing time at the VIBE Conference! This is the 2nd annual spirits and liquor industry conference where beverage industry leaders, national restaurant accounts and spirit brands come together to discuss all things beverage, showcase tasty new products, learn new things and get inspired. This year I shook it up for the opening night’s Celebrity Mixologist event at the William Grant & Monin “Americana themed bar” with Charlotte Voissey, a world-renowned mixologist! My drink was a play on the soda fountain: the  ROOT n’ Rye Float made with ROOT liquor, Hudson Rye, Sailor Jerry and a dash of Fee’s Old Fashioned Bitters. This was shaken and served up with a beautiful “float” of foam made with Monin French Vanilla Syrup. And of course I had to have a little bling bling in there… a dusting of edible gold flakes!

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Charlotte Voissey and me at the VIBE Celebrity Mixologist Event

The next day I led a workshop-style seminar with my team about Cocktail Alternatives: Raising the Bar – Without Raiding the Bar! (a tasting discussion on non-alcoholic drinks). We held a lively discussion on what’s new on the non-alcoholic horizon, sampled mocktails such as the Yuzu Mizu and discussed all the cool beverages I have seen on my travels to the Middle East and Asia. The seminar ended with participants making their own non-alcoholic concoctions. You can see a brief overview of the seminar at the VIBE website.

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My Yuzu Mizu mocktail

After all that, there was still time to party, eat at great restaurants, dance and party some more! If you’re in Vegas…you might as well live it up! Yeah! We can’t wait for VIBE next year!

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My team and me having a blast in Vegas!


It’s Clammin’ Time!

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My friend Scott and I cleaning razor clams

Last Saturday, March 19th was the 5th Annual Razor Clam Festival! I hosted this year’s festivities once again which kicked off with a Firemen’s Pancake Breakfast. There were a lot of  chowders to taste for this year’s Clam Chowder Cook-Offs — the professional and amateur competition! My chef team and I tasted and judged close to 30 chowders altogether! After a great festival, it was time for some clam digging! Stay tuned for a detailed blog with the official winners Clam Chowder Cook-Off competition winners and recipes!

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Dancing the night away with a Rosemary Mandarin Tango!

Seattle Dances! was a hit! Plymouth Housing Group’s second annual auction and dinner event brought in lots of people to watch a new group of Seattleites dance their pants off… but not literally! If you remember, last year I put on my dancing shoes and danced the Charleston! This year, I put my dancing shoes away (thankfully!) and shook up some fun with my tasty Rosemary Mandarin Tango cocktail! This blends in the complex character of Moon Mountain vodka with the sweetness of a Cuties Clementine and the herbal note of fresh rosemary.

Rosemary Mandarin Tango
Makes 1 drink
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 Cuties® Mandarin
1 1/2 oz Moon Mountain Vodka
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz honey syrup*
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1 oz brut champagne
Garnish: small sprig of rosemary

Bend rosemary sprig and drop into mixer glass. Squeeze and drop in Cuties Mandarin.
Measure in the Moon Mountain Vodka, lemon and honey syrup. Fill with ice. Cap and shake vigorously.
Strain into a large martini glass. Add a splash of champagne. Garnish with rosemary.
* To make Honey syrup combine 1 part local honey and 1 part hot water. Stir to combine. Store refrigerated.
Recipe © Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen™

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Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen

The first season of my cocktail show Kathy Casey’s Liquid KitchenTM on Small Screen Network was a hit and I appreciate all the great responses! If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet log in today and try out my Luxury Piña Colada; a little taste of summer which is just around the corner! We start shooting the next season this spring!

As you may know, I had a fantastic trip to Kuala Lampur over the holidays to develop the bars and nightclubs at Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It was a crazy-busy visit but I did get a chance to sit down with Time Out: Kuala Lampur to talk about mixing up my favorite spirits with some d’lish flavor pairings! Make sure you check it out to get some ideas about unique taste combinations… don’t quote me on that Dr. Pepper comment, though!!! I swear I DID NOT say that!

It’s Tea Thyme! You read that right… Food & Wine online is featuring my lovely Tea Thyme cocktail. It marries English breakfast tea-infused vodka, a little splash of lemon juice, local honey like my own Liquid Kitchen “5130” Honey, and a pretty sprig of thyme for garnish to add a fresh, herbalicious note. This classy cocktail is perfect for a grown-up tea party! Cheers!

