One of the highlights of the month of January was a tour of KOMO TV’s studios at Fisher Plaza near downtown Seattle. Many of you know the sleek, modern building as the home of Seattle Grace Hospital on the popular Grey’s Anatomy television show. And while we didn’t see McDreamy or any of the other cast members (who haven’t done any filming at KOMO during the past two years, according to our tour guide), we did get up close and personal with KOMO’s super-star anchor Mary Nam and its effervescent weatherman, Steve Pool, during a taping of KOMO 4 News@4PM.

Above is Mary and 425 magazine’s style editor, Alexandra Hedin, chatting before they do a segment on creative ideas for Superbowl parties. Alexandra was just one week away from having a baby, and her husband had begged her to bag the segment, but she went on like a trooper.

And here is Steve (resident gourmet and wine lover) sampling Pizza and Nacho Rolls, an easy Superbowl snack. Complete recipes and tips are on the 425 Web site.

I must admit, I’m more of a tea drinker than coffee imbiber. My daily tea habit runs the gamut from a healthful green tea/Red Zinger mix during the early morning to bracing black tea with 2% milk the rest of the day.

But a recent informal coffee tasting at Fonté Micro Coffee Roaster on First Avenue, right across from the Seattle Art Museum, set me to thinking about the similarities between wine tasting and coffee cupping. According to Fonté master coffee roaster Steve Smith, body (the way the coffee feels in your mouth), acidity (or liveliness), and aroma (depth) lead to coffee flavor (the overall perception of acidity, aroma, and body). As with wine, the finish (how the coffee tastes after it leaves your mouth) is also a major factor in enjoying and appreciating your cuppa Joe.

Smith demonstrated what he was talking about by tasting me through four different coffees including Bin 16 (Fonté’s signature blend), El Socorro y Anexos (the 2009 Cup of Excellence winner), and Fonté Holiday Blend (described as “a heavily bodied cup with a pleasant ‘wine-y’ brightness).

Thanks to its price tag alone, I was most intrigued by the beautifully named La Esmeralda Geisha, which translates as “the emerald geisha.” Smith said this complex, single-estate, very-limited-production coffee from Panama exhibits prominent acidity along with lovely aromatics including notes of jasmine. Annual production is only 125 bags, and so it sells for $49.95 per half pound!

The coffee is so exclusive, that during the holidays there was a limit of one-half-pound per customer, and sales benefitted the Pike Place Market Foundation. The Market Foundation funds the four social-service agencies in the Pike Place Market: the Downtown Food Bank, Medical Clinic, Senior Center, and Preschool and Child Care. This fundraising effort was and is a perfect example of the neighborhood spirit surrounding Pike Place!

From the moment it started coming out of the ground, the proverbial buzz began to build (so to speak) around the 5th and Madison building (appropriately named since it’s located in downtown Seattle at Fifth Avenue and Madison Street). The new condominium complex, located smack-dab in the center of Seattle’s downtown Financial District and across the street from the Rem Koolhaas-designed downtown Seattle Public Library, is a gorgeous glass monolith with an large outdoor plaza with water features and greenery–a favorite play space for the building’s resident dogs.

About the only thing lacking in the glitzy development was an upscale restaurant. Answering the clarion call came the third location of the “Napa-Valley-inspired” Sip. at the wine bar & restaurant, whose two other locations are in Issaquah and Gig Harbor.

On one of the coldest days of winter so far, a Wednesday in early December, we met friends who actually live at Fifth & Madison for a quick drink and tour of their condo before heading down the elevator and out the door to Sip.

Immediately, we were taken with the restaurant’s dramatic design, from the living-room-like feel of the “Great Room” to the expansive wall of wine to the bold and whimsical wine-related artwork on the walls. Warm, earthy hues and plush leathers dominate; a bustling vibe and interesting blend of people–from downtown office workers to downtown-dwelling empty nesters to 20-somethings out for drinks and apps–adds to an atmosphere of relaxed, adult sophistication. An added bonus? Northwest jazz musicians perform live on Thursday evenings.

