We stopped in on a whim the other day on the way to our birthing class, fully expecting the place to be packed, and found a table open.

It was a Tuesday and the weather was beautiful, but we were amazed to not have a wait. The last time we were there we must have waited an hour, drinking a few glasses of wine, eating our appetizer standing up.

“Food worth standing up for,” as the sign said.

Little has changed in three years. They painted the walls a bright green that plays off the wood and there are a few more empty bottles of Madeira on top of the cabinet, but otherwise it felt the same.

Simple. Rustic.

Dried poppy pods decorated the thick wooden tables and a chalkboard menu listed the daily specials, from braised lamb to pickled fiddleheads. Half the chalkboard was covered with wine selections including my favorite—Jurancon sec.

We had but half an hour so we quickly determined a few dishes they could whip up, then sat back to relax.

The salmon tartare was presented more as a salad than the traditional thin sheets, little bites of king salmon dotting a cluster of watercress. With just a bit of crunch and pepperiness offsetting the buttery salmon, it was an auspicious start. Pickled fiddleheads had great crunch.

Scallops came next, deftly seared so that the center remained moist and plump and dressed with only brown butter and sherry, topped over fresh peas. So simple, yet so perfect. We fought for the last scallop.

Our last course was an arugula and jamon salad with a side of pesto and buffalo mozzarella covered toasts. The salad had drowned in dressing and it looked sad, its leaves darkening from the oil, but the house made jamon was salty and rich.

Pesto toasts were fresh and bright with a beautiful creamy flavor of mozzarella, though the texture of the cheese was on the grainy side.

Half an hour after we arrived, we were full and happy, off to our class. Cobe whispered in the waiter’s ear as we walked out the door, “Best fast food I’ve ever had.”

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Sitka & Spruce

2238 Eastlake Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102
www.sitkaandspruce.com

(206) 324-0662

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I wouldn’t presume to do a top 10 list for all restaurants in Seattle, there are just too many. So I bring you sandwiches. A good sandwich is like a masterpiece. The bread should be fresh but yielding, the ingredients should blend in that perfect way to give you salty, sweet, sour, umami, fresh in every bite. A good sandwich has been tasted and perfected, not just thrown together.

These are my favorites. I don’t believe in nominating someone just for the numbers, so there’s only a top 8. But then I haven’t tried Bakeman’s.

1. Salumi

Armandino Batali (Mario Batali’s father) has made this place an institution. They’re only open during the day during the week and there’s always a line out the door, but the meat speaks for itself. I am addicted to the finochiona, a fennel scented salami. Not to mention the freshly made buffala mozzerella. It almost makes up for the lack of Italian delis in this town. Almost.

2. Paseo

I really fell hard for Paseo back when I discovered it a few years ago, and would go out of my way to pick up a Midnight Cuban for my afternoon hike. Sitting on the top of Mt. Si with pork juices dripping down your chin mingling with cilantro and hot peppers—there’s nothing like it. They’ve cleaned up their act a little since then, upgrading the small shack on Fremont Ave to a bigger shack, but as far as I can tell the food hasn’t suffered. The sign is still non-existent, but the line down the block should give you a clue.

3. Homegrown

A relative newcomer, but already a star in the sandwich arena. They have 10-15 cold and hot sandwiches, all with fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The flank steak sandwich is a standout with its mix of blue cheese and arugula, but everyone has a favorite. They also have soups and salads and some seating options, with that blond wood clean living kind of décor.

4. Skillet

You really only need two words—bacon jam. Skillet operates out of an airstream trailer and is there one day and gone the next due to the vicissitudes of the city’s polices around truck food, but it’s worth searching out. Their website has a calendar for where you can find them any day of the week. They make a mean blt, cook up some juicy burgers and make fries worth standing in the rain for. All out of something your parents might have camped in back in the 70s. Rumor has it they’ll be at the West Seattle farmer’s market on sundays come summer.

5. Pho Cyclo (SODO)

There is something about the banh mi at Pho Cyclo (the SODO location is better, not sure why). Theirs are not the cheapest banh mi in the city, but they are near perfect as far as I can tell. Grilled pork, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno make one of the most balanced and delicious sandwiches in the city. Only offered during lunchtime and made even tastier by the addition of café sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee).

