Chef: Kevin Davis who cooked in Napa, New Orleans and Adelaide in Australia before settling in Seattle.
Asking a fish monger at the world-famous Pike Place market in Seattle, where to get the best bite to eat for lunch he sent us to Steelhead diner without even a second pondering about it. He surely knows where tho get the highest quality seafood with no fuss.
Steelhead diner in Seattle
Ambiance: Fresh, no pretensions, energetic and stylish. You can sit on a bar chair along the well-equipped bar, at the food counter of the open-style kitchen, in a comfy booth or at a classic table. Locals mix with tourists in a non-touristy setting, although Steelhead diner’s location is as touristy as it can get. The Pike Place Market is a legendary starting point or a stop-over of the passengers boarding cruise ships.
Food counter with juicy mini burgers
Food&Drinks: Fresh, high-quality, local, seafood-based dishes. The menu spans from mouth-watering oysters, staple crab cakes, caviar pies and Ivory King salmon to land-bound treasures of veggies and Washington steak. Organic and sustainable farms supply the restaurant and will thus satisfy anyone caring about environment and sustainable sourcing.
The bread is freshly baked and served with a slice of firm butter originally tinted with an olive oil and herb sauce. A good start. You can whet your appetite as the burgers, sandwiches, steaks, fish and other superbly crafted meals are being handed out by the cooks to the serving staff and carried to their final destination – the excited mouths of the diners, right in front of you.
A slice of caviar pie
We ordered ‘A SLICE OF CAVIAR PIE’ with four types of differently colored caviar on the top of a pie-shaped cream cheese, two kinds of crispy bread and sprinkle of traditional condiments (onions, eggs and chives). With a glass of crisp Washington/Oregon blend of Pinot Blanc it was a delicate gourmet experience to remember.
North Pacific oysters
The FANNY BAY, OTTER COVE and PENN COVE SELECT oysters were all locally sourced and fresh. Perfect with a mineral Sauvignon Blanc or even a light Viognier.
The CRAB CAKE is crisp and full of crab and not potatoes as it often tends to be in Europe. Sprinkled with fried parsley on a cream of pinkish sauce a la hollandaise it is a lovely starter with a glass of  a more intense white wine or a refreshing Riesling from the Washington state.
Crab cake at Steelhead diner
As a main course we got the ‘BRUTUS SALAD’ Romaine Lettuce with Whole Citrus Vinaigrette & Roasted Pine Nut Gremolata, extra topped with gently GRILLED ALASKAN IVORY KING SALMON. This Ceasar-like type of salad would conquer most of its namesake rivals. The croutons were crisp, not oily and made from a grainy bread adding them a sweat touch. Adding the light-colored Ivory King salmon delicately balanced the crispy lettuce with its soft texture, light aroma and elegant oily body. Do not be deterred by its raw ivory-white color though. It tastes better than it looks! A Pinot Gris from Dundee Hills with its much less sugary skelet than its more famous Alsatian adaptation ideally cut through the oily fish yet did not vanish in the background as its depth lingered on the palate for a while.
Ivory King salmon on a bed of salad
Cuisine: seafood in Pacific Northwest style
Location: 95 Pine Street in the historic Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington
Visit: March 2012
Contact & opening hours: (+1)206-625-0129; daily breakfast, lunch and dinner