Culinary Fool

 

 

 

 

Delicatus opened its doors less than two months ago.  Owned and operated by former Oceanaire employees its a nice addition to the Pioneer Square area.  Their main focus is lunch and the bulk of the menu is dedicated to sandwiches – lots and lots of great sounding sandwiches – with a few salads and soup thrown in for good measure.  They also have a full bar. 

 

They are testing the evening business and traffic and to that end have added a few daily appetizer specials that are available from late afternoon into the evening.  Last week M and I stopped in to check out this service. 

 

 

 

 

 

They have a decent number of wines available by the glass, there is a nightly beer special, and cocktails are also available.  The list of appetizers is short, but don’t let that fool you.  What they offer is very good.  We started with the House Confit Duck, a perfect leg and thigh section that was tender and rich with flavor.  The duck was enhanced by a bed of sauteed spinach that was served with it.  Absolutely delicious.  We followed that with a small charcuterie platter filled with interesting meats and some very nice additional items like blue cheese stuffed olives and sweet cherry tomatoes topped with ribbons of fresh basil. 

 

 

 

 

 

The space is cozy, the people nice and the food great.  The only thing that was sometimes a little off was timing.  I’m hoping that as they get more settled in those issues will be cleared up.   

 

When I arrived I was the first person at the bar and after asking for a wine menu, which was promptly delivered, it took some time for my server to come back and actually take my order.  It seemed he was busy with something in the kitchen or at the sandwich counter and I started to feel forgotten, although once he returned my order was promptly filled.  The confit seemed to take a very long time to be served and looking back we realized that it takes time to bring it slowly and carefully back up to temperature so it retains all the great character that’s been built into it during the confit process.  But when we ordered it would have been great if we were told that it would be an extended wait or they could even add a note on the specials board.  In fact, communicating this information would give them a chance to emphasize their local sourcing and hand-crafted foods.  Most people ordering duck confit at a sandwich shop wouldn’t really expect it to be carefully created on site, even if it is called "House" confit.  So taking the opportunity to notify the customer of the time needed to properly prepare it could both set appropriate expectations and also provide a little self-promotion.  The timing on everything else was fine.     

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t try the sandwiches but after reviewing the menu there are several I’d really like to try.  It looks like I’ll be making a trip downtown for lunch sometime soon! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a new noodle shop in the University District.  Samurai Noodle, which has a location in Uwajimaya in the ID, recently opened a second location on The Ave.  (For those of you not familiar with the U District, The Ave is University Way, which makes no sense but that’s how it is.)  Samurai’s claim to fame is its ramen, and we are not talking about the 10 for a dollar packages many college students survive on. 

 

Your choice of deep, rich broth; tons of long curly noodles, cooked to your specification (soft, medium or firm); slices of pork (or choose a vegetarian option); and various add-ons make a noodle soup worth craving.  It was just such a craving that brought M and me to this new location on Sunday.  She’d been thinking of noodles for days and we made a date to scratch that itch. 

 

 

 

 

 

We were the first people in the shop, although others followed soon after.  I had a hard time making a decision and finally settled on a chicken broth with added egg, bamboo shoots and strips of seaweed, as well as the pork.  It was called the #5 Tampopo, named after the movie.  M chose a combination of tounyu (chicken) and tonkotsu (pork). 

 

Service was friendly and quick.  In no time at all we were enjoying the hot bowls of soup.  M was completely satisfied with hers as it was delivered from the kitchen. Mine had so many noodles I can’t imagine ever ordering more which is an option, but the broth seemed just a tad bit bland.  That was quickly rectified by adding a sprinkling of noodle seasoning and a few chile flakes. 

 

 

 

 

 

If I worked in the U District I could see making this a regular lunchtime spot.  Besides being tasty the bowls of soup are a great value.  I didn’t even finish my lunch and was still full enough that I didn’t want dinner. 

 

206.547.1774  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For many years, Bellevue seemed to be a little lacking in the breadth of restaurant options.  There were some really great restaurants and a few fun, casual places but not a lot to choose from.  That has been changing over the last several years but there is still one big gap in the offerings.  Outdoor dining. 

 

A couple weeks ago the Seattle area was enjoying another soft, warm spring day and my friend P and I were trying to think of a place we might be able to grab lunch in the sun after a quick walk around Bellevue’s Downtown Park.  We settled on 520 Bar and Grill located in old town Bellevue.  While the food is not what you might call inspired it is good, solid and flavorful.  Portions are generous.  And they have one of those menus that has something for everyone from salads to burgers to full entrées; seafood to chicken to beef and even a few vegetarian options. 

 

They have a great patio to one side of the building and a few additional tables along the front sidewalk.  We chose a sidewalk table so we wouldn’t miss a minute of sunshine. 

 

 

 

 

 

We shared a BBQ Chicken Salad and the Steak Gorgonzola Pizza.  And had a couple of beers – a nice way to spend a springtime afternoon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of friends and I stopped by Cicchetti, Serafina’s younger sibling, on Friday night for Happy Hour.  While Cicchetti doesn’t have a Happy Hour, per se, the menu is mostly small plates perfect for an after work gathering with friends.  Cicchetti also specializes in classic and creative cocktails which will entice you to get out of your drinking rut and to try something new.  

 

Cicchetti is located just around the corner from Serafina, or across Serafina’s back patio.  It’s an intimate space with bar seating and a few tables on the main floor and a few additional tables upstairs.  Some of the upstairs tables have Lake Union views but they are limited.  On the main floor most tables have views of both the bar and the brick oven and prep area.

