I never really gave much thought to organic produce and free-range meats before moving to Seattle. Sure there were a few organic grocers and a Whole Foods but with a combination of inconvenient locations and high prices, I found it easier to shop at my local chain market. As I started to discover my new hometown I began to see stores that carried organic and free-range items everywhere. And not just specialty markets either, take a look at your local Safeway or QFC. Initially I was just happy to have this kind of access to quality, pesticide free produce and humanely raised meats. But as more and more of the consciousness of Seattle sank into me, I began to seek out restaurants where I could continue to eat in a similar manner as when I was home. This is not to say that I’ll only eat organic foods raised within 100 miles of my house. I mean, look at hamburger week. When it comes to food I’ll eat what tastes good where it’s prepared the best but I still try to keep my eye open for restaurants that combine good kitchen skills with quality ingredients. It just so happened that I heard about Tilth this past weekend and the potential of those two qualifications meeting under its roof.

And quite literally Tilth had a roof, the roof of a house. Nearly hidden if you don’t know what to look for, or aren’t paying attention, Tilth is located inside a converted house on 45th Avenue in Wallingford. The “front lawn” has been converted into a wooden deck for warm weather dining but I walked across that and up the stairs as it was much too blustery an evening for outdoor dining. As I approached the door I was a tad bit confused as to if the restaurant were open or not. Except for a small, flag-like sign, high on a pole by the front fence there was little in the way of markings as to hours, menu or if they were even open. So I took a chance and pushed my way through the front door into an empty dining room and the glances of the staff from the open kitchen, I was the first one there.

They were fortunately open and I was able to be seated quickly. Inside the restaurant, once seated, I got the feeling of being early for a dinner party at someone’s home. Which is understandable as this WAS once someone’s home. Unlike being in a private residence for a party though I had someone who was willing to wait on me, and service was very good. Quick with water and drinks, making a bit of conversation and willing to explain certain menu items my waiter helped to add to a feeling of welcome that the open dining room imparted.

To begin, I had the Grass Fed Steak Tartare ($7.00/small, $14.00/large) which arrived quickly, arranged with toast points on a white plate. Pulling apart the mini cylinder that was the tartare I saw that the beef was loosely composed with capers and diced red pepper, all of which was held together by what looked like an aioli dressing. The first bite was cool, slightly chewy and somewhat tart/tangy from the briny capers. For my tastes there was a bit too much filler in contrast to the actual chopped beef which had a nice combination of smaller bits and larger half-bite sized chunks. Unfortunately the flavor was so mild that it was overcome by the lemony, slightly egg-y dressing and powerful flavor of caper and cornichon.

With the small tasting of the steak tartare out of the way I was eager to move on to the entree sized order of Balsamic Glazed Alaskan Sablefish ($13.00/small, $24.00/large). The skin of the fish was dark and looked extra crispy. My expectation when I cut into it was for crackling skin and moist, flakey meat. The skin was crispy and the meat moist but a bit too much so. Almost as though the fish had spent too little time in the oven roasting, the interior of filet was nearly raw. I’m not squeamish when it comes to raw fish, I enjoy sashimi more than anything else at a sushi bar, but sushi has been cut to showcase the best of the fish without being tough or stringy. This was not the case with my Sablefish as it took considerable sawing on my part to divide a reasonably large piece of fish into bite sized pieces. At one point I nearly gave up on the fish and focused my attentions to the small, hidden pile of cucumber slices tucked just under the filet. The lemon cucumber was warm and sliced so thin it almost could have passed for writing paper. It had a mild cucumber flavor with just the barest lingering hint of lemon, almost as though you’d eaten a slice of cucumber and washed it down with a drink of lemon-spiked water.

Maybe this was a bad night; I don’t want to condemn Tilth just yet. I think it’s a great idea, a restaurant that focuses on organic ingredients, presented in both tasting portions and entree sized plates. But the flavors seemed off, the fish was underdone and the food, in general, just seemed rushed. If this happens with just a couple of tables present what happens later in the evening, when more guests arrive (And they were arriving by the time I’d left - the number of seated tables had tripled)? As I state above, I’m always looking for a place that will combine good kitchen skill with organic ingredients, and I’m not crossing Tilth off the list just yet, but for now, it’ll take a back seat to other restaurants in Seattle. At least until they can get the kitchen running smoothly.