Vancouver's best-kept restaurant secrets

Directly from the Restaurant Bea Press Release:

Restaurant Bea serves up refined seasonal comfort food in a cozy,casual space.

Chef Tom Black and front-of-house partner Kate Perry offer popular Chef’s table, charming private room and an expanded bar.

(Seattle, WA) – Chef Tom Black (Fuller’s, The Barking Frog) and business partner Kate Perry have transformed the former June restaurant on 34th Avenue in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood into Restaurant Bea, offering an informal, nightly dining option for area residents and creative dishes that makes Bea destination-worthy for the food-obsessed. With an expansion of the bar and interior redesign, the new space includes a chef’s table for diners who not only want to be in the thick of the kitchen action, but who happily place themselves into the talented hands of Chef Black, relying on his whims to provide them a fabulous meal. The chef’s table is $55 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and seats 2 to 4. Reservations are required. Guests looking for a private dining experience will love the intimate Little Bea, a separate dining space that can seat 8-18, where Chef Tom prepares a three-course prix-fixe menu for guests also at $55 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Restaurant Bea’s Happy Hour is from 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, where dishes are $5; special wine pours are $5; well drinks (created by Craig Schoen, formerly of Spur) are also $5, with one or two nightly specialty crafted cocktails for $7. Restaurant Bea is located at 1423 34th Avenue, Seattle 98122, 206-812-2901, www.restaurantbea.com. Hours are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

The menu at Restaurant Bea is inspired by “what’s seasonal and tastes the best,” says Black. “I believe that less is more on the plate, I really want the ingredients to shine through on their own.” Current starters include Bea’s tots with green goddess dip; Sweetbreads top frisee with bacon vinaigrette, capers and a honey gastrique and an Arugula and duck salad with honey-shallot dressing, house-cured duck breast, pickled celery and aged sheep’s milk. The main dishes include Rabbit and pappardelle with spring peas; Neah Bay halibut fillet with pearl cous cous, fava beans and parmesan sauce; and Bea’s meatloaf with house-ground veal and chuck, bacon-wrapped, potato puree, caramelized baby carrots and Bea’s catsup.

The affordable and accessible wine list has many Washington and Oregon selections, as well as a list of European reds and whites. Handcrafted cocktails are inventive and fresh, including The Madrona: vodka, amontillado sherry, cardamom, saffron, lemon and sparkling wine; Bea’s Knees: gin, honey, lemon juice and Urfa Biber tincture; and East of Manhattan: rye, Cynar, sweet vermouth, cherry grioche syrup and bitters.

Desserts, created by pastry chef Jennifer Formaz, offer a sweet finish and refreshed take on much-loved classics. Delightful selections include Caramel cake with honey ice cream and ginger crumble; Chocolate meringue cake with marshmallow ice cream and mandiquat syrup; Sour cherry clafouti with spring fruit compote and sweet cream ice cream; and Butterscotch pot de crème with Chantilly cream and cookie.

Brunch service will start Saturday, May 19th, and will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Bea’s polished comfort food will weave through the menu with dishes such as Brioche bread pudding with poached eggs; Seafood crepes with Sauce Normande and fried potatoes; Crab cakes Benedict; Lamb burger with onion jam and sunchoke chips; and a Rabbit pot pie with a side salad.

Directly from the Foodportunity Press Release:

Save the Date (and get your tickets) for the networking event of the summer June 25, 2012 Sponsored by Fonté Coffee Roaster

What: Foodportunity.  Seattle food community’s premier networking event, with tastes from Tom Douglas Restaurants, Lark, McCracken & Tough Restaurants, RN74, Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar, Dinette, Ray’s Boathouse and many more restaurants and companies. Fonté Coffee Roaster will be celebrating 20 years at Foodportunity as one of Seattle’s premium independent roasters providing single origin and specialty coffees and teas for cafes, retailers, restaurants and hotels.

