How To Cook A Wolf

Elite '08

59

40

cici g.

Seattle, WA

Spot on!
It's been awhile since I've been out for a fab dinner and after this week, I totally deserved it. It could not have been any better. We started with the reggiano brodo and the seared sea scallops. Fantastic! Then we shared the pesto pasta (can't remember the name). Hot damn! For desert it was a cheese, made of the three milks and topped with a pear moustarda. Loved it! Everything had a unique flavor, which can be hard to come by, and everything blew our minds.
Not that it mattered that much at that point, but the service was impeccable.

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2

22

Kristin K.

Redmond, WA

I wish we had had the stellar experiences people here describe. The service was good, but not great. The wait is annoying, but I suppose that can't be helped. It's a small space, and there's lots of interest in the place.

It's the food, y'all. It just didn't blow me away. And it's pretty expensive.

It's like Italian tapas, so we did as suggested by the server, and ordered six dishes for four people: Olives, panini, sea scallops, baked polenta, angolotti and spaghetti with wild boar bolognese. And wine. It cost $300.

The portions are pretty sparse for the prices. I think $14 for four little scallops is exorbitant. They were good, but not worth the price. Ditto on the panini (it's a GRILLED SANDWICH) or the polenta, which were $9 and $13, respectively. I loved the spaghetti, though, and there was actually enough for all of us.

For me, it's really a value thing. I'm still searching for that elusive Seattle restaurant that has top-notch food for reasonable prices.

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2

24

Elaine S.

Seattle, WA

I would give this place three and half stars if I could.

The host who takes down names is a snob! He thinks he's better than everyone, and it is written all over his face. We bummed around Queen Anne during our 2 hour wait, enjoying a nice bottle of wine and meat and cheese plate at Bricco. When we showed back up at HTCAW, we still had a bit to wait so we ordered another bottle of wine.

Many people were coming in and asking how long the wait was, and pretentious guy was telling everyone that it was an hour and a half. Within ten minutes, we got our seats, and ten minutes after that half of the place was empty! The rest of the time we were there, people were being seated as soon as they walked in the door. Next time I'm going at 9:00 on a Friday!

Our wine was tasty, but we were a little full from Bricco, so we ordered two dishes. The Bucatti (I think that's what it was called), and the Baked Polenta. The Bucatti came out first and was a spicy delicious pasta with fresh made noodles. Occasionally we would come across a crispy delicious morsel of bacon.... mmmmm! The polenta was a little disappointing. If polenta is supposed to be that bland, then it was fabulous. It was obvious that it was cooked in the best way possible. A doughy firm bottom with a crispy caramelized top. It just had no flavor. I like spice, and seasoning. And there was nothing there. Texture awesome, flavor BLAND!

I would go back. I'm not completely turned off, but I'd like less 'tude from the host, and more flavor!!!

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310

240

Miss Mary Ann D.

Bainbridge Island, WA

Over hyped

under salted

too much marjoram in the pasta rendered it almost inedible

snotty apathetic service - except for the adorable hostess - and yes, "dad" was there.  

i would not have known to order a cocktail had I not seen the bottles

considered adding a star for the lovely decor, but the pretentious attitude fouling up the very small space won't allow it.

I haven't been this underwhelmed since I dined at Union

An acquaintance who is in turn acquainted with the chef has offered to bring me in himself. Why do I need to know someone to get the alleged amazing meal at an Ethan Stowell establishment?
Piss on that.

If, like myself, you prefer your food sauced with passion rather than pretension, do yourself a favor and head over to Art of The Table,  Tilth or Restaurant Zoe for an excellent Seattle dining experience.

You won't find it here.

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4

7

Kat T.

Woodinville, WA

Mouth is alive with juices like wine
And I'm hungry like the wolf

Thank you Duran Duran now on with the review...

You should know there is NO WOLF served at this establishment. It's named after a 1942 culinary novel by M.F.K. Fisher.  

You should also know they do not take reservations. First come, first served. I hear they will take your cell number if you want to go have a drink down the street.

The atmosphere is cozy and we sat at the bar by the door so that is saying a lot. It was a Sunday evening and we had no wait even though the place was full (seats approx. 30). Sitting at the bar is the way to go if you want to see some action and chat up the staff/owners. If you are interested they will talk about the food and drink. They make a perfect sidecar.

Portions are small... SCRATCH THAT...  portions are just right unless you are a Claim Jumper/Cheesecake Factory/American Supersize Me Glutton. (slowly stepping off soapbox now)

I went with a pal who is a fellow foodie and we split each plate. We started with a tomato and spring pea soup. The broth was spectacular. They brought bread and oil gratis. Next up, seared sea scallops with white bean and porcini puree. Mmmmm... followed by lovely wide ribbons of walnut pesto pasta. We ended with Valdeon cheese that included a pear mostardo (thinly slice pear married with mustard oil and sugar - fricken amazing).

