Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Meghan Barry of Luxuryrealestate.com

I recently received an email from Luxury Real Estate member, Elizabeth Ann Kivlan, Executive Vice President and Director of Sales for Stribling & Associates, Ltd. in New York City. She will be attending our upcoming Fall Conference in Seattle and she asked me for some advice on the best restaurants in Seattle. Here is a list I put together of some of my favorite places.

All Time Favorites

Herbfarm Restaurant (Woodinville) – the ultimate fresh and local destination restaurant, 9 course meals and wine pairings, you never feel stuffed, a total experience, near wineries/breweries for an excursion

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese (Pike Place Market) – if you have every wanted to see cheese made this is your opportunity, best Mac & Cheese ever

Matt's in the Market (Pike Place Market) – Seafood, always have a good chowder on the menu, lively atmosphere, probably my favorite place in the Market

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream (Capital Hill and other locations) – Salted caramel, Lavender, Balsamic Strawberry, artisan flavors and all the best old standbys, lines out the door

Via Tribunali (Capital Hill and other locations) – Pizza, ingredients flown in from Italy, lively yet brooding atmosphere

Le Pichet (Pike Place Market) - French, simple classic good menu, café vibe

Serious Pie (Downtown) – one of many from Tom Douglas, Pizza, cool combinations of fresh local ingredients, pub-like setting

Campagne (Pike Place Market) – French, have a café below and a restaurant above, both are elegant, I kind of like the café atmosphere better

Salumi (Downtown) – cured meats, Mario Batali family, awesome

Volterra (Ballard) – Italian, neat neighborhood with commercial fishing (just like on that Deadliest Catch show) and fun/upscale boutiques

Steelhead Diner (Pike Place Market) – hearty NW food, cool diner atmosphere

Top Pot Doughnuts (Belltown and other locations) – best doughnuts in Seattle, hand forged

Macrina Bakery (Belltown and other locations) – all kinds of yummy snacky snacks, sandwiches, salads, breakfast

Canlis (Queen Anne) – elegant, great views, a dinner experience

Le Panier (Pike Place Market) - Authentic french bakery, amazing aromas, in pike place market!

Other Favorites

Wild Ginger (Downtown) – Asian, fun atmosphere, neat bar

Red Mill Burgers (several locations) – best burgers in Seattle

Pink Door (Pike Place Market) - Italian-American cuisine, great outdoor seating on the deck, views of Puget Sound

Ezell's Fried Chicken (Central District) – spartan atmosphere, but great food, Oprah’s favorite

Chez Shea (Pike Place Market) – simple and elegant French, great views

Shuckers (Downtown) – a power lunch kind of place, great seafood

Dahlia Lounge (Downtown) – Tom Douglas, a dinner kind of place, International, Seafood

Lola (Downtown) – Tom Douglas, amazing breakfasts, more casual, Greek

Paseo (Fremont) - Caribbean, best jerk chicken sandwich, a little road-side lunch spot

Courtesy of Brian Langhorst

By: Sabrina Chapman of Haute Living Magazine

Organic local foods are healthy, refreshing and simply a great habit to catch this summer for dining. 5 Haute spots for fresh and fabulous all natural grub...

http://www.hauteliving.com/blog/locavore-the-haute-five-restaurants-for-nyc/

By Andrew Harper

Our country is blessed with some of the finest dining establishments in the world, but for this list, I thought it would be more intriguing to look at quintessentially American restaurants.

Some of these places are legendary. Most are local institutions. All serve tremendous food.

These suggestions are based on my professional wanderings over the last 30 years as a luxury hotel reviewer and committed food lover. The selections are completely subjective and wholeheartedly recommended.

The Steakhouse

You can almost always count on finding a good steakhouse in every American city. And then there’s Peter Luger in Brooklyn. In business since 1887, it is renowned for its rigorously selected, succulent, buttery porterhouse prepared to exacting standards. This is not a fancy place; it’s cash only, and the service is gruffly efficient. No carnivore should miss it.

Restaurant With a View

My choice is Nepenthe in Big Sur, Calif. A casual place perched right by the Pacific, with tiered outdoor tables so that all can enjoy the glorious panorama, this is one of the most singular settings I’ve ever found in which to enjoy a meal. I was relieved to hear it survived the terrible fires that ravaged Big Sur earlier this summer. The food is simple but very good, and the thing to try is the aptly named “Ambrosiaburger.”

The Crab House

Maryland crab is one of the glories of America’s bounty, a food so inherently delicious that the less done to it the better. Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn, just outside Annapolis overlooking Mill Creek, is the place to enjoy incomparable blue crab. Get them steamed and learn the indelicate art (wooden mallet required) of opening them. Or go for the nearly binder-free crab cakes, plump and irresistible.