Who: Local Chefs and Cookbook authors will be available to answer your questions, share recipes and inspire. Featured guests include Thierry Rautureau (Rover’s and Luc, Rover’s cookbook), Alice Currah (SavorySweet Life.com, Savory Sweet Life cookbook), Michael Natkin (Herbivoracious.com, Herbivoracious cookbook), Jess Thomson (Hogwash, Pike Place Market Recipes), Cynthia Nims (Monappetit.com, Gourmet Game Night, Salty Snacks).

Cost: $25 early admission, $32 at a later date. Tickets available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/244390

All past Foodportunity events have sold out so make sure to get your tickets early.

Where: Tom Douglas’ Palace Ballroom,  2100 5th Ave Seattle, WA 98121

When: Monday, June 25, 2012, 6-9 pm

Directly from the Gruman and Nicholl Press Release:

Spinasse to host noted Italian winemakers for five-course dinner on Wednesday, May 9th, 2012. Wine Aficionados will revel in opportunity to meet leaders in Italian Vinology.

What: A five-course dinner featuring renowned Italian winemakers. This fete will include a menu of classic Northern Italian fare along the lines of Carne Cruda, Tajarin and a Savory Flan, which pair perfectly with the varietals of the region including Gavi, Dolcetto and Barolo.

When:   May 9, 2012, 6:30 p.m. $125 plus tax and gratuity. Call for reservations.

Where: Spinasse: 1531 14th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122, 206-251-7673, www.spinasse.com.

Who: Gian Piero Broglia, owner of the oldest property in the entire Gavi region and arguably the most prestigious appellation in all of Italy for its dry white wine:Villa Broglia.

Orlando Pecchenino, who along with his brother, Attilio, tend vines in the Piedmont region of Italy. Attilio and Orlando Pecchenino are the heirs of a farm with a long history, starting in the eighteenth century. Their coveted wines are made from nebbiolo, dolcetto and barbera.

Paolo Damilano with winemaker Beppe Caviola. Damilano is one of the best “new-generation” wine makers in Piedmont, where Barbera is made. Being in Piemonte, their focus is on Barolo, but they also produce a couple thousand cases of excellent Barbera.

Beppe Caviola, AKA “The Dolcetto King,” is best known as a consultant to some of the most legendary estates across Italy and at his own winery, Ca’Viola. Beppe produces Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo-based wines that beautifully showcase the terroir and fruit expression of the Langhe.

Gian Costa-Marenco makes sparkling Moscato and Brachetto D’Acqui, made primarily in the Asti, Roero and especially Alessandria areas in the Piemonte region. A sweet, aromatic red, Brachetto is a light colored wine with distinctive aromas of rose and strawberry, moderate alcohol and a refreshing sparkle.

Directly from the Gruman and Nicoll Press Release:

35TH STREET KITCHEN + BAR SHAKES UP FREMONT’S BAR SCENE NEW SNACK, COCKTAIL MENU, EXPANDED BAR PROVIDE VIBRANT OPTIONS FOR SOCIALIZING

(Seattle, WA) April 17, 2012 - 35th Street Kitchen + Bar is upping the ante for Fremont’s bar scene with expansion of their bar and conversion of their private diningalcove to a lounge. With a new bar capacity for 25 guests in addition to the dining room, 35th Street Kitchen + Bar offers cocktails and compatible, French-inspired snacks starting at 2pm and available until 11pm during the week and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Chef de Cuisine Tyler Chamberlain and Pastry Chef/Owner, Michelle Citarello, have assembled a delicious collection of Bites: Dungeness Crab Croquettes-sweet chili aioli ($8); Smoked Onion Rings served with a house made porter dipping sauce ($6), Lollipop Lamb Chop grilled one bone chop with chimichurri sauce($6); Wellingtons ($7): Duck confit, balsamic onions, puff pastry, Mushroom-wild mushroom gruyere, fine herbes, truffle puff pastry; Sliders: ($3.50): Steak Slider Painted Hills grilled sirloin, Mamma Lil’s sweet pickled peppers, melted Swiss, brioche bun, BLT - Carlton Farms bacon, arugula, Roma tomato, Calamata olive aioli, brioche bun ($3) and Classics: Cassoulet - grilled garlicky bread ($13), Lounge Boards ($6/9/12) - marinated olives, local house pickled root veggies, house made crackers and choice of one to three meats and/or cheeses.

