It’s a rite of passage in the Northwest. . .and a sign of spring and summer soon to come. . . when the Pike Place Market’s famous Pink Door Restaurant offers up its Everything Green Salad.

It’s a tasty combo of fava beans, English peas, asparagus, pistachios, and bibb lettuce served with creamy tarragon dressing.

I order a side of Dungeness Crab meat and–whoosh–this becomes a main-dish salad.

Just for good measure, here’s a shot of PD’s Antipasti Platter, one of the most colorful and beautiful about town.

The platter includes prosciutto, tuscan bean salad, mozzarella, tapanada, grilled seasonal vegetables, salami, and more.

But since I don’t do the charcuterie thing, I order mine with extra veggies and cheese. Delish!

Either of these treats more than deserve being crowned with today’s Dish of the Day.

Be on the look out for DRY Soda’s jaunty new “tasting truck” at your local supermarket and around the Northwest.

The truck debuted at DRY’s Pioneer Square headquarters early last month with a lively Kick-off Party in honor of its upcoming Savor-the-Flavor Tour.

First stop? Portland, with other West Coast cities soon t0 follow.

You can savor DRY Soda in six flavors: Lavender, Lemongrass, Blood Orange, Rhubarb, Cucumber, and Juniper Berry. It’s available in grocery stores, restaurants, luxury hotels, and boutiques in the United States and Canada and even in select international locations.

And, of course, from the tasting truck!

One of our favorite places to pop in for a late-afternoon, after-work glass of wine and appetizers is our neighbor just across the courtyard, ART Restaurant & Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel.

We’ve long been fans of Chef Kerry Sear’s amazing sliders–available in salmon, veggie, and beef iterations. We’ve also loved his shrimp appetizer, which featured perfectly cooked chunks of shrimp with a shooter glass full of spicy tomato juice. Eat a bite of shrimp, sip the juice, and you had a cool-tasting treat.

After a recent menu change, we were heartsick to find out the former shrimp app had disappeared, replaced with a new version–Poached Blue Shrimp with Lemon-Cilantro Aïoli and Chili Olive Oil.

But not to worry. It’s a gorgeous dish, served in a clear cup over dry ice, so that it leaves a trail of “smoke” as it passes through the dining room.

Which more than qualifies ART’s Poached Blue Shrimp as our Dish of the Day.

Nothing beats a cup of Red (Manhattan-Style) Clam Chowder. And one of the richest and most satisfying versions I’ve yet found about town is served up at Elliott’s Oyster House, perfectly perched along the Seattle Waterfront.

The picture-perfect Spinach Salad with Alder-Smoked Salmon that includes crumbled house-smoked salmon,toasted slivered almonds, Jack cheese, chopped egg, button mushrooms, and tomato in a caper vinaigrette.

Whenever I eat this combo, I feel satiated, yet somehow virtuous (spinach, veggies, salmon, and lots of lycophene–good for the heart!–from the soup’s hearty tomato-based broth).

Which more than qualifies Elliott’s Soup and Salad as our Dish of the Day.

One of our favorite places to eat–whether for Happy Hour goodies such as Salmon Sliders and Shrimp Cocktail or delectable dinner options such as Spice-Rubbed Salmon with Lobster-Poached Mashed Potatoes–is our next-door neighbor just across the courtyard–ART Restaurant & Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle.

Jelle Vandenbrouck, new restaurant chef at ART Restaurant & Lounge

On a recent visit to the main dining room, we were thrilled to meet the new restaurant chef, Jelle Vandenbroucke, who will work alongside Kerry Sear, executive chef and director of food & beverage, will continue to oversee Four Seasons Hotel Seattle’s ART Restaurant & Lounge, special events, weddings and in-room dining.

From Michelin one-star restaurants Hertog Jan in Bruges, Belgium, and Mulberry Restaurant in Charlton House, Shepton Mallet, UK, to most recently, the Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche and Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village,Vandenbroucke brings years of experience at Michelin-star rated restaurants and a fresh creative flair to ART where he will continue to cultivate the restaurant’s urban Northwest cuisine.

Early last month, Vandenbroucke introduced a new menu with dishes such as Sunchoke Bisque with a Goat-Cheese Spring Roll and Chive Purée or a Pike XXXXX Stout, Pork Cheeks with Coffee Powder and Three-Way Belgian Endive to start. Entrée dishes include Alaskan Weathervane Scallops with Fava-Bean Cassoulet, Sweet-Pea Foam, and Carrot Purée or Pan-Seared Halibut with Fiddlehead Ferns, Spring Morel Mushrooms, and Asparagus.

Jelle attributes his success to professional mentors and chefs along the way. Having cooked in kitchens in Europe, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jelle prepared his first meal at the age of 12, before entering culinary school and becoming a classically French-trained chef.

“I’m really looking forward to working alongside Kerry and getting to know all the local foragers and producers to put my own stamp on the menu,” said Vandenbroucke. When asked which dish most represents him, Vandenbroucke said, “Fish Cooked en Papillote [in parchment paper]. It is plain-looking from the outside, but when you take the time to open it, it is full of positive surprises.

