Restaurants & Chefs
From intimate neighborhood bistros, exquisite hotel dining, bustling bars to nationally recognized tour de force restaurants, Gruman & Nicoll represents the best and the brightest talent in and around the Puget Sound. We focus on the region’s culinary A-listers who produce chef-driven menus, masterfully incorporate local ingredients and exhibit innovative culinary vision.
Artusi – www.artusibar.com
Artusi, the brainchild of Spinasse head chef Jason Stratton, is a bar in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood inspired by the traditional aperitivo culture of Italy, serving well-crafted cocktails and exquisitely executed ‘Stuzzichini” (appetizers and snacks). The name derives from Italian cookbook author Pellegrino Artusi, whose work, La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiare bene (The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well) published in the late 1890’s, and widely considered to have established the national cuisine of Italy, as we know it today.
Cadeaux Chocolates - www.cadeauxchocolates.com
Chocolatier Janet Shimada’s award-winning hand-made confections are refined and seductive, with subtle flavors infused into smooth ganache and silken caramel. As gorgeous as they are delicious, her bittersweet truffle is topped with a fleck of edible gold leaf; another is crowned with a yellow ginkgo leaf; and a ruby-red bittersweet shell envelopes her mouth-watering chocolate caramel.
Cafe Juanita – www.cafejuanita.com
Inspired by northern Italy, James Beard award-winning chef, Holly Smith, is dedicated to sustainable practices, organic products and local sourcing, as well as forging relationships with artisan Italian and Pacific Northwest producers and winemakers.
Cal’s Classic American – www.calsclassic.com
Cal’s Classic American at Kent Station, the Kent Valley’s open-air urban village, is the first concept by restaurant group, Classic Concepts, LLC. Helmed by Jeff Chandler, Matthew Schweitzer and French Laundry alum, Chef Shannon Galusha, Cal’s uses top-quality ingredients from over 73 Washington State farmers, many from the Skagit and Kent Valley, to create updated versions of traditional and beloved dishes. Cal’s is a family-friendly spot, with affordable fare done extraordinarily well, including a special menu for kiddos, craft cocktails and a spot-on beer and wine selection for the grown-ups.
Dine Around Seattle – www.dinearoundseattle.org
Started in 2001, Seattle’s successful, bi-annual, fine-dining restaurant promotion (March and November) is woven into the city’s culinary culture.
The Restaurant at Kenwood – www.kenwoodinn.com
Set in the lush, rustic surroundings of Northern California wine country, The Restaurant at the Kenwood Inn and Spa, available only to in-house overnight and spa guests, is helmed by British Chef Steven Snook, a recent transplant to Sonoma, who hails from the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay in New York and London. Snook, who will be crafting the inn’s Italian-inspired cuisine, is joined in the kitchen by Pastry Chef extraordinaire, Khambay Khamsyvoravong, who creates incredible desserts for dinner, as well as stunning pastries for lucky overnight guests. Wine Director Ann Davis manages the property’s exquisitely edited wine list, which includes rare, unique, and limited run bottles from boutique wineries near and far.
Parfait Ice Cream – www.parfait-icecream.com
Small Batch. From Scratch. That’s what you can expect from the region’s first (and only) from-scratch and 99% organic mobile ice cream truck and delivery service. Owner Adria Shimada uses only the finest ingredients from local farms and other producers for her ice cream. Even the candy mixed into flavors like Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup and Butter Toffee Crunch and the batter for the hand-rolled waffle cones are hand-made. Find out where the Parfait truck is by checking their schedule, or have pints delivered right to your door.
Revel and Quoin – www.revelseattle.com
From the award-winning husband and wife cooking team Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi, chef/owners of Joule, comes Revel and Quoin, a new restaurant and bar in Seattle’s eclectic Fremont neighborhood. Inspired by Asian street food, Rachel and Seif put their own non-traditional twist on rice, noodles, dumplings and pancakes. Quoin, the bar, serves beer, wine, cocktails and specialty drinks made from Soju, a Korean spirit similar to vodka.
RN74 – www.michaelmina.net/rn74
Ellensburg, Washington native and Esquire Magazine 2011 Restaurateur of the Year, Chef Michael Mina, opened RN74, his wine-focused bar and restaurant in downtown Seattle in June 2011. The restaurant is led by Executive Chef Michelle Retallack, whose menu pays homage to the produce and bounty of the Pacific Northwest, creatively interpreted through the lens of regional French cuisine and perfectly in tune with the impressive, Burgundian-inspired wine list compiled by noted Sommelier Rajat Parr and Seattle rising wine star, Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen.
Spinasse – www.spinasse.com
Cascina Spinasse captures both local and national attention with its authentic incorporation of Piedmontese dishes, including handmade pastas and use of local and Italian ingredients led by award-winning Chef Jason Stratton.
TRACE
Coming early March 2012, W Seattle will reveal TRACE, the hotel’s new restaurant and bar. TRACE will continue the hotel’s legacy as a trend-setting, urban cocktail venue and a long-time leader in Seattle’s culinary community with award-winning chefs highlighting local, organic and sustainable products and supporting those who grow, raise or catch them. The menu will be guided by Chef de Cuisine, Steven Ariel, formerly of Seattle’s Luc, Cafe Juanita and Canlis.
