Posts Tagged ‘Le Pichet’
- In: Eating | Pike Place Market | Seattle | USA | Washington
- 2 Comments
I love Korean barbecue. My aunt has a favourite in Hong Kong that I’ve been to several times. A gas grill is at the centre of the table and you order an assortment of marinated meats, seafood and vegetables. The communally cooked morsels are dipped in a variety of condiments and eaten with half a dozen side dishes.
In Seattle I’ve had delicious meals at Revel in Fremont and another Korean restaurant has just opened in Inn at the Market. The lovely Kimberly invited me as her plus one to Chan’s opening party.
The kimchi hangover soup piqued my interest!
We peeked in prior to the event to take photos of the interior. The open kitchen was buzzing with activity as chefs busily prepared the tasting menu.
A sideboard was laden with stemware, ice buckets and wine bottles.
Earthy tones decorated the dining room.
We chatted over coffee at Le Pichet and returned to a crowded Chan to sample their fusion fare. I eschewed the cocktails and opted for a glass of Champagne.
A square plate had a mound of ahi tuna slivers with slices of avocado. The tuna tartare was seasoned with an appetising soy ginger sauce and chilli oil.
A ball of rice was doused in sweet and spicy sauce, and surrounded by julienned vegetables. The bowl of bibimbap was served cold and mixed through for a pleasant combination of flavours and textures.
The highlight was the bulgogi slider. A charred bun had a dollop of chilli mayonnaise and tender pieces of marinated beef topped with cucumber kimchi. The dense bread was a sturdy container for the burger contents.
More sweet than chilli, fried chicken wing portions were dusted in a light batter, drizzled with a chilli caramel glaze, and garnished with peanuts and green onions.
Crispy and sticky, these must been eaten with fingers!
Dessert was a tiny pot of ginger crème brûlée. I cracked the candy top with the back of my spoon and underneath was a smooth and aromatic custard.
Our evening concluded with supper at The Coterie Room where Carol and I introduced Kimberly to the savoury crunch of ham cracklings dunked in fondue!
Located in the same courtyard as Marché and Watson Kennedy, Chan is a welcomed addition to the diverse collection of restaurants in Pike Place Market. We attended the opening party courtesy of Social Magnet.
- In: Capitol Hill | Eating | Seattle | USA | Washington
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Our French friends scheduled a weekend brunch with French acquaintances and I flippantly mentioned Café Presse. I had a moment of panic as we walked up to Capitol Hill and realised we would be sharing a meal with five French people at a French restaurant that I suggested. I was relieved when I remembered Café Presse has the same owners as Le Pichet.
At the intersection of 12th, Union and Madison, our group huddled in the crowded entrance as we waited for a table. With an exposed brick wall, skylights and a high ceiling, the dining room and bar was buzzing with energy. I scanned the diverse collection of publications on the newsstand and introductions were made.
We followed the maître d’ through to the back and were seated in the corner. The milky sky was surprisingly bright and we appreciated the natural light. A sideboard was laden with coffee and wine accoutrements.
We shuffled along the wooden bench as the tattooed and ringed waiter took our beverage orders. My Caffé Vita mocha was prettily decorated with a rosetta.
My favourite question of the menu was ‘how do you pronounce that’! I considered the pain au chocolat à l’ancienne (bittersweet chocolate melted on baguette) to nibble on while we perused the menu but I refrained. We sampled the assiette de charcuterie, a plate of country ham, sausage, terrine, rillettes and tongue with cornichons and bread.
We each ordered the croque madame or croque monsieur, some with a side of pommes frites. Topped with a glossy sunny side up egg, the sandwich of baked ham, Gruyère and béchamel bubbled and blistered. The viscous yolk and just set egg white tempered the saltiness of the meat and cheese layers. It was hearty French fare!
We whiled away the afternoon, our expat conversations interspersed with French.
- In: Eating | Pike Place Market | Seattle | USA | Washington
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After sampling an ice cream float of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams‘ cherry Lambic sorbet and vanilla bean DRY Soda, we crossed the street to Le Pichet for lunch. An overcast and humid day, we dined al fresco, Parisian sidewalk style.
Le Pichet is a charming place with the menu in French first, then English. There is gold cursive French phrases etched in the glass pane and the window is adorned with a vase of beautiful pink blooms.
The lunch menu is divided into sections of snacks, salads, charcuterie, mains and cheeses. It was a quick French lesson for me! Ms K ordered the baguette and Ms M the lentils and beets salad. The second Ms K opted for two eggs broiled with ham and Gruyère, a brightly presented dish with the aromas wafting across the table.
I was keen on tasting more of the local spring asparagus and selected the dish with Gouda, poached egg and lemon vinaigrette. If only I could pronounce ‘asperges de notre région au vieux Gouda et son oeuf poché’!
The salad reminded me of the book Eat Pray Love. In Italy, the author buys a bunch of asparagus from the local market and cooks a simple lunch in her apartment. An emotional Elizabeth Gilbert wrote, ‘for the longest time I couldn’t even touch this food because it was such a masterpiece of lunch’. I did pause to admire the beauty of the assembled ingredients but did not hesitate to break the yolk!
I mopped up the leftover dressing with a side of pommes frites. These were delicious French fries - just the right thickness and the perfect homage to the humble potato.
Dessert as a first course, lovely company, delicious food - it’s the definition of joie de vivre!
