Great Experience…

Seattle is justifiably known for being one of the great seafood restaurant towns in the world. While I’m much more of a carnivore than a pescatarian, I thought it’d be fun to shake things up and try John Howie’s Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar than his steak place for my b-day celebration. I had stuck my head in the joint previously and was impressed with the smell. (Side note, if a fish place stinks like fish, unlike a meat joint, run for the door.) But Seastar had a very pleasant, warm, aromatic scent of well-prepared seafood, plus being a nicely designed restaurant, with a classy zinc, seafood bar at its entrance and all honey wood blond walls and tables towards the back. 

Another motivating factor was Josh, our waiter previously at Howie’s Steak, had been promoted to be the manager at Seastar and was delighted to see us and gave us a nice corner table, before returning with a complimentary glass of Sauve-Blanc pour moi.  

Kicking off our meal, the web gal and I both love calamari, but what came to the table wasn’t the lightly battered pieces I normally love. The Grilled Octopus was European style, no batter, no pieces, it had a nice seasoning on top, but for me it was way too chewy. So, the web gal gamely ate much more of it than me. Taught me a lesson. Next time ask how they serve their calamari or in this case the Grilled Octopus. The name should have been a clue LOL

For our mains, the web gal loved her Mahi Mahi with Sateh marinade, sticky rice, cucumber-macadamia nut relish, snow peas and Thai sweet chili butter sauce. And I equally enjoyed my fresh King Salmon, fire-grilled, served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. Our waiter Todd was impressed when I ordered my salmon medium rare, too many people still have this delusion that you have to cook the hell out of fish, when the opposite is true. And the guy on the grill must have appreciated it as well as it had a perfect char on its outer skin with lots of juicy, pink, meaty flavor on the inside. 

We were too stuffed for dessert, plus it was getting late, so Josh dropped by our table and was happy to do the NSI quiz. Cheers and enjoy.  

What was last night’s dinner? Thai food, I know this little, family owned, hole in the wall place that serves incredible garlic chicken.  

What’s your favorite drink? I love red wine, but I also love going to Georgetown Brewing Company for their Bodhizafa beer. 

What’s your favorite music?  Oh man, I’m all over the place on that one, everything from Cat Stevens to Metallica. I kind of had hippie parents that exposed me to a wide range of music that I love to this day. 

What’s your favorite place to dine in Seattle besides Seastar?  Oh, there’s so many. Obviously, John Howie Steak remains a favorite, love that roasted bone marrow, love the Italian food at Juanita, and of course, Ray’s Boathouse for seafood as well. 

Favorite thing about living and working in Seattle? Ah, it’s such a great city for outdoor stuff, love to walk along the waterfront, hiking, whatever, who cares if it’s raining, get out and enjoy it.  

What makes a great restaurant? Three things: great food, great service and great atmosphere. Being on the service side, I’ve seen it all, but you’re done if the food isn’t good, but you’re also done if the diner isn’t having a good time, no matter how good the food is.  

Any brush with celebrity? The guys from Coldplay, Seahawks, Mariners players, rock stars, fun to meet, but I try to treat everyone the same.  

Any wine, restaurant or trip on your bucket list? Josh really came alive at that question. I’ve already done it! Our wine director Erick Liedholm arranged last year for us to do a tour in Napa and we did it all, dinner at the French Laundry, tastings at the best wineries, including Harlan Estate. Oh man, it was just magical.  

Final thoughts? Just like to say how much I enjoy working with the John Howie team and we take a great deal of pride in the food and service we provide.