During an excellent four-course dinner at Place Pigalle (PP) in December, I snapped this photo of Sidney Markus, a.k.a. “bartender extraordinaire,” in a rather precarious position between the front and back bars. The intimate French restaurant with postcard views of Elliott Bay is one of our favorites and the servers really know how to treat their customers right, but risking life and limb?!?!

We were at PP enjoying their Autumn Prix-Fixe dinner, a four-course meal for $35 (or just $50 with very thoughtful wine pairings devised by Kerry Johnson, maitre ‘d and wine steward at the venerable Columbia Tower Club who also pinch hits at PP). As an example of his wine pairings, the rich Duck Confit Ravioli with Flageolet Beans and Sage Jus was paired with J. Christopher 2007 Cristo Misto from the Willamette Valley, an interesting blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris (90%) and Riesling (10%). Roasted Beet Salad and Baby Arugula Salad simply dressed with EVOO and parsley and sprinkled with goat’s-milk cheese from France paired with Freemark Abbey 2003 Merlot from the Napa Valley. 

Entrées included Fresh Diver Scallops with Beluga Lentils, Smoked Bacon Vinaigrette, and Shaved Fennel Salad with the lovely (and biodynamic!) Cooper Mountain 2006 Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley. Coriander-Encrusted Pork Tenderloin with Yakima Apple and Fall Squash Hash and Calvados Jus paired perfectly with Dobbes Family Estate 2005 Pinot Noir, also from the Willamette. 

Our sweet tooth enjoyed PP’s famous (some might say infamous) Pot de Crème au Chocolat, Cherry Pecan Torte, or Crème Brûlée. Be on the look out for PP’s next four-course, prix-fixe dinner, whenever it arrives. It’s a great deal and real bargain, and the gorgeous view is an added bonus. 

One Saturday evening we left the refuge of downtown Seattle and motored our way up (and down) hilly Madison Avenue for dinner at Nishino. It was time for my every-coupla-months sushi fix, and Nishino is one of my favorite places in all of Seattle to satisfy that urge. In addition to the sushi selection, the venerable restaurant features a daily sheet that’s always enticing. The night we were there, interesting items included Maitake Mushroom Tempura, Shiso Shrimp Dumpling with Spicy Yuzu Sauce, and Ginger Dungeness Crab Cake. 

Just as we were seated, it began to snow, so in addition to sushi, I craved something hot. Luckily, also on the fresh sheet was a Sautéed Mushroom and Asparagus Salad with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It was divine. . .silken chanterelles gently cooked with asparagus spears and served over a bed of fresh greens lightly kissed with sesame dressing. It proved that, in the right hands, something as simple as a warm mushroom and asparagus salad can be sublime.

And, of course, here’s the sushi.

An Olive-Oil-Poached Tuna-Salad Sandwich, Rosemary Fries in a crushed ceramic cup, Coleslaw, and Apple Pie with Caramel Sauce are the components in the TV Dinner lunch special at ART Restaurant and Lounge in the Four Seasons Seattle Hotel and Residences that opened to the public in November.  

Oysters Gratinée

Varietal: Semillon, Champagne, or Sparkling Wine

Serves 4 as an appetizer

Philippe Boulot, executive chef at the venerable Heathman Restaurant (adjacent to The Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland) is the kind of guy who thinks nothing about doing a 10-course dinner at the venerable James Beard House in New York City—in which every course incorporates oysters! The classic dish below—oysters baked in a creamy cheese sauce—could well have been in the line-up, it is so rich and satisfying to the soul. Pair it with a crisp, dry white wine, such as Semillon or my choice—Champagne or Sparkling Wine—for a New Year’s day buffet or any time when Northwest oysters, such as Pacific, Olympia, European Flats, Kumamotos, or Virginicas, are in their prime.

20 fresh Pacific Northwest oysters, such as Westcott Bay European Flats, Kumamoto, Kushi, or Pacific

Rock salt

1 pound leeks, chopped (green parts only)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Swiss cheese

1 large egg yolk

1. With an oyster knife, shuck the oysters over a mixing bowl to catch all the juices. Reserve the bottom (cupped) shell from each oyster. Set the oysters aside. To prepare the reserved oyster shells for stuffing, rinse the shells in hot water, drain, and pat completely dry. Place a layer of rock salt on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the oyster shells cup side up without crowding. Set aside.

2. Add the oyster juice, leeks, and cream to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the Swiss cheese, stir well, and allow to cool. Once cool, whisk in the egg yolk.

3. Ten minutes before cooking, preheat the oven to 450°F. Divide half the leek mixture among the prepared oyster shells, cover with an oyster, and divide the remaining leek mixture over the tops of the oysters. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the oysters are cooked through but still tender and the sauce is slightly browned.

4. To serve, place a fresh layer of rock salt on a decorative platter or 4 individual plates. Arrange the oysters over the rock salt and serve immediately.

Recipe reprinted from Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining: The People, Places, Food, and Drink of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia (Wiley, $34.95) by Braiden Rex-Johnson.

A golden rainbow trout stands out among the regular-colored fish in a display at Pure Food Fish in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. We hope you have a “stand-out” 2009! Happy New Year! 