Cocktails crafted by bartendress Coventry Hinkle include Twisted Classics like a French “35” ($12) gin, prosecco, St. Germain Liqueur, lemon; Manhattan ($12) Maker’s Mark bourbon, Lillet Rouge, drunken dark cherry, Peychud’s Bitters, orange twist, or a Negroni ($11) Fresh grapefruit, gin, Lillet Blanc, Campari, sweet vermouth. A selection of French Champagnes, sparkling and red and white wines are available by the glass, along with domestic and imported beer.

Happy Hour offerings from 2pm-6:30pm and 9pm to close, include $3 bottle beer, $5 well cocktails and a $5 daily cocktail with fresh-muddled, fruit of-the-moment.

About 35th Street Kitchen + Bar
Located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, 35th Street Kitchen + Bar offers lunch, Tuesday-Friday 11am to 3 pm, dinner Tuesday-Wednesday, Thursday-Sunday 5 pm - 11 pm and Friday and Saturday 5pm –midnight. 709 North 35th Street, Seattle, WA 98103. Telephone: (206) 547-9850. www.35bistro.com.

Directly from the Evado PR Press Release:

Dine During Seattle Restaurant Week April 8th-12th, 15th-19th, 2012

Good news travels fast and good reservations go even faster! Grab your reservations for the quickly approaching Seattle Restaurant Week, April 8-19, featuring over 150 restaurants offering three-course dinners for $28; some with three-course lunches for $15. Our bellies are hungering to eat at ethnically diverse restaurants, Northwest mainstays, James Beard winners and new favorites waiting to be discovered. Keep your eyes peeled for the Eat & Seek QR code contest for great prizes during the 10 day celebration!

New Spring Menu At Cafe Flora

Spring has arrived and what better way to enjoy fresh, local bounty than with a visit to Cafe Flora for their spring menu. Featuring: Nettle Ravioli with citrus cashew sauce, petite radish and Jerusalem artichoke salad; Spring Wontons, Willie Greens Farm bok choy filled wontons, fried and served with goat cheese cream, rhubarb chutney and a black bean garlic sauce; Chocolate Brownie Coupe with salted peanut butter balsamic ice cream, hot fudge, chocolate crumble (gluten-free, vegan, soy-free). Don’t forget Cafe Flora is available for weddings, rehearsal dinners, showers and more! With custom vegetarian/vegan menus, gluten-free cakes and craft cocktails.

Celebrate Greek Easter April 15

You’re invited to celebrate Greek Easter on April 15 at Vios! In years past, chef-owner Thomas Soukakos invited friends and family for a private celebration and now you can get in on the festivities. We’ve heard it’s a can’t miss event with a nine-course menu featuring a traditional Whole Spit Roasted Lamb. Read about this private lunch turned public event, make your Easter reservation and see what other exciting news is happening at Vios.

Wine Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting April 27-29

Get your bags packed and plan a trip to Washington Wine County for Wine Yakima Valley’s Spring Barrel getaway. Over 40 Yakima Valley wineries are celebrating spring with special tastings of their barrel wines, discounts, live music and special wine dinners. Grab your all-access Premier Pass online and then download the free Wine Yakima Valley mobile wine app on your smartphone to plan your Spring Barrel trip from April 27 to 29

Summer Is Just Around The Corner

April is upon us and many have let their New Year’s resolutions slide. But it’s not too late to try a workout that energizes, tones and will keep you coming back for more just in time to be swimsuit ready! Pure Barre is rooted in Pilates, weights and ballet and uses small movements to work muscles to fatigue, followed by stretches that lengthen. Your first class is free to try and new students receive their first month of unlimited classes for $99! Pure Barre is located in Bellevue and Seattle, across from the University Village.

