Eat salmon, your heart will love you.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – What's your favorite fish at Salty's?
Most guests choose salmon.
"Well,
it's not hard to see why they love it. There's the rich flavor that
comes from the fish oils and wild-caught salmon has the best flavor,"
says Portland Chef Dana Cress.
"Studies show the fish oils are especially good for the heart,
helping prevent deadly rhythm problems and, in high doses, lowering
triglycerides ... Fatty fish are generally the best source of omega-3s,
experts say, followed by fresh foods including walnuts and ground flax
seed." You've heard this really good news before and it's recently
published again in the article "Embrace omega-3 fats your heart will
love you" by Andy Dworkin, staff writer for the Oregonian
in Portland. His article says, "So if you want to add omega-3 to your
diet, it's best to do it like the Eskimos: Eat cold-water, fatty fish
such as herring, salmon and mackerel (but not king mackerel, which can
be high in toxic mercury)."
Experts recommend two servings a week but you can find salmon every
day of the week at Salty's. For July, Salty's chefs have a new dish
featuring wild-caught salmon and a summertime favorite, tomatoes. "Whenever
I think of summer, tomatoes come to me. I love them," says Seattle Chef
Jeremy McLachlan. They winningly complement the fish
in our Grilled Wild Alaskan River Run Salmon with Fresh Manila
Clam Risotto, Baby Heirloom Tomato Caprese and Micro Amaranth.
"This dish has some great flavor combinations to it. We've balanced
the heirloom tomatoes with an acidic balsamic punch and the salty oceanic
flavors of the risotto," says McLachlan. It's topped with mozzarella
and a small tuft of amaranth, a bright red micro green. The heavenly
risotto is topped with shelled Manila clams, Parmesan and fresh herbs.
The dish is served for lunch and dinner at all Salty's in July only.
What beverage should you quaff with salmon? "Now that
it is July and the thermometer is climbing, my first inclination is
to grab a hefeweizen beer," says Sommelier Tim O'Brien.
Although that idea has merit, he says a better option is to seek out
a well-made, well-chilled Rosé. The flavors in our July salmon
dish are vibrant and the balance of ingredients is classically elegant.
"It calls for a wine that is both refreshing and focused so that it
provides enough pizzazz to counter this perfect summer meal," says O'Brien.
It is the miracle of wine that grapes can taste like so many other kinds
of fruit. Rosé wines have all the flavors of summer including
watermelon, strawberry, cherry and lemon. It's the perfect complement
to salmon, the fish that is good for your heart. Reserve your table
today at www.saltys.com/reservations and
your heart will love you. If you can't make it in to Salty's in July
visit www.saltys.com/recipes/entrees/salmonclamrisotto.asp
and try our July dish at home. Go to seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2008002851_omega180.html
for the full story "Embrace omega-3 fats your heart will love you."
Be a queen at Salty's.
"The Lunch Ladies" By Emily Williamson
Reprinted with permission by the West Seattle Herald, June 23, 2008
How would you like to feel like a queen (or king) for a day and not
have to leave West Seattle? How about being treated like a Hollywood
celebrity without breaking your budget? I have a secret. You can do
it, and it is easy. Just go to lunch at Salty's.
Think about it, we give ourselves massages, manicures, pedicures, we
buy books, treat ourselves to great shoes, why not indulge and give
ourselves a fabulous lunch? As Joseph Campbell once said, we are all
longing for the experience of being alive, and what better way to celebrate
life than to have a great lunch with a friend.
Miranda and I even dressed up for the occasion. Okay, so I wore a tee
shirt and jeans, but they were my good jeans.
We were welcomed immediately with pure West Seattle warmth. Even though
Salty's is considered one of our finer restaurants, it has a refreshing,
non-pretentious atmosphere. I felt right at home in my blue jeans as
we passed by the partially open kitchen, the dessert tray (Miranda picked
out hers right then) and made our way into the seating area. The view
opened to a panorama of Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle. It was so
beautiful, I actually gasped. We were seated by the windows (the view
is good from every seat), when Miranda pointed to a Bald Eagle flying
over the building.
Jaymie was our waitress. I liked her. I could tell that she sincerely
cared for the welfare of her patrons. She gave us our menus and recommended
a great drink: it had cranberry, iced tea, lemonade, and was mighty
tasty.
Do you want to know what else was tasty? The bread. I could have eaten
all the bread, no joke. And what is funnier is that I don't even like
bread. I ate most of it. I couldn't stop. There were three kinds of
bread, and I wolfed them all down. One tasted like stuffing, the other
was perfectly squishy, and the last was a crunchy cracker. It came with
herb butter. I ate most of that too. Well, we were pampering ourselves,
so why not?
Miranda and I were amazed at the prices and selection on the lunch
menu. It was really affordable, and a wide selection. We started with
two cups of soup. I had the crab and halibut chowder, and Miranda had
the clam chowder. I was glad that Miranda didn't ask to try mine, I
wanted it all. It was thick, with warm spices, and thick chunks of crab.
I savored every bite.
Then came our main course. You would think I would be full after eating
a bowl of bread and a cup of rich soup, but no, "bring it on"
I thought. And they did. Miranda and I split the Dungeness Crab Macaroni
and Cheese. It came with tiny sweet tomatoes. The split entrée
was the perfect amount for the two of us.
I bit into the warm penne and chunky crab pasta, and then I melted.
It was the all time best macaroni and cheese I have ever had in my entire
life (and I have eaten a lot of mac-n-cheese.)
I ate and ate until I had to undo my belt! But I kept picking at my
plate as we talked.
Today's subject with Miranda? Gifts. She talked about how people are
born with multiple gifts and talents, like having majors and minors
in college. She said the trick is to find our gifts, and that the clue
to having a gift is that they are never selfish: they are always about
serving the good of humanity. (Whoever made our meal has a gift with
food!)
We talked long enough to make room for dessert, and never felt rushed.
Here is a gift from me to you – if nothing else, go get yourself
a piece of Salty's white chocolate mousse cake. I am not going to bother
describing it to you. Just go get a seat, look at the view, bite into
the cake, and tell me you are not a queen (or king).
Emily Williamson has lived in West Seattle for over 10 years and loves
it. She can be reached at fuzzycaterpillar@comcast.net
AOL Cityguide is asking for your vote!
We hope you won't miss the chance to let AOL know how you feel about
Salty's! Columbia is nominated for most romantic at http://citysbest.aol.com/portland-or/
and Alki is nominated for best brunch at http://citysbest.aol.com/seattle/
and voting ends July 8.
Mintz–her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
Happy
4th of July! Columbia offers you a special meal to savor at
the restaurant or take to your favorite fireworks viewing spot. Enjoy
a pound each Jack Daniels BBQ pork ribs, blackened prawns, BBQ chicken
as well as chipotle-lime buttered corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw
and watermelon all for $49.95 for two people, $94.95 for four or $219.95
for ten. Call (503) 288-4444 to order. Alki's got the hot spot in Seattle
for fireworks over Elliott Bay. Listen to Casey McGill's Blue
4 Trio in the Café-Bar. Redondo's wrap-around deck will
be the perfect spot to celebrate (weather permitting) on Puget Sound
in Des Moines with pop tunes by Nabil Pierce. Go to www.saltys.com/reservations
for reservations.
On
July 9, FareStart's Guest Chef on the Waterfront offers
wine tasting by the Rhone Rangers and bites from over 50 talented chefs,
breweries, wineries and purveyors of fine foods including Salty's. Go
to farestart.org/help/events/waterfront/index.html
for tickets. You'll want to pick up the Spring-Summer 2008 issue of
FareStart News to get a copy of Alki Chef Jeremy McLachlan's
recipe for Lobster-Braised Halibut with Frozen Lemon Yogurt.
Catch
Redondo Chef Gabriel Cabrera at Zoobilee
July 18 at a fundraiser celebrating Tacoma's Point Defiance
Zoo and Aquarium and its residents. Cabrera serves seafood
chowder and Caesar salad. Visit www.thezoosociety.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=247&srcid=224
for tickets.
Prepare
to overwhelm your palate at Bite of Seattle. Be sure
to visit The Alley hosted by Tom Douglas
where for just $10, you'll get a multi-course meal. Alki's Pastry Chef
Jane Gibson will lead Salty's team serving Tomato Gazpacho
with Herbed Dungeness Crab and Avocado Coulis on Saturday, July 19.
