Ravish on Eastlake dishes out delights with pluck and charm
I admired the staff's pluck, their grace under pressure and their show-must-go-on resolve. I'm glad I returned for chubby crab cakes flecked with jalapeño and flattered by Thai chili sauce. Also for wonderfully crusty flatbread, an oval of dough sparingly topped pizzalike with spicy tomato sauce, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, Gouda and lots of fresh basil.
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Tender, Cajun-spiced meatloaf sliders tucked into mini brioche buns were slippery with grilled red onions and ketchup so invigorating it could double as barbecue sauce.
Macaroni and cheese, baked to order in a square ramekin thickly topped with a breadcrumb crust, was a grown-up's delight, with pancetta nuggets among the elbow noodles (or not, for vegetarians) and rosemary cheddar and bleu among the cheeses.
"Grapple salad" had no apple, but lots of plump, sweet red grapes and toasted pecans over red and green lettuces dewy with orange-champagne vinaigrette.
Read the whole story
The Seattle Times
July 2, 2010
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Urban Safari: Eastlake
Insider Tip
Worth a few extra strides north, newcomer RAVISH offers a happy hour on the late side (5-7pm) with seasonal, sustainable, locally sourced (phew!) small plates, plus signature cocktails and made-in-the-Pike-Place-Market Procopio gelato.
Seattle Magazine
Best of 2009 |
Lola & Bliss 07-03-10
 Things: Ravish
I am a firm believer in many things … Simple elements that make life a happier place to be … Milling about with the beliefs I hold on a metaphysical level, are those of a less metaphysical nature. Unwavering belief in things like memory foam mattresses, laughter, great skin care, Timbaland, premium denim, and sunscreen. I also believe in great happy hours. As they’re essential to life in the city, one of my favorite past times has become seeking out restaurants that offer this magical time of day to sample their offerings.
Today, I set out on such a venture with Lisa Holman, dear friend and fellow connoisseur of all things delicious. Our journey took us to Ravish on Eastlake, the “naughty little sister of Ravishing Radish Catering” and she proved delightful.
Delightful.
Our happy “hour” turned into four as we sipped on champagne cocktails and snacked on a variety of epicurean masterpieces, including, but not limited to flank steak skewers, a grapple salad, and the American classic, Pigs in a Blanket.
How exactly does happy hour become four, one might inquire? Well, it’s actually simpler than you’d imagine when you’re in a place like Ravish … eclectic, delicious, downright pretty, and happier than Disneyland.
Bartenders, Nick and Luke, thanks for the experience. You’re both quite divine.
Urban Spoon 1-20-10
Delicious and fun! Ravish has a lively atmosphere in part from its whimsical decor. The food is just as whimsical with variety to please any diner. Great wine list that won't overwhelm. Add warm and attentive service and you have a perfect night out with a group of friends or date night with your honey.
Yelp 2-24-10
It's about time the Eastlake area had a nice bar. For years I was forced to chose between the zoo and Eastlake bar and grill which was like deciding between bad and worse. Sustainable, fresh, delicious AND they have Mexican coke in a bottle? I'm sold. The awesome happy hour doesn't hurt either.
Yelp 11-21-09
Finally, after hearing many good things from friends and neighbours we went in. Our experience: awesome! Drinks: really good. Great selection, and unique choices. Food: we had trouble picking what to eat because we wanted everything. Luckily there were 5 of us so we got a decent spread. Everything was really good. (my fav was the... hmmm... well, all of it). Price/Value: We walked out pleasantly full and happy, and our wallets hardly felt it. Rare for a small plates place, which made it all that more special. In short: Go.
UrbanSpoon 11-07-09
Read all Urbanspoon reviews »
Ravish specializes in delicious seasonal, local, organic small plates combining wonderful flavors, beautifully presented. We shared the Free-Range Coconut Chicken Skewers (which, unlike many chicken satay was neither dry not burnt), French Brie & Pear Panini (a melt-in-your-mouth pairing), Beet & Blue Cheese Salad, and Organic Pigs in a Blanket (the maple mustard and flakey wrapping really set these apart) — followed by a couple of cups of joe and two Creme-puffs, one filled with chocolate gelato and the other ginger gelato. Since happy hour is from a civilized 5-7 PM our filling and delicious meal amazingly only came to $36!!!!! On top of that, Becca's service was attentive and excellent.
9-27-09 via The Stranger
Great Drinks, Fabulous Food
I've been o Ravish several times since they opened in mid-August. This is definitely not a spot to miss — try it once and you'll become a regular.
