****NOTE: This review was done prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Of course, things are much different at the moment, but we hope things will get back to normal soon and hope you will continue to support these local businesses****
Salare
Recommended by: We’ve been to Edouardo Jordan’s(Two time James Beard Award winner) Junebaby and Lucinda Grain Bar.
Salare is his first restaurant and will complete our trifecta of visiting all 3 of his restaurants.
Description on the Salare’s website: Salare is a chef-driven neighborhood restaurant, nestled in the heart of Ravenna in North Seattle. We capture America’s diverse culture of food with influences from America’s South, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean Islands.
Neighborhood/Type: Ravenna
Address: 2404 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: See Below. We ordered a lot!
Comments: From Salare’s website:
salare, v. to season; to salt; to preserve
The name Salare draws its origin from the Latin word sal which means “salt” and the term “salare” which is the act of using salt to season, preserve, or cure. The term “salare” was introduced to Chef Jordan while spending time in Italy studying the art of salumi making. Chef Jordan’s philosophy is rooted in his passion for cooking traditions, primal techniques, and ancient methods for preserving foods; the name Salare embraces this philosophy.
Salare was opened in 2015 and since it’s opening has garnered rave reviews and awards. The one thing that has always stood out to us about Salare is their family-friendly stance that includes a children’s menu.
It happened to be one of the last restaurant we visited prior to the quarantine at home back in early March due to Covid 19. So glad we were able to squeeze this Saturday evening visit in.
Nothing about the decor stands out and the space is dimly lit giving it a romantic vibe.
Here are the dishes the two of us ordered. Our server was skeptical we could finish and hinted about getting some to-go boxes prepared for leftovers. We knew our eyes were too big for our stomach, but there were so many dishes that looked so good we couldn’t help ourselves.
All the dishes, as expected, were superb. The Octopus Guanciale was a bit of on the salty side, but flavors were there. If a little less salty, this would have been our favorite dish. Our favorite dish was the Squid Ink Trompetti with clams, mussels and sausage. It was just the perfect amount of spicy. The Cavatelli with bacon and parmasean was another winner. The pasta is so unique and the lamb bacon, name somewhere else you can find that? And if you’ve read any of our other reviews, we are suckers for beet tartare and order it wherever we go. Two words- sooooooo good.
Sunchoke Chips, Capers & Smoked Egg Vinaigrette (Score: 5.0/5.0)
We did it. The two of us finished every single dish, so no boxes for left overs needed. Our server was impressed doubting we could do it, but the food was that good. Salare definitely feels like the type of restaurant for special occasions due to the price point. We can’t wait to go back. This could easily be one of our top 5 favorite restaurants in Seattle. There were so many dishes that are surely in contention for the best dishes of 2020.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.50
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 5.00
Bang for the Buck: 4.50
Overall: 4.75
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future:
Related Articles:
****NOTE: This review was done prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Of course, things are much different at the moment, but we hope things will get back to normal soon and hope you will continue to support these local businesses****
Lucinda Grain Bar
Recommended by: We are huge fans of both Edouardo Jordan’s Junebaby and Salare. We had reservations at Salare, so we decided to arrive a little early for a cocktail at his Lucinda Grain Bar.
Description on the Lucinda Grain Bar’s website: Lucinda Grain Bar is a 25-seat Bar and Cafe located in the heart of Ravenna. Lucinda is a place for people to relax, gather with old friends, meet new friends, and explore the wonderful world of grains through food and drinks.
Neighborhood/Type: Ravenna
Address: 2120 NE 65th St, Seattle, WA 98115
Music playing: Let it Whip- Dazz Band, Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye
What we ate/drank: Barley Old Fashioned-Bourbon, Barley Syrup, Cardamom 13, Long Grain Iced Tea – Moonshine, Calvados, Gin, Grain Tea 14, Rhubarb Daquri – Rum, Rhubarb, Lime – 14
Comments: When you think about the best cocktail bars in Seattle, you think about Capitol Hill, Ballard or Downtown. These are the usual suspects, but Ravenna?!? Ravenna is a neighborhood made up mostly of families and former yuppies who have decided to settle down in a nice quiet area relatively close to downtown.