 

 

 

 

 

The cocktail menu is pages long!  So many of the suggested drinks sounded intriguing it was hard to make a decision about what to order.  Also, the bartenders are happy to create something specifically for you based on your tastes.  While I was tempted to have them do that, there were a couple of drinks on the menu that I really wanted to try so I decided to stick with the menu for this visit. 

 

 

 

 

 

During the course of our evening we tried a few cocktails and a selection from their wine list.  For wine, they offer a Quarto option which is basically a glass and a half or quarter of a bottle.  Perfect for those times when one glass is not quite enough!

 

We were able to indulge in several menu items including:  Venetian marinated mussels, Turkish fried eggplant sandwich with feta and crudo tomato sauce, Oven-floor cheese with fresh pita, Salt cod fritter with piquillo peppers and last, but not least, Ricotta fritters with huckleberry sauce.

 

The Salt cod fritters were the only thing we agreed we probably would not order again.  They were perfectly cooked but just a little boring and with all the other great menu options there’s no reason to have them again.  On the other hand, the Ricotta fritters are delicious! 

 

 

 

 

 

Cicchetti is closed on Sunday and Monday, something I learned first hand on an earlier attempted visit.  The doors open at 5:00 pm.  The place was filled by 5:30 pm. 

 

More photos here. 

 

206.859.4155 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of you might look at that title and think, "First Look?", but yes, for me, it was the first look.  I know Anchovies & Olives (A&O) has been open for over a year.  And it’s been on my list (of places to try) for that entire time but sometimes it just takes me awhile.  M and I finally rectified the situation on Friday. 

 

We arrived at 4:30 after an afternoon at SAMM only to find A&O doesn’t open until 5:00.  Although I understand the rationale I really wish places would open by 4:00 on Fridays.  I mean, how can you reward yourself for a work-week well done and skip out a little early if there’s no place to skip to?  That’s a minor nit but I know there are many times that affects where I spend my dining/drinking dollars on a Friday night.  But back to the point. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived before they were open so strolled down to The Online Coffee Company for a cup of tea and then returned to arrive right at opening time.  I think one other person made it through the doors before we did.  We settled in at the small bar. If you’ve been to How to Cook a Wolf, another of Ethan Stowell’s locations this is another small and intimate space.  It seems a little larger than Wolf because of the layout but I bet both spots seat close to the same number of people.  In other words, it’s probably often hard to get a seat here.  The feel of the place is totally different, though.  Wolf had lots of soft curves and wooden surfaces while A&O is much more angular and metallic. The custom concrete (I think) bar, the tables all have a metal feel.  Not that it’s sterile in any way – the surfaces feel burnished and warm – but the space seemed more au courant than Wolf. 

 

The bar, with about eight seats, and the open kitchen line the back wall.  Tables run the length of the windows at the front of the room.  Between the kitchen and the window tables is a large prep island.  I didn’t look at it closely but I noticed the evening’s cheeses set out and I had the impression of menus, serving pieces and other finishing ingredients placed around the work surface. 

 

From 5:00 to 6:00 each evening is A&O’s "Power Hour".  Oysters on the half-shell are $1 (instead of $3), Prosecco is half off at $5 and there are also $5 white and red wine options.  Rounding out the Power Hour deals, Peroni is $2. 

 

 

 

 

 

We started with glasses of Prosecco and a few of the night’s special oysters.  On Friday they were Kumamotos topped with a cumin ice.  The oysters were chilled, exceptionally plump and super-fresh.  There was just a hint of cumin in the ice so it didn’t cover the briny oyster taste.  Sometime in the future I’ll make a meal just of the oysters!

 

 

 

 

 

But Friday we wanted to try a few more things.  We had a hard time deciding what would be next – the menu is full of delicious and intriguing options – but we finally settled on sea scallops.  They were seared and served with a side salad of radishes, celery, preserved lemon, green onions and more.  The salad was spring incarnate and I loved the tart hit from the preserved lemons! (I made a note to myself on this use of the lemons since I recently made a couple batches of them.)  The scallop preparation made me remember why I love scallops so much.  These were simply and perfectly grilled with a nice crispy crust and an amazingly succulent interior.  I know that grilling scallops is really not that hard and many places make decent grilled scallops but these were really perfectly prepared. 

 

Amazingly enough between the oysters and the scallops we were starting to be satiated.  When food is so perfectly prepared it seems it only takes a little to satisfy.  But we decided to take a look at the dessert menu to see if there might be a sweet ending for our meal.  I remember a couple of items that seemed interesting but both of us focused in on the cheese plate at the same time.  Sold!  Friday’s cheese was Fiore Sardo, a Sardinian version of Pecorino.  It’s a firm cheese, a little salty and a little nutty.  It was served with balsamic jelly – I need to learn to make this – and walnut bread from Columbia City Bakery.  Although mostly a savory dessert the balsamic jelly and the walnut bread added hints of sweetness that brought this meal to a satisfactory ending.  The serving of cheese was so generous that we took more than half of it home.

 

 

 

 

 

While we were there a film crew came in and recorded some footage (nearly blinding us with lights in the process) for an upcoming Food Network show on Ethan Stowell.  They weren’t sure when it would air and I’ve already forgotten the name of the program so I guess that’s not much help! Even though the lights were a pain, the chef, bartender, a couple of servers and the film crew all came over and apologized for the lights, which was nice. 

 

The menu changes daily so these items may not be available when you visit or, more likely, they may be prepared differently taking advantage of whatever is fresh that day. 

 

Anchovies & Olives is a little farther east than most of Capitol Hill’s restaurant scene but it’s definitely worth the extra couple blocks to get there! 

 

206.838.8080