Canlis (2nd Visit) - The Works of a New Chef and its Unique Situation

After Chef Jason Franey's departure, it certainly made a void at the helms of the Canlis kitchen. However with the recent addition of the newly made Chef de Cuisine at Canlis, Brady Williams, it would seem that Canlis has decided to go towards more of a route utilizing molecular gastronomy. Even with that being said, Canlis has a unique dilemma for a fine dining restaurant: it seems that it wants to attract people from out of town who are really passionate of food (i.e. "foodies") while also  not wanting to alienate their clientele who have more simpler palates or tastes. I will later dwell on that near the end of the blog post.

When we had arrived, the entire restaurant was packed. Although we were a bit early, I had encountered a mishap where I had left my ID and we had to go back to the place we were staying at then quickly returning. What's going to a high-end restaurant serving great food and ambiance without having accompanying drinks that'll also get you a bit lit throughout the experience? When we had arrived again, our table was ready for us. Right when we sat down, we were a table away from being right next to the window. Luckily, the table next to us with the spectacular opened up. However after asking one of the bussers, we had to have approval of the Maître d' before moving. Fortunately my friend and I received approval from him and a grumpier pair that came later took our previous table. No doubt, the view and interior of Canlis is spectacular as it certainly carried vibes of swank and class; a modern take of a 50's dining club.

The Maître d' warmly welcomed us informing of my message I had sent prior to inform my friend's lactose-intolerance and my birthday to which they were more than happy to oblige. Afterwards, we were greeted by one of our main waiters for the night who was a fun, pleasant, easy-going waitress who was also able to attain her formality when chatting casually with us, while she took my drink order. I ordered my usual when it comes to dining at fine establishments like Canlis: a Sapphire Martini with a lemon twist with very little to no dry vermouth; a great way to cleanse the palate. 

After deciding what we'd want to order, the other main waiter came by and took it while taking great detail and enthusiasm of not only just going over each dish but to accommodate and being upfront about our orders, such me wanting to order another dish but was willing to share his concern about not wanting me to order too much to which I'm grateful for. He clearly was the star of the front of the house. FYI, if you go for the Four Course option, instead of two appetizers, one main, and a dessert; you could also go for one appetizer, two mains, and a dessert. This is great for those of you who want to have one main while also wanting to try their famous duck for two for which we did. One of the things I admire about Canlis is them being very easy going and not stickers for generally sticking to the menu (although I'd imagine if one does the tasting menu, the rest has to) while being very reasonable towards the customer of only charging the cheapest item out of the entire menu ordered if you want to order another dish, although the dessert seems to be the exception as they would charge the cheapest thing other than the dessert.

Throughout the meal, the main waitress was very fun to talk to as she would tell us which bars to go in Seattle and how fun they were while taking her very important time to quickly write a list of where we should go for the rest of our trip. Whereas, the other main waiter was very sharp and attentive while going over the dishes and then asking about it with such detail and enthusiasm. It was amazing hearing his input as he was someone with a great amount of experience and insight which adds more to him being the front runner of their service team. The more and more my friend and I were able to talk to them, their already top of the line service got better and better since we're building a rapport and enjoyed each others' company rather than them with some of the other, more grumpier and snootier customers that were primarily going to Canlis solely for it being the fanciest place in town without caring much from the food; not "foodies" at all. I bring up the snooty and utterly demanding clientele as I think the servers, other than the two aces I've mentioned, who brought out the bread and dishes had uninterested deadpan faces without giving much eye contact, if any at all. Although it was disappointing for those other servers to not give anywhere near the same level of enthusiasm as our main waiters, I can't help but feel sympathy for them as they seemed emotionally worn out for dealing with those types of customers. Hell, I'd be the same way if I were serving a bunch of demanding and harsh people who weren't appreciative about being in a high-end restaurant and not wanting to enjoy and be interested in the food. I will dwell more on that later.

Our Amuse Bouches came before us while providing a different to my friend set due to his dietary restriction. Although I don't remember exactly what my amuse bouches were (top), I remember the first two being very delicious and the last chip with the salmon roe & crème fraîche was alright, albeit refreshing.

The bread for this visit was a small baguette with accompanying salted butter. It was certainly very moist and also greatly appreciated to quell our initial hunger. Like with their bread, I hear it's freshly baked for each customer. Although some might say otherwise, I'm really glad that Canlis doesn't give you too much bread to stuff yourself with and would much rather serve you one extremely delicious, high-quality piece as if it were a course itself. I've been to some of the other high-end, more French-focused places who place a lot of emphasis on the bread served throughout the meal: Canlis serves better bread than most of those places I've been to.

My first course was the Foie Gras Torchon w/ Summer Berries, Chamomile Gelée, Nettles, and Amaranth coating the foie gras. The Foie Gras Torchon itself was very rich and heavy that's full of foie gras flavor. Unlike the previous visit at Canlis although they've provided an accompanying piece of cinnamon bread, I'm glad that they've provided a good amount of torchon with refreshing, sweet berries to counter the richness of the foie gras instead of proving too much while having little of the component meant to go against its richness. Along with the Chamomile Geleé, the nettle sauce and the Amaranth coating, the Summer Berries (Blueberry, Blackberry, Strawberry, and Currant) were some of the sweetest, freshest, best tasting berries I've ever had that it was too a pleasure to eat the remaining ones when I've already devoured the foie gras. I'd say, the strawberry was the highlight our of all the berries I was fixated on.

My friend had the Peter Canlis Prawns w/ Dry Vermouth, Garlic, and lime, sans butter (lactose-intolerant). I too was anticipating to try this classic. Even though they've got rid of at least most of the butter, they still tasted pretty damn good! The prawns themselves were plump and succulent and the sauce was still richly flavored with shellfish stock and loaded with umami that it was still beyond passable without the butter. If you had to choose one if you wanted to try one of Canlis' classics, I would highly recommend the Peter Canlis Prawns.

I usually have bad experiences with modern age cocktails/mixology to which I really want to get into. It's most likely due to the fact that I'm a straight up spirit drinker of Scotches and Cognacs which is why I prefer more classic, high-spirited, less sweet cocktails such as Martinis and Manhattans. However, this "Into the Birds Averno" is hands down my most favorite modern cocktail I've tasted. This is what I had in mind hoping when wanting to try mixology cocktains. Although flavored with bourbon and other Italian herbal liquours, the more pronounced flavor of mint came from the Strega herbal liquor component. Surprising to its looks and although it has those rich flavors, it actually is much lighter and somewhat refreshing due to the Strega. Out of all the cocktails on the cocktail list at Canlis, I would recommend trying this one first.