Creative, Diverse New Cocktail Menu

The creative juices are flowing as Tini Bigs releases its new cocktail menu complete with new techniques, childhood-inspired fun and health trends. Beginning April 9, try the new menu including the Deep Freeze Classic (adult version of popsicle), Slow Ride (perfect for slow sippin’) and Good & Evil (with saffron tincture and fresh spinach juice). The new food menu is also raising the bar.

Maria Hines Does Vegetarian, Too

We devour our Lamb Kibbeh Meatballs, Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebab, and Braised Duck Leg at Golden Beetle, but vegetarians are devouring their own set of dishes, too! From the Sautéed Lacinato Kale, Wood Fired Parsnips, Herbed Falafel and Savory Chickpea Stew, Maria Hines is giving vegetarians another dining option. These veggie dishes are so good we might turn vegetarian, too!

$3 Margaritas All Day, Every Day
That’s right! $3 margaritas all day, every day. Need we say more? Of course not, but pair these 100% agave tequila beauties with happy hour including $3.95 Taquitos, $4.95 Nachos and $4.95 Tacos and you won’t be able to stay away. Check out these options and more at the center of the thriving upper Fremont - Pecado Bueno! Get happy (hour) every day from 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m.-close. You’ll be happy to “sin well” too!

$8 Lunch Boasts Quality + Flavor

Lucky 8s China House is giving every reason to grab a 30 minute lunch at a price that can’t be beat - $8! With everything made in-house, the three item menu featuring Happiness (starter), Fortune (entrée), and Luck (side) will have your taste buds driving you back to the 14th & Union hotspot. Options abound for a different combo every weekday, from Braised Pork Bao to Spicy Beef Noodles, Egg Rolls to Chinese Long Beans and more.

Find Estancia Lucia In Local Restaurants

Estancia Lucia products, imported from Argentina, are becoming a favorite of local restaurants and retailers. Their lineup includes buttery, green Arauco olives, Arauco Extra Virgin Olive Oil, savory chimichurri made with fresh herbs, and candied pumpkin in syrup that is excellent with goat cheese and crostini. Find their Arauco olives at the bar at Cafe Lago, marinated in herbs at The Walrus and The Carpenter or in your martini at Blackboard Bistro. Click here for more restaurants and retailers carrying Estancia Lucia in WA and OR!

Crush Jason Wilson Cigar Dinner, Wine Dinner

Ever wanted to have a James Beard Chef cook for you? April brings two opportunities for James Beard winner Chef Jason Wilson of Crush to arouse your senses. First up, experience how perfectly executed spring ingredients pair with Washington’s own Sleight of Hand Cellars on April 13 at Crush. If exclusive access is more your style, Jason will be doing a cigar dinner at the private Vertigo Club, which will open to the public for the dinner on April 21. Contact jason@chefjasonwilson.com to reserve your seat at his posh and indulgent table.

Tilth Named Best Breakfast

We’ve always been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Now you have no excuse not to fuel up, at least on the weekends, with brunch at Tilth. Recently named one of the best breakfasts by Seattle Met, be sure to save room for the notable Corned Beef Sandwich with mornay, choucroute, and duck egg. Maria Hines’ sister restaurant, Golden Beetle, also received Best Breakfast honors, too!

Directly from the Gruman and Nicoll Press Release:

“Behind the Bottle” Dinners at RN74 Seattle introduce quaffers to the people who craft the wines they love

Popular Series Announces New Feature: Saturday with the Somms

SEATTLE (April 2, 2012) – Spring dates are set for RN74 Seattle’s popular and frequently sold-out winemaker dinners, commencing on April 24 with Piedmontese vintner La Spinetta attended by none other than owner Giorgio Rivetti.

This season’s wine events are highlighted by a new feature, Saturday with the Somms, as in sommeliers, kicking off on April 21. This informative and fun series features guided and focused regional tastings lead by RN74 Seattle wine team Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen, Chris Tanghe, and Luke Wohlers. Offered on three Saturdays (one in April, May and June), these two-hour oenophilic excursions from 2 to 4 pm take attendees on a tour of the wines of Burgundy and Champagne, paired with light, traditional appetizers along the lines of cheese and charcuterie. Saturdays with the Somms are $45 per class or $105 for all three.

