On Friday, May 28, our friend and award-winning Seattle chef/owner Christine Keff reintroduced Flying Fish’s new location in hot new South Lake Union and we were lucky enough to be among the hordes who descended for the opening-night party the evening before.

In addition to mouth-watering happy hour, dinner, and late-night dining, Flying Fish now serves lunch at its new location. The menu features small plates, large plates, platters, and bowls to encourage diners to sample a wide variety of the kitchen’s creations and includes such “Fish” classics as Sister-in-Law Mussels, Crispy Calamari, and Grilled Fish Tacos. Flying Fish will also continue to feature a full bar and wine list to fit any taste and budget.

The new “Fish,” located at 200 Westlake Avenue North, brings its flair for fresh, creative dishes to Vulcan’s environmentally friendly, LEED Gold-certified Westlake/Terry Building on the corner of Westlake Avenue North and Thomas Street. It’s easy (and fun!) to hop on the South Lake Union Transit (SLUT) from the Westlake station in downtown Seattle and be whisked to within a few steps of Flying Fish’s door in a matter of minutes.

Happy hour begins at 4 p.m. each day, and dinner is served seven nights a week starting at 5 p.m. Regular lunch service is offered Mondays through Fridays.

A busy Sunday evening at Flying Fish’s new South Lake Union location

On a subsequent Sunday-evening visit, we hopped on the SLUT and sat at the bar for a glass (or two) of French Rosé and several apps. There was a good crowd and the small plates we tried were all grand.

Crispy Calamari, Field Greens Salad, Sea Scallops With Sunchoke Purée

Hawaiian Grey Snapper Carpaccio and Curried Lamb Ribs

“This is the start of a fresh, new chapter for Flying Fish. We look forward to continuing our tradition of service, creativity, and superior sustainable seafood in the revitalized South Lake Union neighborhood,” Chris Keff says. “Our new location in this dynamic neighborhood allows us to grow and expand our Flying Fish community in new ways that perfectly align with our values of innovation and commitment to sustainability.”

Although experiencing a rebirth, Flying Fish will stay true to its roots and commitment to delivering the freshest possible fish to create signature dishes featuring local organic ingredients, global spices, and forward-thinking styles of preparation. Keff remains committed to the values that first brought local and national acclaim to Flying Fish: an inventive, always-changing menu featuring the freshest, in-season seafood and produce from local farms and regional fishermen.

Congrats, Chris! And here’s to many more years of making Seattle diners and visitors mouths water and tummies happy.

Enjoy sustainable salmon and help children in Alaska at the same time when you visit Elliott’s Oyster House. During the month of June, the popular waterfront restaurant welcomes in salmon season with its annual Salmon Gone Wild promotion that celebrates fresh, sustainable wild salmon.

Dungeness Crab-Crusted Salmon

Salmon Gone Wild features special salmon menu specials, drink and happy-hour specials, and much more. During the promotion, Elliott’s will donate 25% of every Yukon Keta salmon entrée purchase to the Boys and Girls Club of Emmonak, Alaska, which is the region where Yukon Keta are caught.

WHEN: Now until June 30^th

WHERE: Elliott’s Oyster House, 1201 Alaskan Way, Pier 56, Seattle, (206) 623-4340

Please find More Sample Menu Items for Salmon Gone Wild at  Elliott’s Oyster House

Happy Hour Items (more offerings and details online):

Alder-Smoked Salmon Fritters

House alder-smoked king salmon mixed with fritter batter, peppers, onions and corn.  Tossed in Cajun seasoning and served with tangy remoulade sauce.

Sockeye Salmon Satay

Salmon marinated in ginger and garlic then grilled and based with orange hoisin sauce.

About Elliott’s Oyster House

Elliott’s Oyster House has been Seattle’s classic seafood house for nearly 35 years. The award-winning restaurant features a 21-foot-long oyster bar and 30 varieties of oysters. Elliott’s highlights natural flavors of the finest seafood in the Pacific Northwest. Elliott’s is Seafood WATCH ®-compliant and actively participates in the Henderson Inlet Project, The Humane Society, and Wild Salmon Supporters. Located on the renowned Seattle waterfront on Pier 56, Elliott’s Oyster House is open Sunday- Thursday from 11a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. For more information, call (206) 623-4340 or visit: www.elliottsoysterhouse.com.

