Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

I check the weather forecast every day. In Sydney it was the maximum temperature. In Seattle it’s the precipitation. There have been winter days where I turn on all the lights at home, in defiance of the stubborn clouds. Flickering candles and mugs of steaming tea are comforting but there is optimism and contentment derived from sunshine that I miss dearly. So on days when the ashen clouds dissipate, Seattleites rejoice and squint.

It’s been months since I’ve dined at Seatown and congee (粥) had lured my return.

The undercover patio is perfect for a summer sunset over Puget Sound, viewed with freshly shucked oysters and a chilled bottle of wine.

Nautical themed, a steering wheel greeted patrons at the entrance. A panoramic painting of the Seattle cityscape featured on a peach wall.

The bar is the centrepiece of the dining room.

A skewered wedge of lime balanced on the rim of a hibiscus coloured blood orange fizz.

I eagerly awaited my bowl of congee. A popular breakfast food in Southeast Asia, the rice porridge is also the equivalent to chicken noodle soup. The Seatown version is topped with a poached egg and a scattering of green onions, and with sides of braised pork, bean paste and Chinese doughnut (油炸鬼).

Opaque and gelatinous, the congee was thick and gooey. The yolk was just set and I stirred through the pork and a dollop of sauce.

Although a little oily, the three batons of golden Chinese doughnuts were pleasingly crunchy.

Shirley ordered the orange maple French toast with apple butter. We shared sides of hash brown and smoked chicken sausages.

Stout and plump, the meaty sausages had a hint of smokiness and were well seasoned.

A mural of a peculiar plant that flowered knives and tongs.

Seatown was full by lunch time. We gladly vacated our table to enjoy the weather.