Savory Chicken Cupcakes?? Yes indeed! And a $10 thousand dollar recipe contest!

This year’s Seattle Food & Wine Experience was a sell-out hit! With wines from over 10 countries and lots of fantastic nibbles from local culinarians there was a lot to see and taste! I was at the Foster Farms booth where my team was serving up my Savory Chicken & Bacon “Cupcakes” with Tabasco Cream Cheese Frosting while I was signing complimentary copies of my Northwest Table, courtesy of Foster Farms. If you weren’t able to attend or did and didn’t catch the recipe, look no further as I’ve included it below, and if you fancy yourself a great cook and are a resident of Washington, Oregon or California then get creating and enter the Foster Farms recipe contest.

Kathy Casey’s Savory Chicken & Bacon “Cupcakes” with Tabasco Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 24

Cupcakes
1 cup small diced Foster Farm’s raw chicken breast (about 12 oz wt.)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup each 1/8-inch-diced onion, celery and red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained well
8 strips cooked bacon, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup chopped)

Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Garnish: 2 thinly sliced green onions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F

To make the cupcakes: Spray nonstick minimuffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut chicken breast into 1/4-inch small pieces. In a small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken breast and sauté for about 3 minutes moving around the pan with a spoon. When chicken is three-quarters cooked then add the onion, celery, and bell pepper for about 3 to 4 minutes more, until vegetables are just starting to get tender. Add the garlic and sauté about 30 seconds more. Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and Old Bay seasoning; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and sour cream.

Once the cooked mixture is cooled, add the cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture, and mix lightly. Fold in the drained corn, bacon, and cooked chicken and vegetables. Do not overmix; fold in just until evenly distributed.

Divide batter between the prepared mini muffin cups, fill to the top – you will get about 24 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cupcake center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pan and let cool briefly on a wire rack before frosting. The cupcakes can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated before frosting. Refrigeration is imperative if making in advance. (If reheating them, warm them for minute or so in a 350-degree F oven before frosting.)

To make the frosting: In a small bowl, mash the cream cheese with a fork, then whisk in the milk and Tabasco until smooth and creamy. Top each cupcake with about 1 teaspoon of frosting then sprinkle with green onion for garnish. Serve warm.

© 2011 by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – Liquid Kitchen™ www.kathycasey.com

Where to catch Kathy next:

April 14th – 16th: New Orleans, Louisiana
I’ll be cooking it up in New Orleans for the Mom 2.0 Summit this year! The Mom Summit is an annual event between moms, marketers, and social media specialists. I’ll be there with Almond Accents sharing my tips for delicious almond-related recipes! Check out this year’s event schedule and ticket info!

May 13th – 17th: New York, New York
If you happen to live or be in the area of Manhattan on those dates, make sure that you stop by the Manhattan Cocktail Classic! This is a part conference, part cocktail party and part festival-style liquor and spirits industry event. The best part: it’s open to the public! Come stop by and attend my seminar: Three Mixologists – Three Drinks – Three Ways (or Cocktail Ménage á Trois!) For event and ticket info, click here.

It’s been a whirlwind month so far and shows no signs of stopping with all the super-fun events coming up, so make sure you stay tuned to catch all the details of my adventures! Cheers! – Kathy

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Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@KathyCaseyChef), Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog or find Sips & Apps on Facebook for all my tasty travel tidbits.

If you haven’t signed up for my Newsletter, you can sign-up here.

Posted by Kathy Casey on March 23rd, 2011  |  Comments Off on Dishing with Kathy Casey: The Newsletter |  Posted in Restaurants, appetizers, Cocktails, Conferences, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Lifestyle, Newsletter, Recent Posts, Recipes, Tasty Travels

A Spirited Lunch with Tom Bulliet

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A Bulleit Bourbon silver julep cup

Few things are better than a long lunch on a weekday afternoon.  If you’re exceptionally lucky, you might be sipping from a mint Julep expertly prepared, served in an ice cold silver julep cup, piled high with crushed ice, slightly sweet, with just enough bourbon to put a smile on your face and richness to your laugh.  You’d be even luckier if you spent this extended power lunch in the presence of the man responsible for the bourbon.  A gracious southern gentleman who’s family began making bourbon in his home state of Kentucky in the 1800’s.  That is just how we spent a sunny Wednesday afternoon in May, with Tom Bulliet, owner and voice of Bulliet Bourbon.