About Kwik’Pak Fisheries LLC

Elliott is proud to be partner with community owned Kwik’pak Fisheries LLC, which purchases and processes the Wild Yukon River Salmon.  The company was formed in 2002 to support the livelihood of the Yupik Eskimos through employment, training and educational opportunities.  As part of their commitment to the Yupik people, Kwik’pak is dedicated to preserving the environment.  The only seafood company to receive membership in the Fair Trade Federation, Kwik’pak is also a member of the Marine Stewardship Council and FishWise.  What’s more, the fishery works with Trace Register, which verifies the origin of every registered product.  In fact, Kwik’pak is the only wild salmon company in Alaska to offer 100 percent traceable salmon.

I was very concerned to hear that one of the pillars of the Pike Place Market community, The Pink Door’s founder and owner, Jacqueline Roberts, was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic and often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system.

But leave it to Jackie to do her darndest to focus awareness on this complex and unpredictable disease by throwing a Festa Per La Salute! or “Party for Health” on Sunday, June 27, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Festa Per La Salute! will feature a sumptuous feast of fresh Northwest seafood, Pink Door Lasagne, grilled veggies, and overflowing wines. . .along with The Pink Door’s usual cacophony of trapeze artists, jazz musicians, accordions, modern dancers, prosciutto slicers, and bodacious beauties passing oysters. . .and, of course, those beautiful views of Elliott Bay from the deck.

Roberts has pledged 70 percent of all proceeds from the event to the University at Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center (BNAC) and its groundbreaking MS-Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) research.

Further details:

WHEN: Sunday, June 27, 2010
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE: THE PINK DOOR, 1919 Post Alley, Seattle

COST: $100.00 per person. Additional donations for research very welcome and much appreciated!

TICKETS: Tickets must be purchased in advance by phone at 206.443.3241 or in person at The Pink Door by Friday June 25, 2010

Representatives from the University at Buffalo will be at The Pink Door to discuss their studies of the possibility that symptoms of MS result from the narrowing of the primary veins outside the skull, a condition called Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency, or CCSVI. The BNAC’s 1,700-person research study will verify Dr. Paolo Zamboni’s ground-breaking CCSVI theory on which he based his balloon angioplasty procedure to treat venous constriction. Dr. Zamboni has found that the majority of his patients experienced a decrease in MS symptoms. In fact, Zamboni’s wife, who had MS for 17 years, is free of symptoms four years after treatment.

To learn more about BNAC and MS research, please visit http://www.bnac.net.

About The Pink Door
In 1981, a whimsically inclined 20-something Italian-American ingénue put her creative hooks and inspiration from travels abroad into a surreal cellar of a space that became equal parts Bohemian loft, Trattoria, and Pigalle cabaret. “La Padrona” Jacqueline Roberts wasted no time filling the space with nuances, a seasonally changing menu of hearty, honest Italian food and wine, spirited service, and eccentric alluring entertainment. Some 27 years later, The Pink Door remains a Seattle favorite with a fresh, constantly changing seasonal menu and eclectic nightly entertainment.

The Pink Door Entertainment
There will be a stilt walker welcoming people in the alley, the Master of Ceremonies will greet people at the door, and there will be lots of live music as well as fabulous food and drink!

The movers and shakers of the alternative medical world will be in attendance, including Dr. Joseph Pizzorno (who founded Bastyr College). Dr. Cora Ibarra (Jackie’s bio-integrative doctor, who will travel from Nevada), and many other renowned specialists.

Ahoy, matey! Good news. . .there’s still time to walk the gangplank to “Bounty! An Epic Adventure in Seafood,” which runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings through June 19.

This fun-filled, action-packed, aquatic-themed show and five-course dinner and wine pairings is presented at Theo Chocolate in Seattle’s funky Fremont neighborhood and garnered a very favorable review from The Seattle Times theater critic, Misha Berson.

The evening begins with a Champagne greeting at 7:00 p.m.; the first course sets sail at 7:30 p.m. in Cafe Nordo–an intimate restaurant on an old sailing vessel.

Guests are regaled with sea stories and chanteys, folklore and science in this epic celebration of the fruits of our oceans.

And one of the evening’s best features? Concerned citizens can leave their Monterey Bay Aquarium wallet inserts at home, as local and sustainable seafood is at the very heart of this love letter to the sea.

Delights from the creative menu include the Big Bang amuse bouche, Sea Urchin, and locally sourced salmon, all of which highlight the local and sustainable gifts of the waters around Seattle. Original music and performance are the wind and waves in this evocation of a sailor’s love for the ocean.

