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Cremant
Category:
Food & Dining
1423 34th Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 322-4600
Cremant, located in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle, is the most recent addition to the French bistro scene in Seattle. To my recollection, there are really only three places that 'stand-out'...
Cremant, located in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle, is the most recent addition to the French bistro scene in Seattle. To my recollection, there are really only three places that 'stand-out' to me and another two to mention. The others are Le Pichet and Campagne (both in The Market), Voila (inferior French on Madison) and Maximillian and Crepe de Paris.
The thing that Cremant does that none of these other places seem to do is hone in on the authentic feeling of an imperfect french bistro while keeping with the charm, casualness and upscaleablity. Le Pichet is good food, but the menu rarely changes and the atmosphere is cold at best. Campagne is so overpriced and filled with pretension that it's not even funny. Voila, well, it's a cliche of what we 'expect' a French restaurant to be complete with oversized 'stock' posters and bad colors and lighting and the food has been horribly over-salted both times I've been. Maximillian is good, but too hidden and unknown to be a real player. Crepe de Paris is great, but you can only do cabaret so many times.
That brings us to Cremant. A very enjoyable mix of what all the other places could, or aspire, to be. The atmosphere is sparce yet cozy. Lighting is right on. The no frills seating is some of the most comfortable of any Seattle restaurant. The decor is nuanced and almost plain, but in a way designed to catch the eye and make you take a second look (especially the wallpaper). The interesting details, such as cement walls formed with wood and the angular, seemingly mismatched ceiling fit the new building perfectly.
On to the food. Wow, and what a price point. Never have I had such amazing food for such a reasonable price. The Cassoulet for 18 dollars is really the deal of the night, as it totally feeds two people or leaves one enough for a meal the next day. You'd never pay so little for so much at any other place in Seattle. Every wine on the menu is available by the glass, which is really nice, because you can try whatever you want before spending 50 bucks on a bottle. I'd recommend the Sparkling Rose or a Kir Royale to start and then get a bottle of Pic Saint Lup to go with dinner. The menu is extensive and the frites are a real high point. The vegetables are seasonal and I've tried the asparagus, greens, and brussels. All exceptional. Dessert is a must. The one to have is the drinkable chocolate liquer (the name escapes me at the moment).
So yes, try it, it's above and beyond what you would ever expect for a new restaurant in Seattle and it's so above and beyond any French restaurant that Seattle currently houses. I love French food, and I've been burned in the past by the Seattle French scene. But I love this place so much and it's so affordable that I've probably gone a dozen times since it opened. Not only that, the staff is truly remarkable and you'll get NO attitude if you ask questions about food or pronunciations or wine.
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Their coffee sucks, big time, has for years. I don't actually recall when I've had a poorer cup of coffee from a local place. I mean, they may have (somewhat) decent donuts, but come on, it's...
Their coffee sucks, big time, has for years. I don't actually recall when I've had a poorer cup of coffee from a local place. I mean, they may have (somewhat) decent donuts, but come on, it's really not that hard to make an americano or a latte. Or, perhaps it is, as not one barista at the Capitol Hill or Downtown location seem to be able to figure it out.
As for the donuts, well, they certainly aren't as consistent as they once were. My friends and I stopped going because we left feeling as if we'd had a brick dropped in our stomache after eating the donuts. Not sure what they are/were doing to them, but it happened too many times.
I go back once in a while to check it out, but it's still bad coffee, surly scenester/hipster service and overpriced donuts. They should also figure out the Starbucks thing, because the Top Pot donuts they serve there are NOT fresh.
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Good pizza, great ambiance, neat idea but flawed.
Food is always good. Service is cause for concern, especially among the women that serve there. I've been told more than once that I wasn't...
Good pizza, great ambiance, neat idea but flawed.
Food is always good. Service is cause for concern, especially among the women that serve there. I've been told more than once that I wasn't allowed to sit at the bar (apparently they use it for overflow). That could be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Their Maitre D' seems to have no purpose, other than to wear too loud of a shirt which clashes with all the rest of the staffs.
My last visit was fine. But attitude filled and totally flawed as far as service standards are concerned. Seating was fine. Got a nice booth. Greeted. Recognized a bartender I know, said hello. The pleasantries ended there. Two salads (the house) were great. Our plates were took away and the server took the used forks and knifes and set them on the table for us to use for our entree. Umm, NO. I've waited tables, and no matter how lo-brow or hi-brow the place, you do NOT lay a dirty/used fork on the table for further use. You take it away and replace it. Bad, bad, bad. Secondly, they charge a premium for wine and then put it in a water glass. Now that would be fine for the 3 or 4 dollar house wine, but for a 9 dollar glass of wine, not cool. Not cool at all. Not only that, I explained what kind of wine I liked and she recommended something that was nothing like what I asked for. Sigh. Then, on my second glass of wine, I ordered a different variety and do you know what she did? SHE POURED IT INTO MY OLD WINE GLASS that still had remnants of the previous variety in it. Are you serious? My guest and I were shocked. The Vesuvious came. Always good, but frankly, it looked like they used canned mushrooms in it this time, and we picked them all out. They were that weird canned, slightly slimy consistency. They were anything but fresh. So I am not sure what that is all about. Finally, we get the check, and I normally never look at it, but it seemed expensive, so I look and she charged us for a different type of salads than we ordered. She replied, when I mentioned it, "they are the same price." Well, they aren't. Not at all. 3 dollar difference in each. So, she seemed put out that I called her on it. All in all, this place is good, but one bad encounter like this, and they lost my business.
