Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we joined two wild-and-crazy friends for a movie at the Harvard Exit (Slumdog MIllionaire–highly recommended–Spencer and I both gave it four out of five stars) followed by dinner at Jerry Traunfeld’s (former, long-time chef at The Herbfarm) new restaurant, Poppy. The place has been open several months, and while we were embarrassed that this was our first foray, I really prefer to give new restaurants some time to work out the kinks. And glad to report, we weren’t disappointed.

The space along Broadway atop Capitol Hill is clicking along with good energy, big crowds (reservations are a must on Friday and Saturday nights), and assured (and gracious) service. Not least of all is the very creative menu and inspired wine pairings, as well as cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle.

To start, we began with the Eggplant Fries with Sea Salt & Honey, the perfect combo of pillow-soft, thinly sliced eggplant drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sea salt. I’m not sure how Jerry makes this dish–perhaps similar to Pommes Frites where the potatoes are fried once, allowed to drain, then fried again just before serving (?). Anyway, however they are made, they are totally addictive.

All four of us opted for the Thali of the day, which was titled, “A Thali After the Holiday” ($32). In inspired twists on traditional Thanksgiving offerings, it included Potato, Leek, and Taggia Olive Soup; Rosemary-Ginger Yams with Spiced Coconut and a divine fillo-wrapped Cranberry “Cigar;” and Mushroom Marjoram Bread Pudding–yum. Salads included a refreshing Persimmon, Fennel, and Chervil Salad; Shaved Cauliflower with Buddha Hand (not sure what that was, but it added an intriguing flavor sensation); and Fennel Lemon Pickle. Five-Seed Kale was the seasonal veggie, while the large British Columbia Scallop with Vanilla Parsnip Purée and Saffron Cider Sauce (topped with gently fried shallot rings) was my favorite protein on the plate. Quail from the Tandoor was perfectly cooked–flavorfully spiced and moist–and rested on a rich, yet bright Pomegranate Walnut Sauce. 

If we’d wanted to go entirely vegetarian, or simply trade out one or two of the dishes, substitutions of a Leek Blintz with Chestnuts and Porcini or Swiss Chard and Chanterelle Gratin were available. 

There was also A Smali After the Holiday, choice of one dish served with soup, cauliflower, yams, pickle, bread pudding, and the cigar ($22). 

The neat thing (literally and figuratively) about eating in the Thali style (eight or nine small dishes on a large platter–it originated in India, which is where chef Jerry discovered it about a year ago) is that everyone gets his or her own large platter with all the dishes. No sharing à la the recent wave of “small plates,” “tapas,” “pintxos,” “mezes,” or whatever else you want to call them. No accidental stabbing of hands or slicing of fingers as everyone at the table tries to snatch a tiny bite of the Lilliputan-sized dish before it is all gone. No more going home half-starved because you never get enough to eat. Dining Thali-style is a revelation!

Two Sweet Thalis for Two allowed our party of four to taste through almost all of pastry chef Dana Cree’s (former Veil and The Ruins) incredible dessert delights. The little kid in me loved the Malted Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with a rich fudge sauce, while the adult side swooned over the Pear and Sour Cherry Crumble with Blue Cheese Ice Cream (chef Jerry’s fave dessert–an exquisite melding of sweet and savory). Like the main-dish Thali, the Sweet Thali included interesting side dishes to nibble and sip: Pear Rosemary Soup, Chocolate Caramel Truffle, Coconut Haystack (like the best coconut macaroon you’ve ever tasted!), and Spiced Toffee Cashews.

There’s even a Thali Wine Flight ($14) that included a nicely dry but flavorful French Chablis, A to Z 2007 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, and Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte Red, a red blend from the Columbia Valley. Our server encouraged us to try each of the wines with the different dishes–there were no set pairings or “right” or “wrong”–which took the pressure off and added to the sense of discovery and fun during the meal.

After a glass of Andrew Rich Late-Harvest Gewürzt for me, and a final pour of the Oregon Pinot or the red blend for my fellow diners, we were amazed to see it was 11 o’clock, and we’d passed a very pleasant two-plus hours tasting through Poppy’s outstanding offerings. We also all agreed that dining Thali-style at such reasonable prices in a contemporary, yet warm, urban setting will have the crowds, and us, clamoring for more, and often!

Poppy

622 Broadway East at Roy

Seattle, WA  98102

206.324.1108