August 2010

Spotlight: Kate Whoriskey

Spotlight: Kate Whoriskey

Intiman's new artistic director and her theatrical family settles into Seattle

In the lobby of the empty Intiman Theatre, an adorable child is in hot pursuit of a ball imprinted with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince. It’s an apt plaything for Rory, age 2, who, only a few days before, moved to Seattle from New York City, after a stint in Paris. While Rory is…

Tasting Through Woodinville

Tasting Through Woodinville

An insider’s guide to this booming—and ever-expanding—close-to-home wine region

Although vineyards are scarce, Woodinville is the closest piece of “wine country” we have, long anchored by Chateau Ste. Michelle, DeLille and a few others. But in just the past five years, the number of wineries and tasting rooms in this little town just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle has grown from a dozen or…

Local Authority: Mant Versus Nature

A colony of Seattle artists builds a life-size ant farm for Burning Man

Mant Versus Nature How much difference can one “mant” make? A group of Seattle artists called the Sober Free Society aims to find out at Burning Man (8/30–9/6), the annual festival held on an ancient desert lakebed in Black Rock City, Nevada, where hundreds of Seattleites flock each summer to construct and experience art installations. Burning…

Bisato is Affordable Brilliance

Bisato is Affordable Brilliance

It seemed out of character when, in January, chef Scott Carsberg closed his revered fine-dining dest

It seemed out of character when, in January, chef Scott Carsberg closed his revered fine-dining destination, Lampreia, after 18 years. Even more of a shocker: He reopened the same corner space just a month later, serving his version of an Italian cicchetti-style (small-plates) menu. Gone (and, if you ask me, not missed) are the hushed…

Restaurant Review: El Pilón

Restaurant Review: El Pilón

“Homespun” may have become a ubiquitous term, but at Marta Vega’s 5-month-old restaurant, El Pilón,

 With the help of son Luis, Marta Vega realized her dream of cooking the Puerto Rican food her neighbors and family have loved for years. In a snug space between Columbia City and Hillman City—with room for just six red vinyl booths—families share Vega’s specialty, mofongo, a soulful, comforting mash of plantains and slow-cooked pork…

Elliott's Oyster House Pleasantly Surprises

Elliott’s Oyster House Pleasantly Surprises

Does Seattle’s premier tourist-friendly seafood restaurant deserve a better reputation?

Every August, our guest room fills up with friends from out of state betting on seeing the Seattle I swear exists: the one that doesn’t require an umbrella. Planning their itinerary, they ask the inevitable: “Where should we go for the best seafood?” And…hmm. For the seafood-focused Best Restaurants issue of Seattle magazine in April,…

Seattle’s 48 Best Sandwiches

All hail the sandwich!

Is there anything better than a BLT on toast? A Reuben on rye? A grilled cheese on a rainy day? Sandwiches are the Barcaloungers of comfort food—and Seattle has some spectacular specimens. So sit back, relax and salivate at the prospect of enjoying one—or all—of the 48 sandwiches we’re delivering this month. Chips not included….

Health: Braintrust

A groundbreaking law and a commitment to top-flight concussion treatment aim to make Washington?s yo

BraintrustAs student-athletes prepare to head back to school, it’s unlikely many of them will be thinking about a young man named Zackery Lystedt. But state legislation known as the Zackery Lystedt Law might one day save their lives. Four years ago, Lystedt was playing football for Tahoma Junior High in Maple Valley when he received…

Key Ingredient: Kinako

Nutritious soybean flour lends its nutty essence to sweets and savories

KinakoWhat it is: Made from toasted and ground soybeans, kinako (KEE-nah-koh) is a nutty-tasting, tan flour whose flavor is often compared to tahini or peanut butter. How I Discovered It: I first tasted kinako on a traditional Japanese confection (wagashi) from Tokara in Phinney Ridge (6208 Phinney Ave. N; 206.784.0226). Chef Chika Tokara dusted the…

Craving: Art Of The Cobbler

In a fervent embrace of summer’s fruitful bounty, Seattle restaurants demonstrate a charming affecti

Art Of The CobblerVolunteer Park CaféCo-owner and pastry chef Heather Earnhardt bakes some surprises into her peach, blueberry, blackberry and nectarine cobblers, infusing the filling with a touch of thyme, rosemary and scented geraniums from her garden. Each serving comes with a dollop of Olympic Mountain vanilla bean ice cream. $7. Capitol Hill, 1501 17th…

Bar Hop: Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III

Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III on Capitol Hill upped its street cred in January by adding an

Olympia Pizza and Spaghetti House III on Capitol Hill upped its street cred in January by adding an inviting bar next door. In the space that once housed Sonic Boom Records, The Bar (516 15th Ave. E; 206.329.4500; olympiapizza3.com) brings an old-school, relaxed flavor to bustling 15th Street. The Vibe The saloon radiates charm and…

Meet The Producer: Hermosa Mexican Foods

That’s a wrap: Hermosa Mexican Foods brings Mexico to the Eastside with its authentic tamales

Hermosa Mexican FoodsAbout seven years ago, Southern California natives Karyn and Ernest Moreno sated their hankering for authentic Mexican fare by forming Hermosa Mexican Foods (425.208.2933; hermosamexicanfoods.com). After perfecting recipes from Ernest’s mother, a native of Hermosillo, Mexico, in a small commercial kitchen in the Snoqualmie Valley, they launched their tamale and tomatillo salsa creations…