Lampreia – The best Seattle restaurant you’re not trying

[christopherboffoli]

We have just come back from another stunning meal at this restaurant at 1st and Battery downtown owned by West Seattle native Scott Carsberg. And the entire night we were the only couple in the entire place. Why?! I just don’t get it. There are heaps of mediocre restaurants in Seattle that are routinely packed with people. But this place seems to fly under the radar.

The level of perfection that this chef achieves is truly in a league of its own. The food is impeccably sourced, seasoned, cooked. The combinations are clever. The flavors and textures are spot on. And the service always manages to be precise without being stuffy.

When we complemented the chef tonight on their thinly sliced house-cured pickles (that were served as a garnish) he not only wrote out the recipe for us but he met us at the door before we left and invited us to come back to his kitchen on Saturday so he could show us how he makes them. Super nice guy. Very Seattle: incredibly smart and passionate about what he’s doing, but totally down-to-earth and generous.

OK. So there’s a recession. And admittedly this place doesn’t do 2 for 1 value meals. We probably only make it over there every six months or so. It is not a place you go every week or even every month. But please people…the next time there is a special occasion, do yourselves a favor and try Lampreia. In fact, if times are tight and value for the dollar matters most, skip the restaurants that are nothing but hyperbole and treat yourselves to the real deal. Honestly, this chef (who was born and raised in North Admiral) is one of the best kept culinary secrets in our fair city.

http://www.lampreiarestaurant.com/

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[villagegreen]

Isn’t this the second time you’ve pimped for this restaurant? I’ve heard Lampreia is amazing, and honestly I would like to try it. However, I think the reason not many people go there is because not that many people go there.

Usually if I’m picking a restaurant for a splurge/special occasion, I want something with a great atmosphere to match the food. What I’ve heard of Lampreia is that it’s austere and somewhat depressing. I realize if you’re a true foodie that probably doesn’t matter to you (as it’s all about the food), but I think the average person goes to a restaurant to get something other than the quiet and solitude that can be found at their own dinner table. There are plenty of foodies in Seattle, though, so I do hope they’re able to keep the place in business till I get there. :)

Not to threadjack, but I’d be interested what you think of Cafe Revo (if you’ve tried it)? Being Italian, does it pass the authenticity test? I enjoyed it for what it is, a fun welcoming cafe that serves pretty good food at very decent prices. I think there’s definitely a place for that type of establishment in WS. Any other great Italian restaurants (WS or not) that we’re not trying?

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[Trick]

Villagegreen,

I’ve always had a great meal at La Spiga on Capitol Hill. Although it’s hard to “Wow” me with Italian.

I’d also reccommend my favorite “Harvest Vine” in Madison Valley. The Spanish cuisine is always consistent, creative and hard to come by in these parts. Sit at the bar and watch them prepare the food, it’ll get your glands all worked up into a tizzy.

Lampreia is a foodies delight and well done and executed by all means. Although I felt the the same about the atmosphere being slightly merose.

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[christopherboffoli]

villagegreen: You have a good memory. Yes, indeed I have advocated for this restaurant before in these forums. I assure you though that my “pimping” has nothing to do with any kind of personal stake in this business. I just find it incredibly enjoyable and want to share.

You make a really adroit observation. I know that feeling of implied failure that you’re describing. And it’s kind of a self-fulfilling prophesy too, isn’t it. No one is in there so no one else wants to go there. Personally, I go to restaurants for the food, not who is sitting around me. And these days it is all too rare to find a place that is actually quiet and with high-caliber food that you don’t have to stand around waiting 90 minutes for because the place doesn’t make reservations. But still…being the ONLY customers in the restaurant is weird.

There is plenty of foot-traffic on that second on 1st Avenue. While we were having dinner there last night I saw dozens of people stop and study the menu by the door, only to continue on to someplace else. Is it the menu? The prices? That the sheer curtains prevent people from seeing inside? Is the chef just not adept enough at promotion?

The thing is too is that a lesser chef might try to skimp on ingredients to pare down costs. But the meal we had last night was every bit as to-the-minute fresh and perfectly executed as any other we’ve had there.