In a way, the location is not surprising because Lucinda Grain Bar is part of Edouardo Jordan’s(Two time James Beard Award winner!) growing empire and located right next to his renowned restaurant, Junebaby and down the street from his equally renowned, Salare. Still, I think it’s pretty brave to open a cocktail bar in Ravenna. We were thinking about it. The closest cocktail-centric bar might be The Backdoor all the way in Fremont. We’re not complaining since we live close by and now have an option for quality cocktails.
Unlike many of the swanky cocktail bars around Seattle, Lucinda Grain Bar has a casual inviting atmosphere. It’s an intimate place with about 20 seats, a few seats at the bar, and L-shaped counter along the window and wall and a few tables.
We didn’t order food since we were having dinner at Salare, but both their food and drinks are grain inspired and Edouardo’s great grandmother’s name was Lucinda thus the name, Lucinda Grain Bar. We’re sure the food is great, but when you have Salare and Junebaby in such close proximity, it’s hard to envision ever eating here.
The drinks as expected were top notch and again a quality cocktail you could not find anywhere in at least a 3 mile radius.
Moonshine, Calvados, Gin, Grain Tea
14, Rhubarb Daquri – Rum, Rhubarb, Lime – 14
We love the idea of having a quality cocktail bar so close to where we live without having to make a trip out to Capitol Hill. It’s the perfect spot for entertaining out of town guests without having to go very far and a place for a night cap after a night out on the town. It’s has a neighborhood intimate feel, but with top notch bartenders and liquors.
Ratings:
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Overall: 4.75
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: We’ve posted about Junebaby and now Lucinda Grain Bar. We’ll next visit Edouardo Jordan’s Salare.
Related Articles:
Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt
Description on Lighthouse Roaster’s website : One of Seattle’s original roaster cafes, Lighthouse has spent more than twenty years creating a loyal following of coffee lovers by treating the coffee buying, roasting and drink-making as a noble calli
Description on Caffe Ladro’s website : Caffe Ladro Ravenna joins a thriving neighborhood; it is situated on the corner of 65th Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Stop in for the modern vibe and enjoy amazing coffee at one of the windows, or outside in one of the Adirondack chairs. If you’re seeking excellent Ravenna coffee, sample any of Ladro’s signature drinks (Medici, Gibraltar, or Shakerato), try one of their house-baked pastries, or take some beans to brew at home.
Address:1222 NE 65th St Suite 103, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: Gibraltar, Mocha, Bacon & Caramelized Onion Quiche, Ham and Cheese Croissant, Medici
Comments: They call it Caffe Ladro – Ravenna on their website but it’s actually located in Roosevelt. Like other new additions to the Roosevelt neighborhood, Santo Coffee and Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt, this Caffe Ladro is located on the ground floor of a brand new apartment building. This one being Brooklyn 65th.
Caffe Ladro is probably our favorite coffee purveyor in Seattle, so we were thrilled when one opened in our neighborhood. They are now up to 16 locations in the greater Seattle area, so it’s easy to get the benefits of their coffee card program where you get two free drinks for every 10 you purchase.
They have a limited amount of pastries that become half price after 4:00pm.
Here are reviews of some of the other Caffe Ladro locations:
- Caffe Ladro – Union St
- Caffe Ladro -The Jetsons Ladro
- Caffe Ladro – Fremont, The Library Ladro
- Caffe Ladro- 1800, The Amazon Ladro
The Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt location is on par with some of the smaller Ladro locations like Union Street, Lower Queen Anne and Pine Street. Although it’s small in size, it still manages to have a little living room area, an L shape counter and one 4 seat table in the middle
More than any other Caffe Ladro, the Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt location really emphasizes the use of it’s outdoor space. There’s gotta be at least 20 Adirondack chairs in front of the store as well as a bench seating. The Adirondack chair is a staple of many of the Caffe Ladro in the area -Fremont, Upper Queen Anne, Lower Queen Anne locations have them, but only a few.
The Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt is a good grab-and-go spot. It opens early at 6:00am. It’s not a place I’d stay and do work on a laptop. The way most of their seating is arranged your back is exposed and people can see what you’re working on. It shouldn’t be a big deal, but I like having my back against a wall for some privacy. They say this is why dogs often sleep against big objects or prefer enclosed places-too protect their back. I guess I’m the same way.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: The over 20 adirondack chairs and outdoor space
Atmosphere: 4.00
Service: 4.75
Food Options: 4.00
Overall: 4.25
Eavesdropping Convo: None
Related:
Junebaby – The Hype is Real!
Recommended by: When doing some research on Kamonegi I noted that it was named one of the Top 50 New Restaurants in Bon Appetit Magazine in July. Another Seattle restaurant on this list was Junebaby. Not only that but Chef Owner of Junebaby won two James Beard Awards for Best Chef : Northwest, but also Best New Restaurant. This was not Best New Restaurant in Seattle, but in the entire US!
Description on the Junebaby website: Food with Roots – Southern food’s humble beginnings embarked when West Africans were taken from their home and were forced across the middle passage to North America. The term soul food originated during American slavery to not only describe a type of cuisine but also a period of time of oppression and overcoming hardships. It is traditionally cooked and eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States and merges influences from West Africa, Western Europe, and North America. As a result, America’s culinary history was built on corn, rice, peas, and the hog; many of the ingredients associated with Southern food.
Neighborhood/Type: Ravenna
Address: 2122 NE 65th Street, Seattle, WA 98115
What we ate/drank: Chicken Gizzards & buttermilk dressing $9, Pulled Pork with pikliz, Carolina vinegar sauce & aioli $12, Fried Catfish with pickled onion & tartar sauce $12, Chitlins & rice -$7.
Comments: This post should have been written probably a year and a half ago. That’s when the Edouardo Jordan hype was in full effect. Chef Jordan is the owner chef of Junebaby. Salare, his other restaurant had been open since 2015 in a rather odd place, the Ravenna neighborhood which will never be confused with the restaurant-centric neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, SLU or Ballard. Salare had received much acclaim, so when news got out that Chef Jordan was opening another restaurant on the same street, the anticipation was built up.
As soon as Junebaby opened accolades and four star food critic reviews from all over the country started piling up. From the very beginning, lines formed daily.
- Time Magazine named it one of 2018s “Worlds Greatest Places”
- Bill Addision, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times named it to his best new restaurant list.
- The New York Times gave Junebaby, Seattle’s first ever 3 star review.
- Junebaby was voted a Top 50 New Restaurants in Bon Appetit Magazine
- Chef Jordan won James Beard Awards for Best Chef : Northwest and Best New Restaurant.
We don’t really need to go on about the food being good, do we?
Here are some of the reasons that make Junebaby special:
- I think part of its appeal of Junebaby also had to do with a lack of Southern food in Seattle. Coastal Kitchen comes to mind, but definitely not many.
- They don’t take reservations unless you are a group of 8 or more, so if you really wanted to and came early enough you could get a seat for this renowned restaurant. If you want it bad enough, you can eat here and not have to wait months due to reservations being booked up.
- Junebaby’s quality dishes has “Special Occasion” written all over it due to all it’s awards, but the spot has a very unpretentious atmosphere you might not expect. It feels like home. It doesn’t have that modern, sleek decor like some of the other popular new places like Sawyer, Cortina, Archipelego or Copine. Junebaby is relaxing.
- Along the same line as the above. They are located in Ravenna, a quiet little neighborhood not known as a food mecca. I’ve read articles where Chef Jordan wanted to have restaurants that were accessible to the community and families. And Ravenna is family-central and close to us! Woot Woot! He really took a risk opening up his restaurants in an out-of-the-way area. It shows great confidence in his abilities that if he builds it, they will come.
- Check out the encyclopedia on their website. I’ve provided links in our meal description. It not only gives information about the food at Junebaby, but also foods from all over.