Everything was a fresh taste sensation at a moderate price. You will not leave feeling hungry like the wolf, hungry like the wolf, hungry like the wolf!

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Elite '08

126

229

Ray C.

Seattle, WA

So I've been wanting to try HTCAW but didn't want to deal with the crowds so late last night (Sunday) was the perfect opportunity.

1. Food: Very very good. Fresh, highly original and well prepared. If you've been to Union, things will probably look and taste familiar. In fact, they had the same Beef Carpaccio, Tombo Crudo and Duck Confit Salad (menu changes daily, BTW). Beef was sold out, crudo and salad were nice...like at Union. Also tried their Soft Boiled Eggs and Salemetto and Spaghetti. All three were well-designed, well executed and very pleasing to the palate.

2. Service: Also very, very good. Attentive, knowledgeable, friendly all around. I really liked the fact that although we ordered a bunch of stuff and said "no particular order, just bring it on", they didn't overwhelm us with food; the timing and pace were perfect.

3. Ambiance: Nice and cosy and warm. But this place is small (the entire restaurant - including kitchen and bar - is shoe-horned into the space that used to be O-Bar) with lots of hard, sound-reflecting surfaces and hence can get really loud. It was late and pretty mellow on a Sunday night and still the buzz and voices were high until the place 1/2 emptied out. I want to try sitting at the bar (taller seats, right in the middle) next.

4. Pricing: About the same as Union (La Tavolata is a different genre). See http://www.unionseattl... and http://www.howtocookaw... for details.

Bottom Line: Very, very good IF you don't mind dealing with the crowds and potentially very loud interior. But not mind-blowing for me...most likely because I've become spoiled. For a Stowellian experience, I'd stick with Union.

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2

9

David P.

San Francisco, CA

My favorite restaurant in Seattle so far.  Love what they did with such a small space, the vaulted wood plank ceiling makes the setting cozy and warm.

The scallops and polenta was the crowd favorite (what amazing flavor!), but the farfalle was a close second.

The white anchovies were something spectacular, even the non-anchovy eaters enjoyed their tastes (though I will admit I got the lion's share).

Everything else, from the polenta to the cheese course, was beautiful.

The hour wait was worth it - we had a nice cask-conditioned ale at the pub across the street.

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Elite '08

53

41

Juan M.

Bainbridge Island, WA

God, I love cheese.  God, thank you for How to Cook a Wolf. They have all the right cheese!

I had to try it if nothing else for the name. I had a feeling it must be about the book. What else would it be?

The atmosphere is great  - I love the lighting and the bar - go figure - back at the bar, again. Small plates are becoming my passion, after happy hour. Oh wait, happy hour small plates! Holy Crap? can I rent a room here?

The food was a typical surprise? whatever that means. Let me explain why. There were some very typical foods, such as chick pea salad (typical), with an anchovy oil (surprise!).
Most things were like that. The scallops and carbonara were my favorites. I really do enjoy coming into a place and getting a bunch of things to share. This is the perfect place for that. Very intimate with a nice flair.

Everyone was really nice and the bartender had a great sense of humor. Well, maybe it was warped and why we liked it so much!

Funny bartender (typical) warped sense of humor (surprise!).

Get in when you can, cuz they do not take reservations - and right now, they don't need to. Packed packed packed (typical) but - they ask for your cell phone and will call you when a space opens up (surprise!)

Very cool! had a great time.

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3

15

Wendy M.

Seattle, WA

This is one of my most favorite dining experiences. It's cute and very quaint. You must try the scallops and polenta. I don't particularly care for polenta but they certainly did something right! The pasta with crab was not stellar, but it was good.

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2

4

Steve B.

Seattle, WA

Best meal i've had in 2008.

The room is warm and intimate - which means you wait a while, but worth it.

Staff (front and back) were friendly, welcoming, quick to chat if you showed an interest in the food.  The food itself was delicate, simple, really well done.  We ate 5 dishes, paced well, with good wine recommendations.  Everything worked well - cauliflower agnolotti, beef tongue, and the anchovy/potato/celery leaf dishes were all highlights.  Cheese came out with bonus wine, because "we shouldn't eat this cheese without some wine."

It didn't quite feel like the mellow neighborhood spot i wanted it to be, so i probably won't be back more than once every few months.  As a stylish, comfortable little place with simple, really well-executed food, though, HTCAW wins.

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Elite '08

25

47

Natala M.

Seattle, WA

I love this place because the food is simple and tasty, the kitchen is open, and I can walk to it from my house. I've been a few times but have now settled on a specific, preferred approach. The wolf is my local drop in place for a great bowl of pasta. I walk by when I am on the Hill, give them my cell number (unfortunately there is almost always a wait) and then either walk around the neighborhood or grab a drink at the Alehouse. They call me when they have a table (or a seat at the bar) ready. Frankly, they are always ready sooner than expected and it works out great. I go in and I order a small app + a fresh pasta. The fresh pasta's are really their signature offering -- and they are delicious. The paperdelle with pork bolognase is my current favorite. I order this with a class of wine and i'm set. Sometimes I've gone with a group of people which also works out well -- even though we always seem to over order...but the pricing is good so that ends up being ok.

