Video: Porterhouse is open for business in the Admiral District

JayDee August 12, 2009 (6:24 pm)

Well, I can identify a tap handle for M&Js I think, but the other taps are too blurry for me to read. Where is CJB and his Vimeo movie? Perhaps the more knowledgeable can confirm the rest…

WSB August 12, 2009 (6:25 pm)

I have a still too – maybe that’ll help – will add – TR

WSB August 12, 2009 (6:29 pm)

Also, I added this url for the Washington Beer Blog post we mentioned in another preview – they got to go to the “soft opening” and list many of the beers:
http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/porterhouse-west-seattle-set-to-open-wed/

Dave August 12, 2009 (7:41 pm)

I see Manny’s, something from Rogue, Inversion IPA and another Deschutes, Hale’s Cream Ale, Spire pear cider, something from Fish, something from Boundary Bay, a couple others that look familiar but that I can’t think of, and a couple I can’t identify. Maybe I spend too much time drinking beer.

KSJ August 12, 2009 (8:15 pm)

The Mannys is actually Rogers, the Rogue is the Brutal Bitter, Deschutes is their porter or stout, Boundary Bay was Scotch I think, and they have some yummy others: Scarlett Fire and Bhagwans Best from Big Time, Skagit IPA and Mexican Lager, Lazy Boy Pils, Hazed and Confused, Snoqualmie Porter, Schooner Exact Regrade Pale, Laguinitas Lucky 13, and the Stone anniversary ale (to name a few).

Audrey August 12, 2009 (8:20 pm)

went opening night, the place was packed with lots of locals; we just don’t like to leave the rock, do we? they are working out the kinks so bear with them — but the food is great and the beer selection simply awesome. and, they serve half-pints! a welcome addition to our ‘hood.

Scar August 12, 2009 (8:33 pm)

So what’s on the menu?

Darren August 12, 2009 (8:36 pm)

What an opening night. The place was hopping. We got there at about 5:45 and left about 7:30p. Finally West Seattle has another brew pub with great food. I had the halibut and chips and my wife had the Rueben. She said it was the best Reuben that she has ever had.
They make most everything themselves. The sauerkraut was even homemade. What a place. If you can’t decide on what beer to have, try the Rogue’s Brutal Bitter !!!

KSJ August 12, 2009 (8:37 pm)

I tried their burger and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. (I think it had pickled onions on it.) An unexpected highlight was the soup of the day, a flavorful and cool gazpacho. For dessert: Shoofly Pie’s chocolate tart with Molly Moon salted caramel ice cream. Mmmmm.
–
Some friends at another table were frustrated by slow service (especially slow beer delivery), so although we didn’t experience any service issues, I echo the comment above to exercise patience if you go in the next few days. The servers are just learning the beer list, and learning the ropes.

Gingersnap August 12, 2009 (8:55 pm)

This sounds just like every other restaurant that has opened in West Seattle lately, with a couple of exceptions. A bar…with some food…

JanS August 12, 2009 (9:03 pm)

Gingersnap…I haven’t been yet, but will, as it’s within walking distance of my home. And, yes, it’s a restaurant, which usually has food (hence, restaurant), and oftentimes a bar. What would you like it to have besides food and a bar, since it seems that you may be looking for more? Just curious…

JanS August 12, 2009 (9:04 pm)

Molly Moon Ice Cream? An import? We gotta turn this guy on to Full Tilt…:)

Brenda August 12, 2009 (9:04 pm)

We went for opening night at about 7pm. I had the Quinoa Burger which was great…. I love Quinoa but had never had a burger made out of it– lovely. My husband went for the Philly Steak sandwich which he also liked.