A couple more details about Junebaby
- They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wed through Friday they serve dinner only. On Saturday and Sunday, they serve lunch from 11-3pm and have something called, Moonshine Hour from 3-5pm. This is when they are prepping between lunch and dinner and are only serving a limited food menu.
- They have a 20% service charge and they are very transparent about how this is split up, which we appreciate. 62.5% is distributed as gratuity to employees directly serving guests. 20% is distributed to employees not directly serving guests. The remaining 17.5% is retained by the house to provide higher wages and benefits.
- On certain nights, they have special dishes.
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Wednesdays – Turkey Leg
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Thursdays – Mac n’ Cheese with Newsom’s Ham
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Fridays – Brisket Dinner
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Saturdays – BBQ Dinner
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Sundays – JuneBaby’s Fried Chicken
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- Chef Jordan’s has two other establishments, Salare and Lucinda Grain Bar, located on the same street as June Baby.
2021 Updates: Take out from June Baby
Ratings
Atmosphere: 4.75
Service: 5.00
Food/Drinks: 4.75
Bang for the Buck: 5.00
Overall: 4.85
Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.
-
- Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
- Most locals know about it
- Locals “in the know” know about it
- Only those who live close by know about it.
- You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!
Servers recommendations to visit in the future: Waiter talked about going to a restaurant that was $1000 but it was his dream and he saved up to do it.
Related Articles:
Ventoux Roasters – Ravenna
Description on Ventoux Roaster’s website: Providing the highest quality coffee, and promoting our love for cycling in everything we do. Nestled between Seattle’s University District and Wedgwood neighborhood, we’ve supported our community in the Bryant neighborhood with specialty coffee and a gallery of fine racing bikes for 3 years. Come by and meet your neighbors!
Neighborhood: Ravenna
Address:3404 NE 55th St, Seattle, WA 98105
What we ate/drank: Cortado, Macrina Fresh Fruit Muffin
Music Playing: Sade – Hang On To Your Love
Comments: Ventoux Roasters is on a small quiet corner of 35th Ave NE & NE 55th Street. As soon as you walk in you can tell the owner’s love of cycling. There are hanging bikes from the roof and on the walls, cycling jerseys displayed and bike-themed posters. The cafe name is derived from Mont Ventoux, which is one of the stages in the Tour de France.
Their name implies Ventoux roasts their own coffee beans, but on this particular day they were using Everett-based Veltons coffee. They had a small variety of Macrina Bakery pastries. We got the Fresh Fruit Muffin. There’s definitely a neighborhood feel to Ventoux Roasters and I get the feeling most of the people hanging out here are regulars.
The space is long and narrow, so you’d expect the seating to be limited, but surprisingly there’s a lot of seating. You’ve got the store front Adirondack chairs, counter seating looking out on 55th and in towards the back, a few individual tables and bench seating. As you would expect the front of the space is very bright from the store front windows, but unlike many other long and narrow spaces, there is actually windows that let in a bit of natural lighting in the back too. One thing I did notice is that they have electrical outlets all over the place, so if you’re planning on working on your laptop here, you’re covered.
I have a question. There seems to be an inordinate amount of coffee places in Seattle that are bike-themed. In addition to Ventoux Roasters, there’s Meiter in First Hill, Peloton in Capitol Hill, Rapha in Capitol Hill and Good Weather Bicycle also in Capitol Hill. This cannot be a coincidence. I also have a friend overseas and his two passions are coffee and cycling. What is the relationship between coffee cafes and cycling? Perhaps I’ll research and create a post on my findings. I’m curious now.
Here’s a Youtube video that best describes Ventoux Roasters:
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing: Quaint neighborhood spot with a distinct bike theme. Least Favorite Thing– Owner is a SF Giants fan ;). Go Dodger Blue!
Atmosphere: 4.25
Service: 4.50
Food Options: 4.25
Overall: 4.30
Eavedropping Convo: Two older gentlemen talking right after the 2019 snow storm in Seattle
Gentleman 1(G1) – You still got snow at your place?
