Comfort food comes in many forms. Defined in Wikipedia as “foods that provide emotional nutrition in the form of familiar tastes and a sense of security,” the concept of comfort food dates back at least to the seventeenth century.
Whether it’s a hearty meal shared with loved ones or a nostalgic treat, comfort food continues to nourish both body and soul. Here we tour spots where you can enjoy it.
New and Old: Radiator Whiskey Opens in Ballard
The original Radiator Whiskey, part of the same restaurant family as Matt’s in the Market, has long been a Pike Place destination for comfort food and whiskey. In July, Radiator Whiskey (5313A Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle; 206-556-3123; radiatorwhiskey.com/ballard) opened a location in the heart of Ballard. The menu is slightly different at the Ballard location, with a definite comfort-food theme. (Of course, there is also a whiskey theme.)
We got there in time to order the happy hour menu as well as the dinner menu. We started with the Caesar Brussels sprouts. We enjoyed those while sampling the happy hour white and red (which apparently change, but both were easy to drink and affordable). The Caesar sprouts included croutons, which were a surprise but consistent with their name.
For mains, we had the happy hour pulled pork sandwich and the shrimp and grits off the regular menu. With the main course we tried the cask Manhattan, which was very good. The pulled pork sandwich was a hit, very tasty pork served with slaw on top of the pork and on a toasted brioche bun. The shrimp and grits received a bit more ambiguous reception. The three shrimp (we were told the number in advance) were fresh and tasty, but the grits were extremely thin — more like a cheesy gravy than grits. The Southerner among us was disappointed, but the native Northwesterner had no trouble finishing them.
All was made well when we tried the chocolate gelato dessert which had excellent flavor and a very generous portion (more than enough for two), with berry compote and filberts on top.
We enjoyed our visit, despite the cacophonous music in the bar, and plan to return, once again to catch happy hour for the pulled pork sandwich and for another round of that gelato.
Well Established and Worth the Effort (to Find Parking): Communion
The new crown jewel of 23rd and Union is Communion (2350 E Union St., Seattle; 206-806-1916; communion
seattle.com), which opened in December 2020 and, despite Covid, was an immediate hit, including rave reviews from The New York Times. For a long time, it was difficult to get reservations. That has loosened up a bit, so we finally tried it.
Our reservation was for seating at the bar. We enjoyed watching the bar tenders and the higher seating gave us a good perspective on the entire place. Note: Even the bar seating is subject to reservations, so walk-ins on Friday or Saturday nights have slim chances of getting a seat.
We got a Yeasty Roll as a starter. It is a very large and very delicious roll that comes with Dungeness crab butter. It was like getting dessert before the meal. Very little, if any, got saved for eating with the main course. For mains, we ordered the lamb tibs and the seared duck breast and we loved them both. The lamb tibs are served in an East African berbere-based sauce over black-eyed pea hummus accompanied by teff bread. It was very flavorful (and that flavor held up well as leftovers, for which they brought us additional teff). The tibs also have a vegan mushroom option. Meanwhile, the seared duck breast, listed on the menu as “Ramen(ish),” was just as tasty. The duck was served over yam noodles with mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, and a soft-boiled egg, all in a chicken-based broth.
We accompanied the main with their “bottled brown liquor” (a honey-mint Old Fashioned). It was interestingly presented in a small (8-ounce) bottle but was otherwise unremarkable. We finished the meal splitting the berry crisp, which smelled marvelous, but the flavor was just not there to match. Despite our disappointment in the dessert, we would order both of these main courses again.
We were prepared to find Communion had been over-hyped, but we were wrong. We very much enjoyed our meal. We expect to add this to our list of places to which we return after reviewing them.
And Just Across the Street: Marjorie in a New Location
Many, if not most, of you will remember Marjorie (2301 E Union St., Suite P, Seattle; 206-441-9842; marjorie
restaurant.com) from its two prior locations. It’s now in a courtyard across Union from Communion, and it is lovely. Entering off Midtown Square, one is immediately taken by the beautiful blue walls, engaging artwork — including possibly the best photo ever of Prince — and the music, ranging from playlists to a full turntable and vinyl setup. This first impression captures the ambience: comfortable and welcoming. It is Marjorie.
Marjorie has indoor and outdoor dining. In good weather the garage doors roll up, and their patio dining is the best. If you are really lucky, you might be there on an evening when jazz is being played in the Square and can enjoy your own private dinner concert. And, for a larger crowd, the private dining room serves eight to 16 guests.