Cheers to lots of “positive surprises,” and “welcome” to Chef Jelle Vandenbroucke.

Photo courtesy of ART Restaurant & Lounge

On a gorgeous spring Saturday, when we struck out from home hungry and in search of the perfect lunch/brunch, we stopped in at Steelhead Diner for some sustenance before a bunch of errands and chores.

Now I’ve always been a BIG fan of Alex’s Vegetable Chili, served with pico de gallo, melted pepperjack cheese, and cilantro sour cream.

But casting out for something a bit more meaty, this day I opted instead for a cup of the Diner’s Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, a hearty concoction redolent with chipotle and assorted other peppers and teaming with chicken chunks and coins of Hempler’s Smoked Andouille Sausage.

Now I don’t even eat pork, but it was not much of an inconvenience to pick out the piggy parts and enjoy the rest.

An accompanying Golden Beet Salad with Watercress, Toasted Walnuts, Oregonzola & Toasted Black Mustard Seed Vinaigrette completed my meal on a healthy note. The vinaigrette was a joyous surprise of flavors–I never would have guessed its main ingredient if I hadn’t looked back at the menu.

Great work, Chef Anthony (Polizzi)! You’ve just won our Dish(es) of the Day award!

My latest Northwest Edge column for the for the spring issue of Wine Press Northwest features URBAN enoteca, a totally cool new “wine center” just south of downtown Seattle.

A gorgeous appetizer offered up at Il Bistro in the Pike Place Market was one of the most satisfying treatments of fresh asparagus I’ve ever eaten.

I’m guessing the handful of stalks were first lightly steamed or blanched, then sautéed quickly in good olive oil with capers and a hint of garlic. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a coddled egg made for the perfect toothsome touches.

Signs of spring continued with a dish of perfectly floured and seasoned, then sautéed, halibut. The fish is normally served atop mashed potatoes, but I asked for, and was graciously served, a side of spaghetti in marinara sauce instead. Buonissimo!

With asparagus and halibut back on the menu, can Copper River salmon be far behind?!?!

A recent press release touted an interesting sounding concept: Find it on First, a new urban scavenger hunt created in partnership by BOKA Kitchen + Bar, Fonté Café & Wine Bar, Japonessa, TASTE Restaurant and The Pike Brewing Company.

The five restaurants united to showcase a revitalized First Avenue in a fun and tasty challenge for Seattleites.

“Find it on First” began on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, and will continue on the first Tuesday of every month.  Participants who complete the challenge will earn free menu items and exclusive discounts available throughout the rest of the month.

Upcoming hunts will take place on April 5, May 3, June 7, and July 5, 2011. Here’s how it works:

Pick up a “Find it on First” Stamp Card at all participating restaurants or download from any participating restaurant’s website. Here’s how to begin…

1.       On first Tuesday, visit any of the Find it on First restaurants.

2.       Answer fun trivia questions or find hidden treasures to earn a stamp. (No purchase is required to participate.)

3.       Collect stamps from all five restaurants to receive exclusive discounts and FREE menu items.

• April 2011: Enjoy $3 off cocktails and $1 off beer
• May 2011: Complimentary dessert with purchase of entrée after 6 p.m.
• June 2011: Enjoy $1 Bloody Mary cocktails before 1 p.m.
• July 2011: Complimentary appetizer with purchase of entrée after 6 p.m.

In addition, those who participate in “Find it on First” are invited to take part in a monthly drawing for a grand prize that will be announced at the end of each month. Prizes will range from dining certificates to hotel stays and other prizes from participating businesses. For March, the grand prize was a “Spa Lunch for Two” at Spaahh at Hotel 1000.

We have been VERY remiss in welcoming a lovely new tasting room and event facility to the Pike Place Market neighborhood: Patterson Cellars.

Grand-0pening events took place the last week in January, when we finally marched ourselves down the hill to sip some wine and sample some apps from Volterra Restaurant.

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Folks in our ‘hood, lucky locals and travelers to the Puget-Sound region no longer have to venture to Woodinville, where Patterson Cellars is based and still operates a second tasting room. For now the winery is bringing its value-priced, award-winning wines to Seattle!

With wines such as 2010 Rosé and Chardonnay, 2008 Forbidden Red, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2007 Syrah, there’s plenty of good stuff to choose from!

Cheers, Patterson Cellars, and welcome to the ‘hood!

Coordinates:

Patterson Cellars Seattle Tasting Room

1427 Western Avenue, Seattle (on Western Avenue below Pike Place Market adjacent to the Pike Street Hill Climb)

More about the winery: Patterson Cellars offers two exciting places to try their wines, an urban tasting room located near the Pike Street Hill Climb, on Western Avenue, below the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle, and at the Woodinville tasting room and winery in the wine warehouse district. Both venues offer a unique space and experience for tasting their approachable new world style wines, and for parties and events. Crafting wines for over 12 years, from crush to cork, Patterson Cellars focuses on producing wines as unique as the grapes themselves sourcing grapes from Washington State’s Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Lake Chelan, and Horse Heaven Hills AVAs.