In the end I guess I’m beating the drum about this restaurant for selfish reasons. I just don’t want it to go away. As someone who loves this kind of food experience it pains me to see so many restaurants with schlock menus that have lines out the door while artists like Scott Carsberg and other like Bruce Naftaly at Le Gourmand give 110% every night for a handful of tables. It’s like pop stars selling millions of copies while jazz geniuses just get completely ignored.

I want to give Cafe Revo some more time before I go in there. I hope it is as good as everyone says but I’ve come to know that I have to manage my own expectations when it comes to Italian food on the West Coast. I grew up surrounded by food made from family recipes that my Southern Italian great-grandparents passed down us. Too many restaurants devolve into some kind of caricature of Italian-American food.

However, if they don’t take themselves too seriously there can be room for places like that too. Angelo’s Ristorante in Burien really reminds me of the classic red sauce mafia joint you might find anywhere around Boston, Providence, the North Bronx, South Philly or Jersey. Authentic right down to the dark, windowless dining rooms, the candle-wax covered Chianti bottles, and wine served in stemless glasses. The only disappointment there is the total absence of cannoli’s and ricotta pie on the dessert menu in favor of the King of Italian restaurant dessert clichés: tiramisu (which is delicious but isn’t even really a dessert).

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[Jiggers]

I almost went to dinner at Lampreia about 5 years ago because I heard it was good. Instead, I wound up the street at Axis(no longer around) for dinner which was so..so..mediocre. I was on a date and she wanted to go to Axis instead. Uggghhhhh… Oh yeah,I did get some yum yum that night after I got her hammered at Ohana’s, so I’m not complaining.

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[alki_2008]

One thing that Lampreia’s owner might want to consider is beefing up the website…at least posting the menu and hours.

From the standpoint of setting up dinners with friends, it really helps to have a menu available online so that everyone can see what type of food is there and agree that it’s a place everyone wants to go. Also, having the hours posted online helps to know if it’s a place that’s open for lunch and dinner, or dinner only.

Just my .02

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[christopherboffoli]

Alki 2008: An excellent suggestion. I was surprised to see how spare the website is. From what I hear, Lampreia will soon be moving to a new space a few blocks north of its present location. That might be a good time to re-vamp some things and to get reviewers back in there to get the word out.

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[Sue]

I agree about wanting to see a menu in advance. I have no idea what type of food they serve (other than the few photos on their site), nor the price point. From what I’ve heard of their menu, my assumption is that it’s far more $ than I want to pay, but without a menu and prices, I have no idea if I’m right or not.

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[christopherboffoli]

Lampreia is about to launch a brand new website. And it is MUCH improved over the old one. Check out this link for a sneak preview:

http://www.doogin.com/lampreia/

Also, apparently for the budget conscious Lampreia offers a seasonal “light fare” menu of four courses for $30 per person before 8pm. That seems like an incredible bargain when you consider the caliber of food coming out of that kitchen.

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[austin]

The new site looks a lot better, more informative and nice photography. The automatic music player isn’t something I would have chosen though.

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[grr]

indeed….many foodies love Lampreia..gets lots of raves, but it’s low on the radar, and I admit..I’ve never been..though, every time I drive by..I say I should try it out. That’s a vibrant part of town…that place should be jumping.

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Seems to me like they’re just suffering from a big lack of marketing prowess. The new website is nice..I can do without music on website, but at least it’s a high quality sounding recording.

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Let’s talk perceptions….What the website instantly does, however, is tell me that the place is not inexpensive (tho..the $30 4-course before 8pm sounds REALLY tempting. Having the lounge/jazz piano music says ‘classy and elegant’, but it also tells me the place is going to be somewhat quiet and reserved..a place to get dressed up to go to….a professional establishment.

If that’s what they’re going for..I get that. If it wants to be something else…they need better marketing.

I bet if they put some brown paper on the wall, closed for a weekend..changed the signage, and did an interior design makeover’…the place would be packed as soon as it reopened…even if they didn’t change a single menue item. Just guessin’…

(isn’t it amazing what perceptions one can make from a simple website!!!!)

