On September 2nd (we’re a bit behind on our blog posts) we went to Art of the Table for another “supper club” dinner. We had been to a previous beer dinner with our friends Kye and Eric, and I was blown away by the beer pairings, and more importantly both Robin and Kye who don’t usually drink some of these more rich types of beers, became fascinated at the potential of beer and food pairing. As soon as we heard another beer dinner was planned we locked in reservations. Dustin Ronspies (the chef) and Laurie O’Donnell hosted us, alongside the passionate beer aficionado Matt Younts for what amounted to another fascinating exploration of beer and food pairing.
We started by opening up with Cider Aspall which was served with a crostini containing peach, Estrella Family Creamery’s Wynochee River Blue. The crisp yet rounded dry cider was like having a glass of sparkling to open a meal, with the peach and blue cheese on the crostini the pairing was perfect.
Next, we had a salad with frisee, arugula, chanterelles, sweet corn, tomme, pancetta and a basil puree. This was paired nicely with a Boulevard Saison. I’ve mentioned before that Boulevard is making some great speciality beer these days, and the Saison Matt brought was a Batch #1, and contains the famous Brettanomyces yeast. This yeast is sometimes considered a terrible consequence of contamination, except in traditional belgian styles or Lambic variations. This slightly spicy, bready, funky Saison from Kansas City paired quite well with the salad, the fatty saltiness of the pancetta, and earthy chanterelles in the salad.
Trout with bitter greens and smoked tomato puree
The third course was trout served with hazelnut basil, smoked tomato jam (one of the highlights of the meal to me), and bitter greens. The crispy trout and smoked tomato jam had the great sweet, salty, smokey combo, that was a joy in each bite. The pairing was Hair of the Dog (Portland, OR) Ruth Pale Ale. A pale malty ale with honey, with grassy vegetal notes. The beer did a nice job of letting the complexity of the dish shine.
What might have been the best, or near best beer of the evening was Pliney the Elder (RussianRiver),which is one of the most highly coveted beers in the US (A+ on BeerAdvocate, and nearly every other source gives it top marks). Dustin made us both smile with this dish, which didn’t contain fancy ingredients but was creative, and has inspired Robin and I to look at Chicken wings in a way different way than finger licking andwatching football. Dustin served the wings confit, with curry powder, cilantro cream, on top of a polenta cake with chipotle chile, and topped with frisee. The dish had some heat, but the cream added a nice balance, and the beer really unified the flavors. Pliney the Elder is simply an outstanding beer in every regard. Any serious beer drinker who hasn’t tasted this beer, should seek it out ASAP! It contains a beautifully floral hopped aroma, with a bit of citrus coming through. Initially it tastes much like an IPA but it is balanced so effectively with maltiness, so perfectly, that even those who pucker with a bitter IPA will smile after a gulp. (We took some home with us, because, I wanted a whole bottle for Robin and I, to try again). GO BUY SOME, if you can find it! Read more…
Finding an interesting and original place to eat in the heart of the Seattle’s downtown shopping proves difficult for us. There is an overwhelming amount of sub par Thai, chain steak houses, sushi, or burger joint options, most of which are overpriced and unsatisfying. This explains why we watched with heightened anticipation the final construction touches on the Olive 8 Hyatt hotel/condo living with Urbane Restaurant and Bar. As we would walk by and peer through the large glass windows our excitement increased. We regularly attend the MET opera Live in HD at AMC Pacific Place 11 for the encore performances during a week night and need a quick dinner prior to 6:30 or 7 PM show. After exhausting our efforts on Capitol Hill restaurant locations we visited Urbane prior to the MET’s Les contes d’Hoffmann performance. Visually, the restaurant is extremely pleasing with sharp clean lines, contemporary serving ware, and a spacious seating area. On first glance the happy hour menu and dinner menu looked creative, satiating, and very affordable. A large pint of micro-draft beer at $3 is the best value. We ordered a couple items on the happy hour menu and one second course plating from the dinner menu. Read more…
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