Cobe and I were given tickets to a few plays at the Seattle Rep for a wedding gift and we’ve used it as an excuse to check out restaurants in Queen Anne. Or I should say I’ve used it as an excuse. Cobe is just along for the ride. But he’s okay with it as long as we don’t repark. “How to Cook a Wolf” is just too far.

Crow, on the other hand, is the perfect distance. I went to Crow several years ago when it opened, but I just never think of driving to Queen Anne for dinner.

So last Saturday when the weathermen were still threatening snow instead of being covered by it, we trudged off to Queen Anne. Crow has this very cool thing, a “chef bar.” You sit on stools overlooking the kitchen and the view is so good it’s almost like you’re in the kitchen. Like watching Top Chef but without the drama.

It’s very comfortable at the Chef bar, the seats have backs, the bar is the right height, the lighting’s good. We ordered some wine and a mediterranean platter, and then watched as the chef pulled the pita off the grill, snugging it next to smokey baba ganoush and homemade hummus. Tapenade, roasted garlic, fresh feta– it was comforting and sophisticated at the same time, that perfect mix of creamy, sharp and salty.

Our entrees were sadly not so successful. Cobe’s gnocchi were precooked and then pan sauteed with kale, browned butter and squash, but they needed more flavor, perhaps a sauce. My scallops were well cooked, but a bit cold because (as I could see from my bird’s eye view) they sat while Cobe’s gnocchi sauteed. The bed of brussel sprouts and bacon was too heavy and overwhelmed the delicate scallop flavor. I wished I were eating that perfect farro and scallop dish at the Bohemian.

Staring at our neighbors dishes, I saw where we had gone wrong. Crow seems to excel at fine comfort food. The woman beside us was tucking into a beautiful beef tenderloin served atop mashed potatoes and roasted mushrooms with a lush gravy. My mouth watered.

Next time, I’ll go for the gusto.
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Crow

823 5th Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
www.eatatcrow.com

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Inside? It was like Denny’s — worn wooden chairs, dated 1970’s patterned cushions, the clientele mostly in their 60s. The bar wrapped around in a faintly modern way, but was again all wood. Only the lighting above the bar was new, colored glass lights hanging down from a wrought iron rack. Even that looked tacked on, as if someone had thought to redecorate but couldn’t begin to think about replacing the chairs.

Sadly in the dim light my camera couldn’t capture it.

Our bartender came over to take our drinks, his shirt unbuttoned a little too much. He gave us the “you got it” salute after taking our order, pointing both index fingers like guns.

Just like Larry from “Three’s a company.” It almost made me like the place.

My drink was horrific, a pear scented vodka martina with a sugared rim that tasted like splenda, but what did I expect. I ordered something called “Pearadox.” Cobe’s “Fresca” was better, a vodka sour with homemade sour mix.

We both switched to wine (Yalumba and Inkberry) and started with the pancetta wrapped dates. These were incredibly rich, the date searingly hot and sweet and blending with the salty pancetta and small bits of cheese. It needed more bacon to balance the sweetness. Or maybe more cheese. Still we both liked them, cleaning the plate in 5 minutes and burning our mouths in the process. Cobe was charmed by the bits of basil.

“It really lightens the flavor.”

Entrees proved not so successful. The black cod was meltingly soft with a nice (if bland) flavor, but it was served over precooked polenta (the kind you buy in a roll) and had a mishmash of flavors. Were those really undercooked beetgreens? And thick sliced onion?

I ate the fish and left the rest.

Cobe had the salmon. As a true seattlite, he can eat salmon no matter how it’s cooked, but this was bad. They coated it with a melange of spices (like blackened salmon) and then cooked it to death. And served it with more polenta rounds and some sauce that didn’t blend. And a garnish of fennel greens.

All in all, not a bad place for drinks, especially if you like your bartenders kind of smarmy. I’d skip the meals though. Unless you’re over 60 and used to eating at Denny’s.

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Ten Mercer
10 Mercer St
Seattle, WA 98109
www.tenmercer.com
(206) 691-3723

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Boat Street Cafe

http://www.boatstreetcafe.com

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