Dining Out: Bisato, Seattle WA (Belltown)

from bisato facebook page

On 1^st Ave in Belltown where the former Lampreia restaurant once stood now sits Bisato.  Led by Chef Scott Carsberg, a James Beard recipient, the space has transformed into an open, 21 and over bar that offers a bistro type setting with high-end fine dining eats.

Bisato serves Ventian style small plate dishes.  You won’t find your traditional big plate pasta, meatballs or pizza here.  

Note: I did not take pictures.  On their website there are fantastic photos of the dishes that really do justice to their food!  I've shared a few here.

l-r: naomi, myrissa, chef scott, manh
outside bisato restaurant

My husband and I dined as guests of some very dear friends of ours (and fellow foodies) Manh and Naoimi.  We arrived and were not surprised that they were chatting it up with Chef Scott.  We started with cocktails and after a few minutes I felt myself starting to unwind (is that what alcohol does to a person) and studying the menu.

The menu at Bisto includes short and descriptive offerings.  What‘s interesting about the rotating menu is what you read is what you get.  Chef is a firm believer at keeping his dishes simple and limiting ingredients to only few to really help his diners saver the flavors.  Too much could get lost on the palate.  With 20+ offerings on the menu I was a bit overwhelmed, however my host informed me that dishes are small, some eaten in a few bites, so order heavily.  Taking their cue, we ordered "heavily" and we all shared around the table.

from bisato facebook page

My eyes were impressed.   Rarely have I seen food so artfully displayed.  Dish after dish was such eye candy.  But the most exciting part was actually eating these culinary masterpieces.  One after another we were entertained in so many ways that made the dining experience amazing.  Just about all five of my senses enjoyed the dinner at Bisato.

Bisato is a restaurant where you’ll want to sit, relax and enjoy the menu for all it has to offer.  A seat at the counter will treat you to a view where all of the culinary magic takes place. Take time to indulge all of your senses and you’ll find your meal at Bisato well worth your time and money.

from bisato website

What we enjoyed:
morel panna cotta with warm violet asparagus
spring artichoke soup with condiments
blini of red beet with gravlax salmon and crème fraiche
variolo of porcini and egg with butter sauce
warm spaghetti with eggplant
cow's milk gnocchi with ramp butter and parmesan
sweet corn soup, Copper River sockeye salmon, herbs
risotto of strawberry
braised short rib in barolo wine
orange confit with chocolate caramel mousse (You HAVE to order this, absolutely fabulous)
milk chocolate parfait
lemon tart

Dining Out: The Coterie Room, Seattle WA (Belltown)

 Here we go, another gastropub (ghetto talk: you're gonna spend some serious coin on grub and booze) enters the Seattle food scene.  The Coterie Room is located in the very hip and wild night-life area of Belltown in the former Restaurant Zoe space (which has moved up to Capitol Hill).

Seattle Met Mag's November 2011 issue declared The Coterie Room among the best 25 restaurants in Seattle 2011.  With words like, "strong culinary identities and consistency of execution" and "where the food dazzles with invention and intention"  I had to ask myself, "Oh, really Ms. Kathryn Robinson?"  Bring it on!
Parking can be challenging and valet parking is offered on a limited basis.  The space is fresh and classy.  I'm especially drawn to the wall of fake ferns and plants (you'll just have to go there to see what I'm talking about).  I love the white and dark wood which to me yells "clean" and "classy" and "pricey".  The dining room is very open, and there is an area for bar patrons to sit on tables or at the bar.

I've dined for lunch and weekend brunch and both times have not been a disappointment.

Oddly enough there is a menu entry which reads: A Six Pack Of Beer For The Crew $10, the crew works hard to deliver great food, drink and service. Show them your appreciation.  Wow, haven't seen that before!

During my most recent visit, we ate the following:

Painted Hills Beef Burger - My son enjoyed this very much.  Said it was one of the best burgers he eaten (thank goodness, maybe he'll never want a fast food burger again)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich - Husband enjoyed it and really liked the aioli that accompanied the sandwich and slaw.
Smashed Potatoes - For sharing....an upscale hasbrown where whole baby potatoes are light smashed and pan fried to form a crisp crust.  The garlic aioli for dipping was fantastic!
Granola and Yogurt - I was thrown off by the puffed farrow, which was chewy and offered a different texture than traditional granola.  I found myself merely content and not overly blown away (I've had mind blowing granola before.)
Fruit Plate - A welcoming display of fruits including the non-traditional mango.

Dessert - my one experience with dessert was not favorable.  It was a rhubarb tart which was almost impossible to eat gracefully.  The tart shell was so thick and hard that I almost cracked the plate cutting into it.  Food, delicious.  Sweets, not so much.

The Coterie Room is worth a meal if you're in the area.  If you can look past the above average prices on their menu, then you'll have a positive experience.  I know that we are looking forward to a future evening (dinner menu) visit.