Full disclosure: Our reviewers include long-term Marjorie fans who have known the owner, Donna Moodie, for most of the 30 years she has been an influential figure in the Seattle food scene. Each of her places has felt like a community.
Chef Aislinn McManigal-Quintana’s menu is both seasonal and sophisticated. We particularly appreciate Manager Richard Ayres for his quality cocktails and welcoming conversation. We went to Marjorie on a beautiful August night; the doors were open and a light breeze was in the air. We wanted to order the whole menu. We almost did.
Our cocktail order was basic and well-crafted negronis and vodka martinis. It is not an overstatement to write that everything we tasted was exceptional. The highest of the high points were the appetizers. The bread basket with dips was a great start, with three dips that we completely consumed (and even asked for more bread). Our favorites were the carrot and hazelnut hummus and the creamy corn and serrano. The seasonal heirloom tomato dish was outstanding, dressed with Mushroom XO (a traditional Chinese sauce) providing delightful umami and dusted with crunchy peanuts. The contrast in texture was perfect. We had no regrets about ordering the hushpuppies with spiced honey butter and optional bacon, one of the longtime favorites.
We shared entrees of jerk chicken, which recalls Donna’s Jamaican heritage, braised oxtail, and poached halibut. Again, all was excellent. The halibut shone with a delicate preparation using heirloom tomatoes and accents of mussels, clams, shrimp, and crab. We completely finished the sides of mac and cheese and creamy grits and corn. We might have wiped the serving bowls clean with bread slices.
For dessert, we stayed with the theme of the evening, exercising very little discipline. Pastry Chef Manda Mangrai’s offerings made choosing too difficult, so we ordered one of each. The bread pudding was as good as always; some consider it to be the best dessert in Seattle. Huckleberry cobbler was a treat. Having lived in the Northwest for decades, we still don’t think we could recognize a huckleberry in the wild but do appreciate the summery bright berry flavor. The matcha cheesecake with the crispy honey swirl was the unanimous favorite.
We intend to continue to frequent Marjorie’s new location and you should not hesitate to go, order and eat everything, and be happy.
Comfort Food in Ashland
If you want comfort food while visiting Ashland, Oregon, for some Shakespeare (or for any reason), try Skout (21 Winburn Way, Ashland; 541-482-0119; skoutashland.com). This place focuses on a wide selection of brews on tap to accompany a comfort-food-oriented menu, all with a view of Lithia Park, which is in the National Register of Historic Places.
Skout is in downtown Ashland at the end of a building, with a creek running alongside it. The location hosted Sesame until Covid, when owners took advantage of the lull to substantially remodel the locale into its current brew-oriented format. Now it has a wood-based industrial feel, with rolling doors that open the entire wall facing the park. This is an informal, short-order place. The indoor dining area, which is open air when seasonable, is dominated by a vintage camper, presumably to set the outdoorsy and scouting theme.
Skout features (and pushes) its “Risk it for the Brisket,” a smoked brisket with white cheddar on sourdough, but we tried the fall-back recommendation from the server: the “Ultra Meltathon,” a grilled cheese sandwich with raclette cheese, thick cut bacon, and lingonberry jam on toasted sourdough. The sandwich was dominated by the bacon and we were barely able to taste the jam, but we like bacon and enjoyed the sandwich.
The pulled pork tacos that passed by us smell great, and will be a target when we go back. Those of you with an Oregon background may appreciate they offer “Orygun” cod and chips.
Despite the impressive list (40+) of brews and such on tap, as well as their full bar with drinks featuring made-in-Oregon liquor, we stuck with an Arnold Palmer — though it was clear we were skipping what may be the core of Skout’s appeal. We will imbibe next time, when we don’t need to stay awake for a play afterward.
From observation, the beverage service was very quick; the food service, not as much. But this is by design. They even have a sign saying they serve “fun food, not fast food,” suggesting that if you are in a hurry, you should come back when you have more time.
And, for before or after the meal, the Lithia water drinking fountains just around the corner are flowing again. The belief in the beneficial effects of Lithia water helped establish Ashland as a healthful resort long before Shakespeare came to town. Lithia water is, however, an acquired taste.
Dining Out is brought to you by Christopher Howard with the help of family and friends and with a special shout out and thanks this month to one of our original contributors (from our early years starting 20 years ago) Mary Jo Newhouse. Comments and suggestions are welcome at chh@f2t.com or 206-669-5956.