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Bulleit Bourbon founder, Tom Bulleit!

As smooth as his family’s recipe for frontier whiskey, Tom regaled us with stories of the whiskey trade, the new found interest in small craft bourbons and ‘not taking a bigger piece of pie, but making the pie bigger,’ a business model that makes him as humble as he is humorous. (Yes he’s friendly with all the neighboring bourbon houses and they get along “smoothly”!)

From the classic medicine bottle design by northwest ‘s own glitterati designer Steve Sandstrom in Oregon , to the smooth liquor just under the cap, to the philosophy that tradition of great bourbon doesn’t stop at the bottle but continues on with each bartender behind the bar, Mr. Bulliet embodies the modern philosophy of spirits and spirit culture.

The rebirth of Bulliet bourbon follows closely the rebirth of American Cocktail-ing as he resurrected his families recipe in the mid 1980’s, when spirit culture could be said to be at its lowest point.  By the 1990’s Bulliet joined Seagram’s and was given the resources to handpick ingredients to truly honor his family’s longstanding dedication to tradition.  About this time a stirring of bartenders were turning back the clock and rediscovering a history nearly lost in pre-mixes, modern technology, and watered down expectations.  As these barmen ignited a revolution in cocktails, Bulliet was there to regale the rebirth.

As for lunch, the south Lake Union Daniel’s Broiler spoiled us with a fabulous lunch paired with a sampling of cocktails made of course with Bulliet and some of Daniel’s house made bitters, which we tasted as well and are quite delightful. Beside the mint julep we sampled a wonderfully balanced Manhattan, dryer in flavor as Bulleit contains the highest percentage of rye in the bourbon family. My favorite cocktail of the day was what Mr. Bulliet referred to as the B.L.T – Bulliet, Lemon, and Tonic. Since Bourbon is not often paired with tonic it was a pleasant departure from bourbon and soda and a richer flavor than your usual Gin.

It is a rare delight to soak up the afternoon sipping cocktails, but even more so in the company of such a charming, intelligent and dedicated figure. If you’ve never tried Bulleit, indulge yourself.  The next sunny day you find yourself wet at the whistle, pour a nip over ice top it with tonic and a squeeze of lemon and watch the leaves dance in the afternoon sun.  You deserve it.

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Cheers with a Bulleit-made Manhattan!

Posted by Kathy Casey on June 3rd, 2010  |  Comments Off on A Spirited Lunch with Tom Bulliet |  Posted in Restaurants, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Foodie News, Recent Posts

Congratulations to two wonderful women chefs: Lisa Nakamura to take over Christina’s on Orcas

Talented Seattle Chef Lisa Nakamura will take the helm of award-winning Christina’s restaurant on Orcas Island formerly owned for over 2 decades by NW Icon, Chef Christina Orchid. The new restaurant is now named Allium on Orcas.

In the 80’s Christina’s quickly became a destination restaurant on Orcas Island, a two hour ferry ride north of Seattle. It was known as the go-to restaurant for anyone visiting Orcas Island.

New owner, Chef Nakamura describes Allium’s menu as drawing upon classic French technique with exotic flavor profiles, reflecting her experience gained overseas. The menu will change frequently, to keep in stride with the growing season while concentrating on the bounty of simple, fresh Pacific Northwest flavors.

The expected grand opening is slated for Memorial Day weekend.

Posted by Kathy Casey on May 4th, 2010  |  Comments Off on Congratulations to two wonderful women chefs: Lisa Nakamura to take over Christina’s on Orcas |  Posted in Restaurants, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, Recent Posts

The UAE – From Cocktails to Camel Milk

Ahh… just back from exotic, UAE where my associate Keith Waldbauer and I conducted  training for the Fairmont Art of Mixology Culture at the new and faboo Fairmont Abu Dhabi. Yes, it’s Vegas on steroids and the playground for the rich.

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Me on the rhinestone couch in the lobby of the
Fairmont Abu Dhabi  – Bling bling!

It was 3 weeks of hard, but fun, work. We set up and opened multiple bars – from Marco Pierre White’s new Steak House Restaruant to Frankie’s Italian Restaurant… to the beautiful Pool Bar and the Lucious Chocolate Gallery. (And I want to add that the staff and managers were AMAZING!)

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Miss Kirsten and I after testing a LOT of chocolate cocktails that we shook up for the new Chocolate Gallery!