Net-net: Approach this as a neighborhood gem and you'll be truly happy with the choice.

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0

35

Robert C.

Portland, OR

I really want to give this place more stars. I really do. I just cannot bring myself to do it.

The place is awesomely decorated and the lighting is amazing. The weird bubbly copper looked a bit like stretched skin, though (Ha! You're stuck with that thought if you go there now!). I could totally hang out here for hours and hours.

The wine was good and the apple beer was good. The waiter was friendly and just attentive enough. The chef (Jason Stoneburner, sous chef) looked bored and irritated. The food actually came out a bit too quick for us, and we ended up with about four appetizers on the bar all at once.

The food: The polenta was awesome, but polenta has a dull flavor for me so the sauce it was in could've been much more flavorful. The bruschetta was good, but the olive spread was very, very oily. I know it's supposed to be oily, but this was excessive. The pear and pecorino frisee salad was so good. HTCAW really gets some superb cheeses and the chef slices it staight off the wheel. The agnolotti was, as has been reported, fantastic. I only wish there had been more. Especially since the appetizers were mostly larger than this entree.

I don't know what it was, but the food seemed dull for a chef/owner like Stowell. So far, I haven't seen any indication that their menu has had a rotation. Is Stowell too busy with Union's constantly changing menu? So, yes, the food is very good. But it should be better. It wasn't worth the three hour drive each way, and it should've been.

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Elite '08

122

469

Laura P.

Seattle, WA

We came in around 5:15 and HTCAW was already practically full.   Chose two seats at the bar, away from the open door.  Little did I know what I was in for.  While we were reading the menu, the couple next to us was having their own ordering dilemma.  They must have had a hard time compromising because soon the female said to the male "You never take me to hot springs.  I want to go to hot springs!  We never go to Mexico, either!".  Oh dear.  I did not want this negativity.

Woman.  Shut. It.  You are at HTCAW.  Don't have a melt-down.

So I leaned into my husband and turned my back to them.  Focused on the menu.  Our server asked what we wanted to drink.  I ordered the apple beer (Unibroue Ephemere) and his face lit up like a child.  There and then I knew that all would be right for dinner.

First up was the Reggiano Broth with fregola and anchovy oil.  This place really should be named "How Many Times Can Your Eyes Roll to the Back of Your Head".  Cheese lovers should not miss this dish.

The Seared Sea Scallops with controne beans, bacon, and shallots were a hit.  The cubes of crispy pork and the chick-pea shaped beans were outrageously good that I almost didn't notice that there were only two scallops. *sob*

We had trouble deciding which pasta to share but were steered towards the agnolotti with cauliflower and aged balsamic vinegar (14 years aged).  Common sense prevents me from writing what word popped into my mind eating these pasta pillows.

The baked polenta is everything Michelle B says that it is.  Take a spoonful of the fonduta sauce first.  Mother's milk.  I swear.  The polenta was crispy and perfect.  The sauce just pushed it over the top.

It turned out that the bar is the better place to sit.  Normally I don't like open kitchens.  Here, it was a pure pleasure to watch the chef.  His Boos cutting board/block was spotless, since he wiped it down between uses.  Another sign that he reigns supreme was that the low refrigerators under the counter were organized with clear plastic containers of ingredients.  He'd reach in for frisee and toss it in a bowl or grab toro or uni.  Everything was in its place.

Look for a write-up in the Seattle magazine.  Their photographer was in-house, taking pix and getting "table scraps" from the chef.  At the end of the photo-session, the chef poured them each a shot.  Smiles all around.

I almost forgot to mention that this is a great date place.  You will find yourself spontaneously feeding your dining partner.  That is, if you like them that much.

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Elite '08

873

899

Michelle B.

Seattle, WA

Wow. Just wow.

Almost every single dish that they brought out was a home run. With the exception of the chickpea salad (boooorrrring) I was amazed by the frisee salad, the scallops, the panini, the bolognese, and the polenta...OMG the polenta. It was the polenta that made us reluctant to share the small plates.

Thank goodness the warm glow of the lighting in the tiny dining room was calming because that polenta could have incited violence. Yes, it was that good.

Be sure to allot plenty of time for dinner because it's a nice long drawn out evening and you'll probably have a while to wait for your table, but believe me, it's totally worth it.

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2

4

Hailey V.

