Charlotte Restaurant: Spring/Summer 2021
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Smoking Barrel Cocktail
To think that we are already at the end of May is quite insane! Seems like it was yesterday we were in our first lockdown back in March 2020 and life as we knew came it to a halt. As we go into the warmer months, a lot of businesses are opening their doors and welcoming back their customers. I thought this would be the perfect time to re-introduce you all to one of my favorite restaurants here in Seattle.
One of my favorite parts about dining here must be the ingredients and proteins they showcase. Eating with the seasons is something I try to do, whether I’m cooking at home or dining out. You’re not always able to have the freshest fruits and veggies when you want it so when it finally becomes available, you must grab it! And we can all agree, especially when it comes to fruits, they always taste better when they are in season!
Some of the shared plates are ones I tend to not want to share because they are so good! In the previous months, the menu offered a Way Beef Tartare which was phenomenal. I would order this once every other week because I love any tartare regardless of what kind of protein it’s made of. This season, they are offering a beautiful Oregon Lamb Tartare that is presented with labneh, black currant, soy cured egg & nasturtium (Which is a type of flower.) This dish gives me a slight mediterranean vibe and I’m here for it. Everything on the dish compliments each other well. Typically, the tartare is prepared alone with no crackers or chips to dip. However, if you are like me, I like to have something to scoop up the deliciousness with, so I typically will ask if they have any crackers to add. Another delicious shareable plate is the asparagus. This dish has it prepared in 3 different ways; roasted, raw, and cured. I love asparagus and was prepared beautiful. The taste is very fresh and you never are overwhelmed with the other ingredients. This surely highlights the vegetable in all its beauty.
My absolute favorite dish (or a version of it) has made a comeback on the menu! Previously, Chef created a seafood pasta that I LOVED. It was a squid ink cavatelli pasta with olives, shell-on muscles, lemon, and peppers. I would order the small version at least once a week with a glass of white wine. When it was removed, I was a little sad. Something about a good seafood pasta is comforting and makes you feel at home. When I found out that he created a new version, I was ecstatic. The flavors are light and can easily pair with a nice glass of white wine since you’re having seafood. You get a mix of hood canal clams along with some chorizo which makes the dish feel more luxurious and hardy.
Spaghetti + Clams: hood canal clams, chorizo, parsley, miso, Parmesan
Properly cooked fish is hard to come by. It can be too dry or undercooked. Sometimes the fish flavor itself can be overpowering. However, I found the fish dishes at Charlotte to be cooked very well! The crispy skin is to die for whether you order the salmon or the black cod. Both these dishes make you feel like you’re taking a bite of the pacific northwest. The fish is perfectly seasoned, and the counterparts complement each other.
Troll Caught King Salmon w/ english pea, black trumpet, baby squash, pea pod-caviar nage
Not only do the ingredients for the dinner plates change but so does dessert! Believe it or not, some restaurants will change dessert with the seasons too, depending on fruits or different ingredients they want to incorporate.
Flourless Chocolate-Hazelnut Gateaux w/ Morello Cherry Sorbet
The dessert menu has a little but for everyone. Whether you’re into chocolate, fruit, decadent or simple, they got you covered. One of the newer desserts added to the menu this season is their “carrot cake.” I say this in quote but its not really a cake. Think of it as being deconstructed and you have to piece everything together for the perfect bite. The most interesting part about that dessert is the sour cream sorbet. Yes, you heard that right. SOUR CREAM SORBET. It sounds completely weird and out of character but totally works in this case. It gives it a modern take on a cult favorite. I too was turned off at first because I wasn’t a huge carrot cake fan. But once I’ve tried this, I was hooked!
Raspberry-Rhubarb Macaron w/ Opalys White Chocolate Creme
Like I mentioned earlier, depending on the season, you may have different fruits accompanied on the dessert menu! I love every kind of berry, so when I see any sorbets or pastries that have raspberry/blackberries/strawberries in them, that is a must for me. They just taste so refreshing, especially in the summer when it’s hot out! You can either have a delicious raspberry macaron or just have one of their wonderful fruits sorbets served separately!
Thank you to the Charlotte staff, Cherry Tsui who is the new Food and Beverage director, and Chef! This was an absolutely fun experience! I’m so excited to keep coming back and eating my way through your menus and also have just enjoyed see your growth as a company! It’s never easy to start up a restaurant, and you all managed to do it, especially during a pandemic. As things slowly go back to being normally, I cannot wait to see what else you begin to offer the guests here and what memories you can help create with your wonder ambiance and delicious meals.
Photos courtesy of: @m_miramontes