Posts Tagged ‘Capitol Hill’

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Seattle is blessed with some of the most innovative, talented chefs on the planet, so I shouldn’t be surprised when I discover a gem like Table 219 in Capitol Hill.  But I was surprised – surprised that there wasn’t a line out the door and a 1-month waiting list.  If you picked up Table 219 and dropped it on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, it would instantly be the “it” place for celebrity A-listers who are too elitist to have dinner at The Ivy.  But thank God Table 219 is tucked away on an unassuming block in Capitol Hill instead of lost in a pissing contest of pretentiousness.  For all the terrific dishes on the menu, there isn’t a single one over $15.  And although some chefs would beat you over the head with the post-nutritionist-deconstructionist symbolism of a corndog (and charge you $29 for the privilege), Chef Jeffrey Wilson let’s his whimsical dishes speak for themselves.

Oh, and those three amazing corndogs, the best I’ve eaten in my adult life, were only $8.00.

Chef Wilson has a gift for playfully evoking the pavlovian response I have for nostalgic food.  It’s not uncommon, these days, to see gourmet revamps of America’s (closest thing to) peasant food.  [How many times have you seen sliders or a mac & cheese derivative on a swanky restaurant menu?]  However, Chef Wilson’s talent is his ability to execute extraordinarily well on these dishes while preserving the familiar flavors and approachable presentations that made them “comfort food” in the first place.

I was hooked on Table 219 when I first read the phrase “duck confit nachos” ($9) on the menu.  Granted, they were different than what I was expecting: I imagined a pile of yellow corn chips crowned with brown, glistening, oil-soaked shredded duck and an obligatory sprig of cilantro.  However, the actual preparation was much more indulgent – a veritable cheese fondue of duck, topped with green onions and tomato. 

Next up, and at the top of my list of inventiveness, was a smoked bone marrow butter.  On the menu, it’s paired with a grilled hanger steak, but we ordered a side of toast just to try it out.  Because the butter was served chilled, it lacked the unusual (and orgasmic) texture that I associate with roasted bone marrow, but still delivered plenty of umami.

Other table favorites were the richly-flavored mushroom and truffle oil mac ‘n’ cheese ($9), the perfectly crisp zucchini fries parmesan ($6) and the succulent bison burger with sweet potato fries ($12).  I could go on, but let’s return for a moment to the corndogs.  They were perfectly fried in a thick, sweet corn batter, and served hot.  Now, I’m a sucker for most food-on-a-stick, but the combination of my excitement of eating a corndog for dinner and the fact that they were actually fantastic left a long-lasting smile on my face.  Almost as big a smile as when our party of four finished gorging ourselves on 2 cocktails, 9 shared plates, 2 bottles of wine (Tuesdays are 1/2 price bottles) and 2 desserts, and our bill was only $35 per person.  Try pulling that off in LA!

I’m a big fan of this kind of eating, and I’ll be back soon.

I just returned from the most wonderful brunch – the kind of meal that has me floating on a chorizo bacon flavored cloud all day long.  Barrio (Capitol Hill, Bellevue) just launched a weekend brunch menu, and it’s nothing short of fabulous.  In addition to a few soon-to-be classic dishes (which we’ll get to in a minute), Barrio’s brunch offers an excellent selection of signature cocktails to kick off your morning. 

I tried The Bee’s Knees ($8, pictured left) which is a delightful mixture of gin, fireweed honey and lemon.  Honestly, I could have put back a whole pitcher of this cool, delicious cocktail.  An unusual but welcome item on the cocktail menu, El Borracho ($9), consists of a can of Olympia beer, a shot of tequila, and a hot sauce chaser.  I suppose if you really need to erase the night before, it’ll do the trick.

But, it was the food at Barrio’s brunch that really blew me away.  To start, we sampled a selection of conchas (mexican sweet buns) served with whipped butter.  Then we snacked on a duo of salsas ($7), which allowed us to choose 2 out of 6 different generously-portioned salsas served alongside corn chips.  Since I’m not much of a fire-breather, I opted for the roasted tomatillo serrano salsa and the grape tomato salsa.  Both were richly fresh, with surprisingly complex flavors.  They made me sad to think I had ever wasted time eating salsa from a jar, ever. 

Once I realized what a treat I was in for, I decided to leave my main dish order in the very capable hands of our server.  Reading the innocuous menu descriptions, like “Chilaquiles del Dia – tortilla casserole of the day,” vastly understated the caliber of thought and craftsmanship that clearly went into each dish.  This morning’s “casserole” was a crunchy, slightly sweet mixture of shredded pork, apples and tortillas, topped with a pair of perfectly cooked eggs and sprinkle of cotija cheese ($10, pictured right).  Each bite was heavenly, and only improved by adding a dash of house-made hot sauce, coarse salt and a squeeze of fresh lime. Other must-orders include the cantina potatoes ($3) and the housemade chorizo bacon($3, amazing!).

Overall, I was really struck by the superb quality with which Barrio executed brunch.  From the clearly passionate kitchen staff, to the professional wait staff, to the bartender, everyone there exuded a commitment to the art of a great dining experience.  And nothing speaks louder to Barrio’s commitment to detail than the picture on the left.  It’s just a glass of water, but if you look closely, you’ll notice that it contains perfectly clear, perfectly square ice cubes.  As it turns out, Barrio is one of only two establishments in Washington that uses a state-of-the-art ice maker to produce perfect cubes with a slower melt rate so your drinks aren’t diluted after 5 minutes on the table (the other place that uses this machine is Vessel).  It’s a small but telling touch: Barrio isn’t messing around!  And with a brunch that, in my opinion, eclipses Peso’s Kitchen, I would make your reservations while you still can.  This is the new it spot for weekend mornings!

 
If you haven’t heard the term “umami” before, I recommend making a reservation at Capitol Hill’s Boom Noodle.  Umami is a Japanese word that describes the fifth taste sensation (the others are salty, sour, bitter and Dopey), usually associated with Asian flavors.  Like charisma, umami is hard to describe, but you’ll know it when you see it – or in this case, taste it.

Take for example, the Sizzling Toban Beef ($8.50 on the small plates menu, pictured above).  I was very impressed with the depth of flavors that emerged from this simple preparation.  Had the plate not been hot enough to fry an egg, I probably would have licked it clean.

The main course dishes were also quite enjoyable.  I was pleased with my Cha Su Pork Fried Rice ($10.50) and pleasantly surprised by the generous portions of both the rice and soup entrees.  If you’re an impatient eater, you may want to bring a fork – the chopsticks-only approach to rice eating is an acquired skill, and requires persistence.

However, it is the atmosphere, more than the cuisine, that defines Boom Noodle’s identity among Seattle’s Americ-Asian eateries.  In the most pierced and inked corridor of Capitol Hill, the restaurant stands out as clean and precise, like a Japanese IKEA with good food.  The conspicuous arrangement of tables and communal bar top strikes me as un-accidental: people are here to be seen.  And what a scene it is.  The whole place is loud and energetic, with Capitol Hill’s walking works of urban art studding the sparse decor.  If you’re looking for a hole in the wall, you’ve come to the wrong place.  But, if you’re looking for a great modern import of Japan’s richest flavors in a lively setting, I’d highly recommend Boom Noodle.

photo credit: Boom Noodle