 Next, our fish main courses are up. Like my last visit at Canlis, they seem to do fish very well; and they should being in Seattle. My dish was the King Salmon in Broth w/ Peas, Fava Beans, Lemon Balm, and Mint. This dis incorporates some of the newer methods of cooking such as the Salmon being Sous Vide due to the moistness and softness of texture (and the lack of grill marks and a harder exterior), and molecular gastronomy by relying on the properties of oils and lipids not mixing with the broth. The Salmon is so moist and concentrated with flavor from the vacuum pack of the sous vide. Although some would argue by grilling it or pan searing it, you would bring out more of the flavors of the fish while the carmelization from the sear/grill marks adds another dimension to the dish. Be that as it may, this preparation is quite satisfying to those who love sushi or more rawer preparations of fish and meat. Without the caramelization or the burnt carbons as put in by other preparations, the lack of it allows the soft and delicate salmon to cooperate well with the other lighter components such as the mint and lemon balm to which those components also bring out more of the salmon.

My friend opted for the Halibut that's sauteed/pan fried w/ Summer Squash, Buckwheat, and Manila Clams. Although the caramelization and char brings out some of the flavors from both the fish and the vegetables partucularly, my friend and I believed that although the crust was meant to provide a crisp, crunchier texture to the dish, we've felt that it was overcooked where the flavor from the burnt carbons overwhelmed the delicacy of the dish.

Before our main dish came out that the both of us were excited for, albeit very fitting as a date dish to which we had to both put our egos aside, I went for a glass of Margot Pinot Noir from Colene Clemens in the Willamette Valley, 2011 to go along with the upcoming duck dish as unlike some of the earthier cabernet sauvignons, the pinot noir has a much more resilient berry component and associated acidity while having a tone of earthiness that would pair well with duck rather than red meat such as beef. The sommelier was very friendly and excited to give his concise notes of the pinot noir I was having as he had me smell and taste the wine for approving. Of course, it was very delicious and was how I'd just described it to be. Giving a warm and devoted smile with appropriate eye contact that's inviting and completely the opposite of a glare, he finished pouring the rest. 

FYI to those that don't know unless if the wine is really bad even though I really enjoyed the wine provided and felt that it was well compatible with the upcoming duck, it's generally polite to still accept the wine even though it might not completely suit your taste as he or she already opened the bottle.

Finally! I get to try the famous 28-day dry-aged Muscovy Duck. Granted, most dishes meant for two are generally date dishes. However, my friend and I are pretty secure with ourselves to not let that get to us. On to the dish: a 28-day dry-aged duck breast that's roasted whole w/ Radish, Cherry Gastrique, and Spring Onions. The duck itself was seasoned to the right point with the right amount of salt on the skin. Eaten together with the radishes and the different types of spring onions along with rubbing the duck with some of the cherry gastrique, all the components blended well. The earthy acidity and sweetness from the cherry gastrique complemented the rich fatty flavors of the well seasoned duck and the zing from the spring onions provided a refreshing contrast to the heaviness of the duck which also invigorates the tastebuds to amplify the tongue's ability to taste all the components further. My only issue with the duck is that I felt it's been either cooked too long or left out for quite awhile as it wasn't as moist as duck can be (think of Chinese roasted duck that you'd find in dim sum restaurants or Peking duck as well). Otherwise it's a solid dish that I highly recommend trying when you're dining at Canlis as most likely, you'll get a more fresher, moist piece as we ordered ours later in the night.

With still some room left in the stomach, I ordered an additional dish for myself which is the Artichoke w/ Dungeness Crab, Potato, Buttermilk, and Nasturtium which are those dark green leaves that look like lillypads. This dish was amazing as it was loaded with the Dungeness Crab (Canlis certainly doesn't skimp on the high quality ingredients). The artichokes tasted really fresh which gave the crab some earthy flavors. The nasturtium brought some additional fresh flavors to the dish while the lemon juice mixed in brought out and uplifted the flavors of the artichoke and the dungeness crab especially, whereas the potatoes served as a bite to accompany texture in the dish while absorbing some of the lemon juice in order to not let it become too acidic on the palate. As the waiter inquired about how I enjoyed the dish, we've both agreed that there should be a name change to the dish as there's significantly a whole lot of crab in each bite. Although I can understand the chef wanting to use artichoke as its name as you can see it more visually than the crab along with it being a huge component in the flavors of the dish; from a marketing prospective, it would seem to be better to change the name of the dish to Dungeness Crab in order to entice more customers to order the dish, and like I said before, I've taste more of the crab compared to the other elements of the dish. If it's still on the menu, I'd definitely recommend someone in your party to order it, especially if you or someone else wants to try the bounties of the Pacific Northwest.

After devouring the duck, this is the part where I usually indulge in a liquid dessert like a Single Malt Scotch or a Cognac. I forgot to take the photo but me being partial to the scotches of Islay with their intense peatiness that incorporates medicinal and smoky flavors, I went with a Laphroaig 18. The peatiness was certainly more than the 10 year that I usually drink. Even with that being said, the flavors were more restrained while the amplitude of the peaty flavors were more than the 10 year. I certainly enjoyed this Scotch as it was served in one of those snifter-like tasting glasses. If you haven't tried Laphroaig, you have to try the 10 year ASAP, especially if you're a Scotch lover like I am.

Although looking at the dessert menu I was more interested in the "Buckwheat" dessert with Strawberries and Devonshire Cream which all sounds delicious by the way, I went for the original Canlis Soufflé as not only was it on my to-eat list and me not going to be back for a while as I'm out of state, it's mainly because I was disappointed with the dessert I had during my previous visit as I don't want to experience that same mishap again which is why I want to go for their classical dessert. After the waitress poked a hole on the top of the soufflé, she poured the Crème Anglaise into it and left the rest of the glass on the side. Although the menu says that it takes 30 minutes to prepare the dessert, our waitress says realistically it's more like 15 minutes and she was right. After blowing out the candle, the candle holder was an apricot gummy that was certainly delicious. On to the actual dessert itself: it was certainly eggy in both flavor and texture as the texture was mixed with being fluffy and runny at the same time (also due to the crème anglais mixing in with the soufflé). The Grand Marnier liquor gave the dessert citrus notes without being too aggressively citrusy. And, the sweet creaminess of the crème anglais not only provided a sugar rush on the palate, but the creaminess melded the citrus and egg flavors well together. It's definitely a solid dessert where you cannot go wrong ordering it, especially if it's your first time at Canlis. At least someone in your party should order it and they'll certainly be happy, unless if you have the same dietary restriction as my lactose-intolerant friend.