Here’s our server, “Chum,” dishing up Manila clams, Mediterranean mussels, and Dungeness crab claws from our table’s very own aquarium!

And here’s a close-up of the delicious seafood soup.

And not to spoil the surprise, but the evening ends with a dramatic shipwreck and. . .zombies!

Tickets are $79 per person on Thursdays; $89 on Friday and Saturday, and are available at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information visit www.cafenordo.com

In early May, on a cold winter’s night that should have been more spring-like, after a rather disappointing cheese-focused event where the cubes were small and the wine pours even smaller, we took our chances without a reservation and were lucky enough to get into Restaurant Zoe, one of our long-standing favorite restos in Belltown.

The Dungeness Crab Salad with Brioche Crouton, Green Asparagus, and Ramp Pistou (not to mention the green olives that weren’t mentioned on the menu, but definitely added intrigue to this already intriguing salad) lifted our spirits and excited our palates with the promise of spring weather to come (which has still been slow to reach our region, even though Memorial Day has now passed).

This early taste of spring on a cold, cruel evening more than qualifies Restaurant Zoe’s Dungeness Crab Salad as our Dish of the Day.

I’ve been very remiss in writing about Blueacre Seafood, chef Kevin and Terresa Davis’s newest venture, which opened in mid-March in the former Oceanaire Seafood Room space in downtown Seattle.

We were lucky enough to be invited to one of the friends and family dinners offered Wednesday and Thursday before the restaurant set its revolving doors spinning open to the public on March 19.

Even standing catercorner to the restaurant (which is located at 1700 7th Avenue-cross streets are Seventh and Olive), you sense a sophisticated, big-city vibe. The space reminds me of some of our favorite seafood restaurants in Vancouver, B.C. (such as Blue Water Cafe & Raw Bar) thanks to its global presence and majesty.

Once inside, you see the bones from the space’s previous incarnation, the Oceanaire Seafood Room, which Kevin opened in 2001 then departed in 2007 to start the Steelhead Diner in the Pike Place Market.

Terresa, wearing her interior-designer cap, has opened up the space, revved up the colors, and covered the simple tables with silk screens of a black and neon-blue butterfly wings. Cool!

Food at the family-and-friends dinner, then on a subsequent Thursday-evening visit, was over-the-top excellent. No break-in, warm-up period for this resto! Kevin and his kitchen crew were spot on right off the bat, while waitstaff (unfortunately) needs a bit more fine-tuning and finesse before I can safely say they are up to speed.

What’s good to eat? In a word. . .everything.

I particularly adored the Kasu-Marinated King Salmon Collars, listed within “The Hunger” section of the menu, served with Ginger Nage and a royal crown of Green-Papaya Salad, and a steal at $8.95.

While I was chowing down on the unctuous, sweet-salty salmon cheeks, chef Kevin came out for a chat. He confided that, “All the foodies order this dish.”

I can see the reason why.

Spencer was thrilled to see Red Chili Point Judith Squid on the menu. It was one of his “must-have” dishes when Oceanaire was still in business (chef Kevin originated the dish) and it’s good as ever. . .deep-fried squid in a tempura-style batter that chef Kevin spins his own way with a sweet-hot sauce and lots of serrano peppers, garlic, ginger, Thai basil, and orange zest.

Dee-vine!

I adored my Fin & Shell Fish Stew teaming with shrimp, clams, and mussels, along with chunks o’ flapping-fresh finfish and shell-shaped pasta amid a rich broth that sucked up every morsel of flavor and aroma after long simmering of lobster and shrimp shells. And don’t forget the rockin’ rouille! Leftovers were equally as good the following evening.

We split a piece of the Mud Pie with our tablemates. Good idea since it was so rich and yummy, a bite or two tickled our sweet tooths, while a whole piece (tasty as it was) would have been overkill.

The wine list is more lengthy than the one you’ll discover at Steelhead, made up predominantly (and blessedly) of Northwest boutique wines, with a few California staples (Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Roederer Estate Brut, Turley “Old Vine” Zin) thrown in for good measure.

As much as we love Kevin and Terresa’s first venture–Steelhead Diner–we embrace, applaud, and welcome Blueacre Seafood as a much-needed addition to the uptown Seattle dining scene.