Seattle, WA

It was 5 minutes to 6, and we knew we missed happy hour.  It was early for dinner, so I thought we may be able to snag a table at one of those small restaurants with amazing food and a no reservations policy like Elemental, Sitka and Spruce or How to Cook a Wolf.  Since I had never been there and heard so many rave reveiws..HTCAW it is...we snagged the last open seats at the bar.

The food  was perfectly cooked and prepared.  The flavors were delicate and subtle.  The place was trendy with curved wood and lighted copper trim.  However, the whole combination did not have that WOW factor.  I can't explain it.

Small plates were meant for sharing and brought out one by one...which I loved.  The first dish was a scallop type shellfish which was good.  I felt the flavor should carry more of a punch.  Next was Salami with vinegar onions and cilantro...interesting although for whatever reason, my husband thought he ordered Salmon.  Finally, 2 pasta dishes - ravioli and carbonara.  Both were good but the only wow was the bacon in the carbonara.

What it is - Expensive eatery/tasting restaurant

What it is not - an easy place to get a table at 6 PM on a Friday night...

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2

16

Edward C.

Seattle, WA

Probably the trendiest restaurant currently on Queen Anne Hill, and I think it will make many yuppies who don't want to be hassled by homeless panhandlers in Belltown happy.  The place is small, with an open kitchen, and a trendy, urban ambience.  I find it a bit pretentious, but the food makes up for it.  The pasta is good, but not spectacular.  However, the appetizers are quite good (I had the scallops).  Overall, I would recommend it.  It gets quite crowded, so be ready to wait.

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2

2

Krystin T.

Seattle, WA

My boyfriend and I checked out HTCAW last night after reading amazing reviews.  It COULD have been good, maybe not amazing but decent, but, unfortunately, it just didn't happen that way.  

We didn't have to wait long, which was nice.  The service was okay, but a little strange - after we ordered, our server told us, "It's kind of a small kitchen, so we'll bring out your food as it's ready."  Turns out, what he really meant was, "When you finish one thing, I'll bring out the next." This was fine with our appetizers (we started with the plate of olives, then he brought us our bruschetta), but we ordered two entrees because we each wanted our own - but he brought out my boyfriend's parpardelle with pork bolognese a long time before my angolotti with chard, ricotta, and pine nuts arrived.  We actually had to ask for it, because they were waiting until the pork bolognese was gone - apparently, we were meant to share?

Anyway, that was really the least of our worries, just a bit odd.  The real issue?  SALT.  The olives we expected to be salty.  The bruschetta, not so much.  It was so salty that the salt overpowered any other flavors - and the pasta was the same.  Both of our entrees were beyond salty. I could tell that it COULD be good, if it weren't DRENCHED in salt.  I wasn't paying attention, but my boyfriend saw the chefs cooking & salting everything VERY liberally.  

The ambience was fine, the service wasn't terribly slow and we didn't have to wait too long, the wine was fine... but the overabundance of salt just ruined everything.

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Elite '08

2167

1796

stephy s.

San Francisco, CA

You know what truly and totally sucks? Do you? I'll tell you what. Going to a fantastic foodie lovers wet dream of a restaurant when you are sick and hacking up a lung or two and dealing with the awesome reality of a runny, raw nose. Yep, appetizing, right?

Wrong, but in spite of my palate being thrashed and my appetite being blegh, I still managed to enjoy my meal here. We went on Saturday night and had to wait a few hours for a table, but we knew that going in, so definitely go, give your name and then hit the little wine bar down the street.

For starters, the decor and design are phenomenal. I LOVED the curved wood ceilings and the moody and sexy vibey lighting and while the place was a bit loud (that actually might have just been our table, hehe), it was still a very enjoyable time. I really liked how the kitchen was open to the waiting area and it's quite excellent for checking out the cutie patootie cooks whipping up various edible wonders and is great for asking annoying questions like, "What's that dish?"

And let's just talk about those dishes, shall we :) The frisee salad, oh my gosh, soooo good. So light and crisp and yummy, I definitely recommend it! We also tried the scallop dish and while the scallops were cooked to perfection, I wasn't really feeling the whole bacon and sauce. The bacon was way to chewy and hard and that was no bueno. The polenta however served as a perfect surprise pairing for the scallop. I'm sure the chef would hate hearing that we mixed the dishes, but cheesy polenta and the perfect scallop is, well, perfect.

We also tried a couple of the pasta dishes, but this is where my sicky state got the better of me and I really couldn't eat much else. I did try a bite of the pork bolognese and it was okay. I definitely preferred that to other mushroom pasta dish. Oh and how can I forget the panini, yummnini rather! It was glorious and delightful.

As for the wine, the first bottle we ordered definitely missed the mark as far as a full bodied and spicy blend, but the second bottle had a little bit more kickasstoitness, so all in all a good time.

I think if you are into food and want to go and have a nice, long dining experience with good friends, this is a great bet. The dishes averaged about $10-$20 a pop and the way to go is definitely family style so you can try a little bit of everything ;)

Good times!