As a bonus, The Alley benefits Food Lifeline, the largest
nonprofit food distribution organization in Washington. Alki Executive
Chef Jeremy McLachlan will show you how to cook his
tomato gazpacho at The Bite Cooks on Friday, July 18 at 2 p.m. Visit
www.biteofseattle.com
for more
You're invited to Federal Way Symphony's 9th Annual Garden
Tour Saturday, July 19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. View six private
gardens in the Federal Way area. Be inspired by presentations by Curator
David DeGroot, Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection; Bob
Pogue, Floral Designer; and Louise Talley,
Master Gardner, on container gardening, artisans and raffle. Reserve
a ticket and box lunch by calling (253) 529-9857.
Read more Mintz-her-Words
blog.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE – Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays during
Saturday and Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio
plays Mondays and Fridays 7 to 10 p.m. in the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE – July schedule: Fri 7/4 Nabil Pierce, Sat 4/5
Poodlebomb, Fri 7/11 Heather Banker, Sat 7/12 Myles Crew, Fri 7/18 Myles
Crew, Sat 7/19 Paul Koeger, Fri 7/25 Paul Koeger, Sat 7/26 Glenn Harrell.
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND – Oregon Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Brown
plays 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist Jof Lee
and Saturdays with his trio. Portland Keyboard Romantic Andrei
Kitaev plays Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. to close.
World of choices to stretch dollars at Salty's.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – If you want to indulge your taste buds
and stretch dollars at the same time, Salty's menus are built for you.
There's a world of choices including half-size portions on select items,
new à la carte dinner menu selections, happy-hour pricing, and
blue plate specials that are tastefully reinvented daily (very much
like yourself) for only $9.95 at lunch and $19.95 at dinner. Redondo
also features a prix fixe menu aka Early Bird menu.
"Redondo guests are zeroing in on the new à la carte dinner
section where you pick an entrée and add sides separately as
desired – or not," says Redondo Chef Gabriel Cabrera.
The entrée selections are all grilled items of salmon $19.95,
halibut priced daily, garlic prawns $15.95 or chicken $10.95. Then order
sides as desired – or not – leek risotto $5.95, mashed potatoes
$3.95, ginger-jasmine rice $3.95, asparagus $4.95 or roasted vegetables
$3.95. It's your choice.
In Portland, Chef Dana Cress has an à la carte
dinner section called "Simply Grilled." It features wild salmon $23.95,
Alaskan halibut priced daily, or prawns $19.95. On the side for $3.95
are grilled polenta cake, cilantro lime rice, grilled baby bok choy,
rosemary red potatoes, fries or garlic mashed potatoes or veggies. Delicious!
In Seattle on Alki Beach, Chef Jeremy McLachlan calls
his à la carte dinner section "Simply Fresh® Seafood." Choose
grilled Alaskan halibut with heirloom tomato beurre blanc $22.95, blackened
catfish with house-pickled peppers $14.95, Eastern sea scallops with
beurre blanc and tobiko $19.95 ($6.50 each), prawn skewers with crispy
leeks $14.95, wild Alaskan salmon with heirloom tomato beurre blanc
$22.95, Dungeness crab-stuffed salmon with tomato butter and crispy
leeks $25.95. You can make any salmon dish wild or even make it halibut
for $6. On the side for $5 each are local Snohomish County vegetables,
Tazo tea-scented rice with fresh hearts of palm and radish salad, beer-battered
fries, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or choose sautéed portobello
mushrooms with herbs.
It doesn't get any better, does it? Salty's aims to please. If you
want a vegetarian dish, just say so. Make reservations at www.saltys.com/reservations
today and stretch your dollars as you want. "You're in control of how
much you spend," says Portland Chef Cress.
June 2008
They're baaaaaack! Come celebrate the return of the "Wild Ones."
SEATTLE
AND PORTLAND - As one of our favorite guests, we wanted you to know
wild salmon are back at Salty's, fresh from the icy waters of Alaska
and
Pacific Northwest waters. Just think how great a plate of wild salmon
would taste right now. Salty's chefs have a dish for you inspired by
not only the magical return of Pacific salmon but also their love affair
with Tazo® Tea* - we're calling it Tazo Wild Sweet
Orange Tea-Glazed Wild Alaskan Salmon with Purple Mashed Potatoes,
Lemon Tomato Relish and Washington Asparagus Crème Infused with
Tazo Lemon Maté Tea. It's a long name for a dish long
on flavors from around the globe.
"Wild meets wild in this dish," Salty's Chef Jeremy McLachlan says. "Tazo selects the most extraordinary teas, herbs and spices found on the planet and blends them with an artistry that borders on magical." The result is a tea experience that not only delights the discerning tea drinker but also inspires a feeling of well being. Infused into this wild salmon dish, it's a match made in heaven, or Salty's in this case.
Lemongrass, blackberry leaves, rose hips, spearmint, orange peel, safflower, hibiscus flowers, rose petals, ginger and licorice root are all conveniently balanced in Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea. "This tea is steeped in our glaze made with oranges, rice wine vinegar, ginger, sugar and water," McLachlan says. "The glaze enriches the salmon in an earthy sort of way."
Yerba maté, lemon myrtle, lemongrass, ginger, licorice root, cardamom are blended in the Tazo Lemon Maté Tea used in the Washington asparagus cream that dresses the salmon. "We reduce white wine with bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme, then add heavy cream and reduce it by half. We add chopped asparagus and the tea bags and after it's cooked we pull out the teabags and blend it with parsley and cool it so it keeps that fresh asparagus flavor," says Salty's chef.
And that's not all. The dish is accompanied by Purple Peruvian Potatoes (simply smashed with butter and salt) and Lemon Tomato Relish made with preserved Meyer lemons, capers, shallot, garlic, parsley and fresh thyme. Yummy. Eat your way through a world of flavors on our funshine decks – lunch or dinner – as we all celebrate the catch in June. Go to www.saltys.com/reservations and reserve your table today.
*Tazo® is a registered trademark of Starbucks. All Tazo tea blending is done on site in Portland, Oregon, to ensure quality and flavor consistency. Samples from the world's finest tea gardens arrive daily, but less than 10 percent of the teas tasted ever find their way into a Tazo blend. For more information and to experience the wonder of Tazo, visit www.tazo.com.
Wine and wild salmon, a one-day vacation.
By Tim O'Brien, Salty's Sommelier
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND - I can't believe May has come and gone. June
is always a great month in the food-wine business. I say it is like
May on steroids. June delivers all the promise of May, from the garden
to the sea. Wild salmon is here and this month's Wild Sweet Orange
Tea Glazed Alaskan Salmon entrée will tantalize and delight all
who partake. Salty's staff will continue to steer salmon lovers into
the Pinot Noir category for the perfect silky balance
of fruit, acid and tannins.
Pinot Noir is grown successfully in Oregon, California, New Zealand and Burgundy but they all have different signature flavor components that reveal the terroir of their birthplace. More than any other varietal when you drink Pinot Noir you taste place. You can visit all these exotic places and see for yourself or save the money and the gas and take a one-day vacation at Salty's. Start by taking a virtual tour of our wine lists. Look under the Pinot Noir category and choose a Pinot-Place experience or two and you can fall asleep in your own bed. Sweet dreams from Salty's.
Salmon, especially wild Alaskan salmon loves the grill. The higher level of good fatty acids make grilling your wild salmon an excellent choice. Whenever you grill you should look to red wine to provide the accompaniment. I like Cabernet, Syrah or Zinfandel with beef or lamb and Pinot Noir with salmon or tuna. Remember to keep your red wine at cellar temperature. Young red wines in particular taste brighter at 60 to 63 degrees. One final suggestion: When it gets too warm to eat hot food or drink red wine a bottle of Rosé will beat the heat and is versatile enough to go with an endless array of salads and fresh seafood. Look for one low on alcohol – less than 13.5 percent.
Buy Dad a $100 gift card and get a free cookbook for him, too.
Dear Salty's Guest,
I'm writing to tell you about a cookbook I've put my heart into – Good Ciao! It's a wonderful collaboration between my dearest friend, Italian Chef Roberto Russo, myself, and the Salty's Chefs. Our recipes embrace the local flavors and abundance of Tuscany and Umbria as well as the Pacific Northwest.
There are 69 recipes written in both Italian and English, side by side – 57 from Roberto and 12 from Salty's. My own personal recipe is the Clam and Mussel Risotto. Our cookbook also includes a description of Roberto's Tuscan villa Parco Fiorito, which was a 16th century convent that has been transformed into an organic farm and Agriturismo that we highly recommend. Our family has enjoyed our visits there touring the countryside, sipping at the wineries and taking cooking classes with Roberto. It is a magnificent place for you to consider traveling to or at least vicariously through his recipes.