With cellar access to more than 10,000 bottles, RN74’s wine list features international selections from Burgundy and throughout Europe to regional finds from the Pacific Northwest. The wine bar and restaurant showcases roughly 80 wines on wall-mounted menu boards - the “Market Board” and the “Last Bottle Board” - which highlight special, limited wine offerings that change with each last bottle sold via Italian-made train station boards with plaques that flip over when a bottle is no longer available.

Named after Route National 74, the major thoroughfare passing through the heart of France’s Burgundy region, RN74 Seattle’s lounge and bar are open Monday through Friday from 11:30 am to closing and on Saturday from 3 pm to closing. Valet parking is available from 5:30 to 11 pm Monday through Thursday and from 5:30 pm to Midnight on Friday and Saturdays for a rate of $10.

RN74 SEATTLE BEHIND THE BOTTLE DINNERS

APRIL 24 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE
La Spinetta with Owner Giorgio Rivetti – 7 PM at the Chef’s Table

MAY 3 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE
Pierre De Benoist From A. Et P. Villaine &  Anne Charlotte Genet
From Domaine Charles Joguet – 7 PM at the Chef’s Table

JUNE 19 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE
Nicholas Potel and the Wines of Domaine De Bellenen – 7 PM at the Chef’s Table

JULY WILL BE A MONTH TO CELEBRATE RIESLING DINNER DATES AND VINTNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY WITH THE SOMMS

April 21 – COTE DE NUITS
Its Grand Cru Vineyards date to the 1100’s, its wines are the pinnacle expression of pinot noir. Stylistically the wines span the grapes tremendous range from the delicate Chambolle-Musigny, the sturdy wines of Gevrey-Chambertin, the rustic Nuit Saint Georges, and the power and grace of Vosne-Romanee. Immerse yourself in the extraordinary wines of the Cote de Nuits with Sommelier Chris Tanghe.

May 19 – COTE DE BEAUNE
Puligny-Montrachet is the greatest white wine-producing commune in the world. The wines of Pommard are earthy and minerally, Beaune shows pinot noirs purity and expresses the grapes’ elegance even in its youth, Volnay is the most charming and delightful commune in the Cote d’Or. The wines of Corton are explosive and bold. Smell, sip and swirl the intricate expressions of chardonnay and pinot noir from their homeland with Lead Sommelier Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen.

June 23 – CHAMPAGNE AND CHABLIS
Literally translated as ‘open landscape’, Champagne is not just any sparkling wine. It is a wine produced from three specific grape varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier using the ‘Champagne method’ from the province of the same name. Although sparkling wine is produced all over the world, it can only be called ‘Champagne’ in this heavily regulated wine district.  Explore Champagne and the wines of Chablis through the eyes of Sommelier Luke Wohlers.

About RN74 Seattle
RN74 Seattle features an expansive wine list, created by James Beard Award winning author and Wine Director Rajat Parr, showcasing the best expressions of Burgundy and Northwest producers perfectly paired with the Burgundy-inspired menu of seasonal, fresh dishes. The restaurant was named Most Innovative Wine List for 2012 by the Washington Wine Commission and was voted Best New Restaurant for 2011 by Seattle Magazine readers. Located at 1433 Fourth Avenue at Pike Street, RN74 Seattle is the second wine bar and restaurant for Parr and Restaurateur Michael Mina. For more information, call 206-456-7474, visit the website at www.michaelmina.net.

Directly from the Gruman and Nicoll Press Release:

RN74 SEATTLE RECOGNIZED BY WASHINGTON WINE INDUSTRY

Restaurant Wins Washington Wine’s Most Innovative Wine List

SEATTLE (March 26, 2012) – The Washington Wine Commission’s annual Washington Wine Restaurant Awards has recognized RN74 Seattle, downtown’s newest wine bar and restaurant, for Most Innovative Wine List along with an Award of Distinction for its dedication and commitment to the Washington wine industry. The Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, established in 2002, recognize restaurants that exhibit strong support of Washington wines and high professional standards in wine service.