The food and beer selection were really good… but I can’t say I am wild about the atmosphere. This will be another weeknight place for when we don’t feel like cooking. I am still waiting for more variety in Admiral.

wundrgrrrl August 12, 2009 (9:14 pm)

We went tonight too for beer and appetizers. The beer selection was good, and it was the coldest, most crisp beer I’ve had in a long time… mmmmm! The truffle fries and maple salmon skewers were just okay. I have to agree about the atmosphere ~ The decore is toned down contemporary, funky art work and fixtures. The staff was edgy, friendly, lots of tat’s, a few familiar faces. The biggest distraction while I was there was the frickin’ Country / Bluegrass music. It was just so out of place and actually made me antsy to get outta there. It would be fine if there were boots, lasso’s and saddles on the wall, but no. I can take a country song here and there, but it was at least 2 full length albums back to back… just didn’t fit the vibe or the neighborhood AT ALL. I did share that feedback with our server and will certainly give it another try in a few weeks.

Jose August 12, 2009 (9:15 pm)

MOLLY MOON?!
I’m so there. :-)

west seattle golfer August 12, 2009 (9:30 pm)

I am so there this weekend. Bitter beer, the best Rueben & the best Burger? Sounds like my definition of heaven!

Scar August 13, 2009 (1:18 am)

west seattle golfer: Be warned that WSB commenters would give s**t on a plate an A+++ review. Seriously, people are here are pretty soft — especially on new restaraunts.

beer lova August 13, 2009 (3:11 am)

PORTERHOUSE WEST SEATTLE
DRAFT BEER SELECTIONS
BigTime Brewery WA
Bhagwan’s Best Hazy pale amber. Grapefruity hop aroma. Sweet with soft mouth feel and near full body. Nicely hoppy with lots of oily, citric aromas. Very bitter finish. 6.2%
Scarlet Fire IPA CASK CONDITIONED Clear deep golden. Sweaty grapefruit aroma. Sweet with chewy mouth feel. All about the hop flavor – there´s grapefruit and mango. The soft mouth feel enhances the enjoyment. Salty very bitter finish. A fantastic IPA! 6.5%
Skagit River Brewery WA
Skullers IPA Hazy red, rich head. Aroma of caramel and grapefruit. Intensely and aggressively hoppy. There´s citrus and licorice and some cookie malt in the background. The finish is tremendously hoppy with enough inky bitterness to kill someone. 6.8%
Mexican Lager Pours golden amber with a thin head. Notes of caramel malt, biscuit, and earthy hops in the nose. The flavor is dry and biscuity. Light sweetness and a nice earthy bitterness in the finish that lingers for a second or two. A tasty lager. 7%
Deschutes Brewery OR
Obsidian Stout NITRO POUR Black as midnight with a dark head. Deep, black chocolate aroma, wonderfully complex and clean. Hoppy and very bitter in the mouth, a great roasted finish. Sharp and dry. Great balance. 6.4%
Hales Brewery WA
Hales Cream Ale NITRO POUR is nicely balanced and easy to drink. The soft texture of this blonde colored ale is well complemented by a pleasant blend of tasty malt and hop influences 4.5%
Lost Coast Brewery CA
Downtown Brown A smooth, full-bodied nut brown ale, lightly hopped with a hint of roasted and crystal malts. This ale is dark in color without the heavy taste of porter or stout. 4.5%
Terminal Gravity OR
ESG Rye beer, “Extra Special Golden, might be described as an American golden ale. This pale, dry and very drinkable beer is perfect for someone who wants something cold and refreshing but with a bit more flavor than the typical American lager. 5.4%