Needless to say we were up to our eyeballs in cocktails! Since, beer, wine and spirits are served only at hotels; you can imagine non-alcoholic drinks are also super popular. 

The non-alcoholic drinks WERE amazing. The most popular, was the super simple, “why didn’t I think of that,” Minted Lemonade. This is not just mint in lemonade, this is lemonade, ice and fresh mint blended smooth and brilliant green. It’s the perfect refresher for the hot HOT heat.  It’s tart, sweet, tangy, and refreshing! I’ve given a basic recipe below.  Just be sure to use a decent lemonade with a good punch – none of this “watery lemonade,” …the kind masquerading as lemonade in the refrigerator section with a whole whopping 7% lemon juice!  It’s important to use a good lemony lemonade.

Blend in a small slice of ginger for an even more intense refreshing kick.

What else did we eat and drink while in Abu Dhabi and Dubai? Only the best Indian food either of us has ever had in the Elements Restaurant at the Fairmont Abu Dhabi! Dal, also spelled dahl, dhal, or daal, tikkas  and curries of a zillion variations. No matter how you spell it, they were all amazing.  We also enjoyed delicious Lebanese food at Café Blanc a cool café at the Dubai mall. We sat outside one lovely warm evening and sampled so many great dishes I thought I would burst.

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Favs: Fattoush salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, crisp flat bread with sumac and coriander, chicken livers in pomegranate molasses, and another amazing non alcoholic drink – served in layers of blended avocado, red dates, blended rose ….. 3 layers of sipping goodness – zowie!

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Click here for a fun video I took and edited with my new Flip Video Camera, showing how they made the above three-layer drink!

And yes – I know you all want to know if I drank Camel Milk?
Of course and I made a cocktail out of it too!  

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Minted Lemonade
Makes 1 serving

3 large sprigs fresh mint
1 cup big flavored lemonade
1/2 – 3/4 cup ice
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Tear mint and add to blender. Measure in lemonade and ice and blend on high till smooth. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with mint. Enjoy! © 2009 Kathy Casey Food Studio

Posted by Kathy Casey on November 12th, 2009  |  Comments Off on The UAE – From Cocktails to Camel Milk |  Posted in Restaurants, Cocktails, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, KOMO Radio, other, Recent Posts, Recipes, Tasty Travels

A Taste of Summer in October

This is Cameo McRoberts filling in for Kathy while she’s shaking up some fun overseas. I’m an Executive Chef here at Kathy Casey Food Studios and I’ve worked with Kathy on a lot of things. What I love the most is sharing ideas with her!  When Kathy asked me to take over this week’s Dishing post, you can imagine I jumped at the chance.  What better opportunity to discuss my favorite subject: Me!! Oh wait, I mean Mexican food!

October normally brings in colder weather and a shift in mentality for heartier meals. With the onset of fall, our cravings turn to slow cooked and braised dishes, a staple in Mexican cuisine. I like to make this Yucatecan style Ceviche to bring about one last taste of a warm Summer before the Winter frost kicks in.

Ceviche is normally fish ‘cooked’ in lime juice, but with this one we cook the seafood first.  It’s great choice for people who don’t enjoy raw or undercooked seafood. I also like to use the 1# seafood medley that is usually available at Trader Joe’s.  It has a mix of shrimp, calamari and scallops that work well in the dish.   I also like to use a Japanese mandolin or julienne for texture appearance.  If you don’t have one, medium dice or julienne so that everything is the same size, but keep the onion pretty thin so it doesn’t overpower.

Now a little about me and my fave Mexican restaurants:
Before joining the D’Lish entourage, I was Sous chef at the highly acclaimed Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, winner of James Beard awards galore. Most recently, Rick Bayless, chef and owner, won Top Chef Masters making him a household name. 
Since my return to Seattle the quest for soul satisfying Mexican fare has left me a little weary.  But Seattle’s taco truck obsession and the honest offerings of a few places in town, eases the homesick pangs in my belly for the truly authentic. 