It's a cookbook you might love to have for yourself or even consider
as the perfect gift for your mother (you didn't forget Mother's Day,
did you?), father (Father's Day is almost here), your wife, your husband,
the graduate, sister, brother, friend - anyone who loves to cook! It's
199 pages with a matte-finish soft cover and French flaps. You can
peruse sample pages at www.saltys.com/good_ciao and
the cost is $24.95. Even better, during the months of May and June,
Salty's offers you the cookbook for free when you purchase $100 in
Salty's dining gift cards. A very nice kicker is that Roberto is including
a $100 gift certificate toward a stay at Parco Fiorito in case you
are in the neighborhood. Just go to www.saltys.com/gifts/giftcard.asp to
take advantage of this opportunity.
Wishing you well always. Here's to Good Ciao with your family and friends!
Kathryn Hilger Kingen, Salty's Co-owner & Cookbook Author!
Mintz-her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
It's time to thank your dad and congratulate graduates. For every $100 Salty's gift card you purchase in June, you will receive a free copy of the Good Ciao cookbook for your dad or grad. Salty's also features a selection of gift boxes that include spices and sauces. Go to www.saltys.com/gifts/giftshop.asp and place your order today. Go to www.saltys.com/reservations for brunch or dinner reservations and Salty's will make your celebration special.
AOL Cityguide wants your vote. Alki is nominated for Best Brunch at citysbest.aol.com/seattle and Columbia is nominated for Portland's Best Romantic restaurant at citysbest.aol.com/portland where you can vote daily to July 8. Thanks for your votes.
Real brides know best. Seattle brides voted Alki "The Knot Best of Weddings 2008 Pick." Brides say, "With breathtaking panoramic views of Seattle, Salty's on Alki Beach has the perfect backdrop for your day. 'Salty's was wonderful!' The restaurant is praised for its large room, great dance floor, and private outdoor patio." Erik and Kristina Richerson shared their cake at Salty’s May 24, 2008, when they also shared wedding vows. If you're a bride-to-be who expects the best go to weddingshop.theknot.com/weddingwarehouse/ProductPage.aspx?pId=P2010(KnotShop)&scId= and get your copy for $9.99.
It's time to bring your family to the beach, fish off the pier and then head to the Redondo outdoor seafood bar for fish and chips. Choose salmon, halibut, oysters or prawns and many other selections, then choose a picnic bench. Visit saltys.com/seattle_south/menus/Seattle_South_Seafood_Bar.pdf for the menu by Chef Gabriel Cabrera and place orders ahead at (253) 945-1363. Don't forget your beach ball.
Salty's favorite photographer Ilya Moshenskiy is a luxury real estate photographer when he isn't shooting Salty's food. The LRE Blog by Robert Lockard at blog.luxuryrealestate.com/articles/2008/05/09/ooey-gooey-delights-from-ilya-estate-photography has a photo of Salty's newest dessert, invented especially for our "Wild Ones" Salmon Festival. The Ooey Gooey Blondie Ice Cream Sandwich consists of two tasty slabs of more-blondie-than-brownie cookies over and under a slice of angelic caramel ice cream. We cover that with fudge and caramel sauce, whipped cream and candied pecans – and serve it gratis with two spoons when you have a special postcard (get them from your server). Call for reservations now or hook up online at Saltys.com/reservations.
Read more Mintz – her words.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE - Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays during Saturday and
Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio plays Mondays
and Fridays 7 to 10 p.m. in the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE - June schedule: Fri 6/6 Jonny Smokes, Sat 6/7 Glenn
Harrell, Fri 6/13 Heather Banker, Sat 6/14 Myles Crew, Fri 6/20 Jonny
Smokes, Sat 6/21 Poodlebomb, Fri 6/27 Myles Crew, Sat 6/28 Paul Koeger.
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND - Oregon Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Brown plays 7 to
10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist Jof Lee and Saturdays with his trio.
Portland Keyboard Romantic Andrei Kitaev plays Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
to close.
World of choices to stretch dollars at Salty's.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND - If you want to indulge your taste buds and
stretch dollars at the same time, Salty's menus are built for you.
There's a world of choices including half-size portions on select items,
new à la carte dinner menu selections, happy-hour pricing, and
blue plate specials that are tastefully reinvented daily (very much
like yourself) for only $9.95 at lunch and $19.95 at dinner. Redondo
also features a prix fixe menu aka Early Bird menu.
"Redondo guests are zeroing in on the new à la carte
dinner section where you pick an entrée and add sides separately
as desired - or not," says Redondo Chef Gabriel
Cabrera. The entrée selections are all grilled items
of salmon $19.95, halibut priced daily, garlic prawns $15.95 or chicken
$10.95. Then order sides as desired - or not - leek risotto $5.95,
mashed potatoes $3.95, ginger-jasmine rice $3.95, asparagus $4.95 or
roasted vegetables $3.95. It's your choice.
In Portland, Chef Dana Cress has an à la carte dinner section called "Simply Grilled." It features wild salmon $23.95, Alaskan halibut priced daily, or prawns $19.95. On the side for $3.95 are grilled polenta cake, cilantro lime rice, grilled baby bok choy, rosemary red potatoes, fries or garlic mashed potatoes or veggies. Delicious!
In Seattle on Alki Beach, Chef Jeremy McLachlan calls his à la carte dinner section "Simply Fresh® Seafood." Choose grilled Alaskan halibut with beurre blanc $22.95, blackened catfish with kumquat butter $14.95, Eastern sea scallops with beurre blanc and house bacon $19.95 ($6.50 each), prawn skewers with preserved lemon relish $14.95, wild Alaskan salmon with beurre blanc $22.95, Dungeness crab-stuffed salmon with preserved lemon relish $25.95. You can make any salmon dish wild or even make it halibut for $10. On the side for $5 each are spring vegetables with preserved lemon relish, green tea-scented rice with fresh hearts of palm-radish salad, sweet corn and asparagus risotto, sautéed spring pea vines with corn and house bacon, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or sautéed portobello mushrooms with herbs.
It doesn't get any better, does it? Salty's aims to please. If you want a vegetarian dish, just say so. Make reservations at Saltys.com/reservations today and stretch your dollars as you want. "You're in control of how much you spend," says Portland Chef Cress.
Cheers to you and yours,
Salty's Managing Partners
Bonnie David - email me at bdavid@saltys.com
Terianne Broyles - email me at tbroyles@saltys.com
Linda Addy - email me at laddy@saltys.com
May 2008
Copper River wild-caught salmon arrives mid-May.
By Tim O'Brien, Salty's Sommelier
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – Salmon and halibut are here, wild and fresh as ever. If spring decides to make an appearance we'll open our "Funshine Decks" and begin living the great lifestyle that only the Pacific Northwest and Salty's can provide. May is not your ordinary month. We anxiously await the arrival of Copper River salmon from Alaska and although we hear there's still a bit of ice on the river, it is expected mid-May. This is the time of year when culinary choices bloom with spring freshness. The gifts of both the earth and the sea are vying for our chefs' attention.
Wild salmon and halibut share the stage in our May featured entrée. Our chefs could not leave either out. Seattle Chef Jeremy McLachlan refers to the dish as Surf & Surf and as he says, "What better way to welcome wild-caught salmon than nestling it next to fresh Alaskan halibut?" On our market sheets you'll see it listed as Citrus-Marinated Halibut and Wild Salmon Brochettes with Sweet Corn-Studded Cheesy Grits (made like polenta but we use white corn), Charred Tomatillos and Pickled Peppers, Dried Andouille (a coarse-grained smoked meat) and Celery Salad. Chef says the dish has a slight heat element and will be balanced with a blend of bold flavors.
A dish this creative and savory demands a similar wine pairing. Our choice for Surf & Surf is Pinot & Pinot! Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. We recommend two three-ounce glasses of Pinot & Pinot with your Surf & Surf entrée. We went directly to Oregon to find the freshest wine on the planet (it's a shame it's not Walla Walla). Oregon has established itself as a premier region for both Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Firesteed Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris jumped out of our wine glasses and ahead of the competition. Here are wines that have purity of fruit picked perfectly ripe then handled with precision and care.
The Pinot Gris has melon and a touch of anise and mineral with a finish as fresh as the morning. Year after year this wine is singled out as one of Oregon's best. Firesteed is the leading producer of Pinot Noir in Oregon and the 2006 demonstrates their affinity for it. Although it's the most finicky grape in the vineyard, Firesteed makes it look easy with consistently bright berry flavors unencumbered by oak or excessive alcohol. Here is wine made with food in mind. Salmon and Pinot Noir meet in the crossroads of your palate in perfect synergy with intensity and balance. Surf & Surf, Pinot & Pinot, Yum & Yum. Make your reservation at http://www.saltys.com/reservations for lunch or dinner, Alki, Redondo or Portland for the perfect match for halibut and salmon, Firesteed Pinots, Gris and Noir.