The food is consistently fantastic. Chef Kelly Daly's macaroni and cheese is absolutely worth the 25 minute wait - with fresh thyme and bits of pancetta, you'll be scraping the bottom of the bowl with your spoon so you don't leave behind any of the sauce.
The chicken satay skewers are another winner — perfectly moist and seasoned chicken coated with nutty, toasted coconut, served with a sweet-spicy dipping sauce? Heaven.
Don't miss the artisan spread trio. The tapenade is perfect — briny and salty with chunks of olives, capers, and bits of fresh parsley. It's a wonderful complement to the creamy chevre and the smokey sun-dried-tomato spread. My only (VERY minor) criticism is that I'd like more La Panzanella crackers and fewer slices of baguette.
The caprese is wonderful — pillowy soft mozzarella sandwiched between thick-cut, juicy, fresh tomato and drizzled with savory-sweet balsamic vinegar.
Nick, the bartender, makes beautiful cocktails. His Pimm's cup is the best I've had outside of the UK. Sitting at the bar, service is exactly what it should be - attentive without being invasive, quick without any hovering, and heavy pours when you're having a bad day.
Ultimately, this is a fantastic new restaurant. You'll be glad you ate there!
9-11-09 via The Stranger's Questionland..."So I am new to Eastlake. Are there things I shouldn't miss in the neighborhood? Any gems? Practical things I should know?
Ravish just opened and I have been a frequent and very happy customer. The bartender knows what he's doing, the food is great, and they have happy hour through 7 PM.
9-3-09
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We love people who love good food! Check out the entire review post at Yumski — they have a lot to say and some cool snapshots:
Ravish on Eastlake is my new best friend.
Location - check.
Atmosphere - check.
Drinks - check.
Food - check.
Service - check.
8-19-09 — When it comes to all things neighborhood, the Eastlake Ave blog doesn't miss a beat...
With an eye towards seasonal and local, the trim but well-thought-out menu gives you plenty of tasty options without getting complicated. If the full meal deal isn’t what you’re after, belly up to one of the half dozen stools at the fully stocked bar and sample Ravish’s lengthy wine selection or try "The Ruby," a shaken drink with Raspberry Stoli, Grand Marnier and cranberry juice, or any other "Inspired Cocktail." With something for everyone’s palate, Ravish is another great addition to an already great neighborhood.
Yelp 8-20-09
I loved Ravish! It is exactly what the north end of Eastlake needs. Casual but stylish, friendly, lovely cocktails (try the basil lemonade). The food was very good. We had a lovely caprese salad, a beet salad, and tiny Dungeness crabcakes from the main menu, and tried their specials: pork tenderloin in a citrusy sauce, and salmon. It was very good - I especially loved the fingerling potatoes and the beet salad. Their house red at $6 is a tasty Cotes du Rhone.
We'll definitely be back, probably often if they keep this up. I like the idea of popping in for a drink and a snack, rather than a big dinner.
Yelp 08-21-09
Ravish packs a lot of sass into its little home beneath some condominiums on Eastlake. Stylistically, it walks the line between laid-back and dressy very well — I could see this being a place to meet up with gals for drinks and noshery as easily as a nice late-night stop after dinner on a date night. It's intimate, with a small bar and a fair number of two-tops (plus some benches against the wall for adjusting to bigger groups comfortably) but the white walls and big windows keep you from feeling like you're stuck in a box which just happens to serve cocktails.
This place definitely has a tapas-bar sort of feel; it's not a joint to stop by for a big dinner. The BBQ pork sliders were tangy and flavorful but my Italian panini was to die for. The hot coppa and salami were epic, and the delicious mozzarella and peppers that accompanied my piggy friend did full justice without overshadowing his spicy awesome. The spreads-and-breads appetizer was also quite good and a great deal for the amount of stuff you get. The sun-dried tomato and pine nut was my favorite, but it's really hard to say no to chevre as well.
With as much care as this place puts into their food, one may expect the drinks to be lackluster, but you'd be very wrong. The bartender here is seriously, seriously fabulous. By the time came for us to place our drink orders, my workday wonk hadn't quite worn off and I couldn't figure out what I wanted to order. Never fear! I asked for a surprise and he whipped me off something off-the-menu which ended up being just exactly what I needed: tall, crisp, and spicy with a great ginger kick. It was one of the best cocktails I've had, full stop, which only makes it more sad that I've forgotten what was in it.
Once you've been to Ravish, we hope you'll spread the word via Urban Spoon and other community sites as well as with your friends and family. |
