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The Insider’s Guide to Travel, Food and Wine
A Bite-Size Tour of Washington's Capital
But why would you travel an hour or more south of Seattle, which is a gastronomical world capital, searching for great food? Because some delectable surprises are in store. Olympia is slow food country. Local, sustainable and imaginative are the mantras. The Olympia Farmers Market, located an oyster's throw from the waterfront, is a perfect place to scope out what local chefs are likely to be using.
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Fresh Pacific Oysters with Cucumber-Jalapeno Salsa at Water Street Cafe
Organic Produce at Olympia Farmer's Market
Preserves at Olympia Farmer's Market
Variety of King Salmon with Bamboo Rice and Sea Beans at Dockside Bistro
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A Bite-Size Tour of Washington's Capital
Story and photos by Allen Cox
A glance at a Washington State map reveals Puget Sound ending its journey from the Pacific in what resembles a spread-out hand with finger-like inlets. The state capital, Olympia, about 60 miles southwest of Seattle, hugs three of those inlets. The old capitol dome, badly damaged and repaired after a strong 2001 earthquake whose epicenter was nearby, graces a hillside at the head of a bay above the historic waterfront and boardwalk. Emerald neighborhoods and gardens spread uphill from the shores.
Fresh Oysters at Olympia Farmer's Market
Oyster farms occupy the mud and pebble beaches outside of town. Independently owned organic farms and dairies are scattered throughout the nearby valleys. The Olympia Farmer's Market, open April through December, showcases the bounty of this region and is a perfect place to gain your culinary bearings for a foodie tour of this small Northwest city.
But why would you travel an hour or more south of Seattle, which is a gastronomical world capital, searching for great food? Because some delectable surprises are in store. Olympia is slow food country. Local, sustainable and imaginative are the mantras. The Olympia Farmers Market, located an oyster's throw from the waterfront, is a perfect place to scope out what local chefs are likely to be using. You'll pass seasonal fresh produce, live oysters, mussels and clams, the catch of the day, salmon jerky, artisan cheeses, fresh breads, desserts and homemade preserves – all tempting you to fill a shopping bag and head for a kitchen. But wait...why cook when some of the most inventive chefs in the Northwest are busy using these same ingredients in their Olympia restaurants? How do you find the best ones?
Chef Cedar Martin at Dockside Bistro
In Olympia, begin by reserving a tour with Brooke Guthrie, a local culinary guide who operates Brooke's Bites. Guthrie's three-hour, rain-or-shine walking tour stops at three of downtown Olympia's best dining rooms for chef's choice bite-size courses that include visits with the chefs themselves. The tour assembles at the intimate Dockside Bistro and Wine Bar on the waterfront, where Le Cordon Bleu-trained Executive Chef Cedar Martin works with fresh, organic and wild ingredients. He seems at the peak of his craft with seafood. It's chef-choice, but guests could enjoy halibut and morels served over house-made gnocchi tossed in wild leek pesto, or his trio of king salmons – Copper River, line-caught Pacific and Columbia River – all surrounding bamboo-infused rice and topped with wild sea beans.
At the next stop, Cicada, Chef Billy Roberson serves up a fusion of Northwest, Gulf Coast and Italian cuisine. “Instincts are what separate managerial cooks from imaginative cooks,” according to Roberson. Looking as though he'd just stepped off a Harley in his black chef's uniform and lavender do-rag, Roberson serves tantalizing bites in Asian soup spoons, just enough to make you want to come back for more. His creations include local deep-water mussels bathed in a sambal-honey broth topped with a kiss of blue cheese, dispelling the myth that the combination of seafood and cheese is taboo. Another of his delights includes sweet potatoes, caramelized onion and ricotta baked under a bed of buttered bread crumbs – a smooth, comfort-food combination.
Asparagus and Filet Bundles at Water Street Cafe
The tour ends at either Acqua Via or Water Street Cafe, both owned by the same family. “They like to have their food speak for itself,” explains Guthrie; the menu is devoid of recipe descriptions. Acqua Via, in the heart of downtown, is smaller and prides itself on simple presentation and high quality ingredients, such as gourmet cured meats from Salumi in Seattle, offset with artisan cheeses and fresh in-season fruit. Water Street Cafe, on the edge of downtown near Capitol Lake, is a favorite with the state's politicos, not only for its proximity to the capitol campus but for the fact that its wine collection won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for four consecutive years. Chef and Owner Jeff Taylor serves Guthrie's tours five bite-size courses. Selections might include seared ahi with mustard vinaigrette accompanied with black lentils and smigi mushrooms, or fresh asparagus wrapped in paper-thin beef filet in house-made black bean sauce. The tiny Pacific oysters hail from Little Skookum Inlet, two bays away, and are bathed in cucumber-jalapeno salsa and served freshly shucked. Sublime simplicity.
Between the three tour stops, Guthrie points out downtown Olympia's other eateries, which total more than 50, both high-end and dives, plus microbreweries, and shares some tidbits about the city's food culture. Guthrie's guests walk approximately a mile, sample 10 to 12 courses, most with wine, and never complain about being hungry after the tour.
Helpful links:
olympiafarmersmarket.com.
www.brookesbites.com.
© Story and photos by Allen Cox, 2010
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