Buy Mom a $100 gift card and get a free cookbook for her, too.
Dear Salty's Guest,
I'm writing to tell you about a cookbook I've put my heart into – Good Ciao! It's a wonderful collaboration between my dearest friend, Italian Chef Roberto Russo, myself, and the Salty's Chefs. Our recipes embrace the local flavors and abundance of Tuscany and Umbria as well as the Pacific Northwest.
There are 69 recipes written in both Italian and English, side by side – 57 from Roberto and 12 from Salty's. My own personal recipe is the Clam and Mussel Risotto. Our cookbook also includes a description of Roberto's Tuscan villa Parco Fiorito, which was a 16th century convent that has been transformed into an organic farm and Agriturismo that we highly recommend. Our family has enjoyed our visits there touring the countryside, sipping at the wineries and taking cooking classes with Roberto. It is a magnificent place for you to consider traveling to or at least vicariously through his recipes.
It's a cookbook you might love to have for yourself or even consider as the perfect gift for your mother (Hello, Mother's Day is coming up!), father (Father's Day is not far behind), your wife, your husband, the graduate, sister, brother, friend – anyone who loves to cook! It's 199 pages with a matte-finish soft cover and French flaps. You can peruse sample pages at http://www.saltys.com/good_ciao and the cost is $24.95. Even better, during the months of May and June, Salty's offers you the cookbook for free when you purchase $100 in Salty's dining gift cards. A very nice kicker is that Roberto is including a $100 gift certificate toward a stay at Parco Fiorito in case you are in the neighborhood. Just go to https://www.saltys.com/gifts/giftcard.asp to take advantage of this opportunity.
Wishing you well always. Here's to Good Ciao with your family and friends!
Kathryn Hilger Kingen, Salty's Co-owner & Cookbook Author!
Mintz–her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
NWSource.com is asking you to cast your vote in People's Picks 2008. I love a good contest and we hope you feel Salty’s is worthy. Here are the links and you can vote daily until June 17:
Here's to a Happy Mother's Day! In honor of mothers everywhere, Salty's is offering their new cookbook Good Ciao free with every $100 gift card purchased starting in May. Good Ciao, the cookbook co-authored by Salty's Co-owner Kathy Kingen and Italian Chef Roberto Russo and edited by local foodie Mina Williams, features recipes in both English and Italian side by side. You'll also receive a $100 certificate toward a stay at Roberto's Tuscan villa Parco Fiorito. Visit http://www.saltys.com/good_ciao for the details. 
Also watch the YouTube video of Russo preparing his Pici with Breadcrumbs aka Pici alla Briciolaat (he says it's an ancient dish dating from Etruscan times – now that's ancient) at http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=boEC5wezvl4&feature=related and then get the recipe (illustrated with photos on pages 68-70 in the cookbook Good Ciao). He's also seen in fine form in an interview posted at http://it.youtube.com/user/goodciao where he discusses Good Ciao and its emphasis on natural products.
Salty's in Portland presents Saturday brunches starting Mother's Day weekend. Make your reservation at Saltys.com for Salty's Weekend Brunch on Saturdays, too, starting Mother's Day Weekend, May 10 and 11.
The fourth annual Seattle Cheese Festival features more than 200 local and international artisan cheese makers will offer samples to taste and for sale. A cheese race, wine garden, cooking demos and kids' activities (human, not goat) add to the merriment! Visit http://www.seattlecheesefestival.com to find out more on this event at the Pike Place Market May 16-18.
Washington State is the second largest producer of wine in our country. With so many vineyards, who has the time to visit, taste and enjoy them all? Now, you do along the Washington Wine Highway. This third annual event takes place May 24-25 on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville where 80 wineries and 40 restaurants will offer samples of the Northwest's bounty. Please attend and visit Alki's booth Saturday, May 24. Alki Chef Jeremy McLachlan has a demo on the Viking Cooking Stage (new this year). This event is held rain or shine! Hope to see you there! Visit http://www.washingtonwinehighway.com or call (425) 481-8300 for more. Or come to Salty's year round and enjoy many Washington wines on our lists. Thanks to the work of Salty's Sommeliers Tim O'Brien and Veronica Smith, both Alki and Redondo received the "Fine Dining Grand Award 2008" from the Washington Wine Commission. Visit http://www.saltys.com/food_wine/awardwinning_wine.asp to peruse wine lists.
The Seattle Elliott Bay Water Taxi is back in operation! The Water Taxi service operates seven days a week between Pier 55 at the foot of Spring Street on the downtown Seattle waterfront and Seacrest dock in West Seattle. The crossing time is approximately 12 minutes. Salty’s is just a five-minute walk from the dock in West Seattle. Visit http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/water_taxi.html for the details.
The Portland Food Dude at PortlandFoodAndDrink.com (their byline is "Throwing Ourselves on the Grenade of Bad Food to Save you) lists Salty's as an outdoor dining spot. "It is the perfect place to watch the river traffic, water fowl and planes, plus the food is mighty good, too," says Bette Sinclair, Salty's Portland PR maven envisioning the good weather ahead. Visit http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/?page_id=1224 for more.
Attend an Arts West play in West Seattle on Sundays and bring your ticket stub to Salty's for dinner a free slice of White Chocolate Mousse Cake. For more about the May/June play, I Am My Own Wife, tickets and address go to http://www.artswest.org and be sure to bring your ticket to Salty's afterwards (Sundays only).
Restaurants & Institutions magazine ranked the nation's 100 top-grossing independent restaurants and Salty's came in at 93 serving 210,000 meals. Reporting on the piece, Rebekah Denn, PI food blogger, said Alki was "helped along by private-dining seats that brought in 21 percent of total revenues." Visit http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/devouringseattle/archives/136748.asp to read her full report. Visit Salty's virtual tours at http://www.saltys.com/seattle/virtual_tour/diningarea to see why Seattle brides vie a year in advance for Seattle's most coveted wedding reception and rehearsal dinner site. Of course if you need a meeting room, those are more readily available – call Sales Director Collin Forseth anytime at (206) 937-1085 or contact him at cforseth@saltys.com by email. The Portland Salty's has wonderful private dining, too. Visit http://www.saltys.com/portland/catering for details or contact Catering Director Dorothy Lane at dlane@saltys.com or call her at (503) 288-4444.
Read more Mintz – her words.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE – Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays during Saturday and Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio plays Mondays and Fridays 7 to 10 p.m. in the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE – Please come join us in the Café-Bar in May. Here's the schedule:
Friday, May 2 – Jonny Smokes
Saturday, May 3 – Glenn Harrell
Friday, May 9 – Billy Farmer
Saturday, May 10 -– Poodlebomb
Friday, May 16 – Justin Kausal-Hayes
Saturday, May 17 – Myles Crew
Friday, May 23 – Andy Burnett
Saturday, May 24 – Mark Fluegel and Cory Wildss
Friday, May 30 – Myles Crew
Saturday, May 31 – Glenn Harrell
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND – Oregon Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Brown plays 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist Jof Lee and Saturdays with his trio. Portland Keyboard Romantic Andrei Kitaev plays Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. to close.
Go to http://www.saltys.com/reservations for reservations. Don't forget to buy a gift card for mom at https://www.saltys.com/gifts/giftcard.asp and receive a free Good Ciao cookbook if it's $100!
April 2008
Fresh halibut Nirvana.
By Jamie Meade, Purchasing Manager
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND - Nobody turns fresh halibut into Heaven like
our Chefs do. Try this on for sighs: A fillet of juicy halibut
grilled and teamed up with wildly tasty purple fingerling potato salad
topped with sweet corn and bacon-wilted spring pea vines. Add a dollop
of Piquillo pepper aïoli and you've got Halibut Nirvana à la
Salty's! (See http://www.saltys.com/recipes/entrees/halibutwiltedpeavines.asp for
the recipe.) It's served for lunch or dinner in April only - just for
the halibut.
Prized for its delicate sweet flavor and healthy attributes, halibut
has tender, flaky yet firm, white meat. A great source of protein and
minerals, it's low in fat and calories. Where does this wonder of nature
come from? Some hail from the Northern Pacific, others from the Northern
Atlantic, but we serve halibut from the clear, cold waters of the North
Pacific.
Halibut are one of strongest fish in the sea. During the longest migration
ever recorded, one was tagged near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and
later captured 2,500 miles away in Coos Bay, Oregon. Most require a
gunshot or more to kill them - be sure to do this before you get it
in the boat! The classic smack on the head with a fish bonker won't
get you anywhere with these beasts. In the North Pacific, halibut are
among the top of the marine food chain with sea lions, orca whales
and salmon sharks as their predators. Marine biologists tell us halibut
eat almost anything that fits in their mouth - octopus, crab, salmon,
cod, pollock, herring, fishermen (just kidding) and even smaller halibut
(not kidding).
