FOOD MATTERS | News you can eat
Yes, it really is OK to name a restaurant for yourself. Canlis, for example. Not quite as dashing, perhaps, as El Gaucho, but it does just fine, evoking the high plains of Central America. Steelhead Diner says it all if you’re a fisherman. But then consider Duke’s, Ray’s...or Shiro’s.
Sushi parlors, in particular, tend to be named for their owners (the notable exception: I Love Sushi), which brings us to Nishino (3130 E. Madison St.) in Madison Valley, tucked into a complex of shops and offices in Arboretum Court.
This is Tatsu Nishino’s peaceful, high-ceiling domain, which is elegantly dressed in white tablecloths, with muted pastel walls adorned with subtle paintings of Japanese rural life (by local artist Fay Jones). Watching over the sushi bar is an iconic, ceramic red fish wrapped in seaweed — an omen of good things to come.
Subtlety, in fact, is a watchword. Nishino does not beat up your palate with overly bold or assertive flavors; it impresses you with a modest layer (or two) of ingredients. Some thinly sliced sockeye salmon, for example, lightly marinated in a sweet vinaigrette, atop mixed greens; or a lightly battered oyster deep-fried and served alongside pickled daikon and tempura green beans. Those were appetizers during the March Dine Around Seattle promotion.
The oysters are from Goose Bay, by the way, and it’s one of the hallmarks of Dine Around to highlight local suppliers.
The entrées included a magnificent filet of black cod marinated in misdo and (because how could you not) an assortment of a dozen or so pieces of sushi (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, shrimp, surf clam, etc.).
Wine pairings were astute (a Gruener Veltliner, a Viognier). My regret is that I’m not a connoisseur of sake, because the staff was well prepared to guide me through pairings of Jun-mai, Ginjo and Dai-Gingo.
Nishino gets high marks from rating services as diverse as Yelp, TripAdvisor and Zagat, with Zagat, in particular, giving it Seattle’s top score for food and an overall first-place spot — one of the top 20 restaurants in the country, in fact, regardless of cuisine.
Around the neighborhood
Coming to Madrona in a matter of weeks (well, by “summer,” anyway): an Italian spot called Vendemmia (1126 34th Ave.). The owner and chef is Brian Clevenger, who, until recently, was a highly regarded member of Ethan Stowell’s restaurant organization, for which he ran Staple & Fancy Mercantile (4739 Ballard Ave. N.W). Vendemmia translates as “vintage,” so we can assume there will be wine involved.
And speaking of wine, Bottlehouse (1416 34th Ave.) celebrated its third birthday —congratulations!
With the weather improving again, we can fill in the days by heading down to Leschi’s lakefront for cocktails. Daniel’s Broiler (200 Lake Washington Blvd.) offers a remarkably generous happy-hour menu seven nights a week. The house Manhattan is stirred up with Eagle Rare Kentucky bourbon (produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery); there’s a giant Steakhouse Burger that’s well worth sharing and a bucket of popcorn shrimp served with a tangy sriracha chili sauce, as well as a lemon aioli.
Half the bar seats are turned outward to the main dining room and its expansive windows overlooking the lake.
You’ve heard the name Josh Henderson, perhaps? The genius behind Skillet Diner (1400 E. Union St.) on Capitol Hill, along with a sibling in Ballard? Think Westward, as well (facing south from the north shore of Lake Union); think Quality Athletics in Pioneer Square.
Well, Henderson and his backers are on a tear: They’ve announced new restaurants for Laurelhurst and South Lake Union, but so far, they seem to have overlooked the far reaches of Madison Street.
Don’t get me wrong: I love Bing’s (4200 E. Madison St.) as much as anyone, but it sure would be nice to see something imaginative take over the old Cafe Parco space (1807 42nd Ave. E.).
On the other hand, one ray of hope: Parco chef Celinda Norton announced, via her blog, that she’s available for special assignments, notably dealing with food allergies (gluten and the like).
Minimum wage
You will read a lot, in the weeks to come, about the $15 minimum wage. A shame that this issue has become heavily politicized, with the notion of fair pay being blamed for the failure of a string of popular restaurants. But it turns out that minimum wage is not the culprit after all, according to an investigation by The Seattle Times.
Why $15? That’s beyond the scope of this column.
Now, no one’s claiming that running a restaurant (or two or three) is a piece of cake (as it were), or that kitchen work is easy, but a successful operation shouldn’t have to depend on owners exploiting their employees.
RONALD HOLDEN blogs at Cornichon.org. His new book is “HOME GROWN SEATTLE: 101 True Tales of Local Food & Drink.” To comment on this column, write to MPTimes@nwlink.com.