Seattle's Le Pichet satisfies both palate and purse

SARAH SCOTT, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published January 4, 2002

Want to feast in France? Take Interstate 5 north. Le Pichet in downtown Seattle serves French food extraordinaire for a wonderfully ordinary price.

Even the atmosphere felt Parisian in this small, tile-floored restaurant with most of the tables snuggled against one wall. In a corner, an aristocratic-looking man in a black turtleneck hovered over his fork. At the bar, a slightly drunken woman in a dress slit to her thigh kissed her lover. I got the feeling they might all still be there sipping Pernod when the place closed at 2 a.m.

Co-owners Joanne Herron and chef Jim Drohman (from the renowned Campagne in Pike Place Market) wanted to create an informal restaurant to satisfy both palate and purse. Score. With extra points for the educated care given the cuisine.

My companion ordered a Belgian endive, walnut and Roquefort salad ($7), while I began with an ounce of Brillat Savarin ($3), one of a selection of artisanal cheeses that changes daily. Spreading this creamy delicacy (think Brie but better) over slices from a small baguette, we quickly passed verdict: the best cheese either of us has ever tasted. A plate of several cheeses is $9.

A menu standard is fresh fish with fennel, potatoes and grilled figs ($16). On this evening, the fish was line-caught salmon. After a pan roasting to hold in the flavor, the salmon finishes cooking in the oven. The result is a blend of crunchiness and tasty moistness. Another speedy verdict: Salmon as well prepared and succulent as either of us has eaten.

Instead of a main course, I chose a side plate of roasted eggplant puree with grilled goat cheese, vinegar-cured anchovies and an assortment of olives, served on a long chestnut leaf ($10). The anchovies were to canned ones what fresh spinach is to the slimy stuff you probably grew up with.

Besides the pan-roasted fish, other regular main dishes include grilled garlic and pork sausage on a macaroni and bleu cheese gratin ($14), New York steak with a tomato and caper sauce and fried onion rings ($17) and chicken roasted to order in spicy red wine sauce with haystack potatoes ($30 for two). The chicken takes an hour, but I've heard it's worth the wait.

A translation note: Entree is used on the menu in its original sense, as an entry dish, i.e., an appetizer. What American-fare restaurants call entrees, Le Pichet terms house specialties.

What's a French meal without wine, right? Again, the owners' aim to provide good value hits the mark. An extensive list of offerings, all French, is available by the bottle, the pichet (a small pitcher and the source of the restaurant's name), demi-pichet or glass.

The wine list sent me into a splendid time warp. Remember long ago when you could get a decent glass of wine for $3? You still can. In fact, the most costly wine Le Pichet serves by the glass is $5.50 and most are $5 or under. I mentioned to the waiter that I wished a Lalande de Pomerol (Chateau des Annereaux, 1998) was available by the glass, one of the few wines that isn't.

He said he thought there was a partial bottle open and returned with a demi-pichet of this graceful, Merlot-based wine from Bordeaux's smallest region. My friend ordered a demi-pichet of Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay (1999), a white Burgundy a little too bright for his taste but not disappointing.

Desserts change daily (all $5). We chose a chocolate mousse with hazelnut meringue topped with a thin icing of dark chocolate. We also ordered apple gateau with creme anglaise. Both of us expected to prefer the chocolate concoction.

It was a delicious layered treat, but the apple cake scored higher on the "ummm" scale with sweet, rich depth and elegance while retaining comfort food appeal. With dessert, my friend sipped a 10-year-old port while I had a muscat, not the sort of libations you find at restaurants charging these prices for food. Diners at Le Pichet often opt to create a last course from the cheese board.

Our well-informed waiter had that confidential attitude of good waiters everywhere, the ones who make you feel you're getting special attention even though a little observation shows everyone else is getting it too. Halfway through the meal, when things got particularly busy, co-owner Herron took over at some of the tables. Both our server and Herron took pleasure in answering customers' questions about the cuisine.

A question I once posed to a Seattle native was about the influx of people to his city. Expecting a gripe, he instead answered, "More good restaurants." And among them, a few extraordinary ones. Le Pichet definitely cooks itself into that category.

Sarah Scott is a free-lance writer who also works for the state House of Representatives. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.

Le Pichet

Five forks: Excellent

- Location: 1933 First Ave. (at Virginia), downtown Seattle. 206-256-1499.

- Hours: 8 a.m. to midnight Sunday, Monday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Dinner served 5:30 to 10 p.m. An all-day snack menu on most days with cheeses, cold meats, sandwiches and salads. Desserts and pastries all day. 8 to midday Tuesday and Wednesday, coffee and pastries only, closed evenings.

- Food: Extraordinary French fare, meticulous preparation, artful presentation.

- Value: Mais oui! Extremely reasonable prices for very fine food.

- Beverages: Full bar. Extensive collection of French wines offered by bottle, pichet (pitcher), demi-pichet and glass. Great value here too. No glass more than $5.50, many $3-$5.

- Service: Knowledgeable, personable, attentive.

- Atmosphere: You half expect the guy at the next table to pull out Le Monde. Bustling, close quarters. Casual but sophisticated.

- Reservations: Absolutely for dinner.

- Method of payment: Checks, Visa, MasterCard.

- Smoking: At the bar. Despite the coziness, no noticeable smoke.

- Accommodations: It won't destroy the unfussy atmosphere if you bring young children, but the food never could be called kids' fare. Wheelchair accessible.

REVIEW GUIDE

Five forks: Excellent

Four forks: Very good

Three forks: Good

Two forks: Average

One fork: Fair

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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