Eat

Plaka Estiatorio
5407 20th Ave. N.W., 829-8934
Tuesday through Saturday: Lunch 11-3, Dinner 5-10

Plaka Estiatorio, one of the latest addition to Ballard's ever-growing restaurant scene, is an Athenian style establishment named after the old Athens neighborhood Plaka. Here, dogs romped freely, and the mayor generously gave of himself to all that would gather round. Crying out for love, all would converge for simple, elegant foods.

That of course is made up. But our visit to Plaka was real, and it already feels like it's been around for a while, as they've created a "lived-in" feel.

One of the nice touches is the old wood floor from the clock repair shop, which formerly occupied the space. Under the old funky carpets lay a beautiful and burnished hardwood floor, all a'shining and a'glow. And now, with that nasty carpet removed, it can shine again. Seldom is something more exciting or worthy of celebration than a bright and shiny floor that is daylighted from filthy rugs.

With efforts by Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, Mayor Greg Nickels has eliminated fees for food gardens grown in planting strips.

In previous years, many residents had been told that growing food in planting strips was not allowed. In reality, such gardens were permissible within department of transportation safety guidelines, but discouraged, according to the city.

In 2008, Conlin, chair of the council's Environment, Emergency Management and Utilities Committee, requested the transportation department clarify and communicate those guidelines to the public and shift to encourage planting strip
gardens.

The new modified rules are the result of that request.

The changes are one of several steps that council, through the Local Food Initiative, is taking to encourage Seattle residents to plant vegetables and other edible foods.

"The new rules will make it easier for people to grow their own food in Seattle," said Conlin. "Gardening in front yards and planting strips is a great way to build community."

Skillet Street Food, the popular mobile kitchen, will be serving West Seattle for the next four weeks at Seattle Lutheran High School's parking lot on 41st Avenue Southwest and Southwest Genesee Street said executive chef Josh Henderson.

The restaurant was originally planning to serve next to the Farmer's Market when it first came to the neighborhood three weeks ago. When that became impossible, they served in the Hotwire Coffee parking area, although large crowds made that too small of a space.

But last Sunday, Skillet seemed successful at Hope Lutheran High School. Henderson said after four weeks they will reconsider a more permanent location.

Skillet serves bistro-style cuisine from a Streamline trailer all over Seattle. Each day, they serve a different neighborhood their tasty burgers, BLT sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, salads and garlic fries. Each dish features gourmet ingredients such as fine cheeses, caramelized onions and saffron.

Their take on the burger is served with bacon jam, blue cheese and arugula.

Le Gourmand Restaurant is inconspicuous. But after watching chef/owner Bruce Naftaly start a sauce reduction with six cups of stock, a bottle of red wine, four cups of heavy cream and four cups of cognac I’ll never pass that corner of Northwest Market and 9th with the same eyes.

Evidently cognac is as essential as salt (per Bruce it always needs more salt). The unexpected lesson from Le Gourmand’s cooking class was insight into my partner’s relationship with food preparation.

Before Martin and I merged our knives, larders and cookbooks I should have attended one of Bruce’s relatively unpublicized yet always full last Sunday of the month cooking classes. Sitting next to Martin on one of 14 chairs compressed into the restaurant kitchen for the evening class was like being able to observe him in the womb.

Medin’s Ravioli Station
4620 Leary Way N.W.
(206) 789-6680
Tuesday through Sunday 5 -10 pm, closed Monday

In a former transmission shop also known as the first home of the Redhook Brewery, owner and chef Bill Medin creates an iconoclastic portrait resembling an Edward Hopper painting.

He focuses on ravioli, while also dotting the menu with a few pasta dishes and a steak. But the ravioli are king here, and have been well executed on our several visits, spanning almost a decade including a recent April outing.

With a nod to the building’s automotive past, stools at the compact bar look like giant pistons. Oriented away from the street, the bar is set up to showcase a linear row of quite thirsty fellows, all with heads cranked up and to the left to watch game shows on a somewhat snowy TV.

Music also fills the air, creating a fittingly clashing soundscape. Diners sit at tables facing the backs of the bar patrons, often including Mr. Medin, who can frequently be spotted on Piston 1, taking a break from the kitchen between orders.

