We stopped into chef/owner Kevin Davis’s fabulous new Blueacre Seafood last Thursday evening after I had a long but productive meeting at The Seattle Times to discuss story ideas for 2011, and since we were leaving at dawn the next day for Victoria, BC, the larder was bare, and I was too lazy to cook at home.

We’d run into Kevin on the street the weekend before and he said we had to come in to see the new transparent blue glass that he’d recently installed in front of the kitchen to keep down noise and smells that were bothering diners sitting at the tables on the other side.

He said the new glass created a sort of aquarium effect. When we saw it with our own eyes, we couldn’t agree more. It’s a neat decor element that casts a warm glow over the booths below it, plus it matches the panels that rim the lower portion of the outside walls, so seems like it has been there from the get-go.

We had a truly wonderful dining experience that evening including a helpful and knowledgeable server; an excellent bottle of wine that paired well with all our dishes (the well-aged Sonoma Cutrer 2004 The Cutrer–more French-styled and Meursault-like than your typical California oak bomb); memorable salads (including the Windsor Court, named after the New Orleans Hotel of the same name); and three remarkable dishes (Idaho Trout, Alaskan Spot Prawns, and Hot-Smoked Salmon Cheesecake).

The cheesecake is destined to become one of Blueacre’s signature dishes, designed to rival Steelhead Diner’s divine and decadent Caviar Pie. Dense and richer than Bill Gates, it is even served with the same accoutrements: egg, capers, and red onion, plus one new and wonderful addition–chive sour cream.

Ian, our server, suggested we try the Salt-Baked Alaskan Spot Prawns, a steal of a deal on the appetizer menu at just $12.95. It was so generous in size and my Organic Baby Lettuce Salad with pears, a yummy lavender-infused goat cheese, candied walnuts, and lemon vinaigrette was so satisfying and filling, I chose it as my main course. Five perfectly fresh spots were first baked in their shells over a bed of salt, then stir-fried with a sweet-salty sauce made up of soy sauce, shallot, ginger, and black pepper. Asian-fusion perfection!

Idaho Stream-Raised Rainbow Trout “Grenobloise” (Spencer’s entrée) was another generous portion, served with a piccata sauce, herb salad, and pine-nut gremolata. Spencer ate every bite and was still raving about the dish days later.

We were thrilled to see Terresa Davis (Kevin’s wife) back in the house after having given birth to twin boys just six months ago. Seems like all the Davises’ recent “births” (boys and resto) are bright and bouncing!