Boundry Bay Brewing Company WA
IPA Hazy reddish. Strong grapefruit aroma. Sweet and thick with plenty of hop induced lychee and grapefruit flavor. Like in the other beers here the mouth feel is syrupy and sticky. The finish is very bitter, but sticky sweetness still gets the upper hand. 9%
Schooner Exact WA
Regrade Pale Mostly malt aromas with a slight citrusy hop scent. The flavors follow the lead of the aromas, with the well balanced flavors complementing each other nicely. The smooth malt foundation blends into the slight hop tang resulting in an enjoyable brew. 5.5%
Anacortes Brewery WA
Anacortes Hefeweizen is relatively dry, mildly hopped with Perle and Mt Hood varieties with a traditional Bavarian aroma and flavor. 4.6%
Boulder Beer Company CO
Hazed & Infused Pours a nice golden brown color with a dense white head that slowly settled leaving some nice lacing on the glass. A nice fresh juicy hop aroma. Orange and grapefruit with a touch of fresh grass. The nice hop presence in the nose is lost a bit in the flavor. There is a brown sugary malt that more than offsets the hop flavor. You can still taste the citrus hops but they are subdued. Light to moderate feel, fizzy carbonation and very balanced. A very nice APA, good balance with a noticeable hop presence. 4.85%
Rogue Brewery OR
Brutal Bitter Orange, hazy appearance. Well balanced hop… Err.. No, let´s start over. Extremely grapefruity hop aroma. Rich malt backbone, soft mouth feel, and then hops, hops, hops. Brutally bitter finish. 7%
Lazy Boy Brewery WA
Pilsner A European classic with an American twist. Noble Saaz hops and a lager yeast strain make this beer extremely crisp and clean tasting 4.1%
Bear Republic Brewery CA
Hop Rod Rye Essentially a bold American IPA made with 20% rye malt. Darker in color, Hop Rod Rye boasts a huge hop aroma and flavor accompanied by a slightly sweet, malty finish. 8.1%
Full Sail Brewing Company OR
Top Sail Imperial Porter An amplified robust porter with a deep black color, a roasty malt flavor and a rich malt sweetness that’s smooth and drinkable. 7.5%

Russian River Brewing Company CA
Blind Pig IPA Hazy amber. Striking grapefruity nose. Punishing soapy oily hops makes your taste buds distort. The mouth feel is fairly soft but the bitterness is relentless and inky. Hardcore IPA. 6.0%
Fish Brewing Company WA
Organic IPA is a medium-bodied beer with a rich golden color. The organic pale and crystal malts lay down a firm malt body. This provides the backbone for an assertive hop profile featuring organic Pacific Gem 6.7%
Big Al Brewing WA
Irish Red Aroma is pretty malty with noticeable toffee and roast. Pours dark red with little to no head. Flavors of roasted malts, toffee, caramel. No real hop presence. Clean, well done, pleasant. 6.0%
Georgetown Brewing Company WA
Rogers Pilsner Yakima grown Czechoslovakian Saaz hops give this refreshing pilsner a spicy and earthy hop aroma. Malt character is accentuated by a German Lager Yeast that ferments dry but round and complex. 4.9%
Lagunitas Brewing Company CA
Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale primarily sweet with a deliciously hoppy bite towards a very dry finish. Flavors of sweet caramel malts and candy with hints licorice are greeted by piney hops. 8.3%
Stone Brewing Company CA
Stone 13th Anniversary Ale pours brilliant deep red with a light tan foam. Up front, the aroma is all piney, resinous and citrus hops. Upon tasting, the hops are still on the front, and they are balanced with the malty, toffee like flavors contributed from the blend of crystal and amber malts used in the brew house. The finish is deliciously bitter, with a touch of warmth. 9.5%
Two Beers Brewing Company WA
Crooked Belgian Wit This complex Belgian-style wheat beer with Coriander, Orange Peel and Hops entertains your tongue and conjures up spicy, sweet and bitter moments. 5.8%
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company WA
Steam Train Porter This robust dark ale is brewed with Chocolate, Brown and Crystal malts that give it chocolate and roasted coffee flavors. The sweetness is offset by Fuggles hops for beer enjoyed by itself or with a rich dessert. 5%

Here is the full beeer selection and they also have Spire Pear Cider on tap, that is just the drafts I will let you all know the bottles tom. :) it was opening night people have a little patience, oh and I love people who comment and obviously haven’t been there yet! ie: Gingersnap Oh and the country music was actually the Wood Brothers, from Medisky, Martin and Wood, not bluegrass not country, you can’t please everyone right? Peace and love peoples.

