Pat My Butter

bastille is beautiful.  from the enormous tin bar to the tile in the bathroom, every aesthetic aspect has been thought out with care. bastille is this summer’s poppy, the restaurant opening that’s thrown foodies into a tizzy and attracted veteran restaurant workers from around the city to its staff.

the restaurant’s 200+ seats are dispersed between the main dining room, the patio, and the dark and gorgeous, be-chandeliered back bar.  bastille consists of reclaimed materials at every turn (a clock from a paris metro station, light fixtures from flea markets), making visual exploration of the space an exciting task.  only the flat screen tv over the bar mars the experience.

the ceilings are high, the rooms extensive, and the clinking of glass and silver brings an air of casual festivity.  it’s ballard’s own french brasserie (or balthazar).

so naturally, chef shannon galusha’s (formerly of veil) food is french.  there are moules frites and duck confit, croque monsieurs and salade niçoise.  though the restaurant’s new and has been packed thus far, the food is consistent, and consistently well done.

brunch on the back patio is a beautiful thing.  strollers are parked in every available corner, reminding us that, regardless of how sleek bastille may be, this is still ballard.  for brunch you can have french toast and falafel, quiche and duck confit hash.  my croque madame with mornay sauce came with the bulging egg yolk that is so ideal upon a sandwich.  though more expensive than the croque madame at cafe press, it offered competition in flavor.

the falafel, available on all of bastille’s menus, is a standout.  wrapped in a paper sleeping bag, it’s filled with goat’s milk yogurt, tahini, and gently pickled baby vegetables.  the falafel itself is the perfect mix of creamy inside/crunchy outside, and thin and delicate lavash bread holds it all together.

impressively enough, all of the greens and herbs used in the restauant come from the 4,500 square food rooftop garden.  the salade du toit with hazelnut vinaigrette best showcases the lettuces grown on the toit (roof), but the harvest is found throughout the menu.  on the heavier side, a poached egg on toast, with crimini mushrooms and a fabulously rich sauce, is glorious.  the lamb burger with harissa aioli and pickled shallots is luxuriously moist without too much musky lamb flavor.  macaroni gratin (artisinal mac and cheese) has an unexpectedly deep flavor that must come from excellent cheese.

i was able to stop eating the frites in a way i can’t manage at café campagne or le pichet – more crunch, more potato skin and/or more brown crispness would have made them more addictive.  but the moules they came with were a different story, as a beautiful champagne, leek, and thyme broth delicately and politely made the mussels elegant in a way i rarely find them to be.

the modest length of the wine list – mostly french, but with some domestic shout outs – reflects the neighborhood side of bastille.  there are plently of opportunities to drop some money if you’re looking to do so, but to drink a good bottle doesn’t require it. and the $5 glass of sparkling rosé hits the spot any time of day.

though much of the menu remains the same through out the day and night, bastille is impressive in its versatility.  it’s because of the space, really – you can be outside in the sun surrounded by kids, inside by the “hearth” for frites and a stella, at the communal table with a crowd for a big meal, or in the back bar for a one am negroni.  if it wasn’t such a long bus ride, i’d be there often…