There
are many stories about the biggest halibut ever recorded: one is of
a 459 pounder caught in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, another claims 533 pounds,
and yet another 726 pounds. These are halibut caught for sport. Halibut
at Salty's or in grocery stores come from 10- to 60-pound range. Smaller
halibut are sweeter and juicier than larger, older ones that roam the
ocean floors.
Salty's Owner, and sometime halibut fisherman, Gerry Kingen (just
back from bonefishing in Venezuela!) caught this sweet 27 pounder with
his Dad, the late Robert (Bob) Kingen (pictured right,
Bob was also a restaurateur and known for Kingen's Drive-In in Bellevue).
Please join us at Salty's and sink your teeth into some of the sweetest
halibut in Seattle and Portland. Salty's Chefs turn it into Halibut
Nirvana - just for you. Visit http://www.saltys.com/reservations and
make your reservations today.
Sexy Syrah
By Tim O'Brien, Salty's Sommelier
SEATTLE - I can't wait for this event to happen each year. It's like
Christmas in April for wine lovers. That is why Alki keeps doing it
and every year we have more fun than the year before. This year's edition
includes over 40 wineries and a spread of Salty's savory Syrah-loving
fresh seafood classics like grilled salmon, crab cakes and bacon-wrapped
prawns. We also carve up some lamb and roast baron of beef to match
up with brawny Syrah. Read more.
Seven Hills Winery dinner at Portland
Salty's.
PORTLAND - Seven Hills Winery is coming to Salty's
in Portland April18 for a winemaker's dinner. Winemaker Casey
McClellan is the fourth generation in his family to work in
agriculture. His winery is one of the original five wineries of the
Walla Walla Valley. "My goal as winemaker is intensely structured,
balanced wines expressing the distinct terroir of their vineyard
origin. I believe the soil, climate and grapes in our Northwest appellations
afford the opportunity to make wines ranked among the best in their
class," McClellan says.
The Seven Hills winery is located in the historic district of Walla
Walla. Their wines have won numerous accolades and high scores from
wine publications.
Here's the five-course menu:
- 1st-Alaskan Halibut & Spring Salmon Terrine with Charred Frisée,
Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette - Seven Hills Riesling, 2006, Columbia
Valley
- 2nd-Cashew-Crusted Smoked Idaho Trout Cake, Viognier Tarragon Beurre
Blanc - Seven Hills Viognier, 2006, Columbia Valley
- 3rd-Muscovy Duck Gratin, Hazelnut Vinaigrette & Red Wine Reduction
- Ciel Du Cheval, 2005, Red Mountain
- 4th-Grilled Cattail Creek Lamb Chop Loin, Gorgonzola Compound Butter,
Braised Cipollini Onions, Black Eyed Peas & Applewood Lardons - Seven
Hills Merlot, 2005, Walla Walla Valley
- 5th-Dessert Trio of Caramel & Hazelnut Tartlet, Mini Cream Cheese
Flan with Asian Pear, Deep Chocolate Malbec Torte - Seven Hills Malbec,
2005, Walla Walla Valley.
Sommelier Jason Ludlow and Chef Dana Cress invite you to join them
Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m. The cost is $115 (includes gratuity). Call
(503) 288-4444 for reservations today.
Mintz-her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
Zagat
Seattle Restaurants Survey scored both Redondo and Alki "Very Good
to Excellent" in food, décor and service. "It's all
about the 'right on the water' views at these two seafooders that
satisfy gawking gazers with 'good' fin fare plus 'spectacular Sunday
brunch' (on Saturdays too, at Alki Beach) featuring 'endless piles
of fresh oysters, shrimp and crab… it's 'worth it,' especially
for 'impressing' 'out of town guests'."
Is
it surprising that Alki was again voted Best Brunch in the reader's
poll of Seattle Magazine's 2008 best restaurants issue?
The
Federal Way Mirror's readers voted Redondo Best Brunch and Best
Seafood Restaurant once again. We caught Managing Partner Terianne
Broyles beaming with appreciation.
Gayot listed both Alki and Redondo on their Best
Brunch in Washington for Easter.
Alki Chef Jeremy McLachlan tells me he's made some
slight changes to the Alki menu "to get more spring in our step." Visit
his blog at http://www.saltys.com/news/blogs/chef_blog_seattle to
read more on one of his favorite subjects.
A prix fixe menu with two courses for $25 is available at
Alki during April. It's
all part of a promotion called Seasoned Seattle by NWSource featuring
Seattle's legendary restaurants. Choose either an appetizer and entrée
or entrée and dessert, with three choices each. The menu is
available Sunday through Thursday in April only. Go to www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?ven=1964&s=nws for
Alki's menu. Other classic restaurants on the list include Madison
Park Café and Il Bistro.
.Read more Mintz – her
words.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE - Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays for you during
Saturday and Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill's Blue 4
Trio plays Mondays and Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE -
4/4 Fri. Poodlebomb
4/5 Sat. Myles Crew
4/11 Fri. Andy Burnett
4/12 Sat. Poodlebomb
4/18 Fri. Billy Farmer
4/19 Sat. Glenn Harrell
4/25 Fri. Justin Kausal-Hayes
4/26 Sat. Myles Crew
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND - Oregon Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Brown plays
7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist Jof Lee and Saturdays
with his trio. Portland Keyboard Romantic Andrei Kitaev plays
Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. to close.
Bluetooth meets blue plate.
SEATTLE & PORTLAND
- As of now, you have free Wi-Fi internet access for PCs or Macs at
all Salty's during lunch hours. "Come with a luncheon partner and you
can both click onto the internet over something yummy. Salty's lunches
are what computer folk have called very in-the-groove grub," says Redondo
Managing Partner Terianne Broyles. "You might want
to give our Blue Plate Special a go. It's tastefully reinvented daily.
Very much like yourself!" The Blue Plate Special is available at all
Salty's at lunch for $9.95. Go
to http://www.saltys.com/reservations and
get in the groove now.
Portland Sunday buffet on Saturdays,
too, starting Mother's Day weekend!
PORTLAND - "You won't believe it," says Managing Partner Linda
Addy. "Our unmatched, award-winning, spectacular Sunday
Brunch is on Saturdays, too, starting Mother's Day weekend." It's
the Nation's Best Sunday Brunch, says MSN-Citysearch.com. The winning
reason is the unabashed, mind-numbing variety of all-you-can-eat
crab, peel-it-yourself shrimp, hand-carved roasts, pasta bar, oyster
bar, waffles, omelet stations churning out eggs with every filler
under the sun, scores of pastries, breads, and fruits, and more bacon
and sausage than you can shake a stick at. Throw in the postcard
views of the Columbia River, the ever-solicitous waitstaff, and the
kid-friendly setting, and the choice is not so surprising. Make your
reservation at http://www.saltys.com/reservations for
Salty's Weekend Brunch on Saturdays too starting Mother's Day Weekend,
May 10 and 11.
Butter up your secretary April 21-25.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND - There's no better reward for a job well done
than lunch at Salty's. On you. Surprise your Secretary, Administrative
Professional, or Your Team, with our:
THREE-COURSE APPRECIATION LUNCH
ONLY $19.95
- Caesar Salad Topped with Blackened Salmon, Grilled Prawns or Grilled
Chicken
- Cup of World-Famous Seafood Chowder with Scallops, Clams, Bay Shrimp
and Bacon
- Salty's Legendary White Chocolate Mousse Cake or Ice Cream
It's only available during Administrative Professionals Week April
21-25. Just go to http://www.saltys.com/reservations and
tell us when you want your reservation. And be the real you. The world's
best boss. If you can't make it in to Salty's, consider a gift card,
available in any denomination. Go to https://www.saltys.com/gifts/giftcard.asp and
buy one today.
March 2008
The inside story of the sweetest cheeks in the sea.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – Editor's note: We asked Eileen Mintz,
Salty's spokesperson and blogger, to get the scoop on Alki Executive
Chef Jeremy McLachlan's newest creation for all Salty's.
Eileen
Mintz: Jeremy, the buzz I hear is you've created a new halibut
dish.
Jeremy McLachlan: It's sort of a twist on a classic:
Pan-Seared Halibut Cheeks Oscar. We're doing it to kick off our annual
Halibut Festival.
EM: Salty's fans love this season, "Just for the Halibut,"
yes?
