Eat Your Heart Out

Despite the fact that one of my old familiar hangouts closed in old town (Bad Alberts), I still love Ballard. One night on the town, Paul and I met good friends for dinner at Staple and Fancy Mercantile and had the Chef's menu ($45 per person). This is the lowdown. You select it. You commit to a surprising four course family style dinner. You eat things like Peppers with tuna hearts.

Holy Mackerel that fish was good!

You love it, and even your foodie husband loves it. You still pay an arm and a leg but at least you got more than what was served at the other damn French place in Madison. Rovers? Yes, Rovers. Where we had 2 whole scallops for $20 and hence ordered about 6 courses each AT that price. Dad-in-law bought (Pierre) and subsequently told Thierry (Chef) that this is not French (he said this all in French), because never had he experienced this type of dining in France. And then he proceeded to ask if the Chef if he only bought one crab to feed the entire restaurant. His disarming smile kept things amenable but I wonder if Thierry was cursing that damned Frenchman! 
Well, anyway, Ethan Stowe impressed us at Staple and Fancy (and once a long time ago at How to Cook a Wolf). So, we'll have to go back or try another!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/staple-and-fancy-mercantile-seattle