“We are extremely pleased that the Washington Wine Commission has chosen to recognize all our efforts to showcase what this state has to offer,” said Mina Group Wine Director Rajat Parr, who along with Restaurateur and Chef Michael Mina designed the concept, menus and programs for RN74 that place wine and cuisine on equal footing. RN74 Seattle is the second wine bar and restaurant that the two have opened together.

Parr, who has been tracking and tasting Washington wines since 1996 under the tutelage of mentor and Seattle native Larry Stone, visited the Walla Walla area prior to the restaurant’s opening to find new wines and visit select wineries.”It has been great to see the evolution of this young wine region,” he said. “I love the depth and complexity of the Bordeaux varietals and am very fond of the Syrahs from Washington.”

The wine program at RN74 is now in the capable hands of Lead Sommelier Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen and fellow Sommeliers Chris Tanghe and Luke Wollers. “Jeff has an in-depth knowledge of Washington wines,” said Parr. “In fact, he makes wine in Washington. I have learned a lot from him and he is now fully in charge of all the wine selection for RN74 Seattle.”

Open less than a year, RN74 features a carefully crafted list of Washington and Pacific Northwest wines along with an extensive European collection that emphasizes the wines of Burgundy. With cellar access to more than 10,000 bottles, the wine bar and restaurant showcases roughly 80 wines on wall-mounted menu boards, the “Market Board” and the “Last Bottle” list, which highlight special wine offerings and indicate via changing lights or flipping plaques when they are no longer available. The restaurant has also introduced a monthly series of winemaker dinners featuring many Washington vintners and has just launched a new program – Saturdays with the Somms - to introduce guests to wines from specific regions.

Named after Route National 74, the major thoroughfare passing through the heart of France’s Burgundy region, RN74 Seattle is open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday through Friday and for dinner from 5:30 to 10 pm Monday through Thursday and from 5:30 to 10:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. The lounge and bar are open Monday through Friday from 11:30 am to closing and on Saturday from 3 pm to closing. Valet parking is available from 5:30 to 11 pm Monday through Thursday and from 5:30 pm to Midnight on Friday and Saturdays for a rate of $10.

Directly from the Gruman and Nicoll Press Release:

SEATTLE CHEFS RACHEL YANG AND SEIF CHIRCHI TO CLOSE JOULE IN APRIL IN PREPARATION FOR MOVE TO NEW LOCATION EXPANDED RESTAURANT TO OPEN THIS SUMMER

(Seattle, WA) - In November of 2007 the award-winning husband and wife cooking team of Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi opened their Seattle restaurant, Joule, which was quickly embraced by a loyal dining fan base and admiring local and national media.  In its first two years Joule received stellar critical recognition including a 3-star review from the Seattle Times, Best Restaurant accolades from Seattle Magazine and participated in a tough televised competition in Kitchen Stadium against Iron Chef Jose Garces on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.”

Today, the chefs announce that they will close their existing Joule space in Wallingford at the end of April with plans to open a new Joule restaurant in a mixed use retail and restaurant project called “The Fremont Collective” at 3506 Stone Way North.  Designed by Heliotrope Architects, the contemporary, urban space will open this summer offering an open kitchen, dining counter and full bar with approximately 36 seats in the restaurant, 6 seats at the bar and 12 seats at a communal table.  Seasonally, Joule will offer outdoor seating for 20.  Joule will be open Sunday-Thursday for dinner from 5pm- 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm. and Saturday and Sunday for brunch from 10am-2pm. The website is www.joulerestaurant.com.

Yang and Chirchi are excited to move Joule and expand the restaurant’s dining experience. Says Yang, “The new Joule will still be casual and offer eclectic, unique and bold Korean and Asian- inspired flavors that our guests have come to really love. We think the menu will encourage family style dining that will be great for sharing too.”