For its 10th anniversary celebration, the West Seattle Farmers Market is gearing up for an abundant spring harvest with a variety of fresh lettuces and hearty greens, asparagus, carrots, rhubarb and other local farm fresh delights. Farmers will also come with all kinds of plant starts so city dwellers can prepare for their own garden harvests.

Upcoming events at West Seattle Farmer's market:

May 3
A performance by the West Seattle Symphonette.

May 10, 11 a.m.
Cooking Demo with Foraged and Found Edibles
Jeremy Faber of Foraged and Found Edibles will show market shoppers how to make delicious dishes with wild Washington greens and mushrooms. Jeremy is an accomplished chef and loves to introduce others to the wonderful and unique flavors of Washington's wild bounty.

May 24, 11 a.m.
Free mule wagon rides for kids of all ages, live music from Clallam County, and free sweet pea starts from Langley Gardens.

June 28

The Vashon Maury Community Food Bank is the 2009 winner Food Lifeline’s “Agency Excellence Award” for excellence in collaboration.

For its excellence in collaboration, Vashon Maury Community Food Bank receives $5,000 from Pacific Continental Bank to continue expanding its mission, and to increase and better its capabilities to serve the hungry people in the Vashon community, according to a release from the agency.

Food Lifeline presented the Agency Excellence Awards at its Annual Agency Conference in Shoreline, on March 23. The conference hosts expert leaders from Food Lifeline’s 300 member agencies all throughout Western Washington, connecting them with each other, opening channels of communication and highlighting their successes. The awards, presented to four individual agencies excelling in their mission to feed hungry people include:

Excellence in Community Resource Development, sponsored by Food Lifeline
Excellence in Collaboration, sponsored by Pacific Continental Bank
Excellence in Food Resource Development, sponsored by Food Lifeline
Excellence in Client Service, sponsored by Food Lifeline

The Highland Park Improvement Club held its first annual Wine for our Times event. More than 60 wine tasters paid a $10 admission and bought a bottle of their favorite $10 wine to contribute. The proceeds, including those collected from their raffle, will benefit the club’s 90th anniversary party in November.

The club is located at 1116 Southwest Holden and is a sister organization with the Highland Park Action Committee.

“This is the oldest community club in Seattle,” said Becca Fong, a three-year club member who was host of the event. “People always ask me ‘What is this club trying to improve?’ It tries to improve our community by helping us meet neighbors and friends.”

Bonnie Jeuris was the wine steward, which is her career at the Westwood Village QFC.

Allan Robertson, a Northwest Wine Academy student at South Seattle Community College, provided special pours.

“This club had a great tradition for holding dances during the war with our large dance floor,” said Kay Kirkpatrick, club secretary.

Fresh Bistro, a new restaurant from long time restauranteur, BJ Duft is set to open the week of May 20 at 4725 42nd Ave. S.W.

It's part of the group of businesses that will occupy the first floor of the new Mural Apartments going up across the street from Jefferson Square.

Head chef Dali Chea said, "It's going to be International Bistro food...my take on it is we're going to take and make it fresh and local."

The menu will be reasonably priced, Duft said.

"Dinner entrees will range from $16 to $24 and we're doing some specialty cocktails like our cinnamon basil blackberry martini," he said.

The idea behind Bistro food is small plates, meant to be shared between two to four people. There wlll be a soft open on May 21 to coincide with the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce "After Hours" event.

After more than 11 years of mixing cocktails and experimenting in her Ballard Avenue Food Studios kitchen, Kathy Casey is picking up shop by the end of the summer and moving her business headquarters to Magnolia, where her and husband John live.

John and Kathy purchased the circa 1898 Ballard Avenue buildings about 12 years ago for $460,678. Now they are worth more than $5 million, said the Casey's. Their plan is to sell or lease the property privately.

After investing more than $1 million in improvements and major renovations, many of which John did himself, Food Studios opened about a year later in 1998 in the Chopard building at 5130 Ballard Ave. N.W.

It was at the cusp of Ballard Avenue's transformation from industrial-chic to trendy boutique. Then later in 2007, the third outlet for Kathy's Dish D'Lish brand opened next door to the Food Studios in the historic Theisen building.

The buildings, located in the Ballard Avenue Historic District, have been many things during the last century, including a mission, a liquor store, a cafe and a family theater in the early 1900's.