Barbecue

If you really want to get folks riled up, don’t talk politics or religion — name the place you think has the best barbecue. Here it is: Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, Mo. Yes, I know the venerable Mr. Bryant has gone on to his reward. Yes, I know they’ve branched out. So go to the original on Brooklyn Avenue, where, in a setting that can be called simple, you’ll feast on the most sublime, tender ribs you can imagine. I’ve tried barbecue all over the country, and this remains my favorite.

Hamburger

This being perhaps the most American of all food, choosing one was difficult, but my ultimate favorite is that at Zuni Café in San Francisco. I am a great fan of this personable, stylish restaurant, which I visit every time I go to San Francisco. Chef Judy Rodgers’ burger is made from fresh ground beef, salted, chilled overnight and served on a wonderful focaccia bun. Add the excellent Caesar salad and a robust glass of red, and you have one of my favorite meals.

Cajun/Creole

Some say that this is the one true cuisine that evolved in America. After having visited New Orleans regularly for almost 30 years, I must say that the one place that consistently delivers the best is Commander’s Palace. Beautifully rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Commander’s is better than ever, and Chef Tory McPhail is turning out classic and contemporary New Orleans food that is as good as any you’ll find.

Wine-Country Cuisine

During my last visits to Napa and Sonoma, the best meals I had were at the lovely restaurant Cyrus in the appealing town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, Calif. The service is flawless; the food utterly sublime; the wine selections always on the mark. An added benefit: It is in the charming Les Mars Hotel, so no need to concern yourself with driving.

Pizza

The Italians will rightfully tell you that pizza was born in Italy — Naples, to be exact — and that we’ve taken a thing of beauty and transformed it beyond recognition. So? I’ve had the pizza in Naples, and it’s great, but the homegrown version is every bit as good. After tasting extensively all over the country, my choice is Frank Pepe in New Haven, Conn. Everything here is of the first order. But the standout is the fresh clam pizza with white sauce. This is a pie of sublime pleasure, the one against which I judge all others.

California Cuisine

This approach to cooking prizes the finest ingredients and preparing them so that their best qualities shine. The concept started at a small, charming restaurant in Berkeley, Calif., called Chez Panisse. The inspiration of Alice Waters, Chez Panisse has been thrilling diners since 1971. The menu changes daily, and there are no choices. Don’t let that deter you. You will encounter some entirely new tastes here. It’s not fancy — just profoundly delicious.

Hot Dog

I have a personal favorite spot for enjoying this American classic. Tucked off of 53rd Street in New York, just east of Fifth Avenue, is a little jewel of place called Paley Park. Donated to the city by William Paley, the late chairman of CBS, it is an oasis of sophisticated tranquility in the heart of this busy town, with graceful honey locust trees, ivy-clad walls, and a beautiful waterfall at the far end whose cascade blocks out the din of the city. A small concession stand sells sandwiches and drinks, but I suggest ordering the excellent hot dog and reveling in this marvelous urban sanctuary. Who needs a power lunch when you can have this?


Editor’s Note:
For more information on this company, contact Margaret Temple, the Business Development Manager at Andrew Harper in Austin, Texas. Andrew Harper is an exclusive partner with Luxury Real Estate. This is some great advice for travelers seeking great deals. For more than a quarter century, Andrew Harper has explored the world as an incognito traveler. Always paying his own way, his unbiased reviews of the finest hotels, villas, yachts, restaurants and culturally authentic travel experiences are legendary. Through a variety of media, complemented by highly personalized travel planning services, members of Andrew Harper’s luxury travel club enjoy the resources to dream, plan and realize an unparalleled level of globetrotting. After reading this blog entry, I feel like I just enjoyed a sumptuous meal! How about you? Be sure to check out the links to these amazing eateries in case you’re staying at a luxury property nearby and would like to enjoy exquisite cuisine. Andrew Harper’s blog entries are always informative whether he’s talking about top American cities, hotel tips or gourmet food. Be sure to keep checking the Luxury Real Estate Blog for scoops like this!

By Robert Lockard

After taking more than 400 fabulous photos at the 6th Annual Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat in April, Ilya Moshenskiy, the Principal Photographer of Ilya Estate Photography, is showing off his versatile talents in another field. On the left is a recent photo he took at Salty’s Seafood Restaurant in Seattle. The dessert is called the Ooey Gooey Ice Cream Sandwich.

It’s quite amazing that, in addition to his talents as a real-estate photographer, Ilya is also able to take world-class photos of gourmet food. To take advantage of Ilya’s expert services, contact him at ilya at ilyaestate.com.


Editor’s Note:
Robert Lockard is the Public Relations & Media Specialist with LuxuryRealEstate.com. I am Robert. I create all of LuxuryRealEstate.com’s newsletters, write the editorials in LuxuryRealEstate.com Magazine and much more. You can see all of Ilya’s photos of the 6th Annual Spring Retreat here.