–

now I’m really curious to see if I’m right :)

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[christopherboffoli]

Lampreia will soon be moving to a new location at Second and Bell. They’ll own the space in the new building. They’ve been renting at the old place for 16 years. I’ve seen the artist’s renderings and it will look stunning when it’s done. I agree that they need to do a marketing push. This place is just too good to keep secret. The re-launch will probably be a good time to do that.

The chef will remain involved with the new business that will be coming to the old space at 1st and Battery. I’ve seen the plans for that too and it is a really exciting new concept that no one else is really doing.

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[grr]

thanks for that info Christopher!! Can’t wait!!!

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[GenHillOne]

FWIW, my impression of Lampreia also includes a pretty great wine list/sommelier too…but to be honest, it’s been awhile. Sounds like I may have a request for my birthday dinner this year :)

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[vincent]

The website sucks, it suffers from the same issues as most crappy outsourced restaurant sites. Its all flash, so no iPhone or similar device can view it, no redirect to non flash site either. It doesn’t have the hours and phone number on the front page.

I give it a F, they need to fire whichever sisters nephew made it and start over.

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[JanS]

my 2 cents..and maybe it’s coming from someone who is a bit more “economical” minded. I plan my eating out excursions. The economy is down, so I don’t eat out very often. What is the problem with Lampreia with not putting prices on the menu? Or is it the type of place that simply doesn’t want to welcome some of us more “economically” minded eaters? I see it as a “snob” factor most of the time, and understand that if the chef is working at different things on a daily basis, it’s difficult to keep the website up. But…there’s just something that’s off-putting to me on the website…I would hate to be the one to get there and then realize I can’t afford it, especially if the place isn’t crowded.

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[vincent]

oh and someone hates them in the area: http://seattlebonvivant.typepad.com/seattle_bon_vivant/2004/10/mark_bittman_on.html

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[JoB]

vincent..

did you notice those reviews were in 2006 and 2007?

tho.. to be honest, i don’t think i would want to eat in a place where they charged me for food i returned… or yelled at me for carrying bottles of wine that i had not opened at my table…

I m left wondering what has happened to the basic concept of customer service.

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[christopherboffoli]

It is funny that people have been mentioning the decor and the website as reasons not to go. I usually go to restaurants for the food. Sure, restaurant design can be beautiful but I’m not going there for decorating tips. I just want to be impressed by what is on the plate. It is interesting to me that the environment is so important. Some of the best meals in my life have been in absolute holes in the wall. Nothing about the design of Lampreia amazes or offends me.

When I think back to what I consider the best dining experience of my life, a night at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Yountville, CA, I can tell you in detail what some of those courses included. But despite having sat there for hours in the restaurant I’m at a loss to describe the decor of the place. And I’m usually a fairly perceptive person.

As I’ve mentioned above, the old website is an abomination. And it seems like the chef has figured it out too because he is launching a new one: http://www.doogin.com/lampreia/

I definitely think that Chef Carsberg is a brilliant artist when it comes to food. And his longevity in that location suggests that he is a successful businessman in a very tough racket. But I suspect marketing is not his strongest point as foodies don’t seem to be finding this place despite the fact that they are willing to wait in line at places on Capitol Hill and Wallingford that are good but don’t really live up to the hype.

Vincent, I expect that you could name any restaurant in the world and find a certain demographic of dissatisfied people who despise it for one reason or another. I personally have had four or five dining experiences at Lampreia and everything from the food to the service has been among the best I have known. A number of professional food critics seem to have had experiences similar to mine.

