Seattle Luxury Living Magazine Invites Readers to explore the restaurants that put Seattle on the map for stand-out Northwest dining.
To celebrate the publication of Tiger Oak Media’s all-Chinese Seattle Luxury Living magazine, Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR) is introducing a special English language content series, which will highlight select articles from the magazine over the coming weeks on the RSIR blog. The second post in our series highlights the area’s best restaurants, from classic institutions to rave-worthy newcomers.
Canlis
For many, the words “special” and “occasion” bring to mind one Seattle restaurant: Canlis. Sixty-seven years after opening on a cliff overlooking Lake Union, this bastion of hospitality and refined Northwest cooking is where you go when you want everything of the highest quality. Executive Chef Brady Williams balances their Northwestern classics, like the hallmark minty Canlis salad, with refined modernity, all the best experienced from the indulgent tasting menu.”
2576 Aurora Ave N | Seattle
Cafe Juanita
Every part of Cafe Juanita is gorgeously synchronized—the impeccable but easygoing service; the primarily Italian wine list; the hallmark feathery handmade pasta and flawlessly roasted game—creating one of the most seamlessly high-caliber dining experiences in the Puget Sound region. For extra-special gatherings of up to 65 people, you can buy out the whole restaurant, or inquire about their private “Winery” dining room for groups of 30 or less. See for yourself why Cafe Juanita’s world-class northern Italian cooking has earned awards and accolades from Seattle magazine since 2001.
9702 NE 120th Place | Kirkland
Salare
Owner and executive Chef Edouardo Jordan grew up eating big Sunday suppers in the South, then went on to perfect nose-to-tail and microseasonal cooking at Per Se in New York, The French Laundry in Napa and Bar Sajor in Pioneer Square before apprenticing for one of Italy’s famous charcuterie families. As a result, you’ll experience exceptional salumi and charcuterie; toothsome, handmade pasta; and seductive desserts. Add sensational cocktails, impeccable attention to detail and an inspired kids’ menu, and you can see why we’re so smitten with Salare. Make sure to also check out his new restaurant down the street, JuneBaby—there you’ll get a taste of those Southern suppers.
2404 NE 65th St | Ravenna
Sushi Kashiba & Wataru Sushi
It’s the best of times for Seattle’s sushi purists, thank to two late-2015 openings.
Perched within view of Pike Place Market’s neon sign, Sushi Kashiba is the magnum opus from local sushi legend Shiro Kashiba. Although the views are breathtaking, the best seats face the sushi bar, where the hardworking septuagenarian holds court. Go all in with the omakase for a chef-recommended experience that changes from day to day, for a unique meal each time.
86 Pine St Suite 1 | Seattle
Across town, diners at Wataru Sushi are met with an equally impressive meal. As at Kashiba, a mix of local and internationally sourced fish is used. Enjoy the chef-prepared, open-ended omakase at a table or while chatting with chef Kotaro Kumita, a former apprentice of Kashiba, at the bar. Wataru has an approachability that makes it a neighborhood joint worthy of weekly visits.
2400 NE 65th St | Ravenna
The Walrus and the Carpenter & Bateau
Owner and executive chef Renee Erickson ignited Seattle’s modern seafood renaissance in 2010 with the opening of The Walrus and the Carpenter, a simple, sunlit restaurant and oyster bar in Ballard. Since opening, Erickson’s ever-changing menu and high-quality ingredients sourced from the best purveyors have put her on the national map. Favorites? You can’t go wrong with anything from the raw bar.
4743 Ballard Ave NW | Ballard
Consider how well oysters are done through the Erickson filter at The Walrus and the Carpenter and you’ll have an idea of what to expect from the steak at her French-inspired steakhouse venture, Bateau. You’ll see the dry-aged beef—culled from cattle on Erickson’s Whidbey Island farm—hanging in the window as you walk up and the day’s cuts on a chalkboard inside; stick with the classics and go for the rib-eye ($70–$90).
1040 E Union St | Seattle
Scout PNW
Chef
Scout PNW
Chef and restaurateur Josh Henderson’s Huxley Wallace Collective has a hand in just about every cuisine imaginable in Seattle, from fresh seafood at Westward to comforting noodle bowls at Kiki Ramen. Scout PNW, a collaboration with Thompson Seattle’s executive chef Derek Simcik, is an homage to the Pacific Northwest and the place to go when you want to see locally sourced shellfish, produce and meat really shine.
110 Stewart St | Downtown
Staple & Fancy
At Ethan Stowell’s Ballard restaurant—he now runs 13 in Seattle—diners are encouraged to go family style. The $55-per-person, family-style tasting menu, available all the time, is certain to include pasta, as well as plates of crostini, meat and fish platters, desserts and whatever else Chef Deborah Taylor feels like making that day. Antipasti are usually parceled out across multiple plates, making the meal feel much more expensive.