Additional details from the official launch press release:

A passionate love of seafood has led owners Chef Kevin and Terresa Davis to this moment, bringing their vision of responsible, approachable, amazing seafood to fruition. Creating an affordable, all-American seafood restaurant adds something new and exciting to the downtown Seattle culinary scene, filling a need for locals and visitors.

The Davises feature wild seafood available from United States coastal waters, as well as carefully chosen and sustainably farmed freshwater species, oysters, clams, and mussels.

Farm-fresh meats, game, poultry, vegetables, artisanal cheeses, American spirits, wine, and craft beers on tap continue the American theme.

In addition to seating for 200 in the dining room, Blueacre offers three private dining areas perfect for everything from intimate gatherings to corporate events.

Lunch and dinner are offered daily, along with brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Happy hour takes place each day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a specialty bar menu and happy-hour drink prices.

For years, we’ve held the Calamari Saltati–an appetizer of squid flash-sautéed in the skillet with an ample amount of minced garlic, a squeeze of lemon, Italian parsley, and a sprinkle of chili flakes, then sprinkled with bread crumbs served at Serafina Osteria & Enoteca–as the number-one calamari dish in Seattle.

But during a recent dinner at Tango restaurant in downtown Seattle we discovered a worthy contender (pictured above): Calamares—sautéed calamari, fire-roasted tomatoes, poblano pepperss, red peppers, cilantro, land lime juice.

Leftovers the next evening were marvelous thanks to the addition of a can of Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, an array of fresh seafood, and a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice.

Another equally inspiring and inspired dish that we didn’t (frankly) expect to see on the Spanish-centric menu was Moqueca de Peixe–Pan-roasted scallops, mussels, prawns, calamari, tuna, potatoes, chilies, and coconut broth–that had a distinctive Asian flair due to the coconut-milk-based broth. Belly-warming and flavorful, all the same.

Earlier this month, our friend and local restaurateur Donna Moodie, owner of the much-beloved and long-lamented Marjorie (which saw its location in Belltown close more than a year ago) sent out the welcome word that she’d (finally) found a new location and would swing open its doors to friends and family for a preview run on May 14 and 15.

Exterior shot of the high-ceilinged, airy space at 1412 East Union Street

The lovely buffet spread at the opening of Marjorie on Capitol Hill

We were happy to attend, and glad to report that the new Marjorie embraces some of the same features as the old location, while happily settling into its new Capitol Hill neighborhood like an old shoe.

Interior shot of Marjorie

Take, for example, the rich royal-blue walls and dark woods that harken back to Marjorie/Belltown. Or the smallish number of seats (35-40 indoors, counting the communal table; 20 outdoors).

The eclectic eggplant salad served at Marjorie along with a vintage record for the unisex bathroom’s turntable

Or the eclectic menu that draws from Moodie’s mother’s own soulful Islander roots, but also embraces Asian, regional, and international cuisines.

The good-looking men of Marjorie pumping out dishes behind the line

“We’ll see what the neighborhood brings,” hunky, dred-locked chef Kylen McCarthy (formerly of The Harvest Vine in Madison Valley) confided.

The ultra-thin, totally addictive fried plantain chips served at Marjorie’s friends-and-family party

Doubtless many good things to come!

The new Marjorie, which officially opened for business on Tuesday, May 18, will serve dinner only (for now) Tuesday through Saturday.

Best of luck Donna, chef Kylen, and Marjorie crew on all good future success.

As much as we enjoy our neighbor right across the courtyard, ART Restaurant and Lounge, curiously enough we’d never been there for brunch until a couple of weeks ago.

On a sunny-bright day, our dining companions and Spencer and I enjoyed these gorgeous-o dishes.

By now, you’ve probably guessed that the dish above is the Smoked Salmon Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce. A beautiful, blushing version of the classic.

I opted for this gorgeous plate of smoked salmon with a plethora of tomatoes and a sesame-seed bagel.

Even a simple fruit plate rose above the rest thanks to its height (circles of fresh pineapple topped by melon “blocks”).

What a lovely way to start the day off right!

If one picture is worth 1,000 words, then this photo of Cactus’s excellent Spiced Caesar with Grilled Chicken Salad with cojita croutons, black beans, roasted corn, and lots of beautifully grilled chicken takes the cake.

We snapped it one Saturday at lunch at the glorious West Seattle branch of the Cactus trio of restos, overlooking Alki Beach. Margaritas were strong and refreshing, just what we needed that cool spring day.