According to a press release: “Guests will find a cozy yet stylish ambiance with an impressive wine selection and distinctly flavorful food,” says founder Lane Scelzi. “Many wineries in Napa Valley capture that feeling and that’s what we’ve achieved with Sip., all while adding our own distinct Northwest flavor.”

At the heart of Sip. Seattle sits a huge, granite-topped bar that overlooks both the dining area and the patio. I can’t wait to try Sip during the summer, since  the patio–one of the most expansive outdoor dining spaces in all of downtown–features a fireplace, a lush grassy area, and views of Elliott Bay.

Now. . .enough with the bells and whistles–let’s get down to the food. Here’s the Bibb Salad, a towering mound of whole Bibb lettuce, marinated tomatoes, Nueskie’s smoked bacon, Point Reyes blue cheese, and Dungeness Crab. Sauced with Point Reyes blue cheese dressing, it was so plentiful, I could gladly have eaten this as my main course!

My meat-eating hubby highly recommended the Short Ribs, which the well-written menu describes as, “boneless ribs, parmesan “jo-jos,” arugula salad, meyer lemon, gremolata, parmigiano, and red-wine braising jus.” Discussion around the table centered around exactly what “jo-jos” are. I’ve always thought they were simply flour-coated (so they stay nice and crispy), deep-fried potato wedges that originated on the West Coast. I was introduced to them at the old Deluxe Bar-B-Que in the Pike Place Market, although since that space has morphed into a sushi joint, I haven’t seen them in the take-away case in years.

I was in the mood for Black Cod, a.k.a. Sablefish, a fish I reported on in one of my recent Seattle Times Taste columns. This rendition skewed traditionally Asian, with a red-miso marinade, edamame wasabi “mash,” herb daikon slaw, fried shallots, cilantro oil, and sweet-chili butter. And even though it looked like a bit of a mash-up, the elements flowed as harmoniously as a Japanese fountain.

The female half of our dynamic-dining duo ordered the Jidori Chicken Confit. For those of you who don’t know, Jidori is a trademarked name of a very special type of chicken beloved by chefs in the know. According to the Jidori Web site, their birds “are raised cage-free, fed all-natural grain with no meat by-products, and without any hormones or steroids.” There must be something to their claims, since our friend, a long-time foodie and wine lover, pronounced the dish well prepared and the chicken very tasty. The “cured natural heirloom chicken hind quarter” was served with roasted-garlic mashers, brown-butter-basted Brussels-sprouts salad (the leaves painstakingly separated from their cores like frilly miniature lettuce leaves!), and garlic butter.

Sated and happy, we passed on dessert (as we usually do) in favor of finishing the last dregs of our bottle of Washington-state red wine. But I must admit that the Roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake and the Hot Buttered Rum Brulée were tempting sweet options.

As you’d expect, Sip’s beverage program is impressive. The restaurant features nearly 70 wines by the glass; more than 250 bottles from the Pacific Northwest, California, and around the globe; a wide range of red, white, rosé wine, and champagne flights; nearly 15 domestic and imported beers; and cocktails made with fresh and natural ingredients.

Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, happy hour is offered Monday through Friday 4:30 to 6:30.

Cheers to Sip. Seattle, and welcome to the neighborhood!

Back during the holidays, on a Saturday night when the shoppers were out in full force, we made the BIG mistake of not making a dinner reservation. Turned away at several places, we finally took our chances at Il Fornaio’s Risotteria (the smaller downstairs location, not the more formal upstairs–and what we refer to as “baby” Fornaio).

Noticing two seats at the counter overlooking the sous chefs and busy line, we asked if they were available. And, very luckily for us, they were!

Above is the always-dependable Insalata di Spinaci–Fresh organic baby spinach, along with walnuts, mushrooms, applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes, onions, and aged ricotta, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette.

And here’s the Minestrone Soup that comes from “big” Fornaio that our server was nice enough to go up and fetch for us.

Spaghetti al Frutti di Mare–Long, thin pasta with clams, mussels, scallops, squid, shrimp, tomato, garlic,
chili flakes, marinara, and white wine was my main. While not loaded with seafood, the tomato sauce was rich and satisfying, and I took home half the pasta for the next night’s seafood soup.

