Black Bottle

Modern, trendy and fun! I almost felt a bit out of place, because it seemed like there were so many people there, but not much help. We walked in and I wasn’t sure if I could seat myself or what. Exciting atmosphere and good food; except for one plate. We ordered the calamari appetizer and it was just slivers of calamari. If you go here, don’t expect to eat much, just go for the scene.

The flatbread with smoked chicken and sun-dried cherries is one of my favorite things.

I know everyone raves about Black Bottle. And I’m not one of those people who cry every time they think of how the Olde Belltowne was, and lament endlessly the dearth of dingy places and the encroachment of the IT crowd. —Because I LIKE good food and wine, as well as dingy places. But I looked really nice and dressy and I have a lovely voice and a pleasant demeanor (not that it’s really any server’s business what my voice or personal style is) and everyone still seemed to want me dead. Also, it was still light, and the place utterly lacked any sort of ambience under those conditions. And let’s face it, Seattle has many, many hours of sunlight in spring and summer, so any design should take that into consideration. It felt, with the whitegray outdoor light unbuffered by any gentle and warm indoor tones, a little too Soviet for me. And I didn’t go there for borscht.

my favorite spot

The food here is so good. We had an unpleasant surprise when we got the bill though—the drinks are pretty pricey.