JanS: I agree that it seems strange for them not to list the prices on the website. I’m sure that they are included on the menu which is posted by the door outside. I hear where you’re coming from but I’m not so sure I’d go so far as to use the term “snob factor” when referring to this restaurant. This is a James Beard award winning chef who has been cooking fresh, locally-sourced food to perfection for the last 16 years…long before it was fashionable. But Mr. Carsberg is a working class kid from West Seattle who worked his way up from his first restaurant job as a busboy to owning what the New York Times reviewer suggested is the best restaurant in Seattle . This dining experience is definitely in the upper tier but I’ve certainly been to places that are more expensive. I do realize that I’m lucky to be able to afford a place like this and that it is not for everyone. But I don’t think that a once a year visit to a place that offers a $30, four-course tasting menu is necessarily going to break the bank for most folks. Maybe you should raise your massage prices. I’m sure you’re worth it :-)

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[villagegreen]

vincent – what’s up with all the anger today? FYI – the phone number does appear on the home page (bottom right corner). Not too difficult to click the ‘contact’ link for the hours. they probably should have a non-flash version, but maybe it’s in the works. the site isn’t even launched yet, so give ’em a break.

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[JanS]

hehe…Christopher..haven’t seen you on my table yet ;-)

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[JanS]

and folks…for those who don’t like the music…there’s a volume control on the site…just turn it down. Actually, the site is looking better all the time. It’s informative to a point…now we need a menu :)

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[alki_2008]

Personally, I don’t care too much about the decor either…as long as it’s not “dirty” to ruin my appetite. I also wouldn’t NOT go to a restaurant because of the perceived atmosphere.

However, I would skip a new (to me) restaurant if they don’t have a menu online. Lampreia’s new website is better than the old one, but it still lacks a menu…not even a PDF link.

Every dinner that my friends and I have planned have been at restaurants that have a menu online, so people could determine if they’d want to go or not…and I think most folks that plan to go downtown for dinner don’t want to walk around and look at menus in the windows to figure out where they’ll dine. They plan where they’re going before they go downtown, or check restaurant websites via handheld devices when they’re already downtown (which again hurts Lampreia because their Flash page doesn’t work well with handhelds).

Besides the website, the items shown in pictures look pretty small…especially if they’re supposed to be entrees? Not sure I’d be able to walk away from Lampreia without still being hungry. :(

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[christopherboffoli]

The whole idea of the dishes at Lampreia is to present perfect combinations of clean flavors and really fresh food. So it is not about portion size the way, say, The Claim Jumper is. With that said, I’ve never left that place hungry and I’m an Italian guy with a very healthy appetite.

I’ll pass along to Chef Carsberg the observations about the menu and about having a site that loads on handhelds. Good points.

Lampreia is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. So I make a point of going in there and just letting the chef decide what to serve me. I generally do the same thing when I go for sushi at Mashiko: omakase. I trust those chefs to know what is fresh at the moment.

Just for reference, here is the list of things we had on the tasting menu the other night:

Amuse bouche of oyster mousse served with a thin lemon wafer

Dungeness crab served in a paper thin tube of cantelope with apple gelee and sea salt

Small, tender tomatoes peeled and stuffed with smoked black cod puree served in a bowl of cold spring vegetable soup (pictured on the website)

A poached duck egg stuffed with truffle jam and topped with melted mozzarella

A thin slice of Italian speck with blanched asparagus, an asparagus pannacotta and a dab of speck mousse (made with lardo)

A center cut of salmon served with a half a beet stuffed with apple and white wine puree, horseradish cream with caviar, beet gelee and a house cured pickle

A short rib slow cooked for 12 hours (best I’ve ever had) served with a tartlet topped with kale and cheese and a dab of date mousse

Main course of Alaskan halibut with heirloom orange slices (also on the website), gelee and a lemon vinagrette

Cheese course of a Percorino cheese brushed with truffled honey and baked on a cedar plank

Dessert was a chocolate/caramel cream and a whole orange wedge that had been soaked in sugar syrup for three days. He also usually sends out a little platter of tiny, house-baked petit fours.

So clearly, not your everyday meal. I’m lucky if I get over there once every six months. But if you have a special occasion, you love interesting food and you want a memorable meal, skip clichés like Canlis and go to Lampreia. Let the waiter know you’re from West Seattle! Maybe the chef will send something special out for you.

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[Traci]

It looks tasty, but Citysearch users described a $400 tasting plate and $800 tab for a group. I would feel absolutely sick if I spent that on one dinner.

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