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It’s summer in Seattle and the festivals are in bloom. Having recently been to a few, I’d like to give you a contrasting report about those who do it well, and those who could use an overhaul.

This last June Ray’s Boathouse celebrated its 30^th anniversary just wharf-side of the famous restaurant. Admission was $20 per person with all the proceeds benefiting Page Ahead, a children’s literacy group.

So who pays for all the food and drink then?

Ray’s ingeniously got all their food and beverage vendors to donate the goods, and what a delight it was. Roast beef, shrimp, crab, fruits, cheeses, chicken skewers, delectable desserts and wine and beer from some of the best local makers around. To top it off, Ray’s hired local music and the sun made a special appearance throughout the evening.

This was a display that showcased much of the best of the Northwest and indeed is a template for others interested in putting on a festivity that pays homage to the region.

The name is something of an oxymoron, unless you consider it just a little bite.

In terms of restaurants, the Bite of Seattle features less and less food from the finer restaurants that otherwise make up a great city for dining, instead, leaning heavily on the ethnic and snack vendors that you can find at Folklife, Bumbershoot, or your local street festivals.

You know - the gyro guy without a retail location, the shortcake guy, also without a retail location and hand me another one of those chicken skewers from that Mediterranean guy, who also is without a retail location.

While a few good ethinic rooms like Racha, Chutneys, Judy Fu’s and Cinnamon’s were plugged in, you’d have to wonder where all the big shots like Brasserie Margeux, Daniel’s, Serafina, Chandler’s, Ponti, Daniel’s, Axis and others were?

I guess I think of a name like The Bite of Seattle as a place to go to experience the best of Seattle Dining? Just a silly thought I suppose.

Instead, you get an almost pedestrian look at the city with vendors like Pagliacci, Qdoba, Fatburger and Ivars. Might as well invite Kidd Valley, Dick’s and Burgermaster next year.

While the chef sessions during The Bite Cooks showcase feature some of the cities finer masters, you won’t be tasting what they’re whipping up onstage… But you can enter to win an Alaskan Cruise.

The coffee vendor was once again Millstone, famous for their Java Shakes, but they pour a mediocre cup of Joe otherwise. Where were some of the city’s better coffee makers like Caffe Vita, Vivaci, or even Tully’s for that matter.

Millstone is just the beginning of what seems like a walk through the isles of QFC. QFC was this year’s primary sponsor, a national grocer who seems to have a hard time maintaining inventory on local goods like Isernio’s chicken apple breakfast sausage.

So are we really getting a bite of Seattle here - or just a trip through a generic grocery chain? A look at the sponsor page in this years program includes names like Kellog’s, Rolaids, Gatorade, Klondike and Lawry’s – all businesses that got their start right here in Seattle?! - Yeah, right!!!!

The beer and wine choices were astonishing on their own level. Let’s start with the beer choices.

This is the bite of Seattle – right? So the beer served up at this years festival included Labatt’s Blue (Canada’s Budweiser), Rolling Rock (Midwest moose urine), Dos Equis & Tecate (Mexico’s Budweiser) and Lowenbrau (Germany’s Budweiser). Not a Seattle or Washington microbrew in site, unless you count the fact that Tom Douglas was pouring Redhook into his sloppy joe mix!!!

On to the wine, which was much like a trip to the Circle K. For local wines you had your choice of Paul Thomas and Covey Run. Beyond that we got real worldly with California’s Talus, Australia’s Alice White and Chili’s VSC. Just about all these wines can be purchased for an average cost of six dollars a bottle at any 7 Eleven or Texaco Food Mart and provide serious headaches requiring at least two aspirins in the morning. Where were the real wines that reflect Seattle and Washington State? Where was L’Ecole 41, Chatter Creek, Hedges or even Barnard Griffin? MIA!

The whole Bite stinks of corporate muckiness and is doing nothing but providing an unappreciated watered down look at our city by any regional food lover’s standards.

It’s time to retool this festival, get back some of the great restaurants, great wine makers and brewers, and knock it off with the ivory tower glut.

See you on the wharfside at Ray’s for the next anniversary party.

Patrick Thomas/Summer 03

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