Taqueria la Fondita II has true carnitas… Pieces of pork butt braised in lard; once the meat is cooked the heat is turned up so the little tender morsels begin to fry.
Senor Moose offers up dishes that I love to see on the menu but don’t always make it, like Mancha Manteles, one of the 7 traditional moles, sweetened with plantains, and usually garnished with grilled pineapple and chorizo.
And dear to my heart, forever underrated, but always busy, is Agua Verde/ Paddle Club.  It’s a pain to get a table. But their dedication to sustainability, their staff (some have been there over 10 years), their delicious food, and not to be forgotten, the view make it one of my favorite Seattle places.
The best place to find Mexican ingredients is La Conosupo Grocery, in Greenwood. They have everything you need, a good selection of cheeses and chilies, and it’s not too intimidating if you don’t speak Spanish. 

With that said, go grab a six pack of Pacifico, some chips and rent ‘The Three Amigos”!  Don’t forget to enjoy the ceviche and reminisce of this past summer… Or plan for the next one!

Yucatecan Ceviche
Serves about 4-8 people

1 lb seafood medley (or 1/3 lb each, shrimp, calamari, or scallops)
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. jicama, julienne or med dice
1 cucumber, julienne or med dice
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
1/4 c. cilantro
3/4 c. lime juice, fresh squeezed
3/4 c. orange juice, fresh squeezed
1/4 tsp. habanero chili, very finely minced
Salt & sugar approximately a Tablespoon each. 

For the seafood: Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil.  Turn heat OFF and add the seafood medley, stir seafood constantly until the shrimp are cooked all the way through.   Strain off water and set seafood into refrigerator to cool.  Prepare all of the vegetables if orange segments are too big; give them a quick chop to break up.    Combine lime and orange juice with the minced habanero, pour over veggies. Add the cooled seafood refrigerate for 1 hour.  Serve the ceviche with chips, or plantain chips.  Also delicious over salad greens for a high protein dinner salad. © Cameo Appearance 2009

Chefs Note: salt and sugar levels are different depending on sweetness of orange juice and other vegetables.  Ceviche should be tart and well balanced.  Add salt and sugar at the end and add a little at a time to find a balance.

Posted by Kathy Casey on October 21st, 2009  |  Comments Off on A Taste of Summer in October |  Posted in Restaurants, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, KOMO Radio, Recent Posts, Recipes, seafood, Tasty Travels

My Favorite Seattle New Hot Spots and Delicious Old Favorites

Seattle is a great place to be for us foodies and cocktailians, now more than ever! I would like to share with you some of my very favorite places to dine and drink around Seattle, the hip and new kids – the classic tasty favorites. I have included a variety of fun places, so try some new ones, and revisit the old favorites. Treat your self to some fun nights this fall — be it for a quick happy hour after work with friends or a snazzy dinner with that special someone! 

Tavern Law – the newest hip kid on the block
Seattle’s most recent addition to the cocktail community, (with fantastic tasty bites too… of course!) is Tavern Law –  a modern day speakeasy with classic cocktails and an old-time ambiance. A multi page cocktail menu with loads of golden era libations makes it hard to choose a fav. There is even a retro fun phone you pick up to call up stairs to join the speakeasy upstairs where Mixologist David Nelson will hand craft you a classic cocktail using freshly squeezed juices and housemade syrups and tinctures.

Brian McCracken and Dana Tough are the chefs of Tavern Law and Spur Gastropub. The friends’ collaboration dates back to their time in the kitchen at Maria Hines’ Earth and Ocean restaurant, together on Hines’ traveling team at the 2005 James Beard Dinner in New York, and today creating their menus at Tavern Law and Spur. Delicious nibbles you won’t want to miss are the Padron Peppers and the Pork Belly with Saurkraut – so very Fall’ish!

See you upstairs … I’ll be the blond drinking a Gun Club.

Tavern Law
1406 12th Ave
Seattle, WA 98122-3906
(206) 322-9734

Bastille Café & Bar – Ballard’s seen-and-be-seen place to be
Owners James Weimann and Deming Maclise – have loads of seattle restaurant, bar and coffee business ownership experience. And Bastille is their new Ballard baby. Built in a totally refurbished historical building the restaurant is decorated with a collection of found objects from Paris, Chicago and the Pacific Northwest – the interior is casual, hip, glitzy, cool… and is “the place to be seen in Seattle” right now.

This new and trendy French brasserie’s menu is created by Chef Shannon Galusha. Starters range from $4 to $14, salads and sandwiches from $7 to $12 and entrees from $14 to $22. Herbs, greens and other veggies are grown in the rooftop garden and grace many of the menus dishes. Some of my crew’s favorite’s were Grilled Octopus with Chick Peas, Preserved Lemon and Harissa and the Rooftop Garden Greens with Hazelnut Vinaigrette.

