Head to Steelhead Diner in Pike Place Market where local food and wines really do matter
There were three things on his wish list when Kevin Davis began to consider where to move to after a stint in Napa Valley, where he was executive sous chef at Tra Vigne restaurant. He wanted to be near great fly-fishing rivers, wild mushroom foraging and winemaking. It didn’t take long, after spreading a map of the country out on their kitchen table, for Kevin and his wife and business partner Terresa to see that Seattle was the prime candidate.
The city has the urban quality of life that they love, plus great access to countless outdoor activities, from the purely sporting to the wildly delectable. And wine? Yeah, there’s plenty of that to keep the chef—who also directs the wine program at his thriving Steelhead Diner in Seattle’s Pike Place Market—busy and happy.
So here it is, fall in the Northwest. Those wild mushrooms that enchant chef Davis so—white and golden chanterelles, lobster mushrooms, hedgehogs, boletus edulis, the prized matsutake—begin showing up in market stalls and on restaurant menus right about now. And wild mushrooms are just the beginning of what makes autumn dining in the Northwest such a delicious prospect.
“Fall is a great time around here on a lot of fronts,” Davis says, “with Dungeness crab, wild mushrooms, sweet corn, local sardines and black cod. Oysters are just starting to firm up late fall.” He goes on to point out that “many people consider tomatoes to be a summer harvest, but around here they really come into their best in September and October.”
It’s almost as though the Northwest has two fall seasons each year. The first month of the season can often feel more like summer than June (or July, for that matter) did. “People in Seattle really want to hold on to summer, they want the warmth and sunshine to linger,” Davis notes. “It’s still a great time to sit out on the patio for dinner and drink Rosés with your meal.”
The scenario inspired Davis to talk me through a simple anchovy dish that he makes with the fresh local catch that shows up late summer and into early fall. “I cure them simply with salt, then rinse them well and coat lightly with flour before sautéing in olive oil.” He serves the delicate, flavorful fish on a rustic bruschetta spread with basil pesto and olive purée. “This dish just screams out for a glass of Rosé alongside,” he adds.
As for the Dungeness crab that becomes prolific mid fall and throughout the winter, it gives occasion for Davis to reflect on the growth of selections and quality in the white wine realm of Washington. “There are a lot of outstanding whites in this state,” he says, “many more than even just five years ago.” For a classic, simple steamed Dungeness crab, the chef cites some lesser-known varietals as good partners, including Madeline Angevine from Whidbey Island Winery or Siegerrebe from San Juan Vineyards.
Bring on the flavor—as with the garlic, orange zest, serrano chile and fresh basil in his Angry Dungeness Crab, served with rich rouille sauce—and you can turn to one of the star whites from Washington. “Riesling is probably my favorite varietal in the state, Washington Rieslings are great partners for crab,” Davis says. An off-dry style of Riesling, such as Long Shadow’s Poet’s Leap or Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica, have the ideal character to balance with the complex flavors of that dish.
When the season shifts to that more traditional autumnal state—shorter days, grayer skies, cooler temperatures, all-around sweater weather—we inevitably begin thinking about big reds that warm us from the inside out. It’s the season of braised meats and roasted birds, rich stews and earthy vegetables. “I tasted the Mourvedre from McCrea Cellars not long ago, it’s a grape they also use in their blends, on its own the wine has a great smoky-earthy character with some brambly fruit.” He considers how good that wine would be with wild mushrooms, particularly paired with quail.
About three-fourths of Steelhead’s wine list features Washington wines. “Before I moved to Seattle, I never would have considered such a geographically specific wine list for a restaurant,” Davis says. “I’ve lived in California, Australia and France and I love the wines from all those places. I always liked the idea of having a lot of wines to choose from.”
As planning progressed prior to Steelhead’s February 2007 opening, Davis made a wine research trip to Walla Walla. He discovered there were plenty of wineries to build enthusiasm around.
“So here’s a novel idea,” Davis recalls thinking to himself. “How great would it be to focus my wine list only on wines from the Pacific Northwest?” That way, he reasoned, instead of having to worry about how to incorporate favorite wines from around the world—and have just a few bottles from a number of different regions—he could instead choose one region and do it well. “No matter where you are, the local experience really matters,” he explains. “The taste and the terroir of that place. I decided to offer guests a distinctly Northwest experience by highlighting both foods and wines from this region.”
With hundreds of wineries in Washington and a huge selection of varieties and styles to choose from, there are endless options for Steelhead Diner to find the perfect wine partner for any combination of ingredients they may cook up during this delicious season in the Northwest.
Written by Cynthia Nims