At the end of our meal, the most embarrassing thing happened to me that one could possibly face at a fancy establishment where your reputation can be tarnished: my debit card was declined! As everyone at the last few tables left, our star waiter politely gave me privacy and patience for me to take care of this matter. Although it took around 30 minutes, the issue was that I didn't let my bank know about my travel plans as I had thought it was only for international travel, even though I didn't let my bank know before that I was out of state and was fine (this actually was during the first time I went to Canlis actually). Once it finally went through after finishing talking to the bank at 12:30 am, I was immediately relieved and the waiter was certainly glad that the situation resolved, not solely because I was able to pay for the meal but he was certainly empathetic towards my situation as he didn't show any issue and was more than willing to wait. I share that particular situation on this post to demonstrate the high aptitude of the service team at Canlis as they're really thoughtful and attentive to your needs; just downright good people.

The waiter left our complementary chocolate bars and macarons which their flavors change throughout the year during the frustrating call I had with the bank. Not exactly sure what the pinkish orange macarons were but I think they're Apricot but the other brown ones were Hazelnut Coffee. The flavor of the chocolate bar was Mint Chocolate Chip. After I took care of the mishap of the bill, I finally ate the macarons guilt free while saving the bar for friends and family to enjoy back home in California like with my last trip. Canlis has certainly nailed it providing macarons as a great way to end the meal. Not only being in Seattle, it would seem wasteful to not take advantage of the coffees they have at Canlis. I went for the Flying Boat Irish Coffee. Certainly it was very delicious with the warm coffee spiked with Irish Whiskey whereas the dollop of cool heavy cream on top gave it a refreshing, invigorating contrast.

My meal at Canlis was very wonderful, especially as I was able to bring a friend from out of town to experience it. The food is certainly solid as I don't doubt most people with a sense of taste will certainly enjoy it as Seattle's best high end restaurant. With that being said, this leads me wanting to share my thoughts of Canlis' current situation, or even a dilemma. 

With Seattle booming even more as their tech sector's still growing, there will be an influx of wealthy or well off people in the city creating even more of a demand for high end dining. However, there is a good chunk of people who simply go to Canlis just because it's the nicest place in Seattle with a spectacular view while not caring a whole lot for the food itself which is sad as that's what one should go to a restaurant primarily for. Basically, these people have no taste or haven't developed a sense of what's good and only see food as a source of nutrients, not for taste which translates into pleasure. Throughout the Lyft ride I took to Canlis, the driver told me some of the customers' opinions of how they say Canlis is overrated and only good for the view which saddens me to hear, especially as I'm not part of the staff at all. If you look on Instagram with #Canlis, most of those photos are people taking pictures of themselves or selfies; shouldn't they be filled with food? That tells to me as I said earlier that a good chunk of people only want a nice place to be at between the hours of 6-10 pm without caring about what they put in their mouths. In addition, they'd probably would add more to the trash talk.

When tasting the food, I could certainly taste or even feel the restraint in the cooking, and not the good kind to not let aggressive flavors go out of control. I understand that Canlis is a restaurant with a long standing tradition and history that doesn't want to alienate its loyal patrons with simpler tastes (just to be clear, I'm not trying to give those types of people a hard time as I'm definitely capable of knowing how simple foods are deceptive in the following sense as there certainly is a complexity involved such as a good steak or well prepared sushi) since it started out as a steakhouse serving what you'd expect since the 1950s. However, I personally feel that the restraint is implemented due to the fact that they know that a lot of people with unrefined tastes and aren't adventurous in that regard will dine over and do not want to shock them with avant-garde cuisine as that's the direction Canlis is taking since hiring on Chef Jason Franey. Also in regards to the restraint and on the other end of the spectrum, there are those that are certainly snobs, or at least act snobbish but don't really have any taste, that would try to find fault in everything that's in front of them while barking hideously at the servers which would ultimately degrade the quality of service since the front of the house staff would be worn out when moving to a new set of customers. With that being said, it's not just Canlis, but any restaurant won't ever be able to really please these types of people; that's what the overpriced steakhouses are for. Most likely, these people won't return anytime soon, or at most they'll probably come by once every few years for a really, really special occasion.

Moving on to my point: regardless of what previously was said, Canlis, with its stellar and unmatched service that dwarfs even some of the restaurants with Michelin stars, and having a Chef de Cuisine who trained at a two Michelin Starred restaurant in Brooklyn who is also gifted in molecular gastronomy; certainly it is clear that Canlis has the potential to truly become one of the best, most innovative restaurants in the nation. For starters, they certainly need to get rid of the current tasting menu involving modern approaches of their classics if they haven't so already. As the tasting menu usually involves solely on the creations of the Chef de Cuisine, the prospective tasting menu should be with Chef Brady Williams having complete control, or at least the majority of it, of what's going to be on it highlighting his cooking technique. Also Canlis being a restaurant in Seattle, the tasting menu should mainly utilize the local ingredients while only importing a few specialty ingredients in order to make it the best and most unique restaurant in Seattle. In order to still retain the loyal followers who've been dining at the restaurant before the days of Chef Franey, they should have a separate menu having only the classics, or if that seems much, keep doing what they've been doing by adding the classical dishes to the menu but have an asterisk next to them noting them as such. However, as someone who generally prefers a la carte for most meals, not just the tasting menu but Canlis really needs to let Chef Williams loose to crank up the innovation so that most items on the menu can be both mind-blowingly delicious and innovative at the same time of which the diner won't have expected to taste anything like it before while being pleasantly surprised and satisfied as well. One of the things that usually gets people coming back to these high end places in particular is its quality of only offering food that really can't be served elsewhere along with being mesmerizingly delicious that they'll want to go back with a deep yet unexplainable yearning. Restaurants that are successful in that regard, such as the now defunct "El Bulli", want their customers to not stop raving over the dishes had over the following days; even and especially for the most seasoned diners as well. I personally think it's imperative for a restaurant to develop a menu without much compromise (well in this case, still have items for the other patrons). If you even look at some of the other restaurants in Seattle such as "Sitka & Spruce" and "The Walrus & the Carpenter", albeit not high-end, the customers keep coming back, even if they're from different parts of the world. Not only are reservations filled, but even "The Walrus & the Carpenter" with their no reservation policy always have lines of people waiting for an hour plus, even on a Tuesday. Not only do those restaurants use high quality, local ingredients, their main attribute is their innovation: making unique dishes utilizing local ingredients and using unique cooking techniques that makes food from their restaurants hard to emulate. 