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4

12

Meghan O.

Seattle, WA

Mike, you made this night great! Thank you for driving all around the city putting your name on the list at all of the places we long to try but who don't take reservations - Maybe its because they don't hear the phone ring- better guess is that they just don't care to answer the phone- not when we foodies will wait hours for a meal that they have prepared.

Long wait? Who cares- we sat at the bar at Opal and had a few drinks. But I digress, I should talk about the restaurant.

They were very accommodating when we changed our original number from 6 to 8 although it added about an hour to our wait.
Although they were not quite set up when we got the final call that our table was ready and there really is not a lot of room for loitering there.

On the whole the food was about as fantastic as you expect from Ethan Stowell. We shared some 15 dishes family style. I hate to repeat what everyone else is saying but wow, the scallops, wow. The scallops were mouth watering, but the ahi was a bit bland compared to everything else that hit my palate.

My co-diners relished the duck and a few other meaty entrees.
They were out of one of the dishes we wanted, but with everything else we ate and loved, I frankly can't remember which one.
Cheese plate for dessert sealed the deal for me.

Well done, How to Cook A Wolf.

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Elite '08

34

146

Michael E.

Seattle, WA

I think Laura G, a few reviews down, hit the best part, the ambiance. You feel great eating at HTCAW in sucha sheik but warm space.  I had stopped in around 7:30 to put a party of 5 on the list and a table opened up at 8:30, and I took advantage of that phone call to grow our party to 7.  7 I say, lots of folks for a really small space, but an extra hour or two later we had a table with plenty of room feeling like we were eating a friends really really cool apartment.  So you wouldn't really think it, buy yup, good for groups if your willing to wait.

So as you read the scallops (and I don't usually love scallops) were extraordinary.  The menu is really just apps and pastas, no meat courses which coming from Tavalota was slightly unexpected (and with thoughts of those huge slabs of Tavalota meat slightly missed).  With 7 of us, we sort of bantered back and forth with the waiter until he nodded that we had put in enough choices and then it all started flowing out, family style, it was all good, very good, not mind blowing amazing, but decidedly good.  And family style was the way to go, even if you only got a little taste of each dish, the tastes added up (mmm... the polenta).

And all this, 4 bottles of wine across 7 people, espressos and cheese at the end for $60 a person, pretty great price for a 2 and a half hour service.

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0

10

Mark S.

Seattle, WA

Monday night, party of 2, minimal wait for two seats at the (wide) bar.  Two dishes into the meal and my dinner companion stated, "This is the best restaurant in Seattle".  Given my nature (i.e. OCD) I usually have to run through all my relevant experiences before I can apply the stamp of "best" or "favorite".  That's just me.  I kind of suck like that.  But, I am not a complete robot and my OCD is not so heavy in the O or C (but, still, it is very much a D), so I can say that this is ONE of my favorites in Seattle.

Here is what I recommend.  Order the duck, oxtail and "hedgehog" mushroom penne pasta (labeled "pennette", I think), and scallops.  Then, even if you have some environmental complaints (i.e. too crowded, too loud, etc.), just TASTE THE FOOD.  It is amazing.

Hazelnut gelato was also awesome.  The clam and garlic spaghetti was simply OK.  Wanted to try the torro (i.e. fatty tuna) dish but they ran out right before we ordered.

I want to go back.  Save me a seat.

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4

33

Angie B.

Seattle, WA

It was really really tasty. Really fresh. 4 of use shared 2 apps & 2 entrees - I could have eaten maybe a little more (just because I wanted to try more, not because I was still hungry). All the dishes had unique & "bright" flavors. We went knowing we'd have to wait, so we put our name on the list & headed to Opal (bar few doors down). After ~1 hour (he said up to 2 hours, so that was fine) we got a call & sat at the bar.

On a separate note, Opal was quite nice, big, airy - good service. They knew we were there waiting for HTCAW so they didn't keep bugging us about ordering food - though a few people were eating there & it looked pretty good. Will have to try it!

Back to HTCAW - service was a little spotty. Despite sitting right at the bar in front of our server, he was a little slow to keep the water filled & when we ordered dessert (sorbet, which one would assume was already made) - it took nearly 15 minutes to be delivered to us. Kind of weird - but still great flavors & we took advantage of the time to let our food digest & polish off the wine.

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Elite '08

238

231

Katie S.

Seattle, WA

We walked in here last night and immediately, I knew.. this was going to be one hell of a 'Ethan Stowell' experience.. mostly b/c he was standing right in front of us, conversing with patrons, but the other half of it was that it's a sweet ass space! The kitchen is RIGHT THERE when you walk in- Dope! The space is quite beautiful and it's got some seriously amazing wood work and fantastic ambiance- great lighting and awesome music (Feist remixed and Grandaddy!). Boys- major MUCHO brownie points if you take your lady here. :)

We were politely told there was a 1/2 hour wait and that we could go next door for a drink (at Opal) and that they'd call us when our table was ready. And sure enough- about a 1/2 hour later, after a few glasses of Tumbling Tractor, we stumbled back over into Foodie Nirvana.