JM: Right. It's all about halibut and it runs through
May, highlighted by the return of fresh-off-the-boats halibut mid-March.
EM: Tell us about halibut cheeks.
JM: Many people consider the cheeks section of the
halibut the tastiest part. They come from just behind the head and they
have a texture similar to scallops, only sweeter.
EM: The foodies among us want to know how you're preparing
them.
JM: Very simply. We want the natural taste of the
cheeks to dominate here. So we just pan sear them in butter and compliment
them with a light saucing.
EM: I've heard you're using a sauce béarnaise.
JM: Yes, but the one we make is different than most.
We take red wine vinegar and infuse it with bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme
and tarragon. Then we whip that together with egg yolks and salt and
drawn butter. It's finished with a touch more of fresh tarragon and
garnished with a little orange tobiko. It's a béarnaise that
goes perfectly with halibut cheeks.
EM: Sounds delightful. And what side dishes have you
chosen?
JM: We surround the cheeks with Yukon potatoes mixed and mashed with
some celery root and even a few turnips. Add roasted garlic, cream,
butter and salt and you have a superb side for halibut. We complete
the dish with some fresh sliced asparagus that has been marinated in
lemon juice and oil. It's quite a plate, a treat to the eyes as well
as the palate.
EM: A great combination. Tell us about the wine you
are recommending.
JM: White wines work best for bringing out the best
in halibut cheeks. Just for fun and to learn about one's individual
taste preferences, we're recommending our guests order a flight of three
two-ounce taster glasses of Chardonnays from Washington, Oregon and
France at Alki. Portland will feature California instead of French and
Redondo will feature all Washington Chardonnays.
EM:
I also hear Salty's Pastry Chef Jane Gibson has created a festival dessert
for all Salty's.
JM: Yes! It's Hawaiian Tart à la Moo, a caramelized
pineapple and coconut pastry cream topped with crispy macadamia nut
streusel, garnished with powdered sugar, caramel sauce and candied almonds.
It's served with a triple vanilla milkshake.
EM: Sounds intoxicating!
JM: When you visit us during our festival we'll give
you a "Just for the Halibut - Get Hooked" postcard to get the dessert
for free on your next visit. It's good through May.
EM: Thank you, Jeremy. You've given us another fascinating
adventure in seafood cuisine.
If you can't make it
in to Salty's see http://www.saltys.com/recipes
for a dozen halibut recipes to try at home.
The Alki alchemist.
By
Tim O'Brien, Alchemist Blogger
SEATTLE – We roll out "Potations from the Alchemist"
at Alki in March. It's our new signature cocktail and mocktail
menu. It features a Rolls Royce Rita using Patron Anjeo
Tequila and Grand Marnier cognac liqueur or try a Luxury Lemondrop
with Grey Goose Citron or Belvedere vodka.
Evergreen State Martini features DryFly vodka or gin
made in Washington's first production distillery since Prohibition using
Washington-grown grains (see more at dryflydistilling.com).
Kahlúa selected our new Nutty Cow to feature
in their advertising – now that's a vote of approval. We use equal
parts Hazelnut Kahlúa and Bailey's Irish Cream and fold them
into steamed milk to satisfy deepest cravings. [Read
more.]
Seven Hills Winery dinner in Portland.
PORTLAND
– One of the original five wineries of the Walla Walla Valley
– Seven Hills Winery – is coming to Salty's
in Portland in April for a winemaker's dinner. Winemaker Casey
McClellan is the fourth generation in his family to work in
agriculture. His family began growing grapes about 20 years ago in Washington
(their winery was originally located in Oregon).
"My goal as winemaker is intensely structured, balanced wines expressing
the distinct terroir of their vineyard origin. I believe the soil, climate
and grapes in our Northwest appellations afford the opportunity to make
wines ranked among the best in their class," McClellan says. [Read
more.]
Mintz–her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
During March Wine Madness, Salty's has an award-winning offer
for you. Try any Washington or Oregon wines (bottle or glass)
and you'll receive an award good for $20 off any two dinner entrees
the next time you come back (it expires May 1 so be sure to come back
soon). It's in honor of the many accolades Salty's wine lists have garnered;
visit http://www.saltys.com/awards for
details.
Good Ciao cookbooks are now in Salty's Gift Shops!
Ernesto Pino, food and travel writer, says, "Good Ciao
is the perfect blend of authentic central-Italian dishes and Pacific
Northwest comfort food. Kathryn Hilger Kingen's Seattle
passions melt into chef Roberto Russo's inspired creations."
How can you resist? Pick up your copy for only $24.95 or visit http://www.saltys.com/good_ciao
to buy one online.
Russo's
son Giuseppe Russo recently attended a Kids Korps USA
gala with CNN's Larry King who was the celebrity MC
of the evening. The Russos' Parco Fiorito vacation-package auction item
had the highest bid of the evening see (
http://www.kidskorps.org/Gala2008.html for more about the gala event)
and we can't recommend it enough. Arrange your vacation to Parco
Fiorito through Doumina Whyman, who gives personal guided tours of Italy.
"Doumina gives you an up-close insider's view of the treasures surrounding
the enchanted hill town of Cortona. You like olive oil? 
Meet
a farmer who picks his olives, and the man who presses them. Art your
thing? Listen to the passionate sermons of her guide, and real-life
descendant of Cortona's own Luca Signorelli. Want to eat the way the
heartiest Tuscans do? For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you will. Guaranteed,"
says Tim Stark, writer for Gourmet and Conde
Nast. Whyman was recently featured in "Women in Business on the
Kitsap Peninsula" see (
http://kpbj.com/report/articles/2008-02-02-RPT-03.html) for the
story. For itineraries in Italy, see http://www.TheEnthusiasticTraveler.com
or call her at (360) 620-2728 or email whyman1@aol.com.
Alki Executive Chef Jeremy McLachlan offers you a
special menu and helps educate trainees at FareStart for Guest
Chef Night, Thursday, March 27. Enjoy fine dining for $24.95
with 100% of the proceeds and gratuities going to FareStart's student
programs. Thursday Guest Chef Night has raised over $1.5 million to
date. See http://www.farestart.org
for tickets.
Gayot.com
says Salty's is "bringing new life to a classic tradition of American
dining with its Blue Plate Specials." They're just
$9.95 for lunch and $19.95 for dinner at all Salty's locations. Visit
www.gayot.com/restaurants/seattlenews.html
for the story.
Taste
Washington's pairing extravaganza takes place this year on
April 6 at Qwest Field. Alki will pair tasty bites with great Washington
wines. Tickets go fast! Visit http://www.tastewashington.org
and get yours today.
Alki Sommelier Tim O'Brien and Seattle Sommelier David
LeClaire bring Sexy Syrah back to Alki on
April 16 for the seventh year! Forty Northwest boutique wineries will
showcase their Syrahs. FareStart will be the beneficiary. Buy $40 tickets
at http://www.farestart.org
or call (206) 267-6223.
Read more Mintz –
her words.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE – Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays for you during Saturday
and Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio plays Mondays
and Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE –
3/1 Myles Crew
3/7 Poodlebomb
3/8 Mark Fluegel & Cory Wilds
3/14 Billy Farmer
3/15 Nabil Pierce
3/21 Jonny Smokes
3/22 Justin Kausal-Hayes
3/28 Mark Fluegel & Cory Wilds
3/29 Paul Kroeger
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND – Oregon Music Hall of Fame Inductee Mel Brown plays
7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist Jof Lee and Saturdays with his
trio. Portland Keyboard Romantic Andrei Kitaev plays Wednesdays, 6:30
p.m. to close.
Easter Sunday buffet on Saturday too!
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – "You voted Salty's one of the best Sunday
brunches in both Portland and Seattle, so we're making it the best Saturday
brunch on Easter, too," says Portland Managing Partner Linda
Addy. "It's the same great award-winning Sunday-style brunch,
a culinary adventure like no other."
Easter Brunch is served in Portland Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; at Redondo Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Alki's brunch is always served Saturday 9 to 1:30
p.m. (not just Easter) and Easter Sunday brunch is 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Alki also now takes large brunch parties on Sundays up to 200 people.
Call us to make reservations at
• Alki Beach – Seattle (206) 937-1600
• Redondo Beach – Des Moines/South Seattle (253) 946-0636
• Columbia River – Portland (503) 288-4444
VJ Trio plays Easter at Alki.
SEATTLE
– If you want a little more swing and bebop with your Easter,
come to Alki on March 23 when Pianoman Victor Janusz
and his longtime sidemen Tim Koss (upright double bass)
and Mark Taylor (celebrated saxophonist) will play
for you. The date also commemorates the three-year mark for Vic's favorite
weekly gig playing for Alki's Saturday and Sunday brunch patrons. He
says, "Well, it's true that time flies when you're having fun! It's
been three years since Managing Partner Bonnie David
contacted me and said Hey, let's give this a go!"
