Art of the Table

 

2

7

Brian P.

Seattle, WA

Weekend supper club at AOTT is the kind of place where you go for a holistic food experience - perfect wine pairings, intimate company, detailed knowledge of dish composition and place of origin (chef Dustin gives a colorful explanation of each course), and most importantly INCREDIBLY TASTY FOOD.  I could go on for 5000 words about the food, but it was so delicious and elegantly prepared I think all that must be said is, if you have some money and like food at all you need to carve out a place in your budget and bring yourself  to AOTT.  Unless you have been here before or had a similar experience (maybe in France or Italy somewhere, but not in Seattle) you will leave with a new view of the relationships between food, producer, chef, and yourself.

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Elite '08

16

58

Chris F.

Seattle, WA

A++ WOULD BUY FROM AGAIN

Wait, where am I? Oh yes, Yelp. Sorry, Dustin's dinner last night must have addled my brain. This was like a little bit of Berkeley in Seattle with our evening's French Picnic menu. Each course was skillfully paired with amazing wines and contained in every single bite was Chef Dustin's love of food. The atmosphere is at first awkward in its comfort, Laurie and Dustin welcome you to the restaurant as if it were a dinner party in Dustin's own home. Maybe it was the weather, or the wine, but the atmosphere, service and food combined made my night at The Art of the Table one of the best meals I've had. Srsly.

That said, don't go here. Stay far away. It's all mine. Bwahahah.

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0

7

Mike N.

Seattle, WA

I was persuaded to give this restaurant a "try", and boy, am I glad I did.

Simply put, YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PLACE!  You WILL go back for more.

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0

8

Xochil S.

Seattle, WA

After hearing of this place from a few trusted friends, I decided to try it out myself.  I stalked their website for about a month, waiting for a menu that would fit four different pallets appropriately.  At last, we decided to try their beer dinner last Thursday night.  The restaurant itself is the perfect size for intimate dining.  We were a group of four and sat at their communal table (seats 6).  The service was immpecable, the food blew us all away.  Each dish was delicious and interesting!  We loved the wine list and the chef, Dustin, was so friendly and engaging and gave an introduction before serving each delish dish!  I would highly reccomend this place!  Not only was the food amazing, it is much more of an "experience" than simply going out to eat!  We loved it and will be back!

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310

240

Miss Mary Ann D.

Bainbridge Island, WA

"I refuse to be chased out of my favorite restaurant by a crappy waiter"
~Huzbeau

Maybe not, but the FREEZING temperatures have me staying in on my regular AOTT night.
That's right - my pouting has reached I-refuse-to-leave-the-house proportions.

If I KNOW I'm pathetic, does that make it any less so?

I think not.

This is our favorite place : Great food cooked up by cute boys and usually served by a pretty lady.

Until now.
______________

Dear AOTT dudes:

WHO is the guy with the beard and the stoopid cap and too much cologne??

You know the one with the overly loud voice who interrupts conversations and talks too damn much when you are trying to show your friends this restaurant you have been going on and on about for months!!!???

I hope he is not like the third brother or something, cuz then I guess I'll have to apologize - only I won't cuz I am right about this!!

His presence in your little jewel box of yumminess, love and all things warm  reminds me of that game - "which one does not belong".

Bring pretty Elizabeth back - or Laurie - what is she up to?  PLEASE!!

I Love you Guys!!

Affectionaley Yours:
Miss MAD and Huzbeau

(And to those of you reading this - start kissing my ass now, cuz I'm having my next birthday party here).
//

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20

22

Maria M.

Seattle, WA

I went to the first Vegetarian supper club with the hubby & had a scrumptious dinner! The group that we sat with was really interesting and I   will definitely be returning next quarter when the return of the vegetables to Art of the Table is rumored to  happen! Chef Dustin said they do have veggie offerings on Monday nights, so perhaps we'll be able to get into one of those "Happy Mondays"!

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1

12

kika n.

Woodinville, WA

The menu was Italian, food was great.  Dustin said it was the first time he had cooked octopus.   Paired with the Calamari over the wild green salad it had the perfect snap. The Eggplant Parmigiana with the roasted tomato stacked in the center was awesome. The Housemade Taglieatelle with the Ragu alla Bolognese was also tasty. Dessert was Honey Semifreddo with Raspberry Sauce and Almond Cookies.... I was very full by this point, but managed to eat the whole thing.  Dinner was $48/$78 pp with the wine pairings.  We sat at the communal table with two other couples that made great company.  It is a great experience and we'll definitely be back.  It can get a little loud and warm, but isn't that a result of good food, wine and company!!??

