November 2010
Scoop: Chef Blaine Wetzel on Lummi Island
World-class Chef Blaine Wetzel magically appears on Lummi Island at the Willows Inn.
It’s not every day that a chef hailing from the best restaurant in the world—according to this year’s prestigious S. Pellegrino awards—decides to relocate to our neck of the woods, let alone plant himself in a destination as unlikely as tiny Lummi Island. Chef Blaine Wetzel has done just that: He left Copenhagen’s renowned Noma…
Carnivore’s Guide: Best Steakhouses in Seattle
The mouthwatering promise of really good meat at a steakhouse
There is nothing quite like dinner at a steakhouse. The sense of occasion, the mouthwatering promise of really good meat, tip-top service and splurging on that excellent bottle of red—it all adds up to a special night out. Lucky us, we went to them all so you can better decide which fits your style. The…
Cheap Eats: Big Mario’s
Big Mario's brings a touch of the East Coast to Cap Hill
Wicked Slice: Another NYC-style pizzeria joins the fold Need proof that the Neapolitan pizza craze is being supplanted? Last month, we heralded Fatty’s Corner Pizzeria in Greenwood; this month, it’s BIG MARIO’S, another New York City–style pizza joint, which opened in mid-July next to Caffé Vita on Capitol Hill. (Vita’s Mike McConnell is a co-owner.)…
Most Influential 2010: Dave Ross and Tom Douglas
Radio host Dave Ross and Restaurateur Tom Douglas show their patriotism and democracy
On April 1, Dave Ross, host of The Dave Ross Show on KIRO-FM, opened his morning broadcast with the news that One Reel, the nonprofit organization that runs the Fourth of July festivities at Lake Union, had failed to secure a corporate sponsor and was canceling the event. It was no April Fool’s joke. “It…
Sushi Kappo Tamura: Restaurant Review
Chef Taichi Kitamura's dedication to local and seasonal seafood translates to Kappo Tamura playing w
The last time we saw chef Taichi Kitamura, he was creating gorgeous plates for a lucky few diners at the hallowed Chiso Kappo above Fremont’s Chiso Sushi. There, his manner was subdued, respectful. It didn’t seem as if he was having very much fun. At Sushi Kappo Tamura, which he opened in July, Kitamura shouts…
Sitka & Spruce: Restaurant Review
An utterly brilliant showcase for the nationally renowned chef Matt Dillon.
After everyone got over the quirky charm of such a good chef (Matt Dillon) cooking in such an unexpected place (an Eastlake strip mall), Sitka & Spruce’s near-windowless and somewhat claustrophobic dining room became something to accept, rather than something to praise. Now, however, having relocated to Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market in late May, Sitka…
Scoop: Andy Liu and David Niu the founders of BuddyTV
The founders of Seattle-based BuddyTV are intent on making TV watching social again
If anyone knows the meaning of the word “buddy,” it’s Andy Liu and David Niu, business partners, friends and each other’s so-called “work-wife” for 11 years. From 1999 to 2004 the duo ran a Seattle-based tech company, and in 2005 they founded BuddyTV (buddytv.com), a website that establishes fan communities based on television-watching habits. The…
Spotlight Minis: Art, Books, & Music
Local Art That Matters
Meet Your MarkerARTIST: John Sutton of local installation art trio SuttonBeresCuller SHOW: Panoptos, for which the group has raided the Henry Art Gallery’s permanent collection, hung a selection of art salon style (floor to ceiling), and constructed a custom-made apparatus that holds a high-def camera and moves on an X/Y axis. Viewers operate the camera—either…
Scoop: Nerd Report: Ask a Librarian app
Breakthroughs and news from the local geek crew
Once upon a time, people with questions went to a library, where a trusted librarian would help dig up answers. More recently, people stayed put and called the Ask a Librarian phone line to get answers. When a question arises in the age of Google, you whip out your smartphone, open the ask-WA mobile app…
Spotlight: Port Authority
An inaugural literary series bridges Seattle and New Orleans through new writing about place
Picture a port city shaped by the ebb and flow of its maritime industry. A city where the local seafood is legendary, and the music scene is heralded for its influence and depth. Are you seeing the Emerald City, or the Big Easy? This month, the two cities—and coasts—are bridged via Bilocal (bilocal.org), a new,…
Scoop: Local Thanksgiving Desserts
Seattle bakeries offering seasonal pies that put a twist on traditional Thanksgiving desserts.
If you’re feeling less than thankful for the same old Thanksgiving dessert, consider the wealth of Seattle bakeries offering seasonal pies that put a twist on tradition without sacrificing holiday flavor. The best part? All you have to do is warm them up. 1. High 5 PieMade with sweet potatoes, cream, and locally milled Shepherd’s…
Tasting Notes: Jeff Smiley at Baron Brewing
Jeff Smiley of Seattle's Baron Brewing in South Park crafts one our favorite fall beers
To a beer drinker, fall can seem like a lost season. Summer’s easy-drinking, thirst-quenching hefeweizens and witbiers are still available, often colliding with the full-bodied, heavily malted beverages of winter already crowding the shelves. Aside from the traditional seasonal suspects (think pumpkin ale and Oktoberfest lager), decent autumnal offerings have a hard time getting noticed….