Gentelman 2(G2) – Yup. I also live on a slope, so it was a bitch getting in and out of my place. My idiot neighbor tried driving in the midst of it all, hit an ice patch and nearly hit my parked car. No chains, no nothing. Luckily he only hit the curb and slid down the hill until hitting a level area. What a moron!
Related:
Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Cafe
Description on Seven Coffee Roasters website : Seven Coffee Roasters was started in a small cafe/roastery in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle in 2006 by Sean Lee. Seven is named after Sean’s grandmother, affectionately called “Nana” by grandkids. Nana, in Japanese, means Seven.
Neighborhood: Ravenna
Address: 2007 NE Ravenna Blvd, Seattle, WA 98105
Music playing: Summertime by Ella Fitzgerald
What we ate/drank: Macchiato, Iced Latte, Iced Mocha, Full Tilt Raspberry Popsicle.
Comments: Plopped in the middle of the Ravenna neighborhood is an old unassuming general store. Unless you are looking for it or happen to be driving through the neighborhood, you will never find it. I remember the first time we “found” Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café. The moment we walked in, we fell in love with it. It really is just a neighborhood general store, but there are a few but very distinct differences from your usual general stores(although there aren’t many that have survived). First, you won’t find your normal name brands, but you will find local products. No Cheetos or Dorritos, but you will find Kettle and Tim’s. No Haagen Dazs ice cream, but you’ll find Full Tilt. No Sutter Home or Gallo wine, but they do have 8 Bells(located right down the street), Matthews, Januik. For the size of the store there is an amazingly wide variety of wine, beer and snacks. I also love their old school refrigerator that houses their cold drinks. I wonder if it’s the original from 1922(see below). The other thing that sets it apart is that they’re a coffee roaster, which makes their coffee drinks far, far above average for a general store. The actual roasting is done offsite. I’m not sure if due to Seven Roasters roasting their own coffee as well as having lower costs due to it’s location, but their prices are $.75 to $1 cheaper than your normal Seattle café. The first time going to Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café was in the evening, so we just had beers. At the time, they had taps, but our latest visit only had beers in cans.
According to their website, “the store was established in 1922 and unofficially the second oldest market in Seattle, Seven Market & Cafe now sits where the former Boulevard Grocery once stood.” & “ Seven Market & Cafe sits in the quiet and charming neighborhood of Ravenna, near the University District. Ravenna Boulevard was once a main thoroughfare in Seattle for loggers hauling their goods from Green Lake to Lake Washington. The market served those loggers and others using the boulevard as a passage.”
It’s a tiny little place that might fit 12 people max inside, has a few small tables outside on the sidewalk along with a bench and an adjoining patio that maybe seat 6 or 7. The left side of the storefront has a garage style door that they open. This gives the high seating counter the prime spot to sit to enjoy both the inside and looks out on Ravenna Blvd, which I love for its median that’s lined with trees.
As mentioned in our Best Seattle Bars To Impress Out of Towners and Our Seattle Coffee Shop Thoughts posts, out of town visitors love these hidden local gems and Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café is no different. We had friends come from out of town and they actually went to Starbucks Reserve twice. We took them to our little hidden coffee roaster, Seven Coffee Roasters Market & Café and they loved it. No crammed cafe with tourists, just laid back conversation on the patio and great coffee. I’ve even mentioned this place to locals and most have never heard of it or seen it, but even those who have driven past it and knew about it said they had no idea it was a coffee roaster. They normally say, “We just thought it was a small convenience store”. This is our normal stop when going to our dog sitter, who lives in the area. It’s also the de facto hot chocolate source when visiting Candy Cane Lane during the holidays.
Their blog is a good source for their history and a blog that profiles the rotating local artists who sell their art in the café and also provides profiles on the various local businesses who serve their coffee- Bryant Corner Café & Bakery, Honest Biscuits, Sod House Bakery and Flying Apron Bakery.
Ratings(1-5)
Favorite Thing:
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Food Options: 4.75
Overall: 4.85
Eavedropping Convo: None. Only that the barista made my macchiato and when handing it to me said, “Let me know if it’s good”. It was.