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Good Food
Good FoodThe Pride of Capitol Hill
By Zachary D. Lyons
| Cost key: |
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$ = less than $30 for two $$ = $30-$50 for two $$$ = $50-$75 for two $$$$ = more than $75 for two |
Slurping in peace at Blue Willow are Alvin Abrams and Leslie Fried. Zachary D. Lyons photo. |
Blue Willow Teahouse Cafe offers World Peace, and more than fifty other varieties of the world's finest teas. You can sit down and nurse a pot, or you can buy some of your favorite in bulk, and bring it home to enjoy. The knowledgeable staff will help guide the novice through the myriad of choices. The tea aficionado can sample the many varieties (like six different Darjeelings), and find the one they like best to take home.
In the tea trade since 1989, Frank Miller opened his Blue Willow Tea Company in 1994. But Miller's dream has always been to create a space where people can interact with, and over, tea -- a space with special food, music and decor that would come to together with his teas to create a full experience. So he opened the teahouse last October, and in its first eight months it has developed an excellent following and a fine reputation. The menu is simple, with an Asian accent. We began with a pleasant pot of World Peace tea.
The Dharma Roll is their version of the classic Southeast Asian fresh roll, consisting of rice paper wrapped around noodles, greens and sprouts with a peanut dipping sauce. We had ours with shrimp. Honestly, I have never met a fresh roll I didn't like, and this one was no different. The Spicy Fishcakes were indeed spicy, though gently so. Fried, they came sided with vegetables pickled in a spicy Korean style, and a nice sweet dipping sauce. Dragon Well Rice comes nicely seasoned with pickled daikon and adzuki beans, sided with a plate of lightly steamed and sauteed vegetables and tofu, and with a bowl of broth. You take a little rice, top it with some vegetables, and drizzle on some broth for a simple, clean, delicious mouthful. Garlic Rice with Chicken, Ting's Lunch Special that day, is one of those dishes responsible for the wonderful smells I always encounter here. Rice is lightly fried up with lots of garlic. Place a slice of the fried breast meat atop the rice, then drizzle it with sweet sauce for a taste explosion.
Our lunch was so relaxing that two hours had passed without us noticing. And the food is so clean and well balanced that we found ourselves quite comfortable after eating quite a lot.
Blue Willow offers what Miller calls a "semi-formal, British influenced American afternoon tea" from 3 - 5 p.m. daily by reservation only. Enjoy housemade finger food goodies from the kitchen, and the in-house baker, served on a three-tiered tray with your tea. As for the baked goods, we tried the ginger bread, which came topped with ginger whipped cream. It was light, and moist, and not at all overbearing.
Blue Willow Teahouse Cafe, 1024 E Pike St, 325-5140, Tuesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., $.
Century Ballroom cook Joel Leshefka stirs it up. Zachary D. Lyons photo. |
Hallie Kupperman opened Century Ballroom Dine & Dance some five years ago, in the spectacular second floor ballroom of the grand old Oddfellows Hall at 10th & E Pine Street. Back then, some predicted her salsa and swing lessons and dances would never last. Now it is the biggest salsa venue in town, attracting hundreds on Thursday and Saturday nights. On Wednesday and Sunday nights, swing is king. Sundays are all ages, and dance lessons are at 9 p.m. before the dancing begins each night. Then dance until 1 a.m. The dancing is free with the purchase of dinner on Thursdays.
Yes, dinner. Melissa Nyffeler ably presides over Century Ballroom's tiny kitchen and dining room. She and her staff use just a conventional electric range, and a small commercial oven, to do most of their cooking. No gas flames in this old, wooden building. What they turn out is always inspired, and plain good eating.
Spanish-style Marinated Chicken came moist and tender, roasted with Spanish olives and prunes, and served over outrageous garlic mashed potatoes, with a delicious herbed olive oil-and-white wine sauce. Red lentils are simmered in coconut milk with yams, potatoes, onions and golden raisins, and served with a basmati rice made with whole grain rice in the Red Lentil Curry, making for a hearty, nutty, well-balanced dish. We also had Bruschetta topped with goat cheese, caramelized onions and fresh basil. An original twist on the Italian classic, the ingredients worked together exceptionally well. Even our side salads were remarkable.
Baked goods, like cakes, bread and cookies, come from the Belltown baking gurus at Macrina, but try Melissa's own dessert creations if any are left. I had to fight her boss for the last Espresso Creme Brulee. I won, and it rocked. Century Ballroom serves coffee beverages and lunches, including salads, sandwiches and fresh soups, during the day, and on Sunday, come for the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet for a mere $8.95!
Note that the menu changes every month or two. You can look up the latest menu at www.centuryballroom.com, but I suggest you just come back often and try what's new, as it's all good.
Century Ballroom, 915 E Pine St, 320-8458, Wednesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. & 6 - 11 p.m., and Sunday Brunch, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Sunday dinner, 6 - 11 p.m, full bar available, $-$$.
Reader Comments
Discuss this article in the forums!
| Janis | Feb 05, 2005 | Seattle | |
| What happened to Blue Willow? | |||
| James | Apr 20, 2005 | Seattle | |
| Janis asked, "What happened to Blue Willow?" The people who owned the cafe sold the mail order business with the name, and were obliged to change the name of the cafe. It became "Chazen". Then one very hot summer Chazen closed "temporarily", but it never reopened. There is a new cafe at the same place that has a large selection of teas, but I don't know what relation it has with the original owners. James | |||
| Frank Miller | May 20, 2005 | Chiangmai, Thailand | Retired Tea Taster |
| Just read Jame's comment here and wanted to supply current information: I was past owner, with ex-wife, Chris Higashi, and others, of Blue Willow/Chazen Teahouse. Yes, it was a great place - even I loved it! - but, by June 30 2003, the handwriting was on the wall; the financial side just would not fly. So, in spite of the great tea, lovely food and beautiful motivation, we had to shut the doors. Sorry, James, and sorry, Seattle. sixpersimmons@gmail.com | |||