With all of that being said, I implore of Canlis to let the creativity of their cuisine go with guns blazing. I hope to return to Canlis in the near future and as they usually say: "The third time's always the charm."

 

The Battle of the Italian Sandwiches in Seattle: Meat & Bread vs. Salumi - Modern/Hipster vs. Traditional/Classic

Hello all!

I know it's been a while but I've finally got back from Seattle to see the Anthony Bourdain show up there. Along with seeing my most favorite celebrity and actually meeting him, my accompanying friend and I went to Seattle to experience Seattle's amazing and unique restaurants once again. After dropping off our bags, we immediately went up to Capitol Hill to eat at Meat & Bread that's known for their Porchetta Sandwiches.

Meat & Bread has that "hipster" vibe when it comes to its food and mantra. The moment we've walked in the store within the trendy, hip neighborhood it's in, we've noticed the interior is very modern in order to portray a modern vibe to entice passerbys. We were well greeted politely by the hostess, the cook that took our order & prepared our sandwiches, and the cheerful cashier as well. There is no doubt that Meat & Bread has their service covered on their end. In addition before ordering our sandwiches, the cook did a great job of explaining the menu which certainly had my mouth watering.

When my Porchetta sandwich landed on the table, it certainly looked like a high quality $10 sandwich. However, the moment I ate it, the sandwich essentially had no flavor other than grease and slight hints from the Salsa Verde. Not only was there barely any flavor from the Porchetta, but it was ultimately disappointing that the Salsa Verde didn't contribute any countering acidity to the fattiness of the pork, let alone any other dimension of flavor. The sad part was that most of the flavors came from the dollop of mustard on the side.

The Chickpea Salad on the side was too equally as disappointing and bland.  When ordering, the description given by the cook certainly entranced me to order it as I'm usually a soup person. Chickpeas, Quinoa, Mint & Lemon Juice; it certainly sounded delicious! With all of that said, I've barely tasted the Mint & Lemon Juice that should have uplifted the Chickpeas, Quinoa, and the other greens (I'm not so sure what they were). The salad should have been very refreshing to counter the heaviness of the sandwiches served, but it failed in that regard as well.

What refreshingly washed down the bland, greasy travesty was the Semi Sweet Hard Cider from the Seattle Cider Co.. Seattle has lots of beer breweries that go along well with the food up there which is why I'm glad that there's a devoted brewery to cider as I'm also a cider fan when beer can seem too heavy at times. The Semi Sweet Hard Cider had crisp notes of apple that certainly was all natural and didn't scream of artificial flavorings which also says that the apple flavors weren't too aggressive as well.

Unfortunately, what really made it worse was that both of our stomachs felt nauseous as we kept burping out the greasy notes from the sandwich which made us worry if it would hinder our visit to Canlis later in the day. Although we were fine during our visit to Canlis, the next day I was literally on the toilet seat for hours as my intestines were certainly inflamed by the wrath of the greasy Porchetta Sandwich. I'm pretty sure my friend and I suffered through food poisoning as I don't think the ingredients of the food (I have a hunch it's from the meat) we had were stored or cooked properly (we've had different sandwiches but tried each others'). Certainly, they proved to be a blunder for our trip as no one wants to be stuck on the toilet throughout the whole day.

Let us fast forward to the near end of our trip. My friend and I were excited to try Salumi after our taste buds wanted redemption for Italian sandwiches. After hearing that there would be a line our the door (and they have a sign on their window saying where to form it), I've started the line as I was the first one there at 10:30 am (which is a great tip if you want to be the first one's served and not want to wait longer). Right before they opened, a very polite and sweet old man to which I assumed was Mario Batali's dad and the owner of the shop, Armandino, brought out the street sign on to the sidewalk listing the day's specials. The moment my iPhone read 11:00 am, the doors opened and Armandino greeted my friend and I and thanked us for waiting. The moment we looked at what sandwiches were available from the menu (there are even some that are unlisted as unavailable in the beginning of the day). As I was very full from my recent breakfast at The London Plane at the time, I had my friend order the hot Porchetta sandwich since he hadn't ate yet during the day. With that being said, I looked for a cold cut sandwich that can certainly endure a 2 hour flight back without going bad. Immediately, my mind made my eyes hunt down the words on the menu for "Prosciutto, Fig & Goat Cheese" in order to make sure of its availability. Once it did, I immediately called for it as the line behind us was ever growing. My friend however took a little bit more time in order to get another sandwich, preferably a cold cut, as we weren't going to be back for a while. Not only he went for the hot Porchetta sandwich, but he also went for the Salumi Salami.

All of the sandwiches ordered were served with their very delicious Ciabatta bread. The moment I took a piece of the Porchetta from his sandwich, it was certainly moist and rich with flavor unlike the Porchetta at Meat & Bread. The meat itself was certainly well-seasoned. When it came to my sandwich, unfortunately I didn't remember to take a photo of it (something foodies shoot themselves in the foot for). Although my Prosciutto, Fig & Goat Cheese didn't look near as impressive, the flavors were certainly the inverse of its looks: the prosciutto was well flavored without being overwhelmed with saltiness from its curing, the goat cheese added a sharp & pungent flavoring component to the sandwich, and the fig spread (I'm pretty sure there was some balsamic vinegar mixed in with it) added a refreshing counterbalance to the sandwich. Overall, the sandwiches at Salumi are solidly satisfying which sets the bar for the standards of Italian sandwiches in Seattle. You can immediately tell that each component (bread, cured meats, braised meats, spreads, etc.) was well made with tender care and focus.

The bottom line for the readers who are typically out-of-towners that love to visit cities solely for food (and this includes Seattleites): Just go to Salumi for Porchetta and other Italian cold cut sandwiches. Although you might want to check out Meat & Bread, if you had to choose one, go for Salumi in order to save yourself from disappointment and possibly from getting sick as well.