4739 Ballard Ave NW | Ballard
Le Pichet
Our first real, everyday Parisian bistro, we still love Le Pichet as a no-brainer spot to drop in for charcuterie, a perfect cheese plate or the best roasted chicken (cooked to order) we’ve ever tasted. Opened by chef Jim Drohman and Joanne Herron 17 years ago, with tiled floors, wood banquettes and long bistro mirrors set at an angle, the place hums with a sort of civilized, big-city energy; romantic at night, comfortable at midday.
1933 1st Ave | Downtown
Mamnoon
Offering a break from standard restaurant procedure, Mamnoon seats large parties at round tables that accommodate anywhere from six to 10 people in the contemporary dining room. The longer table up front offers a front-row seat to the wood-burning oven, and its narrow girth allows for easy cross-table conversation. For any party of more than six, call to make a reservation in advance. The space is adorned with soft shadows and art from Africa, Egypt and Morocco, and the modern Middle Eastern cuisine is perfect for adventurous diners who are up for sharing bites.
1508 Melrose Ave | Seattle
Matt’s in the Market
Our first cult restaurant, Matt Janke’s eight counter stools fast became a foodie’s rite of passage. Now triple its original size and owned by Janke’s longtime business partner Dan Bugge, the new Matt’s doesn’t have the elbow-to-elbow charm of the old Matt’s, but the place is still vibrant in spirit and on the plate. The menu changes regularly, so the best way to experience their affection for seasonal ingredients is to go experience it for yourself.
94 Pike St | Seattle
Trove, Joule, & Revel
Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi impressed first at chic Korean-fusion Joule, then followed it up with an even bigger hit, the less formal Revel, where irresistible kimchi and local albacore rice bowls, griddled short rib dumplings and an array of house-made noodles keep the lines long at lunch and dinner.
Joule – 3506 Stone Way N | Fremont
Revel – 406 North 36th St | Fremont
Next came Trove, four concepts under one roof: Korean barbecue, a cocktail bar, a noodle bar and a parfait walk-up window. The noodle bar is where Revel’s famously delicious noodle bowls get a proper showcase. Trove’s biggest draw, however, is the Korean barbecue in back. Grill tables are built to seat six. The best route is to bring a group, order the “baller” tower ($100 for nine meats, including marinated pork belly and wagyu tri-tip), along with several dishes that are cooked by the chefs. Don’t leave without stopping for dessert at the parfait window.
Trove – 500 E Pike Street | Capitol Hill
Altura
A staple of Italian dining in Seattle, Altura offers pretty, precise plates showcasing the kind of food one tastes rather than simply eats, food that begs diners’ full attention. Ordering is straightforward, as they exclusively offer a tasting menu; past hit dishes have included house-made pappardelle with tender oxtail and sensational lamb rack with tender baby herbs. Brocade curtains and an angel statue reclaimed from Europe give the space a disarming formality.
617 Broadway Ave E | Capitol Hill
Lark
Lark chef/owner John Sundstrom relocated his iconic Capitol Hill restaurant to a renovated 1917 warehouse in December 2014. The place is more invigorated, with two-story windows that put diners on display. Velvet upholstery dresses banquettes beneath lights hung on long chords from the soaring ceiling. Go rich and luxurious with dishes like steak tartare and seared foie gras with seasonal accompaniments. Daytime diners should avail themselves of Lark’s spectacular brunch as well. At the open mezzanine dubbed Bitter/Raw, precise, original takes on crudo are a revelation. Also part of the new Lark is Slab Sandwiches + Pie, perfect for diners who need a hearty meal on the run.
952 E Seneca St | Capitol Hill
Dahlia Lounge
To give you a true understanding of the significance restaurateur Tom Douglas has had on Seattle, start with this fact: In 2012, the local government declared June 1 to be “Tom Douglas Day” in recognition of the three-time James Beard Award winner. Douglas has opened 19 restaurants in the area, serving everything from Asian-American bites at TanakaSan to pizzas at Serious Pie (see the full list at tomdouglas.com). But the first stop on your list should be Dahlia Lounge. Adored since it opened in 1989, not-to-miss picks from the ever-changing menu include the rotisserie Peking duck and a slice of triple coconut cream pie for dessert.
2001 4th Ave | Downtown
Rock Creek
Everything about Eric and Christy Donnelly’s two-story Fremont restaurant is a showstopper, from the industrial-style fishing lodge design to the killer cocktails, expert service and massive, backlit scenic photos of the Pacific Northwest. What stands out the most, however, is how expertly seasoned and prepared every dish is, from spicy, sofrito-based fish stew to tangy Asian “Kari Out” calamari.
As Featured in Seattle Luxury Living Magazine:
Stay tuned for the next installment of the series, which will cover a variety of topics from travel to high-end shopping and more, coming Friday July 7th.