Curious about the new Hard Rock Cafe? Me, too. And since it’s in my ‘hood, on the way home yesterday, I stopped to snap a shot across the street from the Second Avenue and Pike Street construction site.

The “bones” of the old building look gorgeous–coliseum-style and majestic. Here’s a link to the official Web site, with the architect’s rendering of the final facade and interior spaces.

Whether patronized by tourists or locals, here’s hoping this establishment helps to clean up this notoriously bad block of downtown Seattle.

In a weird twist of fate, I had written this blog, and pre-scheduled it to post, after our most recent of many visits to The Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown Seattle. Late last night, I heard via Twitter that the venerable seafood palace had closed–collateral damage of its parent company filing for bankruptcy.

My first instinct was to delete this entry, but instead I decided to leave it as a sort of RIP for all the fond memories and fun times we experienced within the seafood restaurant’s regal confines.

Cheers and all best to Oceanaire’s ever-vigilant and -amiable general manager Ed Grandpre, and the many fine chefs who have created a succession of succulent seafood dishes there–Kevin Davis, Eric Donnelly, and Aaron Valimont. And to the ever-gracious serving staff. We will miss you all!

<<Our Dish of the Day comes from The Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown Seattle, where new executive chef Aaron Valimont is doing an admirable job of filling the very large shoes left by former chef Eric Donnelly.

Here’s a big, and I do mean BIG, plate of Lobster Spaghetti, happily sauced with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, Spinach, and White Wine Butter Sauce, with the operative word here being BUTTER–and I’m not complaining.

I made up for this transgression by ordering a side of asparagus simply steamed instead of grilled and served with shaved grana cheese. Leftovers of both dishes made for lusty leftovers the following day. I’m makin’ myself hungry just writing this and looking at the photo again. . .>>

With almost a month of rain-free days in Seattle in June, it seems fitting to highlight two of our city’s (and the Pike Place Market’s) best-loved outdoor dining venues, either or both of which may be a little less well known than the venerable (and ever crowded) Pink Door, which looks like this when the weather is nice.

Here’s the view from Place Pigalle’s outdoor deck. It’s located right beneath the famous Pike Place Market neon clock and sign.

I couldn’t resist, so here’s one more!

And here’s the more “hidden” space. . .atop Maximilien-in-the-Market’s (relatively) new outdoor patio that opened for business once the new building for the Pike Market Senior Center and elderly/low-income housing units was constructed.

I love the views of the ferries and container port just beyond. City sounds were much in evidence here, too!

Northwest Seafood with Simple Soy Glaze

Varietal: Off-Dry Riesling

Makes 1/4 cup

I have read that most people cook the same eight basic recipes over and over again. If that’s the case at your house, I hope this recipe will become one of your eight favorites because it’s so delicious, easy to make, and versatile that you can use it on almost any fish or shellfish you choose. Suggested seafood partners with the glaze include salmon, halibut, swordfish, black cod (sablefish), sea scallops, or sustainable shrimp (peeled and deveined). Don’t forget to open a bottle of off-dry Riesling from a top-quality producer, such as Long Shadows, Pacific Rim, or Poet’s Leap, all from Washington State.

1 tablespoon light cooking oil, such as canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

11/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, soy sauce, honey, and mustard. Add the horseradish and blend thoroughly.

2. Lightly oil a broiling pan with a rack or spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place fish fillets or steaks or shellfish on the rack and lightly brush the seafood with the glaze. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes, then brush the fillets again. If the seafood starts to brown too much, move the pan 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. After 3 minutes, brush once more, then continue broiling until the salmon reaches desired doneness.

Cook’s Hints: Now comes the really fun, creative part of this recipe. If you don’t like horseradish, you can substitute freshly grated ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, Japanese seven-spice seasoning (shichimi togarashi), or hot chili oil for an Asian flair, or Cajun blackening mix for a Southwest touch. Add the alternative seasonings a little at a time, until you reach the level of spiciness or hotness you prefer.