Final Bites for My Seattle Trip: Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar, The Calf and Kid Artisan Cheese Shop and Ivar's Fish Bar

During my final day in Seattle, it snowed which was quite exhilarating for me as I'm a native Californian. Although it wasn't snowing at the moment, it was just exciting to see it laying on the ground. With that being said, wanting to eat Oysters in Seattle seemed more appropriate than ever!

I walked up to Capitol Hill from my hotel in Downtown and had breakfast at Taylor Shellfish Farms Oyster Bar at the Melrose Market. I went in with the excitement of finally eating some of the Pacific NW's finest as TSF is the purveyor of Oysters for most of Seattle's restaurants. With that being said, it makes sense to eat here without paying the premium of dining at another restaurant if I'm getting the same thing. I ordered one of each of the oysters that were available:

The first drink I started out as I was desperate for a beer being in Seattle and also wanting to be refreshing while going great with oysters, I went with the Stiegl Radler Grapefruit Beer. Not only with the flavor being quite rejuvenating, it did not taste artificial at all like with some of the other fruit beers. With the natural grapefruit flavors present, it too tasted like an actual beer which was quite surprising.

Although I couldn't remember which exact oyster was what for some of them, I remember the Olympias being the smallest as they were packed with flavor and didn't require any mignonette or lemon juice. The larger ones were the Toten Inlet and Fanny Bay oysters. About the Toten Virginica, I can imagine that was one of the larger oysters. The Shigoku was certainly the oyster that was overall great with great flavors and size. My favorites were the Kumamotos and Kusshis in terms of flavor. What was interesting about the both of them that unlike some of the oysters I've had, they actually had deep shells albeit the oysters themselves looking deceptively small on the outside. Afterwards, I ordered another two more of the each of the following: Totten Inlet, Shigoku and Kumamoto. All of the oysters tasted extremely fresh and clean which is how some people are able to eat them without any sort of condiment. I find that more doubtful if I were to order them from a restaurant where I'm from since I'm not near the source.

I actually had wanted to go to Elliot's Oyster House on the waterfront. However, they were closed until summer of next year for seawall reconstruction. With that being said, I was glad to end up here instead as it was the best oysters I've had at only the fraction of the price with them being directly from the purveyor. I would highly recommend people to just go directly to Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bars if you just want a straightforward, no frills place that just serves some damn good oysters. To wash all of those oysters down, I had a Pike's Place IPA which was quite refreshing and bold.

Afterwards, I went next door to The Calf and Kid Artisan Cheese Shop. Since I watched the Seattle episode of Anthony Bourdain's The Layover many, many times; I definitely had this place on my itinerary. With that being said, you can probably imagine what I bought during my visit: a bunch of Briar Rose Creamery Chocolate Goat Cheese Truffles! When I brought them with me from my plane ride back from Seattle to SoCal, I immediately popped one in my mouth. They were just like how Anthony Bourdain described of it when he was eating them: something one would greatly enjoy if they weren't dessert people. Both of the Chocolate and Goat Cheese flavors were well balanced without one or the other being overwhelming. This is definitely something one should buy if they're wanting a delicious souvenir to bring back from Seattle. It certainly impressed the people down where I'm from :)

Before hopping on my plane, I couldn't leave at the time without ordering food from one of uniquely Seattle's fast food place, Ivar's Fish Bar. With four pieces of Cod and Chips (Fries) and their seasonal Salmon Chowder which was quite delicious and unfortunately wasn't able to take a pic of it, the fish and chips were certainly quite satisfying along with having some Scotch and Ginger Ale on the Alaska Airlines flight. Although I too forgot to take a photo, some of Alaska Airlines' flights offered free, complementary beer and wine for those 21 and older. The porter I had on the flight from one of the Pacific NW's breweries was certainly delicious. This is what separates Alaska Airlines from most of the other domestic airlines along with their wonderful service (*cough* *cough* Southwest *cough* *cough* United *cough* *cough*).

When I got back home, I immediately picked up an authentic Al Pastor burrito from Taco Del Rio in La Puente which was quite needed as I was back in SoCal.

It was certainly great to be back in Seattle, even though it was nine years since along with it only being two days. Although places like Las Vegas are certainly great for a short getaway, I would highly recommend not only to my friends in Southern California but to many others of visiting Seattle with its lush nature of being surrounded by trees, water and, of course, fresh air; but also with its warm and friendly citizens that contradicts their cold climate that I wished more people down here would become, especially as I thought that its never ending sunny weather would make people more outgoing.

Canlis: Where Modern New York Gastronomy Meets and Evolves the Old School Distinctions & Traditions of Seattle's Most Prestigious, Historical Dining Establishment (Chef Jason Franey's Final Days at Canlis)

After hearing about Canlis for the first time a couple years back and how it's the premiere destination for modern, fine dining in Seattle, I was determined to dine there the moment I had a chance to return to the city. After researching much about the current generation of Canlis as Chef Jason Franey from Eleven Madison Park in NYC and brothers Mark & Brian Canlis, the third generation owners, are directing the restaurant towards more modern takes on gastronomy; it was extremely eye opening of how the restaurant has a long established glory of being Seattle's finest restaurant when it served classic preparations of high-end Traditional American cuisine (and still does but with more apparent modern twists). With that being said, witnessing how Canlis transformed into what it is now for this generation was most definitely one of the most thrilling aspects of my dining experience, aside from enjoying the wonderful dishes and gazing at the serene views, of course. A month prior to my visit, I've heard that Chef Franey was planning to leave Canlis for other ventures in his career. Fortunately, I was able to book during his final days at the helm of the Canlis kitchen.