We were seated promptly and shown a wine list , which was extensive. We ended up going with a bottle of something French (don't ask me what it was. I just drank it). We started with the squid salad- which was squid and fava bean, in a tangy vinaigrette, and the veal carpacchio- which, I think is better than the beef carpacchio at Union. Next came the ahi- which was spiced with peppers and the scallops.. The SCALLOPS. Sweet baby Jesus, the scallops. If you order one thing, it must be the scallops. They were perfectly seared, HUGE, and bursting with gastropoddy goodness. I loved them.. (ya think?).

The service was impeccable. The hostess was a doll and our waiter was attentive, but not overbearing.

The coolest part of the night, all food aside (b/c it was all very good), was when Ethan Stowell came over to chat and ask how everything was. Moments earlier, I'd told my date that it was a good thing I wasn't standing b/c the scallops would have been enough to make me knees buckle. When I told Mr. Stowe that, a.) I'd been lucky enough to eat at the Union Yelp event, and b.) that the scallops were knee bucklin' delicious, he was so sweet, thanked us for coming in, made a little more small talk with us and said he'd hope to see us again soon. Gotta love the accessibility of local chefs.

Doesn't get any better than this place, folks.. it really does not.

The one downside: I didn't ever really learn how to cook a wolf last night, which was slightly disappointing. Eh, maybe next time.

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10

26

Laura G.

Seattle, WA

The ambiance: Loved the cork bar. Loved the comfy stools at the bar (my feet didn't quite touch the floor, but that's the norm for me). Loved the soft, but not too soft lighting. Loved the copper stuff running along the walls. And really loved the curved, paneled wood ceiling. This place felt so comfortable to me that I'm thinking about taking my sleeping bag next time and staying for a couple days.

The food: Yum. The menu has some definite similarities to Stowell's last opening, Tavolata. This place is like Tavolata Light. While Tavolata serves a bunch of slightly larger "family-style" dishes that are great for sharing with a few friends, Wolf seems to be targeting the small plate concept more. Both the chickpeas with lemon oil (yum), celery, and raisins, and the fettuccine with hedgehogs, oil (lots), cheese (percorino toscano, I think), and pork jowl reminded me of similar dishes at Tavolata. Pork jowl and heavy oil - clear signs that you're in an Ethan Stowell restaurant. I'm not complaining. Please feel free to add pork jowl to any dish, and I'll be a happy patroness.

In addition to the chickpeas and the fettucine, we went for the scallops with the olive citrus relish and the Cana de Cabre with crab apple jam for dessert. Both were great. I wish the scallops had reproduced on the plate so that my friend and I could have had more than one each. Sadly, nature does not work that way. The dessert goat cheese was a seriously generous slice. They're not messing around in the cheese department.

The staff: Rocked. Super friendly. Attentive. On top of their game. All smiles. They're clearly into what they're doing and creating a great experience. We arrived here on a Monday night and were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. We had a quick drink at Hill Top and headed back to the bar seats awaiting us.

It was a great meal and experience. I can't wait to go back.

P.S. There's no wolf on the menu.

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28

53

Megan R.

Seattle, WA

If I could give this place 10 stars I would... yes it was THAT good.
The place is tiny and unassuming, we had a hard time finding it from the street. The second you walk in you are hit with amazing sights and amazing smells. The kitchen is entirely open and if you are lucky you can score a seat at the bar around the kitchen area to watch the chefs hard at work. The area, like I said is small and very intimate, and perfect for a date or just having fun exploring new foods with a good friend.
The menu has a heavy emphasis on Italian, but I would go so far as to call it "new Italian." The menu was inventive and full of interesting flavor combinations. We had a little help from previous reviews of this place with choosing our dishes. We each ordered and appetizer and an entree.
Appetizers:
Polenta - creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside and no im not talking about a candy bar. It melted in your mouth and had the most amazing cheese sauce to dip it in. Perfect and was not overpowering. The cheese was mild yet flavorful.
Scallop - two gigantic scallops. May not sound like much but oh man - those things pack a big punch. Normally I shy away from scallops because lets face it, most of the time they are just rubbery. But this one, actually fell apart when you cut it with a fork. Seared to perfection.
Main Courses:
Pasta #1 - Ravioli with kale and ricotta. Neither flavor overpowered the other. They worked together in perfect harmony to create an awesome ravioli experience.
Pasta #2 - Large hollow spaghetti noodles with a thick tomato sauce and pork jowel. Serious shout out for the pork jowel - I could write an entire review on pork jowel itself. I scraped every last bit of that stuff out of the bottom of the bowl. The sauce had a bit of a light oil taste to it, but not heavily laden with it in the least. The pork jowel stole the show for me...
You simply have to go. Anyone that enjoys food and new experiences has to try this place. It's just simply amazing. And for the price - you can't beat the experience or the food.
**The wait was pretty long - but goto Opal around the corner for a glass of wine, theyll call you when your table is ready**

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Elite '08

67

115

Natalie W.

