November 2010
Scoop: Chef Blaine Wetzel on Lummi Island
World-class Chef Blaine Wetzel magically appears on Lummi Island at the Willows Inn.
It’s not every day that a chef hailing from the best restaurant in the world—according to this year’s prestigious S. Pellegrino awards—decides to relocate to our neck of the woods, let alone plant himself in a destination as unlikely as tiny Lummi Island. Chef Blaine Wetzel has done just that: He left Copenhagen’s renowned Noma…
Carnivore’s Guide: Best Steakhouses in Seattle
The mouthwatering promise of really good meat at a steakhouse
There is nothing quite like dinner at a steakhouse. The sense of occasion, the mouthwatering promise of really good meat, tip-top service and splurging on that excellent bottle of red—it all adds up to a special night out. Lucky us, we went to them all so you can better decide which fits your style. The…
Cheap Eats: Big Mario’s
Big Mario's brings a touch of the East Coast to Cap Hill
Wicked Slice: Another NYC-style pizzeria joins the fold Need proof that the Neapolitan pizza craze is being supplanted? Last month, we heralded Fatty’s Corner Pizzeria in Greenwood; this month, it’s BIG MARIO’S, another New York City–style pizza joint, which opened in mid-July next to Caffé Vita on Capitol Hill. (Vita’s Mike McConnell is a co-owner.)…
Most Influential 2010: Dave Ross and Tom Douglas
Radio host Dave Ross and Restaurateur Tom Douglas show their patriotism and democracy
On April 1, Dave Ross, host of The Dave Ross Show on KIRO-FM, opened his morning broadcast with the news that One Reel, the nonprofit organization that runs the Fourth of July festivities at Lake Union, had failed to secure a corporate sponsor and was canceling the event. It was no April Fool’s joke. “It…
Sitka & Spruce: Restaurant Review
An utterly brilliant showcase for the nationally renowned chef Matt Dillon.
After everyone got over the quirky charm of such a good chef (Matt Dillon) cooking in such an unexpected place (an Eastlake strip mall), Sitka & Spruce’s near-windowless and somewhat claustrophobic dining room became something to accept, rather than something to praise. Now, however, having relocated to Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market in late May, Sitka…
Sushi Kappo Tamura: Restaurant Review
Chef Taichi Kitamura's dedication to local and seasonal seafood translates to Kappo Tamura playing w
The last time we saw chef Taichi Kitamura, he was creating gorgeous plates for a lucky few diners at the hallowed Chiso Kappo above Fremont’s Chiso Sushi. There, his manner was subdued, respectful. It didn’t seem as if he was having very much fun. At Sushi Kappo Tamura, which he opened in July, Kitamura shouts…
Scoop: Good for You
Health Month makes getting healthy an interactive we adventure
Yes, this is the month we’re going to stop eating pizza and start going to the gym every day! Definitely. Well, probably. OK, maybe? When it comes to getting healthy, many of us have trouble with stick-to-it-iveness—largely because we assign ourselves unachievable goals. That’s where recently launched Health Month (healthmonth.com) may help. Invented by Seattleite…
Food We Love: Butter Crunch at Honore Artisan
Honore Artisan is the only bakery in town that makes kouign amann
Pastry snobs from all over the city and beyond make regular pilgrimages to Honoré Artisan Bakery (Ballard, 1413 NW 70th St; 206.706.0435) to taste its kouign amann (pronounced KWEEN yah mahn), and with eminently good reason. I got my first taste of the round, buttery Breton pastry two years ago, when the handsome shop opened…
The Must List: November
Our Top To-Do's For November
Sway: Brandi Carlile with The Seattle SymphonyIt’s a long way from busking and playing gigs at the Tractor Tavern for homegrown country-pop icon Brandi Carlile, who returns to town as front woman for the Seattle Symphony. Carlile’s latest album, Give Up the Ghost, reveals the singer at her rawest and most honest. Come and see…
Urban Safari: Madison Park
The best spots to Eat, Drink, Play, and Primp in Madison Park
At the foot of East Madison Street sits a tree-lined hub locals call “the village,” cherished for its family-friendly vibe and beautiful waterfront views of Lake Washington. Known for mainstays like the burgers at Bing’s, the beers at The Attic and the margaritas at Cactus, Madison Park now has a few newer spots worth heading…
Editor’s Note: The Steaks are High
Meat is in, it's not only Lady Gaga going ga-ga over meat
When Lady Gaga donned her meat dress for the MTV Video Music Awards the week before we shipped this magazine to the printer, it wasn’t quite what we had in mind to bring attention to meat. (But seriously, didn’t that dress drape nicely? And butcher string to lace up the “shoes”? Brilliant. Note to self:…
Clark Bowen of CB’s Nuts
CB's Nuts founder Clark Bowen hits out of the park
Clark Bowen first began roasting peanuts to satisfy a personal craving. The Washington native grew up snacking on peanuts produced in small, local roasteries. As time passed and larger corporations bought out the brand he had come to rely on, the quality of his favorite salty snack diminished. Searching for the perfect in-shell peanut proved…