Down at the Pike Place Market, changes are afoot. The new MarketFront, for example, provides Seattle with a front-row balcony view of Elliott Bay, with even more shops and restaurants. But the "Market" has always been more than the sum of its 200+ vendors (flowers & fish, souvenir tee shirts, souvenir bracelets). It's a hub for literally millions of visitors a year who come to gawk, to clog the street, to take selfies, and to grab a bite.
It's heartening, therefore, to report on a new duo of restaurants sharing a space on Western Avenue, just north of Victor Steinbrueck park: Chavez and Mercato Stellino. They're owned by Wade Moller (former partner of Travis Greenwood at the original Cantinetta in Wallingford) and a gang of sure-handed chefs: Gabriel Chavez who also helms the Chavez on Cap Hill; Joe Obaya at the glassed-in pasta-making station, and Emran Chowdhury at Stellina.
As with Tom Douglas's SeaTown SeaBar across the street, these are places designed for tourists (not that there's anything wrong with that!). A lot of visitors have heard that Seattle is famous for oysters but might be reluctant to try one. Chavez has a solution for the squeamish: a fried-oyster taco. I normally prefer my oysters on the half shell, but this is one of the best things I've eaten all year.
Here's the recipe:
- Medium Pacific oysters, dusted in flour and celery salt
- For the batter: 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup cold soda water, 1/2 tsp baking powder
- For the slaw: red cabbage, lemon juice, olive oil, red onions, cilantro and dried oregano
- Sauce: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Mexican cream, 2 tbsp chipotle Adobo, combine.
- Pico De gallo: tomatoes, red onions, jalapeno.
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