ABOUT THE RESTAURANTS OF RACHEL YANG AND SEIF CHIRCHI
Joule: Joule offers 35 seats in the restaurant and 8 seats at the bar.  The telephone number is (206) 632-1913.  Joule is open Tuesday through Sundays for dinner from 5- 10 pm, Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.  The website is located at www.joulerestaurant.com

Revel: Located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood and is owned by Rachel Yang, Seif Chirchi , Chad Dale, Bryce Philips, Ira Gerlich.  Revel, with seating for 45, is open for lunch 11:00am -2:00 pm Monday-Friday, dinner 5-10pm Sunday- Thursday and 5-11 pm, Friday and Saturday. Beginning January 8th, Revel will serve brunch from 10 -2pm Saturday and Sunday.  Weather permitting, Revel offers deck seating for 20 and Quoin outdoor seating for 15.  www.revelseattle.com.  Quoin seats 20 people and offers a full bar with cocktails, wine and beer and is open 4pm-12 am, 7 days a week. Both spaces are designed by award winning architect, Jim Graham, of Graham Baba Architects (grahambaba.com). The mural on the front façade of Revel was designed by Seattle graffiti artist, Pubs.

Directly from the Gruman and Nicholl Press Release:

TRACE TO OPEN IN NEWLY RE-WONDERED W SEATTLE WITH A “LOCALIST” DIRECTION AND A DASH OF ASIAN INFLUENCE

REGIONAL PURVEYORS AND INGREDIENTS ADD FLAVOR TO VIBRANT NEW DINING, SUSHI BAR AND COCKTAIL MENUS

March 6, 2012 (SEATTLE, WA) – After three months of closure for a complete transformation of its main floor, W Seattle will reveal TRACE restaurant and bar on March 9, 2012, offering a fresh, contemporary urban dining experience with a hint of Asian notes and dynamic hand-crafted cocktails and liquor from regional distilleries, a wine list featuring area vintners and other delicious beverages including interesting varietals of sake and locally brewed beers and sodas.

In keeping with the tradition started by its predecessor, Earth & Ocean, diners, imbibers and hotel guests can expect the same level of culinary excellence from TRACE’s dynamic kitchen led by Chef de Cuisine Steven Ariel, whose expertise in Pacific Northwestern, Pacific Rim and a broad array of global cuisines bring a sense of what’s “now” and what’s “next” to the menu. TRACE captures the unique and vibrant personality of Seattle, reflecting the region’s commitment to traceable ingredients and the public’s interest in making their dining choices based on the integrity of the food that they are served. The new sushi bar features a daily offering of sustainably sourced fish crafted into traditional and modern sushi, with Asahi beer on tap to complement.  A selection of those items, including Nigiri, Sashimi and Specialty Rolls, will be available to order in the bar and restaurant.

The kitchen sources from an extensive list of local purveyors including Salumi Meats in nearby Pioneer Square, Quillisascut Cheese Farm in Rice, WA, Stokesberry Farm in Olympia and Mad Hatcher Poultry in Ephrata, WA. Grains will come from Blue Bird Grain Farm in Winthrop, WA. and shellfish will be sourced from Penn Cove in Coupeville, WA, Taylor Shellfish in Bow, WA and Pacific Seafood in Mukilteo, WA.

The a la carte dinner menu boasts seasonal small and large plates including dishes like a Selection of Northwest Oysters with Pomegranate mignonette; Crispy Egg & Foraged Mushrooms with Lamb’s lettuce and shallot vinaigrette; Washington Run Steelhead with Trofie pasta, arugula and romesco sauce; and Blue Bird Grain Farro, Gathered Vegetables with Caviar Lentils, king oyster mushroom and a vegetable demi. Lunch offerings will consist of both small and large plates, as well as salads and sandwiches (Tempura Alaskan Cod Sandwich Vegetable slaw and tsuyu dipping sauce, TRACE Burger with Straw onions, Macrina bakery brioche and Mama Lil’s pickled peppers) and breakfast options will come from The Pantry (Winter Market Fruit Composition with Apple Butter, lavender honey and mascarpone), The Roost (Stiebr Farms Egg White Frittata with Lacinato kale, foraged mushrooms and Beecher’s cheddar) and Specialties (Granola Crusted French Toast with Cinnamon brioche, mascarpone and orange preserve). The Dessert menu is also an ode to local producers with tempting delicacies like A Study of Washington Green Apple with Moon Valley honey semi freddo; Theo Chocolate and Coconut Pairing, Chocolate cake and brittle, coconut foam and sorbet; Silky Fonte Coffee Crème Caramel with Salted macadamia nut brittle.

