Seattle Area -- Wedding Present Recommendation (Restaurants)

[phooi]

Greetings fellow Chowhounds,

Long time lurker, first time poster. A friend of mine is getting married & I want to give the new couple a wedding gift of an evening out in Seattle.

Can I get some recommendations for great romantic locals only restaurants?

Thanks in advance!

[phooi]

I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions. I ended up getting them a gift certificate to Kisaku when I found out they liked Japanese food. They went to the restaurant and had a great time. Thanks again!

[lisaf]

I suggest Nell's. It is right across the street from Greenlake and has a small dining room. The food is self described as European-inspired New American cuisine; so you can get traditional steak, seafood, as well as some more exotic offerings like sweet breads. There is both a tasting menu or the standard ala carte. The best calamari in the city too. I have never had a bad meal there. The staff is very knowledgeable and attentive. It's our standard Valentines or New Year's Eve restaurant.

http://www.nellsrestaurant.com/

[barleywino]

The poster stated that his friends were not adventurous. That rules out a lot of "true Chowhound" destinations. Also the poster is looking to give a "great romantic evening out" as a gift. Based on my friends' reactions to their evening out at Canlis (they even asked the waiter to take pictures of us, and said they would remember this evening out for a long time), I think this fits the bill. Not a restaurant I would go to for a chowhound experience, but that doesn't seem to be what the poster is looking for in this case.

[barleywino]

I took an out-of-town visiting friend and his wife to Canlis yesterday. They had just arrived after a long drive and were dressed very casually (shorts etc) but Canlis made them feel completely welcome and gave them a great windowside table. They loved the classy stylish romantic atmosphere, live pianist etc. Food was not particularly adventurous but good. A couple can get away for under $100 without wine.

[Walters]

Canlis appeals to the crowd that pays full retail for clothing and automobiles and they never try true Chowhound destinations. It's not a place I would recommend for people seeking out a true Chowhound experience.

[MightyMac]

No wine? That's easy. If you want small town atmosphere, with good portions and don't want to mess with dressing up, I'd head on over to Wallingford to Eva. What it lacks in stuffy uppity it makes up in good food and a small intimate atmosphere.

[phooi]

Eva sounds like a wonderful spot -- local, intimate, and with good food to boot. What does a typical evening at Eva run?

[HAF]

I've posted about Eva before on this site--it is hands down one of our favorite neighborhood spots. We usually run about $150, but that includes drinks and wine (and sometimes more drinks) so if you exclude most of the alcohol you should be around $100. I can safely say that I can recommend everything on the menu. It changes frequently, but the chicken is always amazing, the soups are stunning, they frequently have a housemade pasta that's always good. There is also usually a pork dish and there is always a ribeye steak. The desserts are housemade as well, and there's one called the Eva Trio--three different (smaller) desserts that we have found is great to share. Plus, we've been there in everything from professional work attire to shorts and t-shirts, and they just don't care--service is always great, and it's just a cute place.

[mingm]

Teatro Zinzanni http://dreams.zinzanni.org/index.htm Not the most romantic of settings but I'm sure they would enjoy it.

[howard 1st]

be aware that chez shea (an otherwise great choice) is about to be renovated with the lounge kitchen eliminated and an archway put in between the dining rooms - so some disturbance of ambiance is to be expected. there is hardly a more romantic setting - food, ambiance, service - than terrazzo di carmine. canlis literally made me ill on my last visit which will, indeed, be my last one.

[BruceB]

The following questions will help me (and others) offer the best suggestions:

What is your budget? I assume you want that to include wine, tax, and tip.

What sort of food do they like? How adventurous are they? Do you want a formal atmosphere?

Will a bottle of modest wine do or do they care about great wine?

How long have they lived in Seattle? Where else have they lived?

[phooi]

Bruce,

To answer your questions:

- I would like to spend about $100.
- My guess is that they would prefer a casual to moderate atmosphere. Definitely not too fancy nor stuffy. My friend enjoys good food but not sure about his wife so I would say stay away from "adventurous".
- They are not wine people.
- He has lived in Seattle for over 10 years. Prior to that, he lived in San Francisco. Not sure about his wife.

Hope this helps.

[caraely]

At Canlis, a lovely Seattle-only restaurant with a fantastic view, you can book the room upstairs -- it only seats 2-4 -- called "the Cache." It costs $100 for the room, then dinner will be $200-$300.

[barleywino]

depending on your budget, dinner at the Herbfarm restaurant followed by an evening at the Willows Lodge across the street from the restaurant, or some fraction thereof (maybe more than one of you can chip in for this together)

[lazysue]

Terrazo carmine is a fine choice but some locals like to stay away from pioneer square. Mistral would be another good choice but they would have to be really good friends since it comes with a hefty pricetag.

[Leper]

Phooi, What a nice wedding present idea! (Much better than a toaster blanket.) If you've been lurking, you know that Chez Shea is always on everyone's short list when romantic restaurants are discussed. But my suggestion is Il Terrazo Carmine. Ever since Lady & The Tramp, Italian food has ruled for romance and Il Terrazo's offerings are exceptional. And their professional service will ensure the evening's success.

[phooi]

Thanks for recommendations! I wish I could take credit for the idea but I received such a gift from a friend & have always found it very thoughtful. As for the lurking, I have been on the Los Angeles boards. Thus my need for Seattle Chowhound experts.

[janedoe67]

I second Chez Shea...a very unique Seattle experience. I love that it overlooks the Market. Canlis is very romantic too...but not as quaint.