Pat My Butter

sunchokes, bone marrow, truffle, salsify, burrata, humbolt fog, and pickled okra.  i was pleasantly shocked, scanning the menu at ventana, the new sleek restaurant in that triangular space at first and battery, to find almost all of my favorite foods present in one form or another.  if a chef knows to include all of these things, how could it be bad?

ventana, next to and related to twist in belltown, is glittering with windows and candles.  it’s a pleasantly open dining room, there’s a view of the sound, and the overall effect is elegant (and, despite the windows and the freezing rain outside, it was warm).  but it’s still belltown, and the restaurant’s success depends on the same crowds who drink at twist, eat at list, and get kicked out of ambèr.  and so the soundtrack’s laced with hip hip, there’s a drink with blueberry vodka, the hostess has a short skirt and a high voice.

apart from the blueberry and white chocolate stomachache, the cocktail list incites multiple “oh, that sounds good”s.  i myself didn’t have any trouble putting away a couple dirty frenchman, the vodka and cornichon martini invented by bartender armin moloudzadeh (his original, now called the sale parisian, remains on the menu at bastille).  a quirky twist on the dirty martini, it’s a little salty, a little sweet, a little sour, and a little reminiscent of salad.

but the food.  prices are utterly reasonable.  oysters ($3 each) are fresh and come with kumquat vinaigrette or the more successful olive with cucumber vinaigrette.  the blt ($12) is smoky pork belly on an over-sized essential bakery bun.  decent tomatoes and lemon aioli come along as well, but the insides of my sandwich are gone before i’ve gotten through half the bun.

bone marrow gratin ($13) with parmesan, salsify, and truffle oil is as over-the-top rich as it sounds.  crispy nuggets of bone marrow float in a cheesy lake.  salsify has some texture, and breadcrumbs on top are crispy.  lemon zest attempts to cut through the heft, but succeeds only in making it all taste a bit like dessert.  a fresh salad on the side offers some relief, but two of us couldn’t manage to get through the whole gratin.

beef oxtail ($13) comes with (quite) sauteed chard and sunchoke purée.  “i just can’t make this one look good,” i had to say, setting my camera aside.  unnecessary and gray sunchoke purée aside, the flavors were there, somewhere.  a few bites in, however, my mouth stinging with salt, i had to turn to my dirty frenchman for relief.

will i return for armin’s good cheer, some cornichons in my drink, the view, and to, despite it all, give the chili relleno stuffed burger with bacon and humbolt fog dressing a chance?  sure.  the place is still new and if they decide to keep food the focus instead of flavored vodka, who knows what could happen.