Eureka!

Strike gold

New to the University Village (it's going wild out there-go walk around), Eureka! is a chain out of California that takes their concept of burgers, beer and bourbon to a whole new level. Seattle is their first non-California location.

The first thing you may notice is their service. As GM Danny Wasserman* explains, "Although we provide a casual atmosphere, we offer fine dining service. Not stuffy or formal, but we pay a lot of attention to our guests. When a party is seated, the host leaves a piece of lined paper on the table. It alerts the rest of the staff that a new party has arrived and someone on the staff needs to connect with the guest within 30 seconds. The staff is trained to notice everything: if a guest orders iced tea and removes the lemon, when the guest gets a refill, there will be no lemon. Glasses are placed on the right-hand side. If a guest is left-handed and moves it to the left, that's where it will be placed next time." You can tell the atmosphere is not overly stuffy as staff members wear shirts with sayings like "Whiskey Makes Me Frisky" and "No Crap on Tap."

Because they take their American craft beer seriously, every employee has to be certified as a Cicerone Certified Beer Server. Cicerones are similar to sommeliers: after certification, they know flavors, styles and service as well as proper storage. Although some employees may never actually serve beer, they are ready to answer any questions guests may have. Eureka! offers 40 beers on tap along with seasonals.

In addition to beer, they offer Prohibition-style cocktails and fresh-squeezed juices. The full bar offers everything, but their signature cocktails are well worth the tasting. They feature rare and ultra-premium whiskey made by some of America's best artisans.

They're equally serious about finding locally-sourced produce; fresh-baked bread; and 100% vegetarian fed, hormone and antibiotic free, all-natural beef. We're not talking local to their California locations; they find local sources for each location, and they create new dishes for their menus at each location. For instance, the Seattle menu offers Puget Sound steamers, and a pan-fried lump crab cake over mixed greens with beets and asparagus in a lemon vinaigrette versus the King crab sliders on some California menus. Their burgers are a proprietary blend of meat, an 80/20 blend of chuck to fat, from Painted Hills in Oregon. Burgers are 7 ounces, so bring your appetite. Fries are hand cut Kennebec potatoes, precisely ¾" to best retain heat. Potatoes are rinsed three times to remove the starch. They also offer sweet potato fries.

Beyond burgers, there are gourmet salads (some quite healthy or light: watermelon salad, kale salad), signature sandwiches and signature entrees like chicken saltimbocca, beer braised duck, pulled pork sandwich and pan-seared salmon. Sauces are made fresh in-house: cheddar IPA, spicy porter mustard, ketchup with celery seed, balsamic glaze, and a spicy buttermilk ranch served with onion rings. Desserts are the least of their concern, but just as much care goes into the two they offer: a butterscotch pudding with homemade whipping cream and caramel sauce, and a chocolate espresso soufflé coffee cup cake served with ice cream. If you ask, they'll make you a sundae.

They like to use the term "eater-tainment" and there's a reason. They want "regulars" and know they have to offer stimulation beyond their service-driven beverage and food programs. Eureka! offers sports bar amenities without the feel of a sports bar. They have both NBA and NFL packages. They opened early on Seahawk game days. In addition, they offer events like Steal the Glass days where you can meet beer purveyors, then take home the special glassware accompanying the featured beer. There's a live music night with local musicians, and they work with music agencies to produce their house play lists.

 Prices are reasonable, especially considering the quality and services they offer. There's always a $3 beer on tap and a rotating 'board of beers'. And they have all of us in their sights: families, couples, singles, young, old, male, female. They're also hitting the re-usable, sustainable concept in terms of design. At the U Village location, the communal tables and the bench at the front door are made from wood from a shipping mill in Tacoma. The reclaimed wood walls lining the dining room are from a shipping mill in San Diego.

Seating ranges from the main dining room, the bar (counter, rail and communal), and an outdoor patio with plastic window enclosures that are removed in nice weather. The patio can also be used as a private room. Restaurant windows slide open along the patio for an open feel. And, naturally, there are heat lamps on the patio.

Eureka! started in 2009 when a couple of real estate guys had property they couldn't sell. One had a father-in-law in the restaurant business in Manhattan Beach. Although the "burger bubble" had about been reached, they thought they could do something with an epicurean twist. They opened in Redlands with beer and wine, no spirits, and have never looked back. Four years later, Eureka! Restaurant Group plans to open in downtown Seattle, and they're keeping their eye on our eastside, probably Bellevue.

With their focus on brown liquor, including access to the apparently hardest whiskey to come by in the world, Pappy Van Winkel; burgers and artisan dishes; craft beer;  high-end service; and fun events, they're a group to be watched and enjoyed.

Eureka!
University Village
206- 812-9655

www.eurekarestaurantgroup.com

February 2014