The bar menu offers savory snacks like  Five Spiced Pork Chops with chili garlic ketchup, Painted Hill Short Rib Sliders with braised red cabbage and pickles on a brioche bun and Soy Bean Hummus with grilled eggplant and house made crackers.

The outstanding cocktail list was developed by noted consulting British mixologist, Charlotte Voisey. As a portfolio ambassador for William Grant & Sons USA, Charlotte has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation in 2009 for her contribution to mixology and is a regular on American Television including the 2010 series of Top Chef Masters and The Next Iron Chef America.

The list at the TRACE bar includes drinks made with locally distilled liquors ranging from the unique apple-derived Soft Tail Vodka to the classically inspired Pacifique Absinthe. Specific beverages are also local inspired: Washington State of Mind with Clear Creek Douglas Fir liqueur, bourbon, fresh squeezed lemon juice, shaken and served up; Seattle Swizzle with Gin, fresh squeezed lemon juice and almond orgeat syrup, on the rocks finished with Vanilla Bean soda from Seattle’s own Dry Soda; and the Boulevard Rose shaken and served up with (ri)1 Rye Whiskey, Aperol and Martini Rosato.

Featured wines will come from Washington State heavy hitters like Dunham Cellars, DeLille Chaleur Estate, 14 Hands and Darby Le Deuce, in addition to choice domestic and international selections from California, Oregon, France and Italy.

TRACE will offer seating for 100 in the open restaurant and bar, 10 at the Sushi Bar and a Private Dining area which can seat 12. Design for this visually exciting, modern new space is a result of collaboration between W Hotels Global Brand Design Group and Portland, Oregon’s innovative design firm, Skylab Architecture www.skylabarchitecture.com, whose notable Portland projects include Departure Restaurant & Lounge at the Nines, Nike Studio at 255 and Doug Fir, restaurant, lounge and music venue.  TRACE design materials and finishes will be in bronzy metallic gray, chrome and glossy black and accented with vibrant colors. The confluence of iconic Seattle and Pacific Northwest images from aircraft components to lodge poles provided visual inspiration for the entire space.  Features will include a prominent fireplace, D.J. booth, Sushi Bar and Private Dining area.  Funding for the project was made by Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc,, multi-branded portfolio owners of luxury and upper upscale hotels that includes W Seattle.

TRACE is located at 1112 Fourth Avenue, between Seneca and Spring Streets in the heart of downtown. The web address is www.traceseattle.com and the telephone number is (206) 264-6060. TRACE serves breakfast Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. (Saturday from 7 to 10:30 a.m.); lunch Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. (10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday); sushi bar hours are Monday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m.; and brunch is served on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bar is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., with Happy Hours from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Late Night Happy Hour is Monday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. SIP, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. and SIN, Friday and Saturday from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Dine Around Seattle 2012 is on from March 1st to 29th, 2012.

There is no better activity than dining with friends and family in the spring, the opportunity to do so at a delicious prices definitely helped the pocketbook. Chefs at some of the area’s finest restaurants prepared seasonal, delicious dishes for one of Seattle’s most popular, dining events.

All March long, Sundays through Thursdays, 46 select Seattle area restaurants offer prix-fixe dinners for $30.00 and many offered prix-fixe lunches for $15.00. Each restaurant decided whether they would offer lunch, dinner or both, but all meals offered 3 courses with choice selections among appetizers, entrees and desserts.

For more information please visit: http://www.dinearoundseattle.org/