6. Baguette Box

I would put baguette box higher on the list if they weren’t so spotty about their service. Run by Eric Banh (of Monsoon), this place gives a nod to banh mi by putting pickled vegetables and cilantro on many of their sandwiches, but then runs away, adding Salumi meats, grilled lamb, and coconut curry tofu. Some days I think this place is the most amazing place ever, the next day their counter guy gets all uppity about running out of cilantro. “These aren’t actually banh mi, the cilantro is just a gesture.” But even so…their red wine braised pork sandwich is otherworldly, the soft silky meat brought alive by jalapenos and pickled vegetables.

7. Grand Central Baking Company

Solidly great sandwiches with house roasted meats (pork loin, chicken) and local cheeses all served on Grand Central bread. I somehow don’t remember exactly what I had when I went as it was 6 months ago, but I seem to recall roasted turkey with cranberry chutney. All I know is it was good. Lots of vegetarian options too and some great soups. With locations on Eastlake and Pioneer square.

8. Essential Baking Company

An old standby in the sandwich arena, but still fabulous. Similar to Grand Central, they make some outstanding sandwiches, often changing to fit what’s fresh and local at the moment. They also have yummy baked goods, which doesn’t hurt. Fremont and Madison Park.

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But they do serve lunch.

The next day I got there at 11:30 and was the first person at the communal table. I ordered the tartines, a trio of bruschetta type sandwiches–humboldt fog with cucumber, tuna with capers, pate. I dug into my food and looked up 10 minutes later to find the place packed, half the customers giving Matt a hug on their way in (the chef, formerly of the Stumbling Goat).

The food was carefully done, each dish a blend of several flavors making me slow down to taste and taste again. Was that Cumin? Lemon? I had to go back for dinner.

We went back last night, braving the crowds that fill this small place even on a weekday. It’s so unassuming for a place so popular. I mean come on….this is Eastlake, it’s next to Subway.

We waited an hour and a half, first down the street at Serafina and then at the bar, bumping elbows with the other hungry diners-to-be. But everyone was in good spirits. We chatted with our neighbor, a new transplant from Baltimore working at Microsoft, as he dug into a blackberry tart with cardamom ice cream. The woman on the other side of me told me about her miserable experience at Monsoon, “the food was so terrible!” she said sadly “there was dirt in the lettuce!”

After two glasses of wine, we finally ordered a small salad that we ate standing up. I took one bite and looked up, surprised. The small plate of romaine was bursting with flavor, tarrragon and mint with an undercurrent of parmesan, shallot and anchovy. Yet all carried with the lightness of the crisp leaves. It was one of the best salads I’ve ever had, and I love salad.

A few minutes later the host beckoned us to a table, “you don’t mind sharing?” he asked. We sat down at a four top with two women, one of whom was there because she knew Matt well, both of whom had lived in Eastlake forever. We chatted about house boats, sailing, eastlake and then drifted back to the menu, planning our meal.

We started with the salmon crudo and melon soup. It was sweet, but with that creaminess of raw salmon, light like a summer dress. The corona beans followed, tougher than they should be but with such beautiful flavors, balsamic and parsley and..what was that? Oh of course–roasted white peppers. The color fooled us, hiding its true identity.

The albacore was cooked rare, set amidst tender romano beans and a sauce of raisins and olives. It was so contrary to what usually is paired with rare tuna, and yet it worked. It had this faintly salty-sweet caramelness that deepened the taste of the fish.

The Wagyu beef was difficult to chew, but thick with flavor and crusted with fleur de sel. And the haricot verts that accompanied were bright and impressive, each bite bringing new flavors of shallot and fresh herbs mixed with creme fraiche.

Then came the dessert–flourless chocolate cake with homemade mint ice cream. “It’s good with salt,” the waitress said, pointing to an elegant bowl with a dainty silver spoon. My boyfriend put a small spoonful on. “She’s right!” he said, astounded. I had to fight him for the last bite. With the dessert they brought two glasses of madeira to thank us for being so patient.

One reviewer described Sitka and Spruce as “like eating at Matt’s house.” As we walked out I had that warm feeling that comes when someone has cooked for you. It was a fabulous meal. I only wish I could replicate it.

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Sitka and Spruce

http://www.sitkaandspruce.com

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