Maggie

I went to the Copper Gate after hearing lots of raves from friends and I have to say I was a little bummed. First, it feels like it doesn’t quite know if it wants to be fancy or kitchy so it is this uncomfortable combination of the two. Sort of like if a super metro guy fell in love and moved in with a drag queen and they had to merge all their belongings. Second, wtf florescent light above the bar? Awful. If I want to go drink under florescents I’ll hit the flask in my desk drawer at work. That’s what Monday mornings are for (just kidding, of course). Luckily the rest of the bar is dimly lit but it proves how important lighting is. Third, the weird barstool configuration is a sight to behold. They are so far from the bar you can’t actually “sit at the bar.” You definitely wouldn’t be able to eat there.

Good points: I never tried Aquavit before and they had a really good cider that came in a cool champagne-like bottle. I didn’t try to the food. Everyone else seems to love this place so maybe I’m just crazy.

The crispy marrow wasn’t so crispy but the duck confit was good and the bathrooms are cute. Plus I ran into Toddles there once and it’s the perfect place for a quiet nightcap if you want to discuss the amazing show you just saw at Neumo’s.

I went hiking up here on Saturday but the Katwalk was impassable without snow gear. I’d like to go back later in the season and check it out—the view is supposed to be amazing!

They have mini burgers and a crazy pine-tree cocktail.

I want to marry Tavolata and have its fried gnocci babies!

Tip one: Jules Maes offers a choice of french fries, mashed potatoes or TATER TOTS with their burgers and sandwiches. Tater tots! When was the last time you had a tater tot? I had some on Saturday! At Jules Maes!

Tip two: If you go see a show here during the winter, bring your mittens. It’s FREEZING in the back room and the only way to warm it up is to dance dance dance.

What makes a pie serious? If you ask me the pizza pies at Serious Pie are a little more on the frivolous side, with delicate crust, novel presentation and ingredients like truffle cheese and yukon gold potatoes. On the other hand, the restaurant is a well-executed dedication to simple and delicious dining, with a small but thoughtful menu of interesting salads, pies and desserts. The space itself is small—most of it is taken up by the pizza kitchen and the Tom Douglas bakery, where you can see all the bread for his restaurants being baked during the day. Long, shared tables line the sides of the dining room, with just enough space down the middle for the wait staff to squeeze by.

We shared a small but lovely salad of shaved celery and white anchovy with lemon dressing, and the forged mushroon and truffle cheese pie. It wasn’t a ton of food but that left room to sample two desserts, the honey ice cream with a poured espresso shot and the cranberry hand pie. With a carafe of the house wine only costing $15, you can have a complete and satisfying meal for two at a terrific price. I will definitely go back for more Serious Pie.

There’s a great review of Sitka and Spruce in the newest issue of Seattle Metropolitan. It sounds like a really interesting place!

I love this place! They have soft serve ice cream and tofu corndogs. Awesome. They also have New York Egg Creams, which I’ve never had but always wanted to try. Next time.

They have wine tasting classes.