I would first like to thank Andrew Mason, founder of Groupon, for inviting me to try new restaurants I would have otherwise glazed over. And what's better, I get to eat for 50% off! The other night, my friend Nicole and I had dinner at Emmer and Rye in Queen Anne, but my dining experience began as early as 3 pm. When I looked up their website to get their phone number and explore their gourmet menu, I learned that I could make the reservation right on their homepage, perfect! Thanks for saving my time.
When we arrived, I noticed this was no ordinary restaurant but a once-upon-a-time cozy house, reminding me of one of my favorite Seattle restaurants, Tilth in Wallingford. The hostess was friendly and our waitress was accomodating, allowing us to cross-examine her and the menu until we found exactly what we wanted. One thing I liked about the menu was that everything could be ordered as a half or full plate, allowing it's patrons to extend their options and try multiple dishes without worry of filling up. Everything was delicious but the one of two dishes that stuck with me was the Charred Octopus Salad with fennel, grapefruits, oranges, and aged Kentucky ham. The octopus was charred with aromatic intensity and countered with juicy citrus, all strung together with pieces of fennel. This dish lasted about 2 minutes and my only regret was not ordering the full size.
The second plate that tied the race was the Garlicky Clams, a dish that Californians would find in the town of Gilroy or at the Stinking Rose. I don't normally order clams, but the description with chillies and baguette and the waitress' adamant love for the dish made it a necessity. The luscious clams were permeated with vibrant spices and a flavorful seafood broth. After cleaning the shells, I didn't even have time to cast a rod for the swimming clams. Our waitress brought us more baguette, courtesy of Macrina Bakery, allowing me to trawl for the clams while enjoying the broth soaked bread in every bite. The half portion was a generous size and a great dish for sharing. Thank you Emmer and Rye for a great dining experience.
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