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MBARNice Views and Fantastic Food

MBAR is a very cool spot with views of Lake Union and the Space Needle (and cranes, a lot of them!). It is one of my favorite rooftop restaurants.

When you arrive, you are greeted on the first floor of the building. If you have a reservation, you will be accompanied into the elevator up to the 14th floor. Then, you still have to walk along a windowed hallway toward colorful fluorescent tubes. Listening to the pounding music, it feels like you are entering a club!

They have a beautiful patio but it was really too cold to dine al fresco. We were seated inside enjoying the views through large windows.

First, we ordered great craft cocktails. On the menu, every appetizer and entree looked delicious, and we had a hard time choosing. Our table shared 4 main dishes, all tasty!

  • Grilled trout with avocado, sumac, labneh & fenugreek
  • Rabbit braised with caramelized savoy cabbage, pancetta & caraway
  • Duck confit with khoresh of black eyed peas, chestnut & pomegranate
  • Root vegetable cassoulet with turnip, rutabaga, snowcap beans, chantenay carrot & pomegranate

MBAR and Mamnoon have the same owners. You can taste some Mediterranean influences but they mainly serve Pacific Northwest fusion food, if I can call it that… Check my previous post on Mon Petit Seattle about Mamnoon: I love everything at Mamnoon.

MBAR400 Fairview Ave N – Seattle   –  http://mbarseattle.com/

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Guest Chef Night at FareStart with Manolin’s chef

We went back to Guest Chef Night at FareStart!

FareStart, a job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals, is a prominent organization in the city and Guest Chef Night at FareStart is a great experience. Every Thursday chef comes and prepares a 3 course-meal with the help of the FareStart students.  It is served in a very nice atmosphere and it is only $30 per person. During the evening, students graduating that week are introduced and are given an ovation.

That Thursday the guest chef was Alex Barkley from Manolin, a restaurant we love.

Because I like the mission and values that FareStart advocates I decided to bring along my teenage daughter there and my friends did the same with theirs.

I am not a vegetarian but that time I opted for the vegetarian option (there is always one and you can look at the menu online before you make a reservation). I chose it because I am not a big fan of the Beef Tartare (raw ground beef) and the Pork Belly that were offered on the regular menu. But the others really liked both dishes even the two teenage girls.

First Course:
Steak tartare, tomato, szechuan peppercorn, sourdough cracker
Veg. Sliced tomato, Szechuan peppercorn, red butter lettuce, sourdough cracker

Entree:
Pork Belly, smoked watermelon, Fugawa onion, kohlrabi,
Veg. Summer zuchini, hazelnuts, basil, pecorino

Dessert:
Roasted nectarine with mascarpone and sweet potato

It was flavorful!

 

Check out the next chefs and make a reservation: Guest chef night at FareStart