Wednesday Lunch Club at Staple & Fancy
For six months last year I cried like a baby when Ethan Stowell decided to close his debut (and my favorite) Union restaurant. How could it be? He had three other run-away successes in town (Tavolàta, How To Cook A Wolf, and Anchovies & Olives). He had collected a glowing comet’s tail of awards, including 2008 Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in America, 2009 StarChefs Rising Star, and three-time James Beard Best Chef Northwest nominee (2008, 2009, and 2010). So many nights of delicious multi-course tastings, including one six-hour, nine-course, wine-paired, solo dinner (my wife was out of town, and I was hungry). To me, Union was foodie perfection. And the staff were top-notch. Why close?
Because Ethan was moving his flagship to Ballard, to the new Staple & Fancy Mercantile, where he is back in the chef’s hat. Backed by his trusty Union people, and the same passion for superb execution of super-fresh ideas on the spur the moment, Ethan’s new Staple & Fancy is all about omakase (chef’s whim) “Italian-inspired” feasts. And the accolades are piling up, just like the licked-clean plates used to on my table at Union. Crazy good, except for one thing: the joint is always so packed, it’s hard to make a last-minute reservation.
So to make sure you can get your fill, Staple & Fancy will open for a special Seattle Foodies Lunch Club on Wednesday, March 2. The menu details may not be decided until we’re eating (as one reviewer said, even your waiter won’t know what’s coming), but we do know that it will be fabulous. And manager and über wine genius Sennen David will assemble a pairing that I know will be perfect (I lost count of the times my dinners at Union went to eleven with his wine selections).
So please email me if you can join us!
Where: Staple & Fancy Mercantile
Address: 4739 Ballard Ave NW
When: Wednesday, Mar. 2nd, 11:30am
Cost: $35 (+ tax, tip, drinks), optional wine pairing TBA
UPDATE: Another record broken! We booked all 44 seats in just two days. But don’t despair, we’ve started a wait list. There’s always last minute churn (work/childcare emergencies, flus, etc.) so you’ve still got a good shot!