Mistral Kitchen ~ Seattle, Washington – MistralKitchen was the last of four exquisite eateries we visited during our wide-eyed visit to Seattle.

Chef/Owner William Belickis, born and raised in New York City, cut his culinary teeth under the tutelage of world-renown, haute cuisine chef David Bouley in Manhattan.

While working at a benefit dinner at Portland, Oregon’s Rex Hill Winery, Belickis got his first taste of the Great Northwest and over the course of the next few years eventually found himself in Seattle as the owner and founder of MistralKitchen.

MistralKitchen offers its guests a variety of dining options.  You can come as you are and dine in MistralKitchen’s dining room as you watch the chefs cooking over a wood-fired grill, or if you prefer a more formal and elegant dining experience, you may choose to dine in MistralKitchen’s Jewel Box for a seasonal chef’s tasting menu consisting of 4, 6, or 8 courses with or without wine pairing.

We were hosted in MistralKitchen’s casual dining room and delightfully began our gastronomical journey with Big Eye Tuna Crudo.  We are both longtime lovers of crudo (Italy’s version of sashimi) and Chef Belickis’ dish was a pure delight.

MistralKitchen’s menu changes frequently with the coming and going of seasonal fresh items.  Our server, to our pure delight, suggested that we next opt for Peas, Burnt Lemon, Nevat Goat Cheese, & Pine Nuts.

Oh, ere I forget, General Manager and Sommelier Patrick Hymer was attendant with big smiles as he brought us a fresh, chilled white wine to enjoy with our dinner.

And here is Chef de Cuisine Taylor Thornhill busily working away on our dinner.  Gotta love his mustache!

Carol and I parted ways on our next dish as she is, for some reason unknown to man, completely unwilling to try Foie Gras.  I, on the other hand, learned long, long ago to simply adore this delicate dish and MistralKitchen did not disappoint with their interpretation.

Absolutely, standing-ovation-worthy!

It was now time for our main course, and Carol, being the mid-west steak loving gal that she is, opted for Painted Hills 16oz Bone-in Rib Eye, Fingerling Potato, Dried Peppers & Almond Sauce.

It was fun watching the chefs hang the steak, after coming out of the flames, to allow the juices time to settle.

I, on the other hand, being the eternal gastronomical explorer, opted for a Trio of Lamb.  If I remember correctly, this special item was not listed on the menu we brought home, this was a lamb sausage, loin, and shank.

In any event, once again I found myself with a great desire to gather the restaurant’s patrons and start a stadium-style wave in honor of the chef.

Absolutely wonderful textures and flavors.

Our wonderful evening ended with MistralKitchen’s Ultra Brownie, with Home-made Peanut Butter Ice Cream and a delightful double-shot of espresso.

What a delightful evening.  Wonderful setting, wonderful new friends, and cuisine that was out of this world.

We highly recommend a visit to MistralKitchen when you make your journey to Seattle, Washington.

Disclosure:  our wonderful dining experience was provided by the kind folks at MistralKitchen.  Thank you!