One hundred. That’s what this post is - number one hundred. It’s hard to believe that I’ve made it this far. To tell the truth, when I first started this website, I really had no thoughts about getting a hundred restaurants reviewed. Initially if I could just get through some of the more well known eateries in Seattle I would have been happy. Of course that was a year ago this past weekend, July 23rd to be exact, and so many things change over the course of a year. No, I hadn’t planned on the one year anniversary coinciding with the hundredth review, it just sort of happened that way. So it was that two such special events converged in the same review. I felt that such an occasion deserved a restaurant with refinement in both atmosphere and culinary skill. Of all the places in Seattle that I’ve read about, or have been suggested to me,
Canlis was always at the top of everyone’s list.

I made sure to arrive early in order to get a table but it should be known that a reservation is the best bet to being able to secure a seat. I was shown to a table in the main dining area, under a high vaulted ceiling with large, exposed wood beams. To my right was the open grill area of the kitchen. And to my left was the expansive bank of windows that looked out onto the northern portion of Lake Union, Gas Works Park, Eastlake and the mountains beyond. My particular seat had a good view but my recommendation would be to request seating in the lower dining section facing the windows for a spectacular dining vista. Aside from the views the service was top-notch. I was attended to by no less than five people during my dinner, each one striking up a brief conversation, putting me at ease and making me feel welcome. It was this level of service that was the clincher for my decision of dinner at Canlis but was not the main driving factor. No, the choice of this particular establishment was one based on the food.

It was an order of Peter Canlis Prawns ($14.00) that I started out with. Large, plump prawns beautifully butterflied and cooked until just done. These tail-on beauties came in a chili-butter sauce that was rich with a slight hint of lingering spice. The sauce complemented well the fresh-from-the-sea taste of the prawns without overpowering them. In contrast to the warm richness of prawns and chili-butter was my second course of Heirloom Tomato Salad ($10.00). Also arranged on a long, thin plate the dish arrived like jewels set atop a white platter. A mix of green, yellow and reddish-purple the tomatoes came in a rainbow of sizes from tiny pearl-like fruit to large beefsteak chunks. Each bite was cool, juicy tomato goodness that was paired with slivered cucumber and paper-thin slices of onion. This mélange was dressed in a light vinaigrette with a chiffonade of basil for garnish. With the recent spate of above average temperatures Seattle has experienced in the past few days the sweet coolness of the tomato salad was very much welcomed.

As the dining area began filling up with larger parties celebrating their own particular moments, my main course arrived. The Wagyu Tenderloin Steak ($70.00) has been something I’ve wanted to try for quite some time now. Wagyu beef (In essence Kobe beef), from what I’ve read in various reviews and articles, is supposed to be the Cadillac of beef so how could I not try it on such an auspicious occasion as this? When the plate arrived there was still melted butter sitting in the browned, cross-hatched channel formed from the steaks time on the grill. As I attacked the two inch thick steak with my fork and knife I almost could have been cutting into butter it was that tender. A hearty, salty outer crust concealed a warm pink interior that was juicy and full of rich beef flavor. Served along with my steak were goat cheese scalloped potatoes and a medley of sautéed summer vegetables. The potatoes were a bit of a disappointment as they were slightly dry and had very little of the creamy goat cheese that was its namesake. Though sliced thin and sporting a crunchy, browned top I only got a taste of the creamy cheese close to the bottom of the stack of paper-thin potato slices. Separating the steak and potatoes was a small mound of summer vegetables comprised of carrot, wax beans, snap peas, squash and slightly bitter kale. A mix of sweet and bitter, the vegetables were brought together by a rich buttery-ness that made them seem to be more than just common farmer’s market produce.

For dessert I took the easy route and ordered the Summer Berries ($10.00). Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and some strawberries are what comprised the filling to a crisp, puff-pastry shell. What made these fruits stand out was the combination of Devonshire cream, with its light sweetness, and tarragon cream. It was this last ingredient that I was hesitant about when it came to my order. I mean, tarragon? Who would have thought to put that into a sweet dish? Well, turns out that the added herbaceous flavor of the tarragon added a nice bright note to the otherwise mild flavors of the other ingredients.

By the end of the meal my belly was distended from all the rich foods. While there were many other selections on the menu I doubt I would have had room for even one morsel more. So, sated and slightly sleepy I emptied my wallet and thought back on the past year. There have been ups and downs as there always will be but one shining light has been this website. As I look back now on older posts I see some which could use some refinement and polish but I also see many others that are wonderful examples of the food available here in Seattle. My hopes are that I’ll be able to celebrate years two, three and even ten with you all here at this site. Thanks for coming by and making this site a part of your day.