Super supper in Seattle (sorta)

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Cynthia Moxley
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Leek tart topped with pecorino and served with hazelnut vinaigrette was the amuse bouche to start the meal.

Leek tart topped with pecorino and served with hazelnut vinaigrette was the amuse-bouche to start the meal.

After work yesterday, Alan and I had dinner in Seattle. But we were back in our downtown Knoxville home by 9 p.m.

Actually, we only went to Bearden. We were at Holly’s in Homberg Place where chef Holly Hambright is offering “a taste bud tour of the world in nine menus.” Last night  happened to be “dinner in  Seattle.” It was the second of these creative themed repasts. We missed the first, Munich, Germany. Still to come: Mendoza, Argentina; Marseille, France; Kyoto, Japan; Barcelona, Spain; Bologna, Italy; Montreal, Quebec; and (ha!) Knoxville, Tennessee.

Each dinner is five courses (six, if you count the amuse-bouche) and you can bring your own wine. Cost is $120 per person. Think that’s a little pricey? Well, you can do what I saw a woman at the next table doing. She brought a cooler filled with plastic ziplock containers. She put at least half of each course in a container to take home. So, if you do that, you can have two $60 meals. And, believe me, the course sizes are plenty large enough to carry out this plan.

The themed dinners are limited to 26 people each. Alan and I were absolutely charmed. We already have reservations to the Barcelona and Montreal evenings. Join us!

Reservations may be made at (865) 330-0123 or at [email protected].

We brought a sparkling pinot grigio, given to me as a gift at lunch yesterday by my old friend Pat Ball, was our wine choice for the first three courses. It's crispness and bubbles cut through the richness of this tart.

We brought a sparkling pinot grigio, given to me as a gift at lunch yesterday by my old friend Pat Ball, as our wine choice for the first three courses. Its crispness and bubbles cut through the richness of the tart shown above.

We think the tiny restaurant is cozy and enchanting.

We think the tiny restaurant is cozy and enchanting.

"Left Coast Oysters" on the half shell with tomatoes and horseradish were briny and cold. Again, the sparkling pinot grigio was a great foil.

“Left Coast Oysters” on the half shell with tomatoes and horseradish were briny and cold. Again, the sparkling pinot grigio was a great foil.

We love it when some friends came in! From left, Marnie and Bob Page and Vicky and Jeff Chapman.

We loved it when some friends came in! From left, Marnie and Bob Page and Vicki and Jeff Chapman.

Clam chowder with homemade parmesan crackers was perfect on the icy, snowy night. Again, the sparkling pinot grigio went well with it.

Clam chowder with homemade parmesan crackers was perfect on the icy, snowy night. Again, the sparkling pinot grigio went well with it.

Some other friends claimed a corner table. Neil and Maureen Dunn McBride.

Some other friends, Neil and Maureen Dunn McBride, claimed a corner table.

We selected a pinot noir to go with the next three courses.

We selected a pinot noir to go with the next three courses.

Oh, wow. Copper River salmon with artichoke salad, crispy spuds and creme fraiche. The "best bite" of the meal for me: the salmon with a bit of artichoke salad on my fork.

Oh, wow. Copper River salmon with artichoke salad, crispy spuds and creme fraiche. The “best bite” of the meal for me: the salmon with a bit of artichoke salad on my fork.

Clever chandelier!

Clever chandelier!

Holly's porchetta with wild mushroom risotto and asparagus. So, you take a pork belly and wrap it around a pork tenderloin. The fat in the belly addresses the normal dryness of the tenderloin.

Holly’s porchetta with wild mushroom risotto and asparagus. So, you take a pork belly and wrap it around a pork tenderloin. The fat in the belly addresses the normal dryness of the tenderloin.

Dessert was espresso terrine with latte crema. See what I mean about portion sizes?

Dessert was espresso terrine with latte crema. See what I mean about portion sizes?

My happy dessert eating hubby!

My happy dessert eating hubby!

Click here for a News Sentinel article by food editor Mary Constantine about this series of dinners. It includes the dates for each one. I hope to see you in Barcelona and Montreal!

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13 Responses to Super supper in Seattle (sorta)

  1. Judith Foltz, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:11 pm said:

    Thanks for letting us know about this wonderful idea!! We will see you in Barcelona and Montreal!!

    Reply
  2. Sherri Gardner Howell, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:12 pm said:

    How wonderful! And you are SO LUCKY you weren’t in the Real Seattle without telling me. Book a trip, and I will guarantee you an incredible meal at one of Seattle’s BEST restaurants: Palisades. Executive sous chef? Brett Gardner Howell! (He will even send a limo to pick you up at your hotel if you are from TENNESSEE!)

    Reply
  3. Hannah Parker, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:13 pm said:

    Wow – This looks incredible! I am also absolutely in love with the chandelier of utensils. I think I might need to procure one of those for my house!

    Reply
  4. Alan Carmichael, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:14 pm said:

    This was an excellent dinner. I had three bites of the espresso terrine and was wide awake for an hour and a half that night.

    Reply
  5. Alan Carmichael, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:16 pm said:

    So I guess I was Sleepless in Seattle.

    Reply
  6. Cynthia Moxley, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:19 pm said:

    Judith: Yay!

    Sherri: Well that’s an offer that’s hard to refuse! Sounds awesome.

    Hannah: It was very cool. You need one!

    Alan: Haha.

    Reply
  7. Maria Cornelius, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:19 pm said:

    The Blue Streak, slaying diets since 2009.

    Reply
  8. Cynthia Moxley, on February 20th, 2015 at 4:23 pm said:

    Maria: Yes. Especially mine.

    Reply
  9. Gay Lyons, on February 22nd, 2015 at 10:32 am said:

    This is such a great idea. I hope to make it to at least one or two.

    Reply
  10. Cynthia Moxley, on February 22nd, 2015 at 2:07 pm said:

    Gay: You would love it! Come to Barcelona or Montreal!

    Reply
  11. Georgiana Vines, on February 24th, 2015 at 3:15 pm said:

    I am going to have to check this out. I read Dee Dee’s stories pretty faithfully but must have been distracted when she wrote about these themed dinners.

    Reply
  12. peg hambright, on February 25th, 2015 at 10:26 pm said:

    that sweet chandelier came from Sam Franklin’s sweet shop in Clinton 🙂

    Reply
  13. Cynthia Moxley, on February 25th, 2015 at 10:43 pm said:

    Thanks, Peg, for that info. Good to know.

    Reply

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