The VJ Trio promises you a solid mixed bag of tunes, their trademark
style – Sinatra to Steely Dan with a healthy dose of originals
and jazz standards.
Janusz is one of Seattle's most in-demand pianists since he went full-time
ten years ago. He plays regularly at Nordstrom (downtown Seattle and
Southcenter), The Sixth Avenue Wine Seller (at Pacific Place) every
Friday, and is a frequent singer-pianist and trio frontman at nightspots
Canlis, Bellevue Club, Martin's Piano Bistro and more.
"It's like a family here at Alki. I not only entertain guests, but
also the troops. I get a kick from their feedback and support. Even
the occasional 'Enough with the Police songs this morning!' keeps me
in the groove. See http://www.victorjanusz.com
for more.
Now serving laptops for lunch.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – As of now, you have free Wi-Fi internet
access for PCs and Macs at Salty's during lunch hours (starting mid-March
in Portland). "Come with a luncheon partner and you can both click onto
the internet over something yummy. Salty's lunches are what computer
folk have called very in-the-groove grub," says Redondo Managing Partner
Terianne Broyles. "You might want to give our Blue
Plate Special a go. It's tastefully reinvented daily. Very much like
yourself!" The Blue Plate Special is available at all Salty's at lunch
for $9.95. Make reservations at http://www.saltys.com/reservations
and get in the groove now.
Our
recipe contest is extended until June 30.
SEATTLE & PORTLAND – Salty's chefs' Wild Salmon Recipe Contest
deadline is extended to June 30. Visit http://www.saltys.com/salmon_recipe_contest
for the details and entry form. Good luck!
February 2008
Our Lover's Crab Feast makes every day Valentine's Day.
SEATTLE
AND PORTLAND – Gerry and Kathy Kingen, Salty's
official co-ship captains, recently issued an unofficial proclamation
that henceforth every day in February shall be unofficially known as
Valentine's Day at all Salty's restaurants.
When asked for details on this important move, Kathy, who is also the
official Queen of Hearts at Salty's, said, "We're doing this because
we love Valentine's Day so much we never want it to end." Gerry added
this spice to her thought: "So we decided to make every day Valentine's
Day all month long. This will give our guests many more opportunities
to come in and celebrate this wonderful day of love and romance."
To put their exclamation point on this amorous decision, Salty's Chefs
put their heads together and created a brand new crab regal pour deux.
Appropriately enough, they named it the Lover's Crab Feast for
Two. And Tim O'Brien, Salty's famed Sommelier
of the Year, added his expertise by adding a Wine Flight of
Fancy to the feast. It includes a different wine specially
selected to enhance each of the crab courses.
The first course features Crab and Brie Fondido along
with tortilla chips and a roasted garlic purée for dipping. We
suggest Champagne for sipping. The next go-round stars a Crab
and Corn Chowder with pablano relish and tortilla strips we
think should be paired with a delightfully different Riesling, a classic
match for crab. The crescendo of the feast is Herb-Roasted Dungeness
Crab. It's accompanied by a buttery baked polenta with queso
Oaxaca and cabbage pico. The perfect wine match for this dish is Chardonnay.
O'Brien says, "It's the perfect wine to combine with the roasted crab
because it elicits flavors that linger pleasantly on your palate like
a lover's kiss."
Adding a final suggestion for Salty's most amorous guests, our Captain
Courageous Kingen recommends guests begin their February Lover's Feasts
with a plateful of delicious fresh oysters, "For obvious reasons," he
said, with a twinkle in his eye.
The Lover's Crab Feast is prix fixe during dinner hours. The wine flight
is a separate price. The items are also available separately at lunch.
Go to http://www.saltys.com/food_wine/menus.asp
to peruse our Chef's Market Sheets and then go to http://www.saltys.com/reservations
to reserve your love table today. If you can't make it in, try our recipe
for Crab and Corn Chowder at home; visit http://www.saltys.com/recipes/soup/crabcornchowder.asp
for the recipe. (Photo by Ilya Moshenskiy.)
Make a date with your favorite fish.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – What a great time to make reservations
for you and your favorite fish! Valentine's Day is next Thursday and
here are our special menus:
Alki
– Saltys.com/seattle/menus/Seattle_Valentine_Menu.pdf
Redondo – Saltys.com/seattle_south/menus/Seattle_South_Valentine_Menu.pdf
Portland – Saltys.com/portland/menus/Portland_Valentine_Menu.pdf
Make reservations at http://www.saltys.com/reservations
and, if you can't make it into Salty's, the next best present is a Salty's
Gift Card, available in any denomination. Go to https://www.saltys.com/gifts/giftcard.asp
to buy one today!
Wild salmon now on the menu.
By Jamie Meade, Salty's Purchasing Manager
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – If you're anything like Salty's chefs,
you crave the amazing flavor of wild salmon all year round even though
it's not readily available. Salty's chefs have decided to offer you
a frozen-at-sea wild salmon as we await – with great anticipation
– the return of fresh wild salmon. What is "frozen-at-sea" wild
salmon? Fishing vessels that provide this product are staffed with two
groups of people, one group catches the salmon, and the other cleans
and freezes it. As soon as the salmon are caught, they are gutted, cleaned,
sprayed with ice-cold water and flash frozen within 30 seconds. There's
no chance of oxidation or structural degradation. The quality of frozen-at-sea
salmon is significantly superior to salmon caught and stored on ice
for the duration of the trip and then frozen back on shore.
Most of our wild salmon is caught around the Queen Charlotte Islands
in British Columbia. Some may come from boats that fish 20 to 40 miles
off the coast of Alaska outside of Sitka.
Alki's Chef Jeremy McLachlan tells me you can upgrade
to wild King salmon for $10 at dinner and $6 at lunch. For example,
his Cedar-Smoked Salmon with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Wilted
Arugula and Radicchio, House Bacon Apple Relish and Fig Balsamic Glaze
can be ordered for $29.95 and add $10 upgrade for wild salmon, or order
a half portion for $19.95 plus $5 for wild. At lunch order this dish
for $19.95 with a $6 upgrade for wild salmon.
Redondo Chef Gabriel Cabrera offers you wild Sockeye
salmon upgrades for $5 at both lunch and dinner. Portland Chef Dana
Cress offers wild Copper River Sockeye salmon for $6.
Mintz–her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
We're proud to announce Salty's has once again won Wine
Enthusiast magazine Award of Distinction for 2007 with
kudos to Sommeliers Tim O'Brien (Seattle) and Jason
Ludlow (Portland). Visit Visit www.WineMag.com
online. 
Savor your afternoon! Turning Salty's new Tea Time into a permanent
feature wasn't enough for Alki Chef Jeremy McLachlan and Pastry Chef
Jane Gibson. They've added more savory items and now Tea Time also works
nicely as a late lunch. View all Salty's Tea Time menus online at
Alki - www.saltys.com/seattle/menus/Seattle_Tea_Time.pdf
Redondo - www.saltys.com/seattle_south/menus/Seattle_South_Tea_Time.pdf
Columbia -www.saltys.com/portland/menus/Portland_Tea_Time.pdf
Portland
local jazz legend Mel Brown is always a hot topic.
He was recently inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, and now
he's releasing a CD of a recording he made at Salty's. Don't
miss the Mel Brown Trio's CD release party at Columbia on Friday, February
8, at 7:00 p.m. Brown, Tim Gilson and Jof Lee (pictured here)
will play and mingle with guests. Their CD will be available for $15.
Go to Saltys.com for reservations. If you can't make it in for the party,
find more jazz events at www.pdxjazz.com
– the web site for the Portland Jazz Festival which runs February
15-24.
Good
Ciao, the cookbook by Author-Chef Roberto Russo
and collaborator Salty's Co-Owner Kathryn Kingen, garnered
praise from Braiden Rex-Johnson, author of Pacific
Northwest Wining and Dining (now in its second printing by Wiley
publishers). 
She
attended the cookbook's unveiling at the third annual Under the Alki
Moon wine dinner presented by Russo and Salty's Chefs (pictured here
left to right) Portland Sous Chef Josh Gibler, Alki
Chef Jeremy McLachlan and Redondo Chef Gabriel
Cabrera. Visit www.teamphotogenic.com/ph
for this and other photos by Team Photogenic. In a note to Kathryn,
Braiden said the dinner was "…a luscious and lavish feast" and
was "…so impressed with each course" and the wine pairings "…were
out of this world" (kudos to Sommelier Tim O'Brien!). She acknowledged
that "…a book of this quality…" takes time. See more at
www.northwestwininganddining.com/northwestnotes.html
her blog.