Everyone has an opinion and really Scar people on the blog are super critical, Spring Hill, Shadowland, and Fresh Bistro all got their fare share off critical reviews when they opened, and Spring Hill just got named one of the 10 best restaurants in America, by Bon Appetit, please really before you comment, at least make the effort to go to the place and try it, or your opinion basically means jack @##@ right . . .
Ps. sorry for the format on the beer selection, my buddy works there and emailed the list knowing the 1. I love beer, 2. West Seattle needs a good brew pub aside from Bev. Place and 3. 25 beers on tap!!!

Leroniusmonkfish August 13, 2009 (5:04 am)

Oh Scar…get over yourself and walk back across the street. Hopefully there will still be a “crosswalk” flag waiting for you.

Leroniusmonkfish August 13, 2009 (5:19 am)

WSB…it’s “The Porter House”…

scott August 13, 2009 (5:36 am)

The service was absolutely horriable, it took us about 3 hours to eat. I probably will not return for some time. Opening night sucked!!!!!!

Leroniusmonkfish August 13, 2009 (5:54 am)

My bad…it is The Porterhouse. Not according to Google or The Stranger. But the website for their restaurant at Mt. Rushmore confirmed my error. :)

Aa August 13, 2009 (7:45 am)

Adequate food at palatable prices. The place was packed when we got there at 7:30, but the hostess seated us in under ten minutes, apparently at a table meant for fewer people. Our group of four was greeted by the cute but harried waitress with raised eyebrow as she said, “oohhhh, oookkkayyy, well we usually only put TWO people at this table.” What a welcome.
Standard Edamame appetizer. The Porterhouse Burger was delicious, but too much bread for the delicate little slice of meat inside. Salmon tender and tasty but curiously served on a slice of wood. Yep, I know. Planked Salmon, hello. But alas usually not slapped on the open wound of a round-cut. Were those tiny bones? Or actual wood shavings?
Great beer selection including many local favorites. We’ll go back for that. But we’ll sit at the bar to avoid dealing with table service.

WSB August 13, 2009 (7:47 am)

Believe me, Ler, while I screwed up Phoenecia for a day (and partly because half the web has it wrong, which is still no excuse), this one, I’ve been reporting on for months including web and signage firsthand, so we’ve had it right all along. But thanks.

rw August 13, 2009 (7:52 am)

As others have stated, service was slow. I expected that on an opening night. I had a very good Oyster Po’ Boy sandwich, but my wife had less than stellar salmon-potato cakes.

Meghan August 13, 2009 (7:54 am)

For an opening night, it sounds like things ran very smoothly. You can’t expect any restaurant to run ‘smoothly’ for at least 2 weeks. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn’t know the business. I personally can’t wait to try this place out. From what I can see, they try a lot harder to serve local, hand crafted, homemade food and drink than the vast majority of places. But considering most W. Seattleites will line up out the door for total mediocrity (e.g. Charlestown) and not support food artistry (e.g. Beato), I take peoples’ reviews with a grain of salt.

JanS August 13, 2009 (9:23 am)

Scott…you’re going to base everything on the first night? Not going to return? Well, then, there will be a table open for me :)

DC August 13, 2009 (9:35 am)

We went there last night and had a great time. It was busy, but we got our table quickly. Our server was great. The beer was great – lots of local choices. Food was good. I had the Hopshoot Tuna and the gazpacho soup, which were both tasty. The cheese was a little bland, but otherwise good. It’s a great addition to West Seattle! We’ll be back!

kc August 13, 2009 (9:39 am)

Awesome food, great prices, super friendly service…cant wait to go back. I feel that the service was perfect and not rushed, our server spent a lot of time with us and clearly described everthing we had questions. If I wanted to be in and out, I would have went to McDonalds! I much prefer to take my time and enjoy myself. We are VERY lucky to have so many great places in West Seattle!!!

To all you “haters” out there complaining about this or that, and that this is just like every other place…please move away from West Seattle. We dont need the negativity, Ballard will take you. Besides, what were you expecting? A circus?

