Michael Mina coming to Seattle

Seattle definitely has a place on the map when it comes to eating.  Ethan Stowell, Tom Douglas, Chef in the Hat (Thierry Rautureau) run culinary empires around here.  Add Michael Mina to the list next Spring.

Bringing the Burgundy, France-inspired magic from his San Francisco enterprise RN74, Mina is planning to set up Seattle’s RN74 shop at the corner of 4^th & Pike in downtown Seattle. 

It’s an interesting location for Mina.  The space is in the Joshua Green Building, a historical landmark that is being restored from the inside out.  While the restaurant alone is a big draw (Michael Mina’s food is a must-try for me), I’m also interested to see that “out” part.  The corner of 4^th & Pike isn’t the fanciest of downtown Seattle locations.  Witness: Businesses in the vicinity have closed up these locations (RIP: Sharper Image & Ben Bridge), and the bus stop outside of RN74’s promised location is constantly packed with interesting patrons headed on the Metro routes to Capitol Hill.  Fast forward to nighttime – dinner time – and the crowd just gets more colorful. 

That said, with just a short walk to Westlake Center, Pike Place Market – straddling the city’s financial district and retail core, there is a lot of promise for this corner.

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photo courtesy of  Joshua Green Building

future site of RN74

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Back to inside …

 

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photos courtesy of  michael mina

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Mina is expected to import much of the menu and the Euro-rail styling (check out the fabulous railway time tables in the top photo above, and in detail below!) from his San Francisco location, with the requisite local twist.  The wine list will offer a selection of wines from Washington and Oregon, but will stay true to its namesake, the winegrowing area on Burgundy’s Route Nationale 74, which is said to be home to some of the greatest vineyards in the world. 

As for the food, his San Francisco menu could certainly be infused with Pacific Northwest fare.  Perhaps the cheese selection might give some credit to Washington’s fledgling artisan cheese industry and feature creamery goodness from the Washington State Cheesemakers Association, or perhaps beef from sea breeze farm or  Baron Farms will show up on the menu. 

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hello railway time tables!  GENIUS.

photo courtesy of michael mina

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Whatever appears on the plate is sure to be good.  Mina’s accolades are long and impressive.   Mark your calendars for March 2011.  Cannot wait to try & taste what Mina has in store for Seattle!

Top 5 Sites for Top Cities

With all of the social media sites, friends’ blogs and daily emails directing you to the latest and greatest items and ideas, we are on information overload. It seems everyone is a self-professed foodie, fashionista, techie, or (fill in the blank) guru and want to share their expertise with you.  So how do you decide which sites are the best resources? 

Each of us have a few “go to” sites that help us filter through the options and provide us with some quick ideas. When I am planning an event, it is important for me to learn about the city and culture where the event will take place. I look for information on the local venues, vendors and of course… food.  I particularly enjoy websites and emails that are city specific so I can pick up some helpful tips and discounts when visiting the area.  

Here are my Top 5 Sites for Top Cities:

 1)    Tasting Table – This site covers New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C.  Since TT also has a national edition, they often cover other cities as well.

Tasting Table is a free daily email that delivers the best of food and drink culture to adventurous eaters everywhere. Each weekday, we send our subscribers one delicious idea about dining, wine, cocktails, cooking or restaurant personalities. We feed you only first-hand recommendations that we have tested thoroughly ourselves—one bite at a time.

In our local editions in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C., we’ll alert you to a must-try dish at a forgotten restaurant, a hot new bar that deserves its buzz, under-appreciated cook shops and neighborhood food purveyors who may otherwise go unnoticed.

 

2)    Blackboard Eats – Currently, this site offers restaurant discounts for New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  I have a feeling this will expand to more cities because the discounts offered are great and easy to use.  When there is a discount available, you receive an email with the details. If you are interested in the deal, simply click on the email that day and receive the code. Bring the code to the restaurant and enjoy the deal!

BlackboardEats is a free e-mail and website delivering exclusive deals on restaurants handpicked by seasoned food editors. We also highlight the best food-related specials LA, NY and SF have to offer, including prix fixe discounts, tasting events, weekly dinner bargains and more.

Unlike other sites that focus on the newest openings, BlackboardEats features both hot spots and hidden gems—some of which are new, some of which have been around for years. And we cover everything from the fancy to the no-frills…just as long as the place rocks.

 

 

3)    The Daily Sip – This website is focuses on the wine industry… and what’s an event without wine?!  The emails are quick reads and I like that they feature different wine regions.

Think “Daily Candy” meets “US Weekly” of the wine industry. Start your day with insider tips on truly delicious wines, behind-the-scenes stories from winemakers, Celebrity Sips, insider special offers, and much more. Each short email features a winemaker, region, wine, chef or celebrity, or gadget. No one stops after just one sip.

 

 

4)    Great Places – Check out this website and blog for some venue ideas and trends. While venues open and close often this is a good starting place to look through venue ideas in different cities, including New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Chicago and more.

 

5)   Groupon – While I have never actually purchased a coupon through the site, I think it has some great offers in most major cities. Just make sure to read the fine print. For example, if you buy a coupon for a hair salon and you are already a customer there, they may not let you use the deal.  (Also, check out Lifebooker for NYC beauty deals!) 

Groupon features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in a variety of cities across the U.S., Canada, Europe and soon beyond.

 

 

 Happy Exploring!