After being dropped off from my Lyft driver with the day before being the first time I've used the app and its services (Lyft>>>>>Taxi), I finally have walked into the building where I had been dreaming of doing so during many instances of viewing the restaurant's Yelp page. It was even more gorgeous than what I had visualized over in my head and after viewing the interior pictures on the internet. Not only was it appropriately dim, the restaurant was remodeled to exceed modern, sleek standards while preserving the charm of the previous generations since its founding. Walking in, I was gladly complying with their jacket policy as dressing up dapper is an absolute must for enjoying the most optimal dining experience at Canlis, especially with its tradition of serving some of the most influential clientele ever in American history. After walking in, I was immediately greeted by one of their gracious hosts. After telling him that I had a reservation without disclosing my name, without any written reference in front of him, he said my last name after immediately addressing me as "Mr." and immediately expressed his gratitude on behalf of the restaurant for my patronage while also offering to take my coat. After taking my coat, I was introduced by another gracious host who guided me to my table. Extremely lucky for me as I was a party of one, without asking, I was assigned to the table where the original owner, Peter Canlis, sat at during his days of operating the restaurant. As the waiter told me of how Peter Canlis would take reservations with his rotary phone (it's still there!) at that table while also using the spot as an optimal vantage point to monitor the front of the house, I then realized that I sat where many events of American culinary history took place and was immediately astonished and appreciative of doing so. That spot was also where I really savored the breathtaking view of Lake Washington, its flora and the North Seattle buildings that surround it that the building wanted to highlight for its patrons.

After that host sat me, I was then greeted by my main server for the evening with the menu. Not only was she very informative but she was one of the most courteous and empathetic servers I've ever had the privilege of being served by in all of my fine dining experiences. That says quite a lot! From knowing what to order from extensive research from the internet, I immediately ordered the four course "a la carte" menu with the addition of one supplemental dish after giving my initial drink order. Minutes after, my perfect starter for a fine dining experience has arrived: a Sapphire Martini with a Lemon Twist. Without using dry vermouth of course, this is the most cleanest, pristine tasting Sapphire Martini I ever had (I drink Bombay Sapphire on the rocks all the time and it still didn't taste as pure as what I was served). Puzzled of how this could be possible, this is definitely due to the extreme craftsmanship and magic of the Canlis bartender. This martini immediately beat all of the other martinis I've ever had, even from the bartenders of official Michelin-starred restaurants.

After the arrival of my martini, The amuse bouches came of a Morel Mushroom Tart, Rice Crisp with Egg Yolk and Wasabi Infused Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe), and a Tater Tot. From reading online, Chef Franey's favorite foods are tater tots. At first, it may seem questionable in terms of maturity to have a tater tot at a restaurant part of the Relais & Chateaux association. Don't get me wrong: I love tater tots too. Be that as it may, they, no doubt, were made with the utmost care which was why it was was definitely the best tater tot I've ever had. The Rice Crisp was certainly refreshing on the palate, especially with the wasabi-infused tobiko bursting in my mouth. Out of the three, the Morel Mushroom Tart was my favorite as the morel flavor was bold and rich without being overwhelming. FYI, all of the three amuse bouches had some sort of sauce/puree underneath in order to serve as an adhesive, in addition to providing flavor. This is how the cooks and chefs make sure that they're transported to the table without any incident in regards to the possibility of them falling off of the unique serving platform.

After the amuse bouches to kick off the meal, I was given bread service. Certainly as one of the most unique takes on it I've had, I was given a Sourdough Roll with Fennel Seeds and lemon. No doubt, with the sea salt and butter, it was one of my favorite breads I've ever had the pleasure of being served at a fine dining establishment. Not only was it moist, but the crust had a nice consistency with the right amount of crunch which shouldn't be that much. This showed of how freshly baked it was as it was certainly made with tender care like with their other dishes of greater presence. Plus, it's great how they don't overwhelm you with bread as I'd much rather have one, very savory tasting and moist roll vs having a bunch of dry ones to fill the precious real estate in my stomach.

After finishing my elegantly crafted Sapphire Martini, I've looked at the Canlis cocktail list greatly eager to trying out a new age libation in our current renaissance of mixology. After having something light (in flavor, not ethanol content), I've decided to go for the L'Emozione Di San Valentino. Listed from their website's cocktail menu, it was made with cognac, Pimm's No. 1, a liqueur of cocoa cream and cardamom infused Madeira. As it was placed in the middle of the cocktail list as it ranged from the lightest at one end to the heaviest at the other; with its herbal component, it made a great transition into the more heavier items I've ordered for my first and second course.

My first course was the Foie Gras Torchon with Dehydrated Cinnamon Meringue and Washington Apples. It came with a warm slice of Cinnamon Brioche. The Foie Gras Torchon was loaded with more meatier flavors of the duck liver which differs from my other foie gras experiences of the fattier flavors being more of the forerunners. With that being said, this distinction played well with the refreshing apple component of the dish while the Dehydrated Cinnamon Meringue served as the sweet bridge that brought them together. Sorry about the picture being quite blurry

As the last dish was very modern as it signified that it was from the influence of Chef Franey, I had previously wanted my next dish to be one of the classics of Canlis. However, since I was dining during the final days of the chef being at the restaurant, I went with the Pork Collar. Served with the plate being very hot, the collar was sitting on Polenta and Chorizo with bits of popcorn on the top. Cutting it through, the Pork Collar was cooked beautifully. With it being moist, it had deep flavors while the polenta served to keeping them restraint while delivering another flavor profile for the dish.

For sure, I definitely had wanted to try one of Canlis' classical dishes. For my supplemental course, as my very kind and empathetic waitress had mentioned that they would charge the least expensive dish as the supplement, I ordered the famous Canlis Salad. Now, what I have to note is that the salad is meant to be more simply straight-forward as it existed since the beginning of the restaurant; nothing utilizing molecular gastronomy or fancy ingredients like white truffles from Italy. As I was dining for one since I knew ahead of time that I wouldn't receive a presentation meant for two, I was fortunate enough to witness my same waitress making the salad for the table of two next to me.  As all of the components were separated into their own individual tiny bowls, the waitress then tossed all the components together in one giant wooden bowl. By the time I received mine, it came on one plate neatly presented before me as another server applied the pepper. No doubt, this is certainly one of the most freshly prepared salads I've ever tasted. The romaine lettuce and the mint were definitely crisp while of course proving their roles to cleanse the palate. In addition, the lemon juice added provided the refreshing acidity to counter the more savory bacon and Romano cheese that was used to give the salad a savory element. My only issue was that the salad may have had a tad bit too much salt. Be that as it may, it was quite fulfilling while greatly serving the purpose as an intermezzo to refresh the palate for the upcoming main course.

