I’ve always considered the Eastside the hinterlands in comparison to Seattle. To me it was always this area, a patch of land, where Microsoft and tract housing met; in short Microsoftland. The country was scoured for potential Microsoft employees; they were hired, transferred and planted in Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue - a nearby farm of worker bees for the Microsoft hive. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a city bred urbanite. I grew up in the suburbs of Jacksonville and lived for three years prior to moving to Seattle on the suburban island of Davis Island in Tampa. But the past two years have spoiled me into thinking that all good restaurants have to be tucked into the first floor of a downtown condo or in a space that was previously an auto repair shop. So it was that one afternoon I made the decision to stay in Kirkland after the five o’clock whistle. To stay and sample a restaurant that’s name had come up in passing a few months before. A restaurant that I was told is an example of fine “Seattle-style” dining on the Eastside.

As the name implies the Third Floor Fish Cafe is located on the third floor of a short-rise office building on the Southern end of Lake Street in the Kirkland business district. I was shown to a seat overlooking the edge of Lake Washington. Just below me a series of docks moored fast a myriad of boats of different sizes, some leaving to enjoy one of the last warm summer evenings on the water. The lake was calm and stretched out before me leading off to Madison Park and further still to the Seattle high-rise skyline. If nothing else, on clear days, the Third Floor Fish Cafe is one to visit for the lovely views.

After ordering a drink and perusing the menu I decided to start off with the Grilled Prawns ($13.00) appetizer. At first sight I was quite disappointed with this dish as I expected more than just three shrimp for my thirteen dollars. Putting aside this disappointment I cut into the first prawn I could get my fork on. It was plump, tender and still quite moist. The flavor was fairly mild with a bit of sweetness to it. As stated on the menu the shellfish came with crisp bacon but not as strips wrapped around the prawns themselves but instead as crumbles atop the creamy polenta. Buttery and smooth the polenta reminded me of well cooked, creamy grits. Some people may turn their noses up to that description but believe me, it’s a compliment. The richness and smooth texture of the polenta was complemented nicely but those aforementioned crispy bits of smoky bacon. This was all served in a shallow bowl, the main stars of the dish buttressed by a lobster influenced sauce that was slightly thick, very rich and extremely buttery.

As the restaurant is named Third Floor Fish Cafe I felt it only fitting that the main course be fish, why not. With many a fish selection at my fingertips I decided upon the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna ($30.00). I picked up the aroma of butter and caramelized sugars before I even saw my waiter with the plate. Three large slices of ruby red tuna greeted me when the plate was placed before me. Seared quickly on each side the tuna was indeed rare. The small line of crust was golden brown, crisp and lightly seasoned with salt and cracked black pepper. The interior of the fish was still slightly cool, smooth and creamy. Combinations of crisply seared exterior, meaty rare interior and a bit of the sautéed leek that accompanied the fish proved the best way to consume this entree. Beneath the lobes of tuna sat golden brown, pan sautéed fingerling potatoes. Tiny nuggets of golden potato that spent enough time in a pan to make the skins crisp and turn all the edges savory sweet from the caramelization of the spuds natural sugars. I attempted to clean my plate, to eat everything that was presented before me but I was unsuccessful. While at first thirty dollar may seem much for a fish dinner once you get a look at the portion size you will no doubt realize that you are getting an entree that is large enough for two.

My original intent was for an appetizer and dinner; a quick repast while I came and, hopefully, went. But it was recommended to me to try the crème brulee. While I was about to pass on dessert, to tick it off as something to do on my next visit, I noticed that the crème brulee was not the standard version. Instead the dessert that arrived was a Ginger Lemongrass Crème Brulee ($8.00). The large ramekin that arrived held creamy, light custard that wasn’t too sweet and had faint undertones of lemongrass and a slightly sharp bite of ginger. This custard was housed beneath a golden brown sealing of caramelized sugar that also had been fused with the snap of ginger.

Dinner at the Fish Cafe was good. Notice I didn’t write great. While the food was tasty and the views were nice I felt that the prices that I paid were a little askew for the level of quality. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed everything that was placed before me, it’s just that I don’t feel that a price premium similar to that of say Cascadia, Palace Kitchen or Canlis. Of course I understand why the pricing is what it is, because of the location. The top floor of a waterfront building on Lake Washington I’m sure commands a hefty monthly premium but I would gladly take a lesser view with more reasonable prices for the same level of execution. While I doubt I’ll return to the Fish Cafe on my own I would definitely recommend it as a place to go for a business dinner or other such event where the tab is picked up by someone else.