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0

27

phil r.

Seattle, WA

Dustin fed me the best meal I've eaten in Seattle.

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Elite '08

60

102

Jessi B.

Seattle, WA

SIX STARS. SIX.

I don't even feel like I can write a review that will do this place justice, but I'll do my best. I had no idea what to expect from this restaurant (the dinner was a surprise and I'd never heard of Art of the Table beforehand). Once I got inside, I was overwhelmed by warmth -- of the restaurant, of the welcome we received, and of the smells coming from the kitchen. I felt at home in less than a minute.

We were originally seated at a smaller table along the wall, but I felt a little too far away from Elvis (that dapper young gent I've been mentioning as of late). I wanted to be able to talk to him and steal kisses once in a while, so we asked to be moved to the higher table near the window. They were happy to accommodate.

The water was served in a carafe with a large sprig of rosemary and half an orange in it. I've never seen this anywhere else, and it was brilliant. I took it as a sign that I was in for something very special. And as it turns out... I was very right.

The first course was white sweet potato soup with pork cracklins. The soup was perfectly creamy without being heavy, and the pork provided just the right touch of saltiness to counteract the sweetness of the potatoes (and the white wine paired with the course).

Next came root vegetable tian (prepared with 12 different varieties of vegetable) with garlic-leek sauce and a side of microgreens. The tian was unbelievable, and the sauce was an excellent complement. I was especially fond of the red wine paired with this course, which was a Wallace Brook Pinot Noir.

Course three was roasted squab with white bean ragout, foie gras butter & caramelized carrots. The squab was... (I'm sorry, I can't focus on this because I'm thinking about it right now and my eyes keep glazing over in ecstasy... Give me a minute... Oh god. Anyway.) It was bloody rare and buttery tender. I'd never eaten squab before this and I feel blessed to have been introduced to it in such a beautiful way.

Dessert was an apple-pear tart in a hazelnut crust with chevre ice cream. It seemed like perhaps the tart was left in a little longer than planned, but the crust wasn't burnt by any means and was still wonderful. The fruit and the ice cream formed an amazing combination, playing to four of my five senses in a way that capped the meal in the best way possible. The port sherry served with dessert had a smooth honey flavor to it that I loved.

Some things that stand out in my mind which made this an experience, rather than just a dinner:

-Dustin (the chef/owner) came out after each course was served to tell us about the ingredients (what they were, where they came from, etc...) and share his thoughts behind the dish. He also thanked the farms which were the most instrumental in bringing the dishes together.

-After dinner, everyone cleared out and Elvis had a chance to speak with Dustin for a while. (I listened in, but since I apparently suck at conversation I didn't pipe up much.) I can tell that he truly enjoys what he does, and that he pours his heart into it. The amount of thought and planning that goes into each supper club is impressive.

-After Dustin went back into the kitchen to clean up, they sent out complementary glasses of sherry for us to enjoy while we sat and talked. It was a thoughtful gesture, and much appreciated.

If you're looking for the perfect place to take your special somebody, I highly recommend giving Art of the Table a call.

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14

47

Derek R.

Seattle, WA

This is the best place ever.... EVAR!!!!! =)

www.artofthetable.net

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0

15

Matt S.

WA

Sure it's pricey, but I've never been to a place that treats its customers as well.

Chef Dustin comes out and introduces you to the food you're about to eat, providing a much appreciated context that only enhances the fantastic flavors.

If you're looking for a night-to-remember style dinner, I don't think you could do much better.

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Elite '08

455

522

Tim O.

Seattle, WA

Great little (and I do mean LITTLE) gem right off of Stone Way N. I think the max seating is 20-ish.

They have a pre-fixe menu on Thurs/Fri/Sat, aka "Weekend Supper Club". Three course meal plus dessert for $48/person.

Rather than wait, we decided to partake in their "Happy Mondays" to see if it's worth making weekend reservations or not. Happy Monday is basically open seating (no rezzies) and a limited menu of small plates - deliciously delicious small plates. We had:

An amazing veggie curry dish
A seared ahi tuna plate
A lobster mushroom quiche (I ate it and I'm still a real man)
An heirloom tomato/mozzarella plate (much like caprese)

A couple of glasses of wine, some excellent service and we were sold. The chef (Dustin) actually came by to see if everything was enjoyable.