After finishing my second cocktail, another member of the waitstaff had recommended me a more lighter cocktail to be better suited for my following main dish of seafood. Complying with his recommendation, I went with the Nemean Lion which consists of Royal Dock Gin, Cynar (an Italian herbal liquor with Artichoke as the dominant component), Cherry Heering (a Danish cherry liquor), grapefruit, lemon and rosemary. Immediately, I could tell that this was a well crafted cocktail and the waiter skillfully thought it went well with the upcoming seafood dish along with the cocktail itself being refreshing and a long one. Unfortunately for me, mainly the herbal liquors and rosemary threw me off. As I've just mentioned of how I could tell of how well made it was, it just wasn't those cocktails that just doesn't suit to my tastebuds, personally. They were really kind of not charging me for the drink as I didn't finish it and was replaced with something else; ended up completely going to a Lagavulin 16 yr Single Malt Scotch which might baffle some individuals who partake in fine dining quite frequently as, you know, Scotch is quite harsh on the palate. But with me being extremely partial to whiskey in general, I can drink Scotch with pretty much just anything.

My main course then arrives: Pan-seared Sea Bass with Parsnip, Quinoa and Preserved Lemon. Pan-seared beautifully with a nice golden crust without the slightest blemish; the thick, moist piece of Sea Bass looked decadent as it sat on top of the other components. The moment I sliced through the fish, I immediately was able to tell that the fish was cooked to perfection (I rarely use that word) as my knife went through it consistently without encountering much resistance. And when the fish itself made contact on my tongue, a rush of emotions and thoughts when through my head. This is certainly not only the best cooked Sea Bass I've ever tasted, but I knew right then that this immediately was the best dish of my Seattle trip. Seasoned to the right point, the butteriness and the meatiness of the fish, in terms of flavor, were balanced at the right point especially with how generously thick the piece of fish was that greatly contributed to this effect with, of course, the fish being such skillfully prepared. Not only cooking the Sea Bass to perfection but consistently doing it for many orders is astonishing as cooking seafood, especially cooking such a thick piece as such, takes immense talent, skill and the utmost strain of one's cognitive abilities for doing so. The Quinoa definitely provided another element of texture to the dish while the Preserved Lemon provided the acidic component that's needed to invigorate the senses in order to enjoy such a beautifully prepared fish.

After enjoying the best dish of my Seattle trip, I was given the dessert menu to which I proceeded with the Apple Tart with Hazelnut Cremeux, Caramelized Apples and Cider Granita. Although I was excited with the dish as it had the icy granita which I wanted and needed as it seemed refreshing, I was unfortunately quite disappointed with this dessert. Let's start with what was good: it certainly looked beautiful and vibrant as the colors of each component popped out and the Washington Apples tasted splendid as my waitress mentioned of them being harvested at the peak of the season. Be that as it may, the hazelnut cremeaux was quite heavy; not only in terms of flavor but mainly in consistency of almost that of peanut butter which overwhelmed the dish. What was the main offender was ironically the part that I was the most excited about: the cider granita. Unfortunately, it tasted more like apple vinegar rather than cider to which it soured the dish (sorry for the pun).

Be that as it may, the waitress then came over with a well-crafted, luxurious wooden box filled with Macarons! I understand that not only it came in two flavors but they change periodically. The flavors offered were Hazelnut Coffee and Red Velvet Cake. I only took one of each as the waitress graciously implied I could take more but was getting really full from the meal. They were very well made. The Red Velvet Macaron was delicious although I'm generally not a fan of Red Velvet Cake. The Hazelnut Coffee was not only my favorite of the two. but it definitely made me recover from he Hazelnut Cremeaux of the previous dessert.

I then proceeded with a liquid dessert I usually like to end my meals with of either Cognac or Scotch. With that being said, I went for the Hennessy VSOP Privilege Cognac which was a great way to end the meal.

After receiving the bill, I then began to walk out to which I was then gratefully thanked for my visit by my waitress and then one of the hosts immediately proceeded to grab my coat and helped me put it on without hesitation. I was also given a complementary bar of Chocolate at the end of my meal. Like with the macarons, the flavors of the chocolate bars change periodically. The flavor for my visit was Peanut Butter & Jelly. Within its boxing, it looked very elegantly prepared. When I flew back from Seattle was when I enjoyed it. It was certainly very delicious and had wished that the dessert I had tasted at least as good as the chocolate bar.

My meal at Canlis certainly exceeded expectations, albeit the dessert. With that being said, Canlis is most definitely Seattle's best fine dining establishment. Not only with the interior being extremely classy and elegant as staying true to when the restaurant was initially constructed but also updated to modern definitions of American luxury, but the breathtaking views of Lake Washington and North Seattle make it quite suiting as Seattle's premiere dining destination. Aside from that perspective, the amazing food was brilliantly made with not only the finest local ingredients but was skillfully prepared with such effort to which I was graciously fortunate of being able to dine during Chef Franey's final days. As I was chatting with the waitress in regards to the subject, I found out that it wasn't certain to which direction they would be heading but I hoped that they still would continue in the same way in regards to modernizing their cuisine when they had initially hired Chef Franey. Seattle certainly deserves a fine dining establishment that serves today's modernist cuisine. With that being said, for the price I paid of five courses and four drinks being under $200 before gratuity, Canlis is certainly of the best value while also serving the best food among all of the other of Seattle's fine dining restaurants that serve more simpler food at prices higher beyond reason which is quite shameful for them. In addition to the elegant food served at Canlis, what highly sticks out as I've dined at many fine dining establishments is that the restaurant provides some of the greatest service, if not, the best service I've ever experienced. This includes the restaurants with official Michelin Stars. Without a whiff of pretentiousness, they will politely and gladly address you and cater to your needs with such empathy and concern that will amaze even the most seasoned of diners. Extremely knowledgeable and courteous, the well-trained staff at Canlis will make your dining experience one to remember for the rest of your life. I will certainly return to Canlis in the future as I will certainly count on them to have another memorable moment.

Sitka & Spruce - One of the Most Ideal Restaurants to Enjoy Modern Pacific Northwestern Cuisine: Truly (Organic) Farm to Table Food / A Brief Prelude of the Best Espresso I've had Ever at Victrola Coffee Roasters

After seeing Anthony Bourdain's The Layover Seattle episode many times, it was definitely certain that I would be dining at one of Seattle's modern dining establishments that truly highlights the bounty of the Pacific Northwest: Sitka & Spruce. To be honest, I had been hearing of how "overrated" the restaurant was as some people's comments were along the lines of the food at Sitka & Spruce "being just a bunch of barely cooked vegetables on a plate". Because of that, I was almost unjustly swayed away from the restaurant by wanting to try some of the other restaurants in its league such as The Walrus and The Carpenter or The Whale Wins. Fortunately for the case of Sitka & Spruce, both of Renee Erickson's restaurants were closed for lunch (certainly hope to dine at those places in the future) as that was the only time I could dine since I reserved dinner for Canlis to which I will certainly review soon.

