Food & Drink

3 First Impressions of Meet the Moon

This Leschi spot offers up twists on classics like the Old Fashioned, a stocked coffee bar and more

By Seattle Mag May 12, 2016

A glass of wine and a cocktail on a wooden table.

Opening in late January, Meet the Moon (which takes its memorable name from the Robert Frost poem “Going For Water”) is poised to be a summertime staple. It’s located right on Lakeside Avenue, near the marina at Leschi and the lake. After a recent visit, here are three impressions about the spot from the same folks behind Capitol Hill’s Barrio.

The Drinks: Meet the Moon has a nice solid list of 15 cocktails from bartenders like Michael Cadden (Tavern Law), highlighted by some interesting twists on classics like the Old Fashioned, which here has bourbon and Angostura bitters, but instead of sugar and excess fruit uses French aperitif Pineau de Charentes to delicious effect, with the Pineau’s richness mingling with the whiskey and bitters. It also has a few house creations, highlighted by the lush Leschi Til’ You Die, with rye, Meletti 1870 amaro (amaros being herbal Italian digestifs), local Scrappy’s grapefruit bitters, and a thick citrus foam. You’ll also find refreshing hot weather hits like the tequila-based Paloma, as well as a rotating draft beer selection, and a nicely curated list of bottled and canned beers and wine by the glass and bottle. Plus, there’s a coffee bar where you can pick up java pick-you-ups and fresh pastries (MTM is open all day).

The Food: With seasonally inspired comfort food, the mains menu reminded me of some of the friendlier British gastropubs, with a range of styles and inspired numbers like a woodsy mushroom pot pie. The fungi gets friendly in the dish with sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, celery, wild rice, and a little truffle butter, with a puff pastry that was light, but not so much that it didn’t hold its own with the veggies. You’ll also find snazzier sandwiches (including one with fresh Maine lobster spiked with a little cayenne aioli, shallots, herbs, lettuce, and celery, all on a toasted roll), salads, and some tasty starters. If wandering past and not looking for a full meal, I suggest sidling up to the bar for a drink and the crispy Lotus Root chips with a wasabi guacamole. As mentioned above, the restaurant’s open in the mornings, so there’s also a full breakfast menu I’m excited to try.

The Space: With its big front windows–open wide on nice days–Meet the Moon seems a flowing extension of the neighborhood, and is a great spot for people watching if you snag a table in the front. There are beach-esque white-washed wood walls, a number of wooden-topped tables (about 45 chairs to go with the tables), and a long L-shaped bar with about 15 stools, separated with a bar rail so you can bring kids in, which is handy. When I was there, Meet the Moon was bustling with locals and those who’d made the trip to Leschi to take advantage of our recent sunny weather. The hip and friendly staff was hustling to keep the drinks and food flowing, and everyone seemed to having a swell summer time. They don’t take reservations, but there wasn’t a wacky waiting time. And you could always grab a drink at the bar while you wait.

 

Follow Us