Seattle, WA

And for my 100th Review... The best restaurant EVER! Not joking...

"I heart pork jowl"- "I love pork jowl" - "Mom, make me pork jowl- oh yay, and deep fried game hen"

What is pork jowl? We are still not really really sure and I am not sure Megan R. and I want to know. So you know- All of the above statements were uttered Friday night, March 7th. When you go you will understand why*

How to Cook a Wolf blows your mind and makes you smile in little kid I got a bubblegum ice cream cone sort of way.  

Walk in and you are greeted by a open view of the kitchen and tiny bowls of ingredients sitting everywhere and anywhere. There is a wait- just sit out the anticipation around the corner at Opal with a class of wine* The seating is arranged around the kitchen with it the focal point. It is small intimate space- perfect for exploring a new flavor world. Light woods that coat the walls and ceiling are paired with copper siding and dark wood tables.

The food was small plates- arranged into appetizers and entrees that are mostly pasta. Though the food is Italian in idea I felt that is was Northwest in source.
Foodie description-
Polenta- tender and creamy in perfect point solid shape form with seared top and bottom that mimicked carmelization- melted to folk with strong aggressive cheese puddle to use for dipping
Scallops- seared and perfect with dyjonnaise streak on plate- soft, fleshy, and flavorful- glided into pieces with a simple utensil touch
Pasta 1- pillows filled with kale and ricotta- simple in description and beyond explanation in density of flavor and levels of enjoyment- balsamic sprinkling takes on a sweet savory flavor- you will lick the plate
Pasta 2- thick spaghetti/udon-like noodles with a tomato base and pork jowl- flavorful oil taste but not visible presence- noodles are so lite in center that pasta takes on hollow bite feel- pork jowl texture was like large tender pancetta pieces were quick crisp seared

This combination and dinner could be my new request for last meal on earth... It was that good.

There is good... and great... and then there are experiences that make you want live at the restaurant, be adopted by Mr. Ethan, and tell everyone on the street they must go... now!

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0

3

Rhonda V.

Seattle, WA

S L O W ! Horrible service and waaaay overpriced!  Overly ambitious small plates that don't succeed at this pricepoint.

Our party of four waited 1.5 hours for seating than ANOTHER 30 minutes for menus!  We didn't get food, even bread, until we had been there over 2 hours!!!   The couple next to us said they had been waiting 40 minutes after they finished their dessert, just so they could pay their bill and leave.  UNbelievable!  No wonder the prices are so high... they can't turn tables more than once a night!  Once the waiter deined to wait on us, he complained about how customers a few table away were whining for their food.  Hmmmm...

Once we did get our food, we found only 2 of the 8 dishes we ordered were worth it.  Keep in mind a $12 order of scallops includes only 2 scalllops.  Oh, and they were cold by the time they arrived.  So was the first pasta dish.   Our water glasses were never refilled and we ended up going over to the bar to get more wine.

I do have to say the sliced duck with beets was excellent.  The decor is innovative:  An inverted skateboard park sort of thing.   Noise level was moderate.  Also, the wine menu is decent.  Presentation on the plates was great... to bad more of the warm dishes were not.

Just keep in mind that turn turn a profit, the markup on menu items is extrordinary.  Plates are exceptionally small.   Expect to order 3 per person.  Unless they learn to turn tables faster, I predict they will have to raise prices further or force custiners to endure even greater wait time for only marginal food.

Seattle has FAR better options if you want to blow $70 per couple on dinner.

I give it 12 months before it perishes.

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0

7

john k.

Seattle, WA

First off, we had a 1.5 hour wait on a Friday night (no shocker) But they took our cell number and we hopped next door to Opal and were seated immediately.

We got a call right at 1.5 hours for our seat at HTCAW. We were ignored for the first 20 minutes, which sucked, but we were comped a cold duck salad, which totally kicked ass. So tender and flavorful and the beets were to die for (I"m not a huge beet fan either). My wife and I ordered the wild boar and the clam pasta. The boar bolognese missed the mark (tasted like it came from a microwavable paper box with the corner peeled up), but the clam pasta was good, but too salty.

I'd suggest you stick to the Appetizer side of the menu, as the stuffed quail was "da bomb". I've never eaten anything so cute before in my life. As I mentioned before, the duck (no idea if it was on the menu) was unbelievable.

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0

17

Lisa O.

