Sitka & Spruce

First off, a huge thanks to all of you who sent e-mails, posted comments, left texts & voicemails, in congrats of our 25th anniversary yesterday. We felt the love envelop us the entire day. Merci, merci.

I got to thinking a few weeks ago about how I write about dining experiences when we travel, but I don’t write about Seattle spots. Silly me. Which is a perfect lead in to Sitka & Spruce. It is just a few blocks from our home, so we thought it would be a great spot last night for our celebratory dinner. Plus it is next to Taylor Shellfish where we love to stop in and have oysters. We were set.

Chef/owner Matt Dillon has garnered all sorts of acclaim over the years, and it is easy to see why. Using the freshest, seasonal ingredients, he prepares simple dishes filled with amazing flavor. Last evening we thought we would order a variety of things and share. Here is a sampling. Matsutake mushrooms with chicken giblets, brussels sprouts, with an egg on toast. This was not our entire meal, it was just one dish. Another. Smoked trout, potatoes, crème fraîche, horseradish & rye bread. Another. Marinated beets with hazelnut tarator, sheep’s feta with a dusting of dukkah. And to top it all off, roasted chicken with house made yogurt, caramelized butter and turnips. All the above with fresh sourdough bread that is made at one of Matt’s other establishments, The Corson Building, which was served with duck graisserons. Add fab wine and dessert and it was a slow walk up the hill home. The atmosphere is warm, the service spot-on. For a special evening out or just a night you don’t want to cook and you want a comforting meal. All so good! Sitka & Spruce