Waterfront Seafood Grill
Where To Take The Out-of-Towners
Nothing says seafood like Seattle and nothing says Seattle
like Waterfront Seafood Grill.
Sweeping vistas of water and mountains, plus a menu
focused on Northwest favorites along with some surprises, make Waterfront
Seafood Grill the spot to pick when favoring fish and shellfish … and did I say
beef. A real crowd-pleaser, this waterside location and sunny service style hits
the mark.
When out-of-town relatives and visitors ask for restaurant
recommendations in Seattle, I
often have to ponder about the person’s style, what their
preconceived notions might be and the location of their lodging. Not so when
considering a recommendation to Waterfront Seafood
Grill. Seafood enthusiasts and aficionados, along with
those craving a more landed fare - each
find selections to savor at Waterfront Seafood Grill. This
menu, along with the central location and valet parking, make Waterfront Seafood
Grill an easy recommendation to make.
Perched on Elliott Bay at the tip of Pier 70, the
restaurant ambiance is rooted in warm elegance. Taking advantage of its
waterfront location, Waterfront Seafood Grill sports floor to ceiling windows
which frame the restaurant’s 270-degree panorama. Table views take in Elliott
Bay, Magnolia Bluff, West Seattle, and the Space Needle. The Olympic Mountains
are also visible when they want to be.
True Northwest style exudes throughout the dining room.
Pinecone-themed chandeliers lend a graceful nuance to the ceiling. Structural
support beams, decorated in comforting copper tones, are showcased as an
architectural element rather than hindering the aesthetics of the main dining
room.
A new menu premiered in the fall of 2002 under the
direction of Executive Chef Ken Sharp, who took the helm last summer following
Vicky McCaffree’s departure, returning to Yarrow Bay Grill in Kirkland. The
focus is on food that is fresh. Chef specialties include a combination of
composed plates, crustaceans and beef selections. Fish, simply grilled ($19.95 -
$25.95), serves as the backbone of the menu with daily selections taking
advantage of what is currently available "a beautiful piece of fish simply
grilled," says the menu.
Being perched on a pier gives Waterfront Seafood Grill
guests the feeling of being out on
the water, cityscape behind, Elliott Bay and its vistas
ahead. Two private dining rooms wow out-of-towners and Seattleites alike with
stunning views. The dine-fest continues outdoors on the 4,000-square-foot deck.
Backing up all this beauty is exquisitely fresh fish,
oysters, crab, lobster and steaks. It is obvious that loads of attention is paid
to the details of selecting these gems from the sea and farm.
The tone of the Waterfront Seafood Grill experience is set
at the entrance doors. To the right, the Shellfish Bar tempts diners with an
array of shrimp, oysters, clams, crab and lobster artfully placed on ice. It is
not surprising the restaurant hosts a Family Seafood Fest every Sunday. On the
left is the heart of the open kitchen - the charcoal broiler. An actual working
kitchen, this element allows guests to feel the thrill of the grill at a safe
distance. Center stage, a piano player fills the dining room with soothing
background dinner music aimed at quelling the most jangled of nerves.
As our party was seated, our Eastern visitors commented on
how much space was allowed between tables. "It is possible to have a private
dinner without ‘neighbors’ eavesdropping," one exclaimed. During that weeknight
visit, several large groups were in the dining room, yet the table spacing
allowed for our quiet celebration to proceed undisturbed.
Neither the combination of the room’s ambiance, the fresh
food, nor the spectacular view could make the evening perfect without Waterfront
Seafood Grill’s doting staff. From captain, Michael Gibbons, to the servers and
the busboys, guests do not go wishing for a thing. This service is punctuated
with several menu items prepared tableside. This is a hallmark of the restaurant
group Waterfront Seafood Grill belongs to, which includes the El Gaucho
restaurants in Seattle and Tacoma. Made-to-order Caesar salad and an Emerald
City Volcano, Waterfront Seafood Grill’s signature version of the traditional
baked Alaska, are just two of the expressly-prepared selections adding theater
to the service.
Service also shines at the Shellfish Bar. A full
complement of fresh local oysters are available ($1-$1.95), ranging from the
flavorful Penn Cove Selects to the tantalizing Westcott Bay Petites. Chef Creek,
Snow Creek, Dabob Bay, Westcott Bay Flats and the popular Judd Cove were also
available the weekday evening we visited. Expertly shucked, leaving the meat
untouched to float on the oyster nectar cloud, the classic presentation spoke
volumes about the restaurant’s staff and their attention to the details that can
make or break such rituals as starting the meal with oysters.
The chef’s specialties on the new menu pose a challenge
for guests. Each is described so well it is hard to choose. While the Northwest
favorites of sesame seared Alaskan halibut ($24.95) and steamed Dungeness crab
($27.95) seemed the obvious choice, I could not pass up the meaty pan seared
tuna piccata ($23.95) prepared with capers, baby artichokes, lemon and butter.
The Thai seafood stew ($20.95) served in a heady lemongrass coconut broth also
made its way onto our table.
Another visit found our guest perplexed as whether to have
the Dungeness crab cocktail ($14.95) or the jumbo prawn cocktail ($13.95). Our
able server recommended the combination Prawn & Crab Cocktail so he could "enjoy
both special flavors." The same perplexed guest also favored the simply grilled
duo Copper River Salmon Sampler ($25.95) combining Sockeye and King specie on
one plated presentation.
It is perhaps the simply grilled fish offerings
($19.95-$25.95) that showcase the powerhouse Chef Sharp has assembled in the
kitchen. The fish are simply grilled and served with a choice of sun dried
tomato beurre blanc, orange fig relish, or for the fans of spicy hot, Jamaican
pineapple chutney. Classic herbed butters are also available on request to crown
the 12-ounce portions. This finishing method allows the singular flavor of the
fish to be the main attraction on the plate.
If some like the sea, some prefer the land. Waterfront
Seafood Grill’s sister restaurants, El Gaucho, offers three signature selections
($21.95 - $35.95) to please the beef barons at your waterside table. A tender
filet and lobster tail ($79.95) might also tempt land lovers wishing to venture
out into the surf.
To be sure to get that ‘dangle your feet in the water’
feeling window table, reservations are recommended. Otherwise the bar is a
comfortable spot to enjoy the scenery, the music and your favorite beverage
while waiting for your table.
   Mina
Williams/Summer 03
Fast Facts:
2801 Alaskan Way, Pier 70
Seattle
206.956.9171
www.elgaucho.com.
Open daily 4 – 7 p.m. Smoking allowed at the
bar. Live piano music nightly, live jazz Fridays beginning at 9 p.m. Two private
dining rooms available for lunch and dinner. Handicapped accessible. All major
credit cards accepted.
(icons: live entertainment, bar, outdoor dining, smoking
available)
|