Seattle, WA

Kudos to the interiors! The ambiance is inviting and whimsical in a cosy NW snow lodge kind of way. I also loved that this place does not take reservations. The angle of the open kitchen was attractive but I found that the view of the mop buckets from the bar to be a bit distracting. The bartender was cordial and I appreciated the way he did not hover over my clients and I. There is nothing more annoying than a bartender that eavesdrops or interrupts conversation which would be so easy in such a tiny space.  
However, in regards to the food, "How To Cook A Wolf"... is just like a child riding a bike that still needs training wheels. I will tell you what I had.

Chickpea Salad: I expected this salad to be light and refreshing instead I found that the chickpeas were undercooked, the golden raisins tasted like they had been soaking for 100 years and they were heavily coated in an oily vinaigrette. I love Trampetti just as much as the next person but this was more than a considerable amount!

Brandade: Watch out, it was served lava hot but it was spot on. It is hard to find exceptional brandade and this one had good clean flavor! It wasn't clouded by a typical over abundance of potatoes. This brandade might even rival Le Pichet's.

Green Olives: Luscious!  Such a pure flavor and velvety texture. Though the unnecessary addition of chili flakes threw me.

Bruschetta: Good crusty texture, bad thin puree of godknowswhat!

Gnocchi: Perfect texture but the flavor was ho-hum.

Duck Egg with Fingerlings: Wonderful crispy fingerlings with a fried egg over the top, in theory this combination is great. In this case it was just like lumping two things together that are fabulous by themselves. The outcome was that the flavors just sat there independently and did not meld together. More than a little disappointing.

The restaurants namesake ( the name of a book by a very influential woman in the culinary field named M.F.K. Fisher) immediately sets the bar quite high and I hope they live up to it. With all of that said, the restaurant is new and it takes a awhile to find footing. I love to support local restaurants so I would go again and again to see how they are coming along.

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Elite '08

54

215

Jessica Y.

Seattle, WA

After my stellar experience at Union, How To Cook a Wolf had a lot to live up to.

It succeeded.

Upon entering the space, I was pleasantly surprised. It's adorable. True to word, it is tiny, seating only about 30 or so people. It's a very warm atmosphere as well - intimate, soft lighting, warm woods and brushed copper. I immediately liked it. Our waiter was super sweet as well, offering up what he knew of the menu and winelist and being very accommodating with our requests.

As for the food - stars stars stars! Standouts: the stuffed quail was brilliant. The meat fell off the tiny bones and the stuffing was slightly sweet and very flavorful. Presentation was delightful. The lamb shank farroto was slow-cooked and well seasoned, a new experience in texture and flavor. My favorite two dishes here echo my favorites at Union: the seared sea scallops (here presented with a sunchoke puree) and the veal carpaccio, beautifully complimented with tuna and caper mayo. If I had one gripe about the food it would be that the rare duck breast in our beet salad was slightly tough, but the dish was still tasty.

How To Cook a Wolf is a great spot for a nice meal with close friends. The four of us passed two hours here without even noticing, and everyone left raving about the food. Well done again, Mr. Stowell.

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0

2

ben s.

Seattle, WA

the food was fantastic, i mean great, i mean spot on, ryan and jason are masters of the craft of cooking yummy stuff.....

clayton was an excellent server and too bad that i didn't get to taste bills concontions due to my wine tendensies.....

great all around....

ps...if they have scallops GET THEM!!!!

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Elite '08

34

67

Blake D.

Seattle, WA

My experience at Wolf couldn't have been much better.  The ambiance is great, the food amazing, and the staff attentive.  My party basically did a tasting of the menu and tried the seafood ceviche, seared scallops, chick pea salad, raw tuna, cauliflower pasta, stuffed quail, and prosciutto.  Everyone seemed to especially love the cauliflower stuffed pasta and the quail.  The tuno had a few, small slices of pepper that gave it a nice kick.

All in all, great new restaurant in the Queen Anne area.

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1

6

Stuart Y.

Seattle, WA

Big things come in small packages.
HTCAW is a small room, but the menu is creative and the food is worth it. Small portions require ordering more than one dish. I was with a larger group so we had to wait quite a while to be seated--i would say that the place seats maybe 40. We tasted most of the offerings on the menu and there wasn't one that wasn't  good. Not everything was superb, but nothing was bad.
Prices are a little high for the portion size, like i said most people would only be sated by ordering 2 entrees, but the place made up for it in taste and atmosphere.

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Elite '08

40

90

Andrew E.

Seattle, WA

A snowy Saturday evening set the scene for my inaugural visit to How To Cook a Wolf, Ethan Stowell's newest incarnation that finds itself somewhere between the luxury of Union and the familiarity of Tavolata.  Named after the book by M.F.K. Fisher who proclaims "...since we must eat to live, we might as well do it with both grace and gusto," How To Cook a Wolf becomes not just a name but a mantra for dining.

Those familiar with the space formerly know