So I can’t say that I am a real food critic and what I have to say here might not matter. However, I was brought up in a household that taught me that food isn’t merely for survival but meant to be enjoyed and appreciated. That being said, here are some of my favorite places in Seattle to do just that…Enjoy!
Looking for a really fantastic cookbook?
I HIGHLY recommend 1080 Recipes. The authors Simone and Ines Ortega keep the recipes simple but still classy 
I prefer it over Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” simply because the recipes are more versatile. Not to mention the pastel illustrations and photographs are beautiful!
http:
www.phaidon.com/1080Recipes/
CANON
Whiskey enthusiasts…come hither.
Location: 12th & Marion (First Hill)
What kind of food?: Gastropub
Recommendations?: Come for the drinks!! You can give the bartender a “base liquor” and they can make you a drink if you are feeling particularly indecisive. It also gives them a chance to show you what they are made of
General: OMG. My dream bar.
Every kind of whiskey/scotch/bourbon you could ever imagine. The huge wall of bottles does a masterful job of bring new meaning to “top shelf” liquor…you should see it for yourself 
This place is relatively new, so they are still working on their menu but their bartenders are top notch, the atmosphere is dark and the place is ever so slightly hidden from the rest of First Hill. Want to impress a date? Take her here… Service is great and be sure to check out the bathroom before you leave. Apparently it rivals the Canlis bathroom (Not that I speak from EXPERIENCE :/ :/ )
KUSHIBAR
Location: 2nd Ave & Battery in Belltown. Seattle, WA.
What kind of food?: Japanese street food! Need I say more?!
What do I recommend?: The nabekayi udon, ramen (any), gyu-tan skewers (don’t ask, just eat) and their sashimi is pretty good.
General: The cocktails are pretty good, bartenders and friendly and know their stuff. I like to go here right after work for a bowl of ramen and maybe a drink. The decor is fantastic, tasteful and well, Japanese. Happy hour is fantastic! Come here on a Friday or Saturday night for a DJ and a bigger crowd. Price range is pretty average. I spent less than $20 on a bowl of ramen and a drink.
PINTXO
Pronounced Peehn-shoh – It’s Catalan, a language from Spain!
Agh, where do I start? Pinxto is a Spanish Tapas restaurant located on 2nd & Blanchard in Belltown. The restaurant is good for smallish groups. No more than 6 or 8 people. Perfect for a date *hint*. Last time I was there with my sister a couple on their first date sitting next to us. We ended up seeing the guy at Seesound that same night… he is a bartender there. Funny! The ambience generally isn’t anything spectacular. Laura and I had a laugh at the bad art on the walls but I especially appreciate that the one chef who makes everything is up at the front and greets you as you enter and leave the restaurant. Makes it feel personable. You can also sit up at the bar and probably have a little chat with the chef and maybe score some free appetizers. The huge and beautiful wall entirely dedicated to bottles of various kinds of alcohol isn’t too shabby either. Overall, a beautiful place.
Drinks… pretty good. The sangria was standard. That’s all I’ve had so I honestly cannot speak fairly to the drinks of Pintxo. But hey, that’s a good reason to go back, right?
The food is fantastic. Spanish tapas… so small plates. Laura got the cauliflower and usually I’m not all that into cauliflower but it was sauteed to perfection in butter and I’d order it again. I also order the pulled pork sliders and bacon wrapped dates. The sliders was decent… three and a half stars. Pintxo added a nice twist by adding cardamom and other spices to the pork which made it better than the typical American dish. However, the bacon wrapped dates were spectacular. I could have had ten of them. There wasn’t anything fancy about them… simply medjool dates stuffed with creamy goat cheese (!!!) and wrapped in fried bacon. You MUST order them if you go.
Overall, I’d recommend this place to a person who is looking for a quick bite before a night on the town. It’s chill, not too expensive and classy.
BUENOS AIRES GRILL
Great place for a nososnooty steak dinner.
Ok ok. I know what you’re thinking. “Marsha just likes this place because its Argentinean and she’s a fiercely proud Argentinean herself…” . Part of that is true. But I don’t like it just because it’s Argentinean. I like it because it has incredible food. It’s expensive, but worth every dollar (There are occasional Groupons!!).
It’s a fancy restaurant without the pretentious customers. We often make friends with Argentineans and we also befriended the Argentinean owner. On Fridays and Saturday they bring in a couple who dance tango around the restaurant which in great. To be honest, I wish they had a lead who looked a little more suave… he’s a bit of a nerd. Can’t say that encompasses Argentine Tango, but whatever.
So… the food.
In reality, I am not a salad enthusiast… I mainly eat them because vegetables are good for you, but their Mar de Plata salad is not your average bowl of bland. It’s grilled hearts of romaine topped with terragon vinaigrette and hearts of palm and shrimp on the side. It’s not bland or boring. I would say the key is that they grill the romaine… who would have thought?
As for main courses, I would recommend the Parillada which is basically a mini grill put on your table with a heap of every type of meat you could ever want…. cooked to perfection. The empanandas were pretty good. Can’t say they measure up to my mom’s but I think that’ll be the case wherever I go. If you are looking to branch away from your average steak, try the molleja. Molleja is a gland, somewhere in the cow. I think it’s a lymph node… but that doesn’t matter because it’s delicious. BA Grill also seves Morcilla, which is a blood sausage which I am not too crazy about but I would recommend at least trying it.
Bottom line: Five starts (Not that I am accredited food reviewer but I like to believe that my opinion counts, somehow).
http://www.buenosairescuisine.com/
LE PICHET
I’m picky. I don’t like things that lack thought or depth… I appreciate good craftsmanship. That’s all under a certain definition. Le Pichet is a place that possesses all of these traits, which is also a reflection of the pride of the French… If you didn’t pick it up quite yet, Le Pichet is a French restaurant.
I walked in and instantly felt transported into the world of Amelie. Everything from the kind of chairs, to the colors of the walls, the handwriting on the chalk board screams “FRAAAAAANCE!” Even the woman who was “painfully French” as my sister told me… she’s even a little snooty. But whatever, French-ness isn’t French without some snoot.
All of the food was, beautiful. Even the salad… man. It was a most glorious shade of green I have seen on a leaf of lettuce. I had the french onion soup which was INCREDIBLE. It was simple and delicious and not your typical American rendition. And for dessert, these pastry-covered apples which weren’t too sweet or rich but perfectly done.
Overall, it’s a restaurant that has pride in it’s food and culture. It also opens at 8 am and closes at 12am. It does not lack thought or attention to detail. I would definitely feel comfortable to eat there alone as most of the customers are city-dwellers and are not prone to have huge families.
The price is reasonable for what you get. Less expensive than the Cheesecake Factory and more expensive than your corner Thai restaurant. Right in the middle.
The Wish List
Sushi Kappo Tamura
RN74
Boat Street Cafe
The Book Bindery
Canlis
Poppy
Staple and Fancy
Anchovies and Olives
Salumi (gnocchi Tuesday!!)
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Sutra
Crush
The French Laundry
Toulouse Petit Kitchen and Lounge
Lark