As I was looking for time to kill as Sitka & Spruce opened up at 11:30am as it was pouring, I ended up going for coffee; something I actually wanted to avoid in Seattle as I would down five shots of espresso each day at work. In addition to it not being Starbucks, I actually wondered to an amazing coffee house in Capitol Hill as the exterior immediately exuded a vibe that it was where the true, local coffee connoisseurs went to get their fix: Victrola Coffee Roasters. The moment I walked in, the man with a welcoming, relaxed demeanor in a place that sold stimulants immediately took my order for a double espresso for $2.50. After waiting for a while, it actually turned out that my order had already been called for. Be that as it may, the barista willingly offered to make another one without me needing to bring it up. After immediately picking up the remade order, I divulged in what was the best espresso I've ever had: harmoniously and elegantly bold & bitter, garnished with a slight, natural sweetness.

After I enjoyed the best espresso, I immediately walked over to Sitka & Spruce when it opened; albeit my 12:00 reservation. Impressed by the tasteful modern decor while the Seattle rain further accentuated its vibe, I became quite excited to sit at my table and receive the menu when the host promptly sat me ahead of my reservation. Although the descriptions may seem either too merely simplistic, downright weird, or both to those not familiar with or perhaps unwilling to open their horizons in regards to this style of food preparation; for those that truly enjoy food: this menu will certainly make the mouth of any dining enthusiast immediately salivate.

After gazing over the drink menu (not pictured), I ordered one of my standard cocktails, the Manhattan, from the extremely attentive and informative waiter who also happened to be the bartender. Of course, he crafted my cocktail with the utmost care even though an orange twist/peel was used as the garnish like that in an Old Fashioned instead of the traditional Maraschino cherry. I didn't catch what bourbon was used but it was still a great way to start the afternoon nonetheless.

Originally wanting to go for three dishes, I actually decided to order just two. I later realized that it was quite the wise decision as I felt that it was quite misleading of some of the negative reviews I had read saying that the dishes were small & overpriced. In reality, it was quite the contrary as the price of each dish was quite reasonable when factoring not only the amount of food actually on the plate but also including that it was made with extremely fresh & organic high-quality, local ingredients while utilizing the accurate expertise and the utmost care from the chefs themselves.

Starting out, I had the Black Cod Brandade with Apple, Cultured Cream and Sourdough. Garnished with fennel, the dish looked absolutely like a work of art (please excuse the cliché). Just a warning: eating the brandade as is was actually quite aggressively fishy. Some of my readers might say "seriously? Don't you eat sushi quite frequently?", even though when in actuality sushi should definitely be clean tasting. After making that mistake, I immediately realized to eat all of the components together; made clear sense after that. To balance the "fishiness" of the brandade, the tang from the cream, the crunch and slightly buffering quality while too contributing to the tang from the sourdough (hence the name), and the refreshing sweetness of the apples all go together in order to create a harmonious and complex symphony of flavors. As my waiter put it, putting all of those components together in one bite is supposed to hit all characteristic aspects of one's palate: sweet, savory, sour, umami, etc..

After finishing my Manhattan, the next drink choide definitely seemed quite logical to go with the next dish: a non-sparkling Domaine de Torraccia, Corse Porto Vecchio Rosé.

With that first dish being quite satisfying albeit the initial mishap, I was immediately ready to proceed to my next dish: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Borani (a Persian yogurt appetizer), Chili Vinegar and Dried Cranberries. At Sitka & Spruce, it seemed quite imperative and crucial to order a vegetable dish. Some may scoff at ordering a vegetable dish if it doesn't have any meat. However, this dish is a prime example to think twice before doing so as it actually was the second best dish overall of my Seattle trip, let alone being the best dish for this meal. With the Brussels Sprouts roasted, there was not only the flavors and moisture kept intact but it also gave it caramelization which gave it not only more texture, but also bringing out the sprouts' natural sweetness. The Chili Vinegar besides obviously giving the dish overall a spice component, the flavors of it along with its acidity complemented well with the earthiness of the sprouts. In order to bring down the heat, the Borani along with its tartness provided quite the refreshing contrast to counter while also working at the same time with the chili vinegar. In addition, the dried cranberries gave the dish quite the concentrated tart and fruity component that provides it the well-needed, satisfying aftertaste while the cilantro served to cleanse the palate.

After noticing that I immediately devoured this at a much more rapid pace while traces of the Borani and Chili Vinegar was still left on the place, my waiter was kind to provide some slices of their amazing bread at no charge to mop it up.

As I've said earlier, I extremely disagree with the negative criticism of the dishes being small as I was very full. Really wanting to try a third dish as I would be flying back the next day, I whipped up the courage to order dessert; something I rarely do - Parsnip Cake with Salted Bay Leaf Ice Cream and Walnut Praline. Besides looking quite decadent to those that have blogs or Instagram pages completely devoted to baking and cakes, this was a great way to end the meal aside from the Balvenie 12 year Scotch I had immediately after. In addition to not being overwhelmingly rich and sweet that turns me off from most desserts, the Parsnip Cake was quite moist and provided the flavorful experience as if one was eating shortbread cookies. The Salted Bay Leaf Ice Cream was not strong but extremely refreshing as it proved itself to be a much more unique alternative to the much plainer vanilla flavor. Finally, the sweet and crunchy Walnut Praline provided the candy texture that pairs extremely well with the cake.

To say that my meal at Sitka & Spruce was an extremely satisfying one would be quite an understatement. Having food like this is certainly a lifechanger as this is the first time in quite a while where I've felt that I actually ate wholesome food as it is essentially the complete opposite of the processed foods I'm used to eating back home. Everything I put in my mouth felt natural for my body to consume not only for nutrition but also for pure enjoyment. I hope that me writing this post can justly negate the comments of the food at Sitka & Spruce being "extremely weird, small in amount, very overrated, and food only for hipsters". For those that want to experience modern, truly wholesome Pacific Northwestern cuisine; Sitka & Spruce, without hesitation, is a must as one of Seattle's premiere dining destinations.