Miscelaney

You know those happy accident days where all things just kinda go your way? Mine occurred this past Monday in West Seattle. It started in the morning with an unexpected walk on the beach in Alki and ended with a delightful shopping experience at Metropolitan Market. Though the high point was definitely lunch at Fresh Bistro.

The weather on Monday was perfection…great day to be on Alki. A late start to a coffee meeting at the Alki Starbucks led to an opportunistic yet leisurely stroll up and down the beach (note to self, do this more often). After my meeting I lobbed a call to a friend who lives local for an impromptu bite to eat. It was close to 1:00pm but I just happened to catch her before she put the first spoonful of lunch to her lips (see, going my way). Being the foodie she is, she suggested Fresh Bistro near Jefferson Square (not being familiar with this hood, this meant nothing to me) but knowing her, without question this was going to be a good choice. A quick stop by her house and we were on our way.

The restaurant occupies the first floor of a mixed-use building.  It is tastefully understated and extremely welcoming. Clean lines, warm wood, user-friendly color palate…invitingly contemporary. There’s a lovely little outside patio so we dined al fresco, which added to the perfection of the day. Pots full of herbs and flowers lined the patio’s perimeter and subtle smells of thyme and similar fragrances pampered our senses with each soft breeze.

The creative menu is masterful at using local, fresh ingredients and infusing each item with an unexpected twist. On the advice of my lunch date, I ordered the Braised Pork Belly Bahn Mi ($8) sandwich. The flavors of this sandwich just jumped off the plate and into my mouth the minute I even got close. OK, not really, but powerful flavors (in that really really good way) rolled out the red carpet for what was to come all in that first bite. The pork belly alone is out of this world but Fresh showcases the innovative anchor of this traditional Vietnamese sandwich with foi gras mayonnaise, fried egg, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumbers, cilantro and jalapenos. I’m without words to describe this absolute delight other than to say this sandwich is a must try.

My lunch date ordered the Roasted Veggie Sandwich ($8). This farm-to-table sandwich packs some punch with the roasted red pepper aioli and is accompanied with always delicious truffle fries. I know she was loving her sandwich just as much as I was loving mine, but honestly, I was too into mine to listen much to how much she was into hers.

The staff is super friendly which only enhances a positive dining experience. We lounged out on the patio for almost two hours, just enjoying the afterglow of such a yummy meal. The menu is reasonably priced (although my friend actually picked up the tab as a post-birthday treat, which was another positive on the all-things-going-my-way-today list) and I understand they have a fabulous happy hour, with $7 plates and $3 beers. If I were  a local in this neighborhood, Fresh Bistro certainly wouldn’t have seen the last of me this week.

I wrapped up my unexpected tour and blooming love affair of West Seattle with an always-pