Restaurant Review: Grog (Ballard)

IMG_4746Grog
5410 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

For the review we have The Long Version, and The Short Version. It’s kind of like one of those pick your own adventure stories!

The Long Version
Last week, we were lucky enough to score a last minute invite to the private opening night if Grog. Ballard has long been my list of places I’d like to spend more time and explore. Not only is it home to my favorite Sunday market, but it seems that every time you sneeze or turn around, some new restaurant that threatens to be “the next big thing”  is popping up.

We almost didn’t make the 9pm event cut off because we were touring around Ballard, observing how little parking there is as we looked for a spot. Now, let me stop and say this is a Fiat we were trying to park. Not some Goliath sized monstrosity of a mack truck. We’d already braved the wind and the rain. We’d braved leaving the comfortable walkability of Belltown. We had places to be, small plates to order and cocktails (yes, note the “s” at the end) that had my name written all over those lovely little frosted glasses. Come hell or high water, there was not turning back now for an issue as measly as not finding parking. I knew there was goodness awaiting us!

Photo from the Grog WebsiteOn to Grog! The place was packed when we walked in and it was a pleasure to see the assortment of people. How boring is it when you walk into a new establishment only to see a certain “type” of person, multiplied and filling the room. For me, if the drink and food menu pass the test, the next hurdle is the people that gather. Grog was a pleasant and welcoming mix of all styles, which not only made for fun people watching, but, made it feel like that kind of bar where nobody knows your name but your drinking family nonetheless. We secured two bar stools and moved our attention to the most important matter of the evening, what’s on the menu!

IMG_4741Round one. Little did we know at the time, but this was going to be a night of rounds. Yes, there’s that little “s” for the plural once again!  But, isn’t that the way all epic nights start out? He ordered a “Ben Nevis” cocktail and I went with the Dainty Canal. For food, we opted for the Spice Market Short Ribs and Julio’s Citrus Salad to share. The salad was colorfully festive to look at while the lime, and grapefruit made it refreshing to eat. I was excited to try the “Rooster powder” and it added a nice slightly spicy sensation, as well as helping with the “colorful” part! The Short Rib was dressed with a tasty Chinese 5 spice and a peanut hoisin sauce which nicely complimented the little bit tougher cut of meat. Portion size was good and its plate presentation was lovely! As someone who likes the very buttery tender cuts, I’m glad I ordered the short ribs try but they weren’t my favorite. Oh no, my favorite of the night is yet to come.

Joe, the “under the radar’ mastermind behind Grub, was making the rounds and stopped to see how we were doing. It wasn’t until he walked away and we got a tip from a near by cocktail sipper, that we found out Joe was the one who expertly envisioned and created this amazing little cocktail haven. From the Spice trade and sailor infused theme, to the local sources spices (from World Spice in Pike Place Market) and teas (Miro Tea just down the street in Ballard), attention to detail was the name of the game. The small touches of menu flare, from the bottle hiding in the “o” in the establishment name at the top of the menu, to the font and ever so subtle ship in the background brought the theme together. Event the selection and naming of the food and drinks added to the unique and nuanced nautical decor. This is defiantly a bar you want to drink at a handcrafted cocktail at.

Each of the menu items, both food and cocktails has a story behind the name. The Dainty Canal was a lovely way to start the evening. But, as I mentioned this was a night of rounds. We had been seated across from the right person for a good night and managed to befriend a certain “executive chef” (ahem- for the company behind that very nights debut) who expertly Sherpa-ed (yes, I’m using a tense of “Sherpa!) our food and cocktail experience to a WHOLE new level! Talk about drinking family treating you right!

IMG_4754I snuck in a round two drink order of “The Long Rifle” (did I mention the nuance in the naming!) and instantly fell in love with grapefruit beer. That is a MUST order right there! My favorite however was not round 2 as I thought at the moment of my first sip of The Long Rifle. Round three was where the “favorites” began and we received two lovely martini glasses filled with the “Black Flag”- my favorite drink of the night. Coming from a mostly wine person who’s not cocktail averse but simple cocktail uneducated, this little treat was a fast favorite for me! “I’m afraid to put my glass down because then my drink will be too far away”… that was my directly quote folks! Shortly after we started our love affair with our drinks, two delicious looking plates were placed in front of us. Now, when a chef befriends you and asked if he can order some food for you, you say “yes please”. But, when a chef befriends you, asks if he can order for you and then get’s that little “grin” and disappears, you better get outright excited! He had ordered us the Popcorn Chicken and the Sichuan Sandwich.

The Popcorn chicken had a perfectly crunchy but not battered and deep-fried crunch to it. You could smell the fish sauce before you saw the meal, but it worked with the other flavors of the dish very well. Served with sushi rice, this would have been a meal in itself!!

Now, cue drum roll for my favorite dish of the night: the Sichuan Sandwich. Soft, buttery and flavorful pork belly, Sichuan peppercorns and pickled vegetables on a simple and perfectly appropriate fluffy roll.  The seasoning, texture, and flavor were just off the charts. It looks like any other sandwich when you see it coming, but wait for that first bite! Oh MAN it was good! Pair that sandwich with a freshly mixed black flag and you’re in for an amazing treat!

Just when we thought we had reached the edges of gastrosatisfaction, the donuts arrived. Yes, this already amazing bar serves donuts. These are not just any donuts, they taste like the best bite of a Cinnabon. Cinnamon spice toasted bites of oooey goooey heaven are served with an amazing cardamom vanilla pudding. Fresh donuts that melt in your mouth.. AND…dipping pudding? Be still my beating heart!

Needless to say, my heart beats for the moment I get to go back and re-live that first bite into the Sichuan sandwich washed down with a swig of a black flag. Now, THAT is good living folks!!

IMG_4746The Short Version
We fell in LOVE with
-Food:  The Sichuan pork sandwich: perfectly seasoned and cooked to crispy perfection. The soft unassuming toasted bun mixed with the pickled veggies and perfectly balanced mayo make this a new “go to” order
-Cocktail: The Black Flag- love at first sip!

Needs a little dialing in
-Popcorn chicken: loved the light crunch on the outside, but you do smell the fish oil before you see the dish, and the salt needs to be dialed back.
-Ribs: While the taste and presentation were great, it’s a bit if an adventure to cut through that hunk o meat…and not something you’ll want to tackle after a few rounds of drinks!

To summarize, I have a home bar that I Sad isn’t stumbling distance but is completely worth the drive and parking adventure to go enjoy. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll be seen drinking and eating at this new Ballard hot spot.

 

Restaurant Review: Bellini Italian Bistro (Seattle)

Photo courtesy of Bellini
Photo courtesy of Bellini

 

Belltown finally has a fantastic Italian Bistro! We have walked past this little spot many times as they “coming soon” sign was up and wondered what exactly this location would be. When an Bellini opened as an Italian Bistro, we were delighted! The interior decor, music playing, hospitable service and the delicious smells wafting from the open kitchen style all grab ahold of your sense and entice you in!

IMG_2932

We started with a glass of wine and a beer on tap, and took a look at the appetizer salads. Truthfully, the healthy portions of amazingly delicious mixed salad with fresh ingredients like salmon, salami, marinated grilled veggies, mozzarella cheese… these delightful salads would have been enough to satisfy us when paired with the amazing warm crusty bread with olive oil they serve. Let me pause here for a moment. You might not agree but I totally judge a restaurant by the type of bread they serve and let me tell you Bellini’s bread alone earns them a gold star in my book! This bread is perfectly crusty on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside and a hint of sweetness that just makes me want to curl up with a basket of it and cuddle. It gets even better; they use the same recipe for the bread that they use for their pizza dough. It’s baked fresh daily, then cut into fresh hot little bites of goodness and served with a delicious olive oil and balsamic dipping sauce. If the BREAD is that good, you know the meal is going to be amazing.The salads we ordered to start were amazing and could have possibly settled for sharing an entree but after that teaser of our amazing starters we had to proceed with our entree orders. He ordered the Cimarosa salad with smoked salmon, arugula, and roasted peppers tossed in EVOO and lemon juice and chose the Fettuccini all’Ortolana which featured fresh homemade fettuccini with fresh spinach, peppers, artichokes (substituted sun-dried tomatoes instead of these) and roasted eggplants.

Verdi Salad
Verdi Salad
Cimarosa Salad
Cimarosa Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was hard to decide what to eat, because I literally wanted a bite of EVERYTHING! After taking my sweet time reading the menu over and over to try to narrow down my plethora of choices, I opted for the Verdi with romaine hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted eggplants, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers and substituted the feta for mozzarella. For my entrée, I ordered the Parmigiana de Melenzane off the “antipasti” part of the menu, which featured layers of eggplant in marinara sauce with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Every bite was AMAZING! The salads were perfectly portioned and tossed with just the right amount of olive oil and lemon juice. The entrees were delicious and were healthy portions, just like the appetizers were! His pasta was deliciously fresh, both the sauce and the pasta itself. My “appetizer” wound up being a perfect size for a meal, and I’m not sure where I found the room to finish that heaping plate of expertly cooked eggplant, sauce and cheese but I leave no bites behind on an incredibly food adventure like that! I found the room and finished every last bite, it was too good to have the good sense to stop eating when I was full. The happy whistle and singing of the chef sweetly echoed  through the restaurant, and only added to the wonderful ambiance! I just wanted to sit there and soak it up! To top it off, the chef brought us out a bowl of complimentary fresh cut honey dew melon! It was the perfect ending to an amazingly filling meal!

Fettuccini all’Ortolana
Fettuccini all’Ortolana
Parmigiana de Melenzane
Parmigiana de Melenzane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The service was first class, the ambiance was inviting, chill and approachable. They have a fantastic little place here and they are the sweetest most humble people! When we tried to give the chef a tip at the end, he refused to accept it and said to please let the tip be our spreading the word about Bellini. Ladies and gents, this place is LEGIT and a new favorite! 

I can’t wait to go back and try their pizza and hit them up for lunch! I’m still have happy visions of how amazing that dinner was!

Bellini Seattle Face Book

Restaurant Review: Bisato (Belltown)

How many times had we walked past this little quiet looking bistro on the corner of 1st and Battery? It’s simple, stylish and unassuming exterior invited us in one Thursday night, which is the weekly date night, and we wanted to go “experience” something new. Little did we know…

They serve a seasonal rotating menu of small plates which they tout as having a “Venetian flair”. Chef Scott Carsberg masterfully crafts innovative and richly flavorful dishes. The menu is a feat for the eyes, you won’t know what to order first so my advice would be to order them all! Their ingredients are so fresh, in a way that you can only experience by tasting the rich flavors yourself. The prices are quite reasonable and you will not regret any dish you get. You will however, regret the decision to pass up the meal with the orange confit with chocolate caramel mousse. Don’t ask questions, just order one and enjoy.

Walking into the restaurant is like walking into a haven. The interior is relaxing and inviting in a way that I would describe as casual yet professional. The welcoming interior layout brings your attention first to the beautiful bar which showcases a wide variety of perfectly presented bottles and ingredients which the very knowledgeable bar tender can us to hand craft a delightful beverage. Anything with their house made sweet and sour get my vote! We got the Vaporetto, (pictured at right) and it was just divine!! The second thing you’ll notice is the visibility into the immaculately clean and simply decorated exhibition style kitchen. We took a seat at the bar and were able to see our dishes being prepared with the utmost of care by what you can clearly see are professionally trained hands. The detailed presentation showed 5 star quality and a truly fastidiously professional caliber. The entire staff was quite knowledgeable and it was delightful to see that the hands-on owner does still exits. We shook his hand ourselves!

Each dish was a full experience, starting with a fresh marinated sardine served with shaved fennel. You could truly taste how fresh the little fishie was and that dish merely started our dining “experience”. We also ordered the red romaine salad with 20 year balsamic and olive oil, which, on the menu presented as any other restaurant salad but was so incredibly delicious that we ordered another! They use an immaculate 20 year balsamic and the flavor of the salad was so simple and perfectly balanced that I could write about it for days. We instantly went to Pike Place market the next day in search of a good 20 year balsamic. The salad literally changed the way that I will experience salads for the rest of my life. Since one of my favorite dishes is salad with balsamic, my entire standard for a balsamic is “ruined” for the better. The braised short rib in barolo wine was delightfully flavorful but the real showcase dish of our “entrees” was the seared lamb chops (pictured at left) with whipped potato. This dish was so flavorful, and cooked to perfection with such warming flavors that I wish I’d had more room to order and enjoy another!

In essence, Bisato delivered a new class of dining experience with their incredibly reasonable prices, inviting and relaxing atmosphere, knowledgeable staff and truly incredibly flavorful dishes. We can’t wait to return and enjoy the next tasteful expression of ingredients. They also serve a drinks only happy hour which features some of their showcase drinks and is our on our list go-to happy hours.

Website: http://www.bisato.com/