DC August 13, 2009 (9:40 am)

Well said kc!

livinalki August 13, 2009 (10:11 am)

Negativity is one thing, but constructive criticism usually can help a new business owner fine-tune operations to better suit the desired clientele. We call it “feedback” and use it to make better decisions on all fronts.
Salmon Cakes taste like mashed potatoes with fish flecks? They’ll fix it. Burgers a little anemic? Probably meat/bread ratio will be altered. Wait staff need manners? Well, that’ll probably sort itself out as training continues.
If they don’t know a problem exists, they can’t correct it, which is why all this support from locals is good!

Donna August 13, 2009 (10:21 am)

I certainly don’t think people expressing a lack of variety or pointing out overenthustiastic reviewers are “haters”. Move away? Nice reaction to a different opinion.

I was there last night. Love the prices, love the local choices, and I really love that the kids’ menu has vegetables! Why do restaurants think kids only eat chicken nuggets and mac & cheese? That said, I do wish that instead of a new brewpub we got new Korean, French, seafood, or, well, anything different. I like the Porterhouse but I miss Beato.

Jill Loblaw August 13, 2009 (10:24 am)

Ditto KC!

WSB August 13, 2009 (10:25 am)

Livinalki, that’s what we have said in conversations with businesses that have sought advice regarding engaging in the online world. Long before the interwebs, there was word-of-mouth. If you choose to look in the “cup half full” spirit, you can say, at least you know what people are saying, as opposed to maybe not hearing what’s circling through the corner store, the post office, the backyard barbecues, till it’s too late and you don’t know what hit you. Yes, the criticism may be amplified, but the praise too. And there’s that old saying “doesn’t matter what you say about me, as long as you spell my name right” aka “the only bad publicity is no publicity.” Better yet, online discussion gives business owners themselves the opportunity to discuss, participate and respond (as some have done – for example, the Cafe Revo [WSB sponsor] folks have jumped into comment threads and also Forum discussions). All you have to do to find a discussion about you, your business, your organization is set a Google Alert … TR

Johnny Davies August 13, 2009 (10:38 am)

I feel so fancy ordering “truffle fries”.. you can take the potato out of Idaho, but you can’t take the Idaho out of the potato, no matter what you put on it.

Gary S August 13, 2009 (10:58 am)

Not to get nit-picky about semantics, but neither Porterhouse or Beveridge Place (my place) are “brewpubs”. We are considered “alehouses”. Elliott Bay makes their own beer, so they ARE a brewpub. Looking forward to visiting Porterhouse once they settle in. Cheers.

Chichicastenango August 13, 2009 (11:04 am)

As someone who has worked for years in West Seattle and has had their place of employment frequently discussed on the West Seattle Blog I have to say I’m not sure this is the best forum for “feedback” from customers. I find it very disturbing that someone (in a typical passive aggressive Seattle style) would feel comfortable and entitled to write a scathing review, or complaint, on line and then fail to even mention the issue when inside the offending restaurant. How is management supposed to acknowledge and rectify the situation? You can’t really. I find it extremely frustrating to see these types of reviews when there are no complaints in the restaurant, or in letters.

I also have to say that if you do not have the confidence to say something in person, a REAL snail mail letter of complaint will go a long way towards affecting change.

I believe that most of the time, most people want to do a good job and care about their work. Most are trying to put their best foot forward, but sometimes you fail. A gentle reminder is not out of line. Just not a poke in the eye from some random blog please!

read WSB too much August 13, 2009 (11:05 am)

beer lova- you forgot to school Scar on Cafe Revo too.

I seriously don’t think that WSB commenters were soft on them, and it definietly sparked a lot of conversation. As TR pointed out, they responded to those comments.

thanks for the beer list. I will have to check it out.