Read more Mintz –
her words.
Salty's chefs are blogging for you.
Visit Salty's chefs' blogs and get detailed descriptions of menu changes
and foodie events. Here's where to find them
Alki Chef - http://www.saltys.com/news/blogs/chef_blog_seattle/
Redondo Chef - http://www.saltys.com/news/blogs/chef_blog_seattle_south/
Portland Chef - http://www.saltys.com/news/blogs/chef_blog_portland/
Our recipe contest is a wild one.
SEATTLE
& PORTLAND – Salty's chefs are celebrating 30 years in the
Pacific Northwest serving wonderfully wild salmon with a recipe contest.
Enter your totally original, wildly creative and tastiest recipe for
cooking wild salmon and if you're the winner, you and five friends/family
members will be treated to a hands-on cooking class with our Chef, and
you'll all dine on the goodies from the class.
Three winners will be chosen, one for each Salty's. Your original creation
will be featured on Salty's "Wild Ones" Salmon Market Sheet –
with your name on it – and on Salty's chefs' blogs. You'll also
receive a copy of Salty's new cookbook Good Ciao. So get cookin'!
Ask for entry forms at any Salty's or download one at www.Saltys.com/salmon_recipe_contest.pdf
and submit it to Salty's by Saturday, March 1, 2008. Good luck!
January 2008
Salty's
reinvents the famous "Blue Plate Special."
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – "We're excited about bringing new life to a
classic old tradition of American dining," says Salty's Gerry
Kingen. "But our Blue Plate Specials have little in common
with what guests ate in roadside diners decades ago. We serve them every
day on blue plates at value prices," he says. "Otherwise, there's no
comparison."
From the 1920s to the depression years and during the '50s Blue Plate
Specials were standard fare in roadside diners and cafés all
over the country. They featured never-changing items such as sliced
turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy and carrots served on blue plates
divided into three sections to separate the food items. Consistency
was the key. Diners could always expect the same food for the same affordable
price.
Salty's managing partner at Alki in West Seattle, Bonnie David,
says the difference between the old Blue Plate Specials and ours today
is like night and day. "Our Blue Plate changes every day; we think it's
the best you'll find anywhere. We recently presented Dungeness Crab
Macaroni and Cheese with four cheeses, tomato and arugula (pictured
above left)."
"We're giving our guests a new reason to return to Salty's for lunch
or dinner more often," adds Gabriel Cabrera, executive
chef at Redondo in South Seattle. "We're fixing a different Blue Plate
surprise every day. They range from shrimp or salmon dishes, to pasta
fusions and shellfish creations – with emphasis on seafood and
vegetables at the peak of flavor throughout the year."
Also available in Portland on the Columbia River, Salty's lunch Blue
Plate Specials are $9.95 for lunch and $19.95 for dinner at all Salty's
locations.
Wine Flights take off at Salty's.
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – A great way to start any meal at Salty's
– like our Blue Plate Special – is to start off with an
aperitif and a "Wine Flight," our newest twist in wine tasting.
Tim O'Brien, Salty's head Sommelier explains, "A wine
flight is different wines served in two-ounce tasting glasses to give
our guests a chance to compare one wine to another."
The options are endless, he says. "At Redondo we're offering a Sparkling
Champagne flight that's very popular as well as a flight of red wines.
Alki is offering a flight of Cabernet, Malbec and Pinot Noir. At Salty's
in Portland, the wine-by-the-glass menu will now include a two-ounce
portion so you can create your own wine flights choosing any wines listed."
Read more.
Alki wine dinner features new cookbook.
SEATTLE
– Italian Chef Roberto Russo comes to Salty's
on Alki for his third annual "Under the Alki Moon" wine dinner. He will
introduce his new cookbook Good Ciao with collaborator Kathryn
Kingen, Salty's co-owner. She is pictured here in Tuscany with
husband Gerry at Russo's villa, Parco Fiorito. Russo
will give away three nights bed and breakfast for two at Parco Fiorito,
with two single sessions of the hammam (Turkish bath). You will want
to join him at Salty's on Alki, Tuesday, January 15.
Salty's Sommelier Tim O'Brien has assembled an all-star
lineup of Washington wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Merlot,
Cabernet, classic Bordeaux blend, Pinot Noir and Port – to pair
with these culinary creations: Read
more.
Portland dinner features organic King Estate Winery.
PORTLAND – A family-owned, organic winery is bringing their award-winning
Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris to Salty's in Portland for a wine dinner.
King Estate Winery, located on a certified organic
estate southwest of Eugene, is home to orchards, gardens, a traditional
cottage and acres of rolling vineyards. They are committed to producing
Oregon wines of exceptional quality using sustainable farming methods.
The location is a stone's throw south of the Willamette Valley but close
enough to the Oregon coast to be influenced by maritime weather. "Their
Oregon terroir is perfect for the wines we're pairing with Chef Dana
Cress's dishes," says Portland Sommelier Jason Ludlow.
Here's the menu of five courses served Friday, January 25 at 7 p.m.:
Read more.
Mintz–her words.
By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty's
The
year 2007 was a great one for Salty's and we hope for you as well! In
2008, we're continuing Tea Time, served Monday to Friday
from 2 to 5 p.m. at Alki and Columbia and 2 to 4:30 p.m. at Redondo.
Savory sandwiches and delicious sweets paired with Queen Mary
Tea are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or special treat for
friends and family.
Peruse Tea Menus online: Alki
| Redondo
| Columbia
Alki
guest Marlene Liu was pleased to find out that she
and her friends were Alki's "Tea Time First Timers." She's pictured
here with friends Tina, Debra and Mary, who used to work together and
used Tea Time to catch up.
Editor Connie Adams of www.seattledining.com interviewed Redondo Chef Gabriel Cabrera and is featuring his cooking tips and recipe, Salmon with Pico de Gallo, for her January "Chef's Kitchen" column. Visit http://www.seattledining.com/Current/chefs_kitchen_cabrera.htm for the story and the recipe.
Alki
Chef Jeremy McLachlan and Sommelier Tim O'Brien
have designed a menu celebrating American Culinary Trends Through the
Decades for South Seattle Community College's annual
fundraiser Gifts from the Earth. The event features
15 celebrity chefs preparing multi-course meals paired with wine from
30 Washington wineries on Saturday, January 26, in support of culinary
arts and wine studies programs. Here's Salty's multi-course menu you
won't want to miss:
Read more Mintz – her
words.
Alki live music.
SEATTLE – Piano-Man Victor Janusz plays for
you during Saturday and Sunday brunch at Alki. Casey MacGill's
Blue 4 Trio plays Mondays and Fridays from 7 to 10 p.m. in
the Café-Bar.
Redondo pop music.
SOUTH SEATTLE – Here's the live pop music schedule for January:
- 1/4 Fri. Glenn Harrell
- 1/5 Sat. Andy Burnett
- 1/11 Fri. Myles Crew
- 1/12 Sat. Glenn Harrell
- 1/18 Fri. Mark Fuegel & Cory Wilds
- 1/19 Sat. Myles Crew
- 1/25 Fri. Poodlebomb
- 1/26 Sat. Billy Farmer
Columbia live jazz.
PORTLAND – Catch Mel Brown, recently inducted
into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays with Pianist
Jof Lee and Saturdays with his trio. Portland Keyboard
Romantic Andrei Kitaev plays Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.
to close.
How to make your Sunday Brunch 200 times bigger!
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – "Starting in January you can have Sunday
Brunch at Alki in our sea-level dining rooms with groups up to 200 people,"
says Managing Partner Bonnie David. She says to bring
your best friends, your hot rod club or knitting group. "Can you think
of a cooler family reunion or a bonus for your employees," she asks.
To top it off, there's no extra room fee.
Everything
is the same as the award-winning all-you-can-eat weekend brunches upstairs,
but now Alki can accommodate groups from 20 to 200 hungry folks who
will be forever thankful to you for treating them to the best Sunday
Brunch in town. They'll enjoy everything from fresh cracked Dungeness
crab to smoked salmon, Belgian waffles to Eggs Benedict, honey-glazed
ham, the freshest fruits and the most mouth-watering salads and desserts.
It's beyond delicious.
In
Portland, Salty's takes groups up to 150 for Sunday brunch and at Redondo
bring hungry folks up to 20. Call us for more information and visit
http://www.saltys.com/food_wine/best_brunch.asp
for menus. Make reservations at http://www.saltys.com/reservations
and have a happier New Year!
(Brunch photos by Ilya Moshenskiy)