One afternoon, after trolling the fish stands at the Pike Place Market, I brought home my daily catch of Petrale Sole and had to figure out what to do with a fish that, frankly, I rarely cook.

So with a small bag of good-quality, sea-salt-studded potato chips I’d snagged in a generous goody bag, I let my imagination run loose and created the following loosely constructed “recipe.”

Tarragon-Tinged Sole Fillets

Mix one-half cup each crushed good-quality potato chips with one-half cup of panko (Japanese) bread crumbs. Add about two tablespoons of freshly chopped tarragon, a dash of cayenne, and salt to taste (you might not need any at all, depending on the salt level in the chips). 

Now, with a fork or a whisk, stir together one large egg and two or three tablespoons of milk. 

Rinse and thoroughly pat dry about one-and-one-half pounds of petrale sole fillets, then dredge them through the egg wash and pat in the crumbs. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place about one tablespoon of unsalted butter on the foil. Place the baking sheet in the oven and allow the butter to melt and turn light brown.

Arrange the fish fillets without crowding over the baking sheet and cook seven to 10 minutes, or until the fish just flakes and the crust is crispy. 

Divide among four or six dinner plates (depending on appetites!) and serve immediately. 

Dylan Giordan (right, above), Chef de Cuisine at Serafina Osteria and Enoteca, has been promoted by owner Susan Kaufman (left, above) to the position of executive chef. He replaces John Neumark, who will vacate his posts as executive chef, wine director, and catering director at the Eastlake Avenue restaurant by year’s end to pursue other passions. Salomon Navarro will be taking over the wine program, and Rachel Shreffler will become the new Pastry Chef.    

Chef Giordan has been at Serafina since 2001, acting as chef de cuisine during the past four years. Growing up in the U.S. heartland, near the dairy farms north of Chicago, Giordan has long felt an intangible connection to the land and its gifts. His earliest food memories involve picking snap peas and cherry tomatoes from the vine and eating them instantly, the smell of the earth and stem still strong. 

His first job was in a pizza parlor run by a Sicilian pizza rebel, Angelo DiGiacomo. Through college, Giordan continued his restaurant training, eventually working under Mark Chmielewski at Toque in Chicago. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, Giordan worked for Christine Keff and Steve Smirstik at Flying Fish. In 2001, Giordan decided to follow his roots –to go Italian–and has added handmade cured meats, cheeses, ice cream, pastas, and sausages to Serafina’s repertoire.

We’ve always been big proponents of the 30 for $30 program held in Seattle in the months of March and November to help pump up the local restaurant economy. In November, we were wowed by Barolo Ristorante’s, the Dahlia Lounge’s, and Eva’s three-course menus.

Here’s the Dahlia White Salad, fluffy with frisée, cucumber, parmesan, truffle oil, and lemon. 

And here’s the Pan-Roasted Idaho Trout with Newaukum Valley Farms Potatoes, Apple Sauce, Celery Lead, and Brown-Butter Vinaigrette. It paired perfectly with a glass of Felsner 2007 Grüner Veltliner. 

And finally, dessert. Rustic Apple Tart with Spiced Maple Syrup and Honey Ice Cream!

Meanwhile, Eva offered apples in one of its first-course offerings: a refreshing Cameo Apple Salad with Blue Cheese, Cress, Toasted Hazelnuts, and Roasted-Shallot Vinaigrette. 

And here’s the Seared Rare Albacore Tuna with Moroccan Caponata and French Green Lentil & Rice Pilaf, an entrée I enjoyed immensely.

And the piece de resistance, the Eva Trio, which included Milk Chocolate Pudding, Pumpkin Crumble Cheesecake, and Apple-Walnut Cake with Maple Frosting.

We can hardly wait until March. . .

An appetizer-sized portion of icon Grill’s Wild Salmon Cakes made a perfect “light” meal when paired with the eclectic eatery’s Grilled Pear Salad. 

Tourism BC sent out the following release with news of a chic new hotel and restaurant opening in Vancouver:

“What do you have when you blend a chic boutique hotel with the culinary creativity of an award-winning chef?  Simply the stylish makings of Vancouver’s newest urban retreat. And then some. October marked the official unveiling of the highly-anticipated Loden Vancouver, alongside Voya, its fashionable 80-seat flagship restaurant, helmed by classically-trained Chef Marc-Andre Choquette.

“Complete with a private dining room, Voya evokes the sophisticated feel of a 40s-style eatery with its blend of rich upholsteries, bold patterns, sleek, lacquered tables and crystal chandeliers. Taking its name from the notion that food can prove a journey, or voyage, unto itself, Voya promises clever, seasonal menus and offerings which adhere to both the Green Table and Ocean Wise sustainable programs.  And that’s just the menus. 

“Modern meets nature at this hotel which houses 77 contemporary rooms, lush amenities and a design that mimics the city’s natural beauty; Loden’s curved glass, natural stone and copper exterior are reminiscent of ocean views from BC’s shores.  And should you look to take the experience sky-high, head to one of Loden’s six luxe suites, including the posh 1,600-square-foot penthouse Halo retreat.  A multi-bedroom suite, Halo offers cool calm complete with views, thanks to a lush wrap-around outdoor terrace. 
“Situated in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour, a neighborhood that traces the city’s shoreline, Loden promises a sophisticated blending of styles, tastes and textures.”