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Good Food
Good FoodRose Club Refreshes Traditional Comfort Food
By Zachary D. Lyons
Aug 15, 2002 -- Although I moved to Seattle in 1985, I just recently found the Mount Baker neighborhood. I suppose the hidden nature of Mount Baker explains why some many city and county politicians have lived here over the years.Well, people of Seattle, I have found at least one very good reason (other than honking at politicians) for you to find Mount Baker, too: The Rose Club Cafe. Owner Kimberly Robinson's creative, lightly treading, rather green way of looking at things perfectly balances any elected officials' over-developer-friendly energy in the 'hood.
First, how to find Mount Baker: go east on Yesler Way until you reach 31st Avenue South, then turn right on that arterial. It rides up along the top of Leschi and into Mount Baker. Turn left when you reach McClellan, and you will drop down into the many parks of this beautiful area. The Rose Club sits amidst them, where McClellan intersects Mount Baker Boulevard.
Seattle's best organic breakfast at the Rose Club. Zachary D. Lyons photo. |
An April in-flight magazine featured actor Tim Robbins blathering about all things Seattle... sort of. While I disagreed with much of his advice, I agree with him about breakfast at the Rose Club. He called it the "best organic breakfast in town." I am guessing Robbins did not thoroughly research the question, but their breakfast is certainly darned good, and worth the trip.
Kimberly does strive to use as many organic ingredients at the Rose Club as possible, and her bakers use organic grains to make all the morning pastries, and even their own challa. Though the Rose Club opened in January 2001, this morning ritual of fresh pastries and hot beverages has gone on in the space for some 20 years. Kimberly even held over some recipes and bakers from the previous tenant, Baker's Beach Cafe.
We tried the French Toast, made with that house challa, and sided with nice local breakfast links. A generous, while not overwhelming serving dusted with powered sugar and drizzled with plenty of syrup, it hits the spot--indeed one of the best in town. The Dressed Homefries start with a base of the Rose Club's lightly seasoned, simple homefried spuds. Topped with cheese, sour cream and bacon, they are basic, stick-to-your-ribs morning goodness. And they can be ordered meatless. Other breakfasts include a few Frittatas, a Primavera Scramble and a Tofu Scramble.
Thoughtful Food
Whatever meal you come for, dishes are well-conceived, while simple, allowing all the flavors to shine, without burying them in heavy sauces. And they are health and environment-conscious, without being in-your-face about it. Indeed, portions may appear smaller than at other places, but they are indeed filling. Kimberly just works hard to reduce waste. With only ten tables, she easily builds freshness into her menus, while not having to over-order, like the big guys.
Her menu changes several times a year, accounting for seasonal availability of local, Washington-grown ingredients, and weekly specials feature the freshest of the harvest available at the Columbia City Farmers Market, to which she and her staff bicycle to do their buying. Kimberly uses almost all Rainier Valley businesses to supply the Rose Club, hosts monthly art shows on her walls at no cost to the artists, occasional Sunday musical performances, and even sponsors the local vintage bicycle club, which explains the one non-local beer on her menu--Colorado's Fat Tire. After all, they sponsor the vintage bicycle club, too.
Delicious Dinner Dining
Freshness is indeed on display at dinner time. You will start off with some Tall Grass Bakery organic artisan breads, often delivered by their Ballard bakers on their way home to, well, Mount Baker, of course. (Kimberly says that those artisan loaves are just too intensive for her staff to make around all the other things they create, so they leave it up to the best. That goes for donuts, too, which come from Top Pot on Capitol Hill.) Next up, we enjoyed fresh-wrapped spring rolls, full of crisp veggies to dip in a nice lemon hoisin sauce. Fresh, crunchy hearts of romaine lettuce come topped with wonderful chunks of blue cheese and spicy toasted pecans.
The pan-seared Alaskan sockeye salmon, sprinkled lightly with kosher salt, was prepared simply, letting the brilliant fish do the talking. It sat atop a bed of braised red chard which soaked up the salty-salmon flavor exquisitely. Surrounding it, in a puddle of delicious broth, sat crispy thyme gnocchi that were just plain wonderful. Fresh black pepper fettuccini from Cucina Fresca came tossed with roasted red beets, red chard and chevre. It combined ingredients I love on their own, and I was delightfully surprised to find them work even better together. The pasta, beets and chard gently mixed with the fresh goat cheese as we worked the bowl with fork and spoon, each flavor standing strong on its own while effectively complementing its companions. And as for the portion sizes versus waste issue, we had satisfied appetites and no leftovers, meaning no leftover containers to throw out later, and none for the Rose Club to have to buy in the first place.
The staff is wonderful and attentive--another thing 10 tables assists. Expect to wait for a table on weekends, and remember that breakfast is served until 3 p.m. every day... and they serve a good lunch, too. Don't forget your cookie on the way out!
I am so glad I finally found Mount Baker and Kimberly Robinson's little oasis amidst the lush, East Coast style parks. She truly has done a terrific job with this place, and I look forward to bringing my movie star friends here, if I ever get any. Maybe I'll take my brother. Afterwards, we can honk our horns outside some former city council members' houses.
The Rose Club Cafe, 3601 S. McClellan St, 725-3654, Open for breakfast and lunch Monday--Friday, 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. (food starts at 8 a.m.), Saturday & Sunday, 7 a.m. - 3 p.m., dinner Sunday--Thursday (except Tuesday), 5:30 - 9:30 p.m., Friday & Saturday, 5:30 - 10 p.m., breakfast & lunch--$, dinner--$$. For more info on art shows, music, and vintage bike events, email roseclub@worldnet.att.net.
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