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Fork
Category:
Restaurants
806 E Roy St
Seattle, Washington 98102
(206) 325-7400
I'd read a review on this place and a friend had wanted to try it for quite some time, so we decided to check it out. I'll write what I thought was good first and then get to the nitty gritty. ...
I'd read a review on this place and a friend had wanted to try it for quite some time, so we decided to check it out. I'll write what I thought was good first and then get to the nitty gritty.
Good: The murals on the wall which they kept from the previous restaurant.
Bad: Where do I start with this? To start, there are tables sitting outside, fully dressed and ready to be seated at, but apparently they are just for presentation as we were told (along with the several other who asked to be seated outside) that they didn't have a license to use them yet. Well, then why dress them up? Why even put them out if you're just going to taunt people with them? So, we are seated next to the window, which was a fine seat poisoned by the the server and busser reminding us twice that we had to "be out by 8:20" as someone else wanted that seat. Yes, I get it, out by 8:20, twice in twenty minutes I do not need to be told. Thanks. So, they put us on a time limit (less than two hours) but somehow didn't pick up their own pace. It's like they were testing to see how slow they could be and still get us out by 8:20. Not a fun game, for us. So, we sit, are handed menus and instantly asked what we want to drink. I hadn't even found the wine page. I don't know. She asked if we needed a minute, yes, duh. They have cocktails, but you wouldn't know it, as they had no alcohol list and the person we asked had to go back to the bar three times to figure out what types of gin they had. We were informed they only had a small bar for appertifs, which is fine, but they didn't even have Lillet. Really? It's a classic appertif. So, after examining the wine list, and seeing that 90% percent of what was on it you could buy at Safeway for half the price, we settled on a Spanish red for $55, very good, but eventually soured by the amount of sediment in the bottom (although this was not Fork's fault). Table presentation is a horrid mish mash of styles which alienate the eye. They overcrowd the table with enormous wine glasses which are way too much for Safeway caliber wine. Not only that, they take up so much of your table, that there was almost two spills trying to work around them. They have really nice bread plates (small, round, early 1900's silver pattern on the edge) but then they have these horrid forks and knifes that look like something you would buy from the Museum of Modern Art collection. They are not nice to eat off of. The plates they use for the starters are another modernist contrast which does not go at all with the decor of the rest of the place. Very square and stark white. Speaking of modernist, what is with the weird track lighting? It just doesn't fit and was overkill considering the amount of light coming in the building from outside. So on to food. We order starters (the Frisse salad, Blue Cheese and Duck Tart, and (sadly) General Tso's Sweetbreatds. First off, I'll say, don't order the sweetbreads. Ordering a $9 sweetbread from a place who's average entree is $25 was just a mistake. Anyplace in Chinatown will give you much better for less than $5. The salad was unexceptional, with the sliced potatoes being the only thing I remember. The tart was suppose to have duck, but you'd have never known it by the way it was cooked and prepared. It was shredded and totally over salted. I thought I was eating a cured pork and it didn't mesh well with the blue cheese. The tart pastry itself was bland, hard to cut and felt like something you'd buy at the store in a pinch. It didn't feel homemade at all. Initially we got the tart, it was gone shortly, and literally 16 minutes went by before we got the other two starters. I'm not sure what was going on with the kitchen, but they should have all come out together. They were soon finished. We drank some more wine, and waited for the entree. At this point, we're an hour into our meal and only have about 40 minutes left before we need to "be out." How so much time got spent on the wine and starters I am not sure. Well, the wine was gone before our meal hit the table. Now, we started with a cocktail and had a bottle of wine, and I'll tell you this, I've never finished a bottle of wine before the entree even hit the table. We waited, and waited, and waited some more. Our server (who looked like a blond-bobbed housewife from Renton, complete with mis-matched red lipstick on her pursed lips that didn't go with her facial tones) refilled our wine glasses three times before our meal came. Not a good sign. So, finally the meal. Duck BBQ. Frankly, I don't want to see the symbol BBQ anything on an entreel I'm paying $25 for. Know what I mean? It just gave an instant Ruth's Chris Steakhouse feel to the menu. And, I should have gone with something else. I was excited to have it as it came with brussel sprouts and polenta. Well, the sprouts were so minced they were unrecognizable and lacked any flavor. They may as well have put shredded cabbage on the plate and the polenta was horribly mushy and runny. The duck itself was fine, but the only real enjoyable part was the yummy encrusted edges. And for the record, for $25 bucks, I'd like more than six miniscule duck medallions on my plate. After we finished, we were asked if we wanted more wine (she made no mention of the sediment in the glasses that we couldn't even finish because there was so much) and/or dessert. I said, no thanks, and asked for the check, in which she seemed surprised. So, we get the check, and guess what? 11 minutes went by before it was even addressed. Seriously. The bill was about $125.00 and I have NEVER in my life left a restaurant feeling like I wasted so much money. I actually want a refund.
