Lark

On my walk to work this morning I passed in front of Lark and saw a suspicious bit of paper in the small bushes outside the front door. It was wet out but that soaked bit of paper made my heart skip a beat in a way that only a found monetary note can. It was a $10 bill.

i’d heard quite a bit about Lark &, despite the warnings of over-pricing, i still wanted to go.

i ended up going with 3 other women for a Girls’ Night & found that, with the family-style ordering, it was very easy to try many different things without spending that much. i’m a bit baffled by all the claims of how expensive this place is.

as for the food, it was very good but not as good as i had expected. a couple of the dishes were on the bland side (in particular, a farro dish that could have been great but lacked any distinct flavor).

the service was excellent & i really enjoyed the ambiance.

i’m planning on going again with my husband to see how he thinks it compares with Pair (his favorite restaurant that i think is very similar to Lark).

After 5 trips to Lark, I can say that the food has been consistently good. Cheese plate is well-thought out, although a bit on the pricey side. There is good variety of dishes in terms of selection and portions. Love the yellowtail carpaccio. Interesting wine list with a good selection of smaller vineyards. Overall, a great asset to the Seattle dining scene!

First time to Lark tonight. Loved the menu. Didn’t freak at the price. It was really creative artful work and set us back no more than would a chop-house downtown. Not a degree of patronage I would sustain more than a couple times a year but a perfect little potlatch for welcoming the new Summer.

Then we drifted like the cannabis at TeleTubbie Park.

Yay: Mint peas & three cheeses with a honeycomb!

Nay: Not to harsh such a rockin’, sensuous time, but the interior seemed a bit dowdy. Maybe it was early (7pm) and would come to life when packed, but both of us noticed the paintings on the south wall and thought they were dull. A Butterfly and a flower or something. I’ll happily suggest specific alternatives if requested.

I went to Lark on Friday and I think it might have been my favoritest meal EVER. Each dish was more delicious than the last. I love cute tiny plates and small portions of lots of different things so Lark is a restaraunt after my own heart. We ate a very delicious cheese called “Petite Basque” that was described as having a “rich barnyard flavor,” oysters in little fake ceramic shells, Yellowtail carpaccio, procuttio with some kind of berry sauce, arugula salad with a hen’s egg and bacon, and elk. We couldn’t agree on a dessert to share so Erik got the hazelnut chocolate cake and I got the lemon parfait. We also ordered a delicious chianti by Querciabella that had a nice, dry, smokey flavor.

Lark made me realize I need more oysters in my life.

We had a great meal at Lark last night. Started with a tasty glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a great cheese from Piedmont. I should have paid better attention to the specifics. Then a tasty Beet salad made with pink and purple beets from Full Circle Farm, served with an herbed goat cheese. The cheeses were great and served with good bread from the Columbia City bakery. Looks like Tall Grass Bakery lost the account? The bread was great too – Anne’s bought some of their bread at the Columbia City Farmer’s Market before but I’d like to explore more of what they make now that I know it’s Lark approved.

We stuck with a fish theme tonight and the additional plates were the clams, a whole roasted bass, rosti potatoes with creme faiche and some delicious mushrooms with slivered garlic. We were too stuffed to eat dessert (which is usually great).

That was a lot of food – and we got out for under $80 with tip – so while Lark isn’t cheap – it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Anne and I hadn’t been to Lark together since before Sabina was born (15 months ago!). This was our last reliable date night for a few weeks because our childcare provider is off touring Guatemala. When she’s back, I can’t wait for more good eating (“date night” is turning into “gourmand night”) and I won’t wait so long before returning to Lark.

Vegetarians should beware of the fact that things that seem like they could be vegetarian might not be due to various animal stocks and fats that are not indicated on the menu. Of course, I am sure most vegetarians are used to that in restaurants.

Anyways, my vegetarian spouse and I (I also eat seafood) went to Lark a few weeks ago. I think they only take reservations for large groups, but we went on a weekday and did not have to wait although the place did fill up. I thought the casual ambiance was very nice (I’m a pretty casual guy) and the service was very good. Our main waiter and other servers were very knowledgeable and really knew what was in all the dishes… helpful for those of us with dietary restrictions… and what stuff could possibly be altered.

They have a largish menu, but due to our vegetarian constraint we ended up ordering everything they could make vegetarian, which was maybe 10% of the menu. The food itself was in general very good; the wild mushrooms we had were very very good, as was a whipped potato dish. The one fish dish that I sampled, the tuna carpaccio, I found only OK. We also had dessert: a nondescript berry tart (mediocre) and chocolate medelaines which were very very good.

Overall, the food was very good and very pricey. The dishes were tapas sized (obviously) with almost entree prices. Of course, we were limited to a small subset of the menu. I did note that portion sizes seemed to vary quite a bit for other diners, so the value/price ratio probably varies quite a bit. I am sure omnivores would have a much different impression of things.

I am unsure what I think of the place, because the food was good, the service was good, we spent a lot of money, we had a good time, and I was still hungry when we left. I will have to go again sometime when I generate more $$$, as I don’t think I would regret going back.

I’m going back for my third trip to Lark tonight. And I can’t wait. Date nights rule.

The Lark is a place. It is true.

Yum Yum Yum—one of the most scrumptious meals I’ve ever had.