Two possible black mark: it's awkward seating and it can get very loud in there, if there is a large group at the big table.

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0

12

T S.

Seattle, WA

So I decided to check this place out with a group of friends on a Thursday night.  The place is tucked away in a little building with an unassuming facade.

The set-up was very quaint and cozy--low ceiling with with some fabric draping.  Warm colors.  The seating is also designed to enable customers to interact together.

The food overall was decent--stuffed peppers with gulf prawns, braised duck with mole sauce, and a pear flan dessert to finish off the meal.  The service was great--our waitress was very nice, attentive, and engaging.

The only downside to our dining experience were some of the customers we were forced to sit next to at the communal table that evening.  We were seated next to a few other couples, and I suppose the downside to any communal seating situation is that you are pretty much stuck with whomever happens to appear that evening to eat at the restaurant.  We had some real obnixious folks next to us.  A frat-boy like guy and his awkwardly silent date, another other young couple who seemed to have a bad habit of posturing/bragging about their limited travels, and another couple who could have used some lessons in better manners and social grace.  If these same folks behaved and spoke the way they did back east (or most anywhere where people have lower tolerance than in Seattle), they totally would have gotten stomped.

In any event, this place is worth checking out.  Just make sure you keep an eye out where you sit and who gets seated at your table with you if you choose to sit at the communal table.

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Elite '08

8

102

John S.

Seattle, WA

After all the great reviews on this place I've been dying to give it a try. I wanted to start with a Happy Monday but had to wait for the football season to end so finally got a chance this week. I definitely wasn't disappointed. I knew it was a small place but had no idea how small! To me this is a plus - it really had a great feel to it. We got there a little late but there was still room at the big table. Chef Dustin greeted us and gave us a quick rundown on the menu for the evening as well as some advice on the wine selections. It's obvious (as other reviewers have mentioned) that he loves what he does and really pours himself into it. Ally was our server and she was great. We tried a couple of different red blends that were decent - nothing to get all worked up over but they were reasonably priced so I can't complain. From the menu we shared ahi tuna with smoked salmon and kale (this one was my fave), a red and gold beet terrine with chevre and a warm quinoa salad. They were all delicious but we were still hungry so we finished with a pink lady apple with pork belly stuffing.

All in all Art of the Table was a great experience on a Happy Monday. We will definitely be back for the weekend supper club!

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2

16

Billy J.

Seattle, WA

Go. Eat. Here. Now.

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Elite '08

21

115

Amy K.

Seattle, WA

After a lot of hype from Melisa we went to their Happy Hour this past Monday (5-10 p.m., but get there early, it fills up fast!)  $5 glasses of wine (one red, one white) but also reasonably priced bottles (we had a cotes du rhone for $25) and beer (I *think* they were $2?!).  We were seated at the communal table and I am sure the older gentleman sitting on one side of us got a complete kick out of our weekend update conversation.  Happy Hour menu is all small plates, and our server advised us that the food was pretty hearty, comfort-fall fare, so 1.5 per person should be enough.  We started with the eggplant dip which was delish and each ordered a "main" dish and split the carrots with pistachios (yum!)  A friend and I both had the pork loin (it was ok, a bit tough for my taste which is why I am only giving it 4 stars) and my other friend had the snapper.  We capped our dinner off with the apple creme brulee, which was excellent....couldn't get enough of the apple sorbet that was served on the side.  

Service was great, Dustin the chef (who by the way is adorable) came over to chat with us, and everyone at our table was super nice.  I am looking forward to heading back to celebrate a friend's birthday there in a couple of weeks as part of one of the weekend supper clubs.  

The space is VERY small so don't look for any intimate moments here, but rather go for the incredible food and conversation amongst friends, new and old!

11/17/07:  UPDATE  I had to update this review and make it 5 stars.  We had 16 people for a birthday party supper club last night and it was such an incredible experience.  Each course (theme was Greece) was amazing, although my fave was the 3rd course with the feta and mint stuffed lamb.  Dustin and his staff did an incredible time with pacing the courses, keeping wine and water glasses filled and entertaining all of us with stories about the food and culture.  If you haven't been to Art of the Table yet....RUN, don't walk and check it out.  You will not be disappointed.  I can't wait to go back!!

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