Pollo allo Spiedo–rotisserie chicken served with a plume of rosemary–was a large portion and perfectly cooked. Sautéed kale and roasted potatoes were ample sides.

A bottle of Ripasso (sometimes considered a sister wine to Amarone) went down far too easily and soon we found ourselves making our way through the madding crowds and back into the cold wintery night.

If you are planning a trip to New York City this month, don’t miss a visit to the venerable James Beard House on January 20 for the Northwestern Seafood Extravaganza presented by our friend Ethan Stowell, chef/owner/founder of Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook a Wolf, Tavolàta, and Union.

From the first days of Union, we predicted Ethan’s meteoric rise. Here’s a link to a television interview I did for Seattle PBS station KCTS’s “About the Money” that discusses Ethan’s rise in the Seattle restaurant scene. Congratulations, Ethan!

Tickets for JBF Members are $125; General Public $165.

One of our “go-to” places, especially this time of year when we need an fun, festive place to meet friends for drinks and a bite, is TASTE Restaurant at the Seattle Art Museum. Danielle Custer, our friend, colleague, fellow Seattle Dame, über-talented chef, wine expert, and general manager of TASTE, runs a tight ship along with executive chef Craig Hetherington, with an emphasis on local, fresh, seasonal food products and wines.

Happy Hour, which runs 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the days the restaurant and museum are open (Tuesday through Sunday), is a real deal, with every item on the bar menu costing just $6. Here’s one of my faves–Griddled Cheese & Roasted Tomato Soup Shot, which normally sells for $9. Certainly puts Campbell’s and Velveeta to shame.

The boys in the group each ordered two Mini Organic Beef Burgers & Fries with Cumin Gouda, Dijon Aïoli, and Spicy Pickled Red Onions. (The sliders usually go for $6 for one, $9 for two, and $12 for three.) Unfortunately, the guys weren’t in a sharin’ kind of mood, so I snagged nary a bite nor a single fry!

Pastry chef Lucy Damkoehler was kind enough to send out her Dolci di Taste, a dessert trio in honor of the current Michelangelo exhibit. It included two light-as-air lemon cannolis, Winter Squash Crostata (a savory-leaning butternut-squash rustic tart), and my favorite–Hazelnut Gelato with a crunchy nut crust.

A bottle (or two!) of Lange Estate 2005 “Three Hills Cuvée” Pinot Noir ($67) from the Willamette Valley, paired perfectly with our savory items.

All the strange windy, snowy, wet weather of late has sparked some gorgeous sunsets in late afternoon, once the clouds have lifted and the sun gets a few hours to shine.

Here’s a sunset over Elliott Bay from last week that really knocked our socks off. Shades of purple and magenta and royal blue and cotton-candy pink surround the golden horizon. . .

My friend, colleague, and fellow Seattle Dame Gwen Bassetti, is the founder of Grand Central Baking Company in Seattle, which has since sprouted branches elsewhere in Seattle and also in Portland.

Gwen has long since turned daily operations over to the next generation, and the happy news is that daughter Piper Davis is just out with a lovely new tome entitled (appropriately) The Grand Central Baking Book.

Published by Ten Speed Press, it’s chock full of recipes from the bakery, family favorites, and glorious photos. This is a book for every baker’s shelf, and would also make the perfect holiday gift.

Here’s a photo of Gwen (right) and Piper during a book signing at the venerable Elliott Bay Book Co. in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square neighborhood. The day after the signing, the sad word came out that the venerable bookstore is in financial trouble and may be forced to move, essentially pulling the plug on an anchor store in this part of our town.

The Seattle Times editorial page ran a thought-provoking article about Elliott Bay in its October 27 issue.

Our dear friends, Charles and Rose Ann Finkel, recently celebrated 20 years since founding the Pike Pub and Brewing Company. We’re especially partial to the place since it’s located in the basement of our condominium building, so easy to get to for a wonderful lunch or dinner.

To celebrate the big event, the happy couple invited 450 kindred souls for a fun-filled evening of food-, beer-, and friendship.

Here’s they are with birthday cake and balloons; the staff also gave them a quilt emblazoned with logos from Pike Pub t-shirts.

And a good time was had by all!