Wrapping up this trip to Seattle at Pike Place Market

The morning of Day 3 started off really slowly, as I hydrated to offset the overindulgence of last night's restaurant and bar selection. Originally, Monday morning was slated for relaxation before heading to the airport. That of course changed when I opted to spend Saturday morning watching Michigan State football, forcing me to delay my visit of Pike Place Market to this trip's final morning.

Pike Place at dusk where Pike Street meets 1st Avenue
2017 Pike Place Market. Seattle, WA

Pike Place Market (not to be confused with Pike's Place roast from Starbucks) is located at the intersection of Pike Street and First Avenue in downtown Seattle. First opened in 1907, the market is one of the oldest public markets still in use today. With its trademark sign (pictured above), it also happens to be one of Seattle's most visited attractions, with millions of tourists annually.

The market itself is built over top of a hill that runs from 1st Avenue down to the waterfront. Because of the geography, the market consists of numerous levels. Higher levels - featuring access to Pike Place street - are dominated by the larger purveyors and mongers. As one digs into the bowels of the market, stores transition to small restaurants, as well as antique and collectible stores.

Before digging into the market itself, I decided to grab a quick bite of late breakfast at nearby Café Campagne. A quaint little French bistro, Café Campagne is located right in the thick of the Pike Place Market area on Post Alley. While they do not technically have a breakfast menu, their lunch menu is full of egg dishes that can easily function to start the day.

Oeufs en Meurette (poached eggs with red wine-foie gras sauce)

2017 Café Campagne. Seattle, WA

My selection for this late breakfast was Oeufs en Meurette: Poached eggs with red wine-foie gras sauce. This was served with pearl onions, bacon & champignons on garlic croutons. On the side came a basket of pomme frites, and a jar of house made aioli.

A lovely dish, I rather enjoyed the fruit and acid notes of the wine, married with the rich and gamy notes of the foie gras in the sauce. This was soaked up perfect by the giant garlic crouton in the bottom, along with the yolk from the poached egg. Bacon yielded some salty flavors, while onions and mushrooms offered both texture and their individual flavors.

After breakfast, I made my way across the street to the market for some exploring. The place was absolutely crawling with tourists, so I think it's safe to say that the earlier one arrives to explore, the better. As one precedes north towards Virginia street, purveyors transition to artists and craftspeople with their various wares for sale. The northern terminus of the market consists of a patio area with a beautiful view of Elliot Bay. Grab a coffee, and enjoy a moment's reprieve from the crowds as you soak in a beautiful day in Seattle.

Panorama of Elliot Bay from Pike Place Market
2017 Pike Place Market. Seattle, WA

From the northern end of the market, I doubled back south, but this time delving down into lower levels. Some highlights include shops dedicated to magic, comic books, and antiques. Notable restaurants include Lowell's, which was featured in the film Sleepless in Seattle.

After close to two hours delving through the market, I headed back to my condo with mixed feelings on Pike Place Market. There is no doubt that the market has some incredible purveyors, yet because I was not there to buy food, I just found myself navigating throngs of people just to see things I wasn't in any position to buy. This was further compounded by not really finding any artists or stores that really impressed me. I am sure if I lived local, and could go there to actually pick up ingredients for a dish I wanted to make at home, I would have different thoughts. But to each their own; the crowds really outweighed the good aspects for the tourist in me.

An hour or so in the condo packing, and I was ready to head to my final meal for this trip in Seattle at The Pink Door. Founded in 1981, this American-Italian restaurant is renown for its nightly burlesque and trapeze shows. Located on Post Alley - between Virginia and Stewart streets - the only thing letting customers know of this restaurant is the unobtrusive pink door from the alleyway.

Stepping out of the alleyway mayhem, one is treated to an expansive place overlooking the northern fringe of the market. For those who want outdoor seating, they do have a patio. Alas, as the temperature was starting to get quite warm on this early September day, I opted for a two top with a view of the market and the bay from the inside. After reviewing the menu, I opted to start with a simple Caprese salad, and finish the meal with their salmon special.

Caprese salad
2017 The Pink Door. Seattle, WA

This Caprese salad was just what I needed after a bit of a rich breakfast. Super fresh, with ripe tomatoes providing a nice blend of sweet and acid. Offset nicely by creamy mozzarella and herbaceous notes of fresh basil. Finished with a drizzle of olive oil for body, and a pinch of salt for flavor balance; it was the perfect salad for a warm late summer day.

Salmon special
2017 The Pink Door. Seattle, WA

My lunch entrée selection for today is The Pink Door's salmon special, featuring semolina gnocchi, romano beans and king oyster mushrooms. Sadly, I found the salmon to be slightly overcooked on the edges, and thus not as flaky as I would prefer. Interestingly enough, the interior of the flesh was a tad under-cooked (a little darker than I would prefer). That being said, I really liked the flavors in this dish. Marsala sauce offered nice Marsala-wine flavors, which were soaked up by the trumpet mushrooms and gnocchi, while Grilled romano beans offer a nice balance of char and herbaceous freshness. Overall, a solid dish that would have been even better had the salmon been cooked more to my liking. I would highly  recommend The Pink Door for either lunch or dinner, as its location pairs nicely for a day exploring Pike Place Market.

And with that, I collected my luggage and made my way through downtown and to the Central Link station at University and Third Ave. The fifty plus minute ride - plus the time sitting at the gate at SeaTac waiting for my flight - awarded me some time to reflect on my weekend in Seattle. Some things were quite superficial: Seattle is a lot hillier than I had expected, and Pike Place Market is even busier than advertised.

Many thanks to the Somm at Canlis for
suggesting this killer Washington State Syrah.
2017 Canlis. Seattle, WA

Digging deeper, one area I really appreciated was the overall style. There is just something so enticing about the Pacific Northwest vibe, where hills of rustic pines merge not with bunker like cabins you would expect in flyover country, but a modern aesthetic that embraces views of the ocean. This modernity flows through to the art scene, which allowed grunge rock and the wild creations of the Chihuly-era glass masters to flourish. Their indelible contribution has created a wonderful museum scene that is worthy checking out while visiting.

This is all balanced by a sense of roots and tradition. Despite manufacturing in this country having a wild ride over the last few decades, Seattle showcases its pride as aviation pioneers with a wonderful aviation museum that both educates and entertains. The wonderful restaurants I have tried, while showcasing various cuisines, still managed to stay grounded to the wonderful seafood that the area provides. They also promoted some of Washington State wines, which re-ignited my appreciation for Syrah so much, that I now am planning a wine weekend in Walla Walla, WA over Memorial Day 2018.

All of this was buttressed by interacting with some very delightful people. The Seattle Spartans, who took me in during the Saturday football gamewatch, offered both suggestions, as well as quality controlled what I had arranged already. The Somm' at Canlis, aside from the aforementioned wine recommendation, brought out a glass of St. Joseph Syrah that he was excited about to solicit my opinion, and it was excellent.

Overall, Seattle is a beautiful city with a delightful Pacific Northwest aesthetic that is one part modern, one part tied to the timberline and water that comprises the local terrior. The people are friendly, and the food is excellent without being overly extravagant. This certainly will not be my last visit to Seattle, and I am excited to see how the food culture evolves driven by the recent Amazon/tech-fueled prosperity.