The entrance to the Corson Building feels like something out of a storybook, as if inside the heavy door you might find a huge feast, mid-stride.

Instead when we arrived at 6pm on Wednesday the dining room was empty, the lights just starting to glow in the late summer evening. It was like an old French farmhouse, with thick boards, exposed brick, and a stone fireplace.

The place was built in 1910 as someone’s home. In the 1920s it was taken over by an architecture firm who expanded it and dubbed it “The Corson Building,” etching the name in stone. Then last year Matt Dillon and his partner Wylie Bush (of Joe Bar) decided to make it their new restaurant, adding on a kitchen. The renovations and the idyllic gardens give it a rustic feel that almost makes you forget you’re in the middle of industrial Georgetown, until the trains come rumbling past a few feet away.

Unlike Matt Dillon’s other restaurant (Sitka & Spruce), the Corson Building initially offered only a set menu at a fairly steep price ($90 without wine, $120 with). They’ve recently expanded their offerings, now serving an a la carte menu on Wednesdays, brunch on Sundays ($23), and a cheaper set menu on Sunday evenings ($60 with wine). We picked a Wednesday and found the a la carte menu so approachably small we almost ordered the whole thing.

Highlights were a warm plum salad (with plums picked fresh from the garden), some beautiful treviso greens tossed with chanterelles, and an impressively cooked squid entree– perfectly seared and yet surprisingly tender. A dessert of huckleberry clafoutis was the peak of the meal, steaming hot and custardy, like something your grandmother would make. It was a bit long in coming (we waited half in hour) but our server brought out a few glasses of a leafy sweet dessert wine to tide us over.

There were a few stumbles—beautiful local lobster mushrooms that were just shy of perfectly cooked and thus not ringing in flavor, and beet greens that came out in a mushy pile that would embarrass even the most casual home cook. I also didn’t quite understand the point of potted rabbit, which tasted like the canned chicken my mother used to buy.

But overall it was a wonderful meal. The place felt magical. While we sat the room filled up, ringing with voices and flickering candles at the long communal tables.

On our way out we wandered through the gardens, discovering a terrace on one side with an outdoor oven that would be perfect for evening wine tastings, perhaps with a few grilled pizzas.

I hope we’ll be back. Maybe for brunch.

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The Corson Building

5609 Corson Ave S
Seattle, WA 98108
www.thecorsonbuilding.com

(206) 762-3330

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Kurry King has left, and in its place is “The Cutting Board,” a little sushi and teriyaki place with the emphasis on rolls. No nigiri. No sashimi. But so many rolls it’ll make your head spin. Over 60 different kinds. It was overwhelming to read the menu. They also have bento boxes with teriyaki, or black cod, or chicken karaage. As well as the usual range of edamame, miso, sunomono, and assorted snacks.

The place is small, but clean and welcoming with a chubby Totoro on the counter and beautiful blooming orchids. And the woman at the counter couldn’t stop smiling.

“Arigato!” She chimed after I ordered and again after I paid.

I couldn’t even think about the hot food. When I am near sushi I must have sushi.

I ordered the Miyagi (salmon, tuna, albacore and avocado), the Wakayama (shrimp tempura, ume, shiso, cucumber, tuna on top) and the Ooita (unagi, cucumber, avocado, extra unagi on top with teriyaki). And of course some edamame.

All were wonderful. The Ooita was my favorite. Though the unagi was sadly not still warm, it was perfectly cooked and set off well by the crunch of thinly sliced cucumber and ripe avocado. The Wakayama encased a crunchy shrimp tempura and was brightened by a touch of shiso. And the Miyagi was topped with toasted sesame seeds.

A few other georgetown souls (i.e., 30 year old men wearing carharts) came in while I was there, but otherwise it was deserted. Hopefully that will change once word gets out.

Next time I’ll have to try the teriyaki.

p.s. If you click on the second and third pictures you can read the menu

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The Cutting Board
5503 Airport Way S
Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 767-8075

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Sadly all my favorite breakfast joints (Glo’s, Senor Moose, Crave) are a bit far for stumbling. So when this new place opened in Georgetown I had to check it out.

Georgetown has been a hotbed of activity in the restaurant scene lately, with Squid & Ink, Hangar Cafe, Georgetown Liquor Company and Georgetown Truckstop all opening within months of each other. Not to mention the hotly awaited new fancy digs for Matt Dillon, the Corson Building (I am biting my nails, waiting for that one).

With all those new openings, Cobe got confused.

“I thought you only had one table,” Cobe said as we sat down and surveyed the 6-8 tables. “That’s Georgetown Truckstop,” the waitress said dropping the menus on the table, “it’s tiny.”

We arrived at a respectable 10am last Saturday to find Hangar Cafe only half full, but quite cozy. The kind of place where you go a few times and become a regular.

The interesting tweak at the Hanger Cafe is that they only serve crepes. Savory crepes, sweet crepes–all kinds. But nothing else. No omelettes, no eggs benedict, no eggs and toast even.

Just crepes.

I began suspecting that there was no oven, no stove top, just a few crepe irons.

But then the specials sheet came and it had a mexican strata on it, and we just had to order it. Hard to imagine how they made that with no oven. Soft in the middle but crispy on the top with fried onions. Poblano chiles, eggs, blue cheese and bacon…it might have been my favorite breakfast ever. If it wasn’t so damn bad for me.

The crepes were sadly not to the same level. But I admit, I am a fussy crepe person. I like them as thin as a piece of paper. These were sadly a little thick. The toppings were okay, especially the jam crepe, but it’s hard to go wrong with jam.

But you know, thick crepes or no thick crepes, this was one of our better breakfasts lately. Good coffee, laid back waitstaff, Mad libs on each table.

And as I said….stumbling distance.

Addendum:

As I look over the menu again, I realize they also have waffles. Forgot about that. Waffle iron was next to the crepe irons. And an assortment of lunch foods, if you’re into that. Sandwiches, salads.

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The Hangar Cafe
http://www.thehangarcafe.com
6261 13th Ave South, Seattle WA 98108
(206) 762-0204

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It was 2:30 when we walked in. We could see breakfast burritos coming out of the kitchen loaded with crispy homefries. Our waitress, green haired and sporting a nose bar and multple lower lip piercings watched us sit down. “Brunch is over,” she said, snatching the menus away and leaving the lunch menus. We sighed and ordered two Manny’s.

Smarty Pants (like most of Georgetown) caters to the multi-tatooed, multi-pierced, wanna-be biker crowd. The wall was littered with motorcycle paraphernalia, they were blasting ACDC and most of the crowd had the same tattoos as our waitress. But out front? A line of old-school mopeds. It was like a pseudo-biker bar. The conversation of the guys next to us leaned more towards the behavior of their 2 year olds.

I ordered the meaty chili (”best this side of the duwamish”) and Cobe got the turkey and cheese sandwich. The sandwich was not my style, I hate that grilled turkey and cheese thing and it had fake avocado spread instead of real avocados, but the chili was the real deal. Big chunks of ground meat, tomatoes and kidney beans with this subtle sweet spiciness. No oil-slick on the top, no mountains of flavorless chili powder, just meat. Topped with a little scallions and cheddar.

My side salad was the typical flavorless winter tomatoes and cucumbers with bottle vinaigarette and lettuce, but it was a mountain of a thing for like 5 bucks.

Good stuff, all in all. And I bet those homefries rock.

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Smarty Pants
6017 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA. 98108
206-762-4777
http://www.smartypantsseattle.com

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