WSB August 13, 2009 (11:10 am)

This isn’t “some random blog” – it’s the news, information, discussion website that thousands of people in West Seattle visit daily to learn about West Seattle (I would wager that a fair number of people first heard about this restaurant and others here – and seldom because the entrepreneur/s contacted us – we look for signs, liquor-license applications, etc., to get early word of what’s coming) – and to TALK about West Seattle-specific businesses, organizations, events, issues.
.
And we certainly encourage people to speak to management as well, though we’re probably the only discussion-forum website that makes such implorations (does Yelp? does Citysearch? etc.) – in the WSB Forums, for example, we implemented a still-controversial rule several months ago that says if you are going to post a “rant” about a business, you need to say what steps you took to bring it to the management’s attention first. We have deleted several threads — again, to some criticism (and yes, we ourselves have been quite often criticized here on our own website, and respond to it as much as we can) — where the original posters have not met that criteria, or have refused to.
.
TR

Chichicastenango August 13, 2009 (11:37 am)

No need to get your back up over being called a random blog! I am not attacking the validity of the WSB here. I find it to be full of all kinds of useful information and obviously, I visit this site. I acknowledge your right to exist as much as anything else online.

I am specifically talking about the comments and threads about restaurants, and the tone they often take.

But you might imagine for a moment that reading some of the reviews posted on this site about the neighborhood businesses might be a little frustrating for the employees of said businesses. Especially, in light of the fact so many choose to air their experience at this site rather than addressing the problem at the source. And just to be clear, this is a problem with the other review sites Yelp and City Search, ect.

Ultimately, I just wonder how helpful personal reviews and complaints online are? It seems to me they tend toward a certain negative undertone, where people believe they are offering “constructive critisism,” yet that is not how it comes across. I think it is easy to sit on your computer and post something and take no responsibility for your comments, or perhaps your own behavior.

I think it’s great that WSB encourages people to fix their problems and address the management of the business they have trouble with. Ultimately, I believe that is the best way to solve any problem that you may have.

sam August 13, 2009 (12:06 pm)

I used to work at a pub, in Decatur GA. They just recently celebrated their 12th anniversary, and business is great.

their first night was awful. I was there. they really didn’t know what to expect, and were planning on people focusing on the amazing selection of beers, and not the food. I had a table order fries, (that’s it) and it took a ridiculous 25 minutes to get their food to them. they worked the kinks out, and now they are so busy that it takes 40 minutes to get a table on the weekend, and that’s with an owner trying to pull strings to get you a table.

I think getting all up in arms over some negative reviews over the first night is a waste of time.
(it’s just like community meetings- the biggest complainers show up to be heard, while fewer people who are just happy with things speak up)

if it’s good, the negative reviews will fall on deaf ears.

livinalki August 13, 2009 (12:13 pm)

Chichi — while it may seem that an anonymous posting absolves the critic of any personal accountability, it does seem that it may be better we read critiques of our business practices online and have a chance to rectify the situation. Information is information, and some people are uncomfortable enough with confrontation they’d be completely unable to tell their server or management that their experience was bad. It is better they complain in a forum that allows the business owner to read it and fix the problem, than to instead just tell all their neighbors and friends the place is awful. Yes?

Glocson August 13, 2009 (12:36 pm)

Ahh once again this blog confirms my point that people in West Seattle could complain about anything… Porterhouse could be giving out free money and someone would say the music or the line was too long. Folks it’s a new restaurant, we should be thankful for new and different places opening up. I wish someone would build a co-op restaurant built out of hemp, by a all vegan volunteer neighborhood. We could bring the supplies in via Prius’s and Suburu’s. However somone would still “female dog” about it……. Anyway I will be there tonight eating and drinking without a care in the world celebrating their opening. Congrats to you The Porterhouse!