Simple Soy Glaze works well with vegetables, especially asparagus. To prepare fresh asparagus, snap the tough, “woody” white ends off each spear by holding the top half of an asparagus spear in one hand, the bottom half with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand. Bend the spear until it snaps. This will occur naturally where the tough and tender parts meet. Use the bottoms of the stalks to make asparagus stock for soup. Cook the remaining portion as desired. Or, for a more elegant preparation, using a clean, sharp vegetable peeler, peel down from about 2 inches from the ends of the asparagus. Peel all around, then cut off the very end with a small, sharp paring knife.

Fresh asparagus also makes a lovely summer salad when simply grilled with extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, or until just tender. Then transfer to salad plates, drizzle with good-quality balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts (or walnuts) and plumped dried cherries or cranberries.

To toast small quantities of nuts, heat them in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they begin to turn light brown and/or give off their aroma (mustard seeds begin to pop), shaking the pan back and forth often so the ingredients do not burn. Remove from heat, cool, and add to your recipe, or grind as directed.

To plump dried fruits, add the fruits to a small saucepan and cover with water, stock, or liqueur (such as Madeira, Port, or cream-style Sherry). Bring to a boil, cover, and remove the pan from the heat. Allow to stand 10 to 20 minutes, or until the fruit is plumped.

To speed the plumping process, put 1/2 cup water into a microwave-safe glass dish. Add the fruit and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat. When the fruit begins to plump, remove from the microwave and cover. Let rest for 5 minutes, drain water, and use the fruit as directed.

Recipe reprinted from the “Pike Place Public Market Seafood Cookbook” (Ten Speed Press, 2007, $14.95) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

We had a good meal at Long Provincial Vietnamese Restaurant recently, where the space was a welcome change from the neon-lime, tangerine, and vanilla colors/starkness of the former QUBE.

Now it’s all gunmetal and royal purple colors. Grass-like screens cover the windows and keep out the street scenes and light so you really focus on your food and friends/significant other. There’s a gorgeous oversize bowl with flames flickering out the middle and a large fish tank that separates bar from dining room–both are calming and very Zen.

The menu was voluminous (perhaps like Tamarind Tree Restaurant, its popular sister restaurant in the International District)–with nine (count ’em!) kinds of salad rolls ranging from fried tofu to turmeric-marinated catfish to lemongrass beef! I got mine with grilled chicken (above), which was dark meat and really could have been just about anything since it was strangely tasteless. The accompanying peanut sauce helped moisten and liven them up.

Better results with the Tamarind Tree Soup, above. I loved the interplay of sweet pineapple with the seafood-tamarind broth and the combination of catfish fillet, prawns, and scallops.

We took home more than half for leftovers the next day and added our own shellfish and veggies for protein and texture, plus a can of Fire-Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles for additional (spicy) broth. Yum!

Spencer liked his entrée of Grilled Beef Short Ribs served with a Mixed Herb Fish Sauce. The Garlic Green Beans were way good and garlic-y, too!

We can’t wait to go back to explore the menu further. Wines by the glass were interesting–I had a Grüner Veltliner and Torróntes, a “hot” new varietal from Argentina that’s supposed to be perfect for summer sipping. It didn’t hit my spot as much as the Grüvee, but also didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the food.

There’s a hot new street-food option rolling through downtown Seattle. Maximus Minimus is the creation of Kurt Beecher Dammeier, the genius behind Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and owner of Pasta & Co. Here’s the coach parked at the southeast corner of Second and Pike.

And here’s what’s on the menu. . .a choice between Pulled Pork or Vegetarian (Lentil) Sandwiches.

While I haven’t tried the sandwiches myself, I get it from good sources that the pork is super-lean but flavorful and the coleslaw is not cream-based, but vinegar (rice vinegar, perhaps) and a very tasty (and healthy) accompaniment.

Wherever it lands, the new Maximus Minimus bus, with its SLOWPIG license plate, is sure to turn heads and garner a smile wherever it rolls.

During a media brunch in May, we were introduced to several of the brunch offerings at the Dahlia Lounge in downtown Seattle, which turns 20 years old in November. One of five restaurants owned and operated by Seattle über chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, the Dahlia is still pretty new to Saturday and Sunday brunch, unlike its sister resto, Etta’s Seafood, which has served the brunch/lunch from 9:30 until 3 p.m. to happy customers (such as Spencer and me!) for many, many years.

