Art of the Table

It’s not easy writing a sustainable restaurant review. First of all, restaurant scenes in Seattle are constantly evolving. Some of my favorite names Book Bindery and Spur had already closed their doors before I even picked up the pen. As for other places, even though I had a great experience the first time, it failed to impress on subsequent visits, Joule fits into that category. As a result, I had a short list of recommendations.

Art of the Table is a neighborhood restaurant in Wallingford, Seattle. With only six tables, and a chef’s counter looking over the kitchen, the space is intimate. The food centers on ingredients grown, foraged or caught in the Pacific Northwest, made from scratch.

Smoked squash ravioli, fennel-pepper salad, vadouvan spiced cauliflower, parsley pesto, olive-caper vinaigrette, pepitas ~$17

Cured & roasted pork belly, carrot-asparagus-fennel slaw, parsnip purée, cilantro pistou, peanuts, curnip vinaigrette ~$22

Gin & dill cured quillayute king salmon, asparagus, pickled red onion, radish, horseradish yogurt, preserved lemon oil, pea tendrils ~$16

Neah bay black cod, field greens, cinnamon cap mushroom confit, mushroom dashi, wild ramps, curry oil ~$24

Aprium sorbet, pickled plum sherbet, apricot relish, thai basil, lemon sablé ~$9

Olive oil cake, dulce de leche ice cream, rhubarb compote, mandarin marmalade, meyer lemon curd, almond brittle, lavender syrup ~$11

I have been to Art of the Table enough times over the past five years and it has never ceased to impress me. On two recent visits all within a week, I had a la carte menu one night and chef’s tasting menu the other. I sampled over fifteen dishes in total, each of them was prepared in a thoughtful and artistic way. From a la carte menu, the cured and roasted pork belly is the best I’ve ever had, with tender juicy center and perfectly caramelized skin. The olive oil cake is light and fruity, which pairs seamlessly with dulce de leche ice cream and almond brittle.

The tasting menu featured nine dishes, including amuse bouche (foie gras on a cracker with candied pecan) and palate cleanser (Aprium sorbet with Rachel’s ginger beer granita). The Washington razor clam ceviche was tangy and refreshing, just what we needed on a hot spring day. I was already getting full by the time the roast beef arrived, so I asked the server to pack it in a box, and it was delicious the second day.

The secret nosh – Foie gras on cracker

Washington razor clam ceviche, fermented carrot broth, fennel, pickled red onion, dill, preserved lemon oil

Pea vine vichyssoise, asparagus, shiitake, layers of radish, vadouvan cauliflower, curry oil

Chèvre raviolo, spring carrot salad, grilled ramps, cress pesto, pea vines

Neah bay halibut, baby turnip, green lentil salad, asparagus cream, stinging nettle oil, picked mustard seed

Skagit river ranch roast beef, king oyster & cinnamon cap mushroom, mustard greens, parsnip purée. arugula pistou, horseradish vinaigrette, summer black truffle

Intermezzo – Aprium sorbet, Rache’s ginger beer granita

Kurtwood farm dinah’s camembert, gruyere shortbread, melted leek, fennel honey, grilled apple, pistachio

Almond brown butter cake, spearmint ice cream, poached rhubarb, orange sauce, almond brittle, lavender syrup

As a neighborhood restaurant, the service was personal and attentive. The chef was kind enough to help me take photos of the roasted beef after plating so that I have a nice photo to present here, instead of one from my doggy box.

The menus change daily, based on what’s fresh and local. Chef Dustin Ronspies admits that he would figure out the menu on his 10 minute drive over to the restaurant and he is confident that whatever he served that evening would be awesome. I love this place!

Finally, good things come in pairs. It is worth mentioning that chef Dustin Ronspies has a brother Derek, who is also a chef, of Le Petit Cochon in Fremont.