WSB August 13, 2009 (2:30 pm)

Side note, I was searching the Better Business Bureau site for a completely unrelated subject and happened onto this, which says (in much more detail) what I noted above:
http://www.bbb.org/us/article/bbb-advice-on-how-to-respond-to-online-customer-complaints-11804

onceachef August 13, 2009 (2:54 pm)

It’s sheer stupidity to think you can go to a restaurant (pub, whatever) on opening night and get flawless service or food…unless it’s a private “soft opening”- even then there will be issues. I agree that sending the owners a critique or speaking directly to them might be the best way for them to improve on their alleged mishaps of the opening…give it a month and if things don’t improve (for you) then don’t go there…it’s that simple!

mae August 13, 2009 (6:01 pm)

I will be back for an amazing oyster po’ boy…it was so good! I wasn’t hungry enough to try more but I liked the menu, location and the friendly atmosphere. Great addition to the neighborhood!

fluorescent carl August 13, 2009 (7:24 pm)

Depending on the circumstances you could be random… no need to defend yourselves, WS needs you and loves you!

d August 14, 2009 (2:06 am)

Spire Pear Cider – so yummy! I’ll be in soon checking out the lunch menu too! It sounds good to me.

And, yeah, we still need a vegetarian restaurant
too.

Jose August 14, 2009 (3:31 am)

Bash the restaurant if it deserves it; but why bash the WS residents who post here simply because the overwhelming majority of our restaurants in WS are superb?

Unless you just want to be a jerk and a troll…in which case, carry on! We’ll survive and outlast you.

hutchbec August 18, 2009 (11:38 pm)

I’ve been twice now and had a great experience both times. Quinoa burger is awesome. Never would’ve thought of doing that and it completely works. I love the laid back atmosphere, the servers were friendly and welcoming, and they were great with the several families with kids there. Service wasn’t lightening speed but do you really want that when you’re hanging out with friends, slowly drinking a beer and talking? Not to mention it’s been a packed restaurant both times I’ve gone. It’s bound to take a little time to get used to that volume – both on the kitchen and service side. I am excited to see it busy and to see so much energy in the area.

Puppyluck August 21, 2009 (5:36 pm)

Went there for lunch today and it was good.
Had the split pea soup (which was Very good, made with fresh peas so it had a nice sweetness to it)
and the Avacado Crunch salad, ( good but nothing special) Going for dinner tomorrow night, there are several apps. I want to try.
Service was Very good

Puppyluck August 23, 2009 (11:21 am)

OK went for dinner last night and I give it 3 out of 5 stars……….
We had the Blackened Calamari and Crab fritters to start. I think they need to check the recipe on the “Blackened” Calamari. The only thing I’ve ever had that was Blackened was fish and from what I know it’s suppose to be rather spicy. The calamari was anything but spicey, in fact I think they forgot to spice it. Very bland tasting.
The crab fritters were more like patties, but tasty.
Next we had the Jerk Chicken and Smoked Salmon Potatoe cakes where were also tasty.
Lasty we ordered the Clam Chowder. The touted the fact that it’s made to order and for some reason I thought this would mean it was very good but unfortuneatly it was not. By making it to order, meant that it did not have time to simmer and take on all the yummy flavors so it pretty much just tasted of Cream. So I think they better rethink that recipe.
I will go there again, maybe in a month, they’ll worked out some of the bugs.

Ray West August 30, 2009 (2:22 pm)

I appreciate reading peoples’ honest opinions about their experience at this place. While some have commented that “negative” criticisms should only be addressed directly to the business owners, I’ve found that this can often be ineffective. At a popular Alki restaurant where either the service or the food was unacceptable on four separate occasions, I tried explaining to the wait person and the manager just what the problems were, but was treated as if I was speaking in a foreign language. How hard is it to understand that the eggs benedict is supposed to come with hollandaise sauce? Owners tend to take criticisms more seriously if they know potential customers are reading.

Any new establishment needs time to shake out initial difficulties. I’ll give the Porterhouse a try, but I’ll certainly be looking to see if the same problems others have complained about still exist.

Ray West September 8, 2009 (9:56 am)

I gave it try, but it’s hard to give an opinion on just one visit. I had the Porterhouse burger which was quite good, although I don’t think I’ll order it with the gorgonzola cheese again–it’s just too salty a cheese for this. (They seem to have a gorgonzola fetish.) The fries were a bit of a disappointment–comes from deep frying in only one temperature of fat, which makes them rather greasy and limp.