Among the offerings are items as diverse as Congee with Grilled Prawns, Poached Egg, Scallions, and Chinese Dougnhuts ($14). Those of you who have traveled in Asia will recognize as this as the breakfast of champions in that part of the world. Definitely tasty and worth a try here, with lots of ham hock for extra richness. 

More traditional offerings (if still with a bit of a twist!) include the Eggs Benedict with Spit-Roasted Ham, Gwen’s English Muffin, and Two Poached Eggs. Brilliant green Scallion Hollandaise gives the dish a Green Eggs ‘n’ Ham sort of feel, while the Big Island Fruit Cup cleanses the palate with refreshing coconut water ($16). 

There’s also a delicious Monkey Bread with Warm Caramel Sauce that could easily serve as a decadent dessert for two. Thanks, Tom and Dahlia, and cheers to Saturday and Sunday brunch! 

Over the Memorial Day weekend, we enjoyed an early (6 p.m.) dinner at Spur Gastropub with our good friends Marcella and Harvey Rosene. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the energetic couple are the founders of Pasta & Co. and Marcella has written several Pasta & Co. cookbooks in addition to co-editing the IACP-nominated cookbook, Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier (Sasquatch Books, 2009) in which my recipe for Salmon Baked in Grape-Leaf Packets, is featured.

We began with a glass of Brut Rosé for me, Pinot Noir for Spencer, and cocktails for the Rosenes. Sockeye Salmon Crostini with Caper Berries, Mascarpone, and Pickled Shallots paired perfectly with these choices, as did the Yakima Asparagus with a frizzle of fried onion, onion hollandaise, and a pouf of miners lettuce on top. We kept up the Rosé theme by ordering a bottle of the deeply colored, richly flavored Waters Winery 2007 Rosé–summer in a bottle!

Even the Baby Lettuces with Speck, Toasted Almonds, and Sherry Vinaigrette were tasty and perfect.

 Sous Vide Alaskan Halibut, my favorite Tagliatelle with Duck Egg, a gargantuan Bison Burger with shoestring potatoes, and Lamb Saddle formed our entrées. 

Salted Hazelnut Ice Cream showed the interesting interplay of sweet and salty, while Soft Chocolate Cake lived up to its name, and Lime Sponge Cake with Rhubarb was seasonally appropriate–all sweet ways to end a meal that saluted the start of summer! 

Brunch at Etta’s Seafood, just north of the Pike Place Market along Western Avenue, is one of our favorite weekend rituals. I usually opt for the Dungeness Crab Salad, but occasionally choose Tom’s Tasty Albacore Tuna Sashimi with Green Onion Pancakes. Every time I do, I realize this more than qualifies for my Dish of the Day. It’s especially good (and healthy!) when you order a side of Grilled Yakima Asparagus. Grapefruit juice is my drink of choice for additional Vitamin C and a tart, refreshing palate cleanser. 

Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of attending two Savor Seattle Food Tours, both highlighting the Pike Place Market. At 10 a.m., I signed on for the Pike Place Market: Greatest Hits Tours, a.k.a., the Classic. If you take this tour, skip breakfast! For during two hours of determined walking through the Market we sampled 22 different items ranging from piroskhy (Russian pastries) at Piroskhy-Piroskhy to cherry-peach salsa and chips at Chukar Cherries to mini crab cakes at Etta’s Seafood.

At 1 p.m., I was among 12 people who signed up for the Pike Place Market: Off the Beaten Path Tour, which promised exotic food samples along with a more ethnic slant than the Classics Tour.  

Here’s George, the deli manager at The Spanish Table, second stop on the tour. Authentic jamón serrano (Spanish hams) dangle overhead, and he also introduced us to Manchego cheese, Marcona almonds, anchovy-stuffed olives (better than you might imagine!), and chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage). 

The Classic is perfect for visitors and locals new to the Market, while the afternoon tour is for dedicated and adventurous foodies. Samples served are diverse and filling, and served as both breakfast and lunch for me that day. On both tours we received a discount card good for 10% off at stops on the tour, as well as other downtown businesses.