Rating:

Tonight Lauren and I indulged ourselves with massages at Ananda Spa (which is deserving of its own space for a review). Across the patio of the Northwest Work Lofts from Ananda Spa is the Boat Street Café. It turns out that the name comes from when the café was located on Boat Street (they were forced to relocate when that building was torn down). The food always smelled fantastic, and we often thought of stopping by for a post-massage meal. Tonight (at long last) we were able to check it out.

The menu is French-inspired, as is the café’s ambience — slate tables, fresh flowers, and minimalist touches. The very friendly waitress brought us some fresh bread to start off the meal. Yes this is a common occurrence, but the fresh mini-baguette that came straight from the oven to our table was worth calling out. I was tempted to make a meal of the baguette and butter…

But I needed to save room for the Black Cod with Pickled Peppers. Rich, silky, and buttery, the cod was matched well with the peppers and onions. Very tasty, but not meant for those looking for “lighter fare”.

Our other entree took advance notice (“30 minutes from oven to table” according to the waitress): Leek and Goat Cheese Flan. It was worth the wait, though one look at the overflowing dish that could feed a small family and I knew what we’d be having for breakfast tomorrow 🙂 This souffle contained a relatively mild goat cheese, and a fluffy texture overlaying the leeks and onions.

Overall the food was very good, and the waitstaff very pleasant. Given the richness of the cuisine however, it would be a difficult place to frequent more than once a month or so. Lunch did look like a more casual, order from the counter-based affair. I’ll report back when we have a chance to check that out!

Boat Street Café
3131 Western Ave., Suite 301
Seattle, WA 98121
206-632-4602

Tues-Sat: 11:00AM-2:00PM, 5:00PM-10:00PM (Lunch and Dinner)