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Well, as much as I hate to write a bad review, something needs to be said and noted about Vita on Capitol Hill. I have been a (nearly) daily visitor for the last few years. Until about March/April...
Well, as much as I hate to write a bad review, something needs to be said and noted about Vita on Capitol Hill. I have been a (nearly) daily visitor for the last few years. Until about March/April I never had a problem with this place. Decent staff, were all well trained and I never had a 'bad' experience there. Well, a lot can, and has, changed in the last eight months. There is a near complete turnaround of staff, which in itself is nothing that is exceptionally bad, except that depending on which of these new staff members you get, you can either get a good cup of joe or a really nasty cup of joe. And frankly, the joe as of late has been more often than not on the nasty side. Not only that, they seem to have set out to hire every scenester in Seattle as a part of their staff and what doesn't work about that is that you get scenester service. Meaning, you get the cold shoulder and attitude. And despite the fact that I go in there (or used to) on a near daily basis I still get that look of 'who the hell are you and why are you here?' from them. Never remembering my drink. Never acknowledging that I am a repeat customer, always doing 'other' things while myself and others wait in line. It's really absurd. Frankly, Vita now rivals Bauhuas for worst service in the city. Last week, I walked in, ordered my typcial drink from a guy who said not one single word to me the entire time. And then when I requested something specific, he challenged me and made me out to be an idiot. So he hands me my change (like 55 cents) and I was so irritated I didn't tip. Well, he looked at me and said, "Thanks a lot." As if he should have been rewarded for terrible service. I was like, you're kidding me, right? My drink was sub-par, which is most often the case lately. Again, they are hiring new people and not taking the effort to make sure they know how to pull a decent shot. I've never seen crema on an espresso dissipate so fast and taste so bitter. Again, they seem to be rivaling Bauhaus as of late in terms of their service and how crappy they can make their coffee. And for the record, these are not isolated incidences. This happens all the time, I see it happen to others and to myself. It's like this place has become a members only club or something. The seem to have forgotten that my three bucks a day plus tip translates to about 15 to 18 a week of lost revenue. I periodically will go back, just to see if things have changed, no such luck. At least not as of mid-December 2005. So yes, this place is a case of once being quite good, having decent service with people who would recognize and acknowlege you to going to a place that seems a bit too big for it's britches. Service, 0 out of 5 stars. Coffee, 2 out of 5 stars. Abiance, 3 out of 5 stars (depending on whatever strange music they are playing this can go up or down). I think management (or perhaps they are the problem) should take a look at the structure and re-evaluate their priorities. Because I cannot be the only customer they have lost due to all this. And lost customers equal lost profits.
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I go here too, get my hair(s) cut by Jordan. I've been getting my hair cut by him for about three or four years, off and on. He used to work at Rudy's (one of the few capable ones there) and when...
I go here too, get my hair(s) cut by Jordan. I've been getting my hair cut by him for about three or four years, off and on. He used to work at Rudy's (one of the few capable ones there) and when he migrated to a "loftier" salon, I had no problem paying double what I used to pay in order to get the hair cut that I wanted (he charges 45 for men, 65-I think-for women). This guy is a bit crazy, tattooed, and not what you would expect in this salon, and for that I love him. He is just a really cool guy who gives amazing cuts and doesn't feel hindered by the pretentiousness that often comes from working in a shi shi salon. Overall, this place is nice. The front desk people are exceptional. Decor is great. They offer beverages, etc. for you when you come. Nothing pompous or arrogant about the salon. It's definately a bit high brow, but not to the extreem of some places I have been (Gene Juarez comes to mind, which is just over the top). Very comfortable and inviting.
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I agree with the above poster, the Kingfish has some of the best mac and cheese that I have ever tasted. Not the best, mind you, but pretty darned good. The service is stellar, the drinks are...
I agree with the above poster, the Kingfish has some of the best mac and cheese that I have ever tasted. Not the best, mind you, but pretty darned good. The service is stellar, the drinks are amazing and I have never had a sub-par experience there. The only problem is that they don't take reservations and have somewhat strange nights of closure (Sunday's and Tuesday's). Another great spot is The Alibi Room in The Market. They have a terrific tomato/basil mac and chesse which really sticks to your ribs. I love it. However, for the best mac and cheese plates on the planet, travel down to Portland for an evening and head to Bistro Montage under the Morrison Street Bridge in SE Portland. They specialize in no less than five types of mac and cheese not to mention the jambalay's and the frog leg and oyster shooter appetizers. Seriously, if you are really looking for an experience, what Seattle has for mac and cheese is fine, but take an overnight trip and head to Bistro Montage. You won't be dissapointed.
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