Be sure to have a drink or peek in the back bar – it’s rich chocolate walls and giant crystal chandelier evokes a feeling of being in a lovely French jewel box… that you just must hang out here, sip on a cocktail and be seen.

Bastille Café & Bar
5307 Ballard Ave
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 453 – 5014 

Plaka Estiatorio – A family affair comes to Downtown Ballard
Owners Ourania  and Anthony Mandapat- have their whole family running this cute new Greek Restaurant. Most often, Mom is cooking and Dad and the brother are on the floor. You can see all their fun family photos on the walls… It looks like they have been cooking and eating and having fun together over the years… and it shows.

Dad usually at the door and is quick to get you a beverage – Very friendly proud servers announce the specials and tell of their child hood favorites. My husband John and my favorites are the pita breads with an array of dips, fennel pickled beets and octopus. We like to order an inexpensive bottle of wine and get an array of small plates – making for a great weekday meal…. they’ll make you feel right at home!

*Plaka Estiatorio is a proud participant in The Tuesdays in Ballard promotion, so stop by on a Tuesday for some fun specials!

Plaka Estiatorio
5407 20th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 829-8934 

Canlis Restaurant – an Old Seattle Favorite with a New Vibe
Known for its breathtaking view, matched by the impeccable service, this restaurant continues to dazzle and preserve the family tradition while adding new creativity and energy to the fine dining world.

Mark and Brian Canlis are the Managing Owners – still keeping it in the family. While Mark is the leader of staff, guest and community relations, Brian focuses more on business development, product reinvention, and future opportunities. Together, they make a dynamic team who are just as great at being business partners as they are at being brothers. The charming David Kim is the Service Director and Maitre D. He runs a smooth and tight service team – and will make you feel special!

The kitchen is headed up now by the talented Executive Chef Jason Franey, Canlis Restaurant’s fifth ever executive chef in 58 years. His new menu will impress! Every course we had I was wowed by. New menu items like Fois Gras with Peaches, Honey and Fromage Blanc and Kona Kampachi with Avocado, Soy and Hot Mustard will tantalize your taste buds. And for you die hard old-school Canlis fans – YES the old favorites like the Canlis Table-Side Salad are still on the menu.

And if a big fancy dinner is not in the budget right now – just know that in the Canlis Bar you can have that special Canlis experience too – there are sexy little lamb sliders with Moroccan spices and truffle fries for just $14 – pair that with a martini or a glass of wine and Canlis can be an any day treat.

Canlis Restaurant
2576 Aurora Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 283 – 3313 

Crush – Still a Delicious Favorite!
We most recently visited Crush for an impromptu dinner (Yes you need reservations!) …. but there was room at the counter bar that looks into the kitchen – and I’m glad there was! 

Upon entering this remodeled Tudor style house – you will be greeted by restaurant co-owner Nicole who will start your fabulicious dining experience off right with her charming, welcoming style.

It was a fun night watching the kitchen– searing, saucing, and plating with precision and grace. And it’s no wonder – Co-owner/Chef Jason Wilson was declared one of the Top Ten New Chefs in North America by the prestigious Food and Wine Magazine in 2006.

The night we were dining Chef de Cuisine Andrew Lanier was running the line – as well as shaking cocktails – the man was everywhere and was a whirlwind of hospitality. We had one of the best dinners I’ve had all year…Here’s a little sample:  Fresh Local Geoduck “Ceviche” & Citrus Essence with Cucumber‐Fennel Salad, Mint, & Lime Crème Fraîche   –   Handcut Tagliatelle Pasta & Caviar Sauce with Sea Urchin Roe & Quail Egg   –    Seared Sea Scallops & Caramelized Onion Risotto with Oxtails, Miner’s Lettuce & Watercress   –   there is just one “word” OMG!

The trio of Nicole, Jason and Andrew keep impressing – The menu changes often and is seasonally and creatively inspired – make your reservations now – or maybe if you call you’ll get lucky and have to sit at the kitchen bar!

Crush
2319 E Madison St
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 302 – 7874

Posted by Kathy on September 10th, 2009  |  Comments Off on My Favorite Seattle New Hot Spots and Delicious Old Favorites |  Posted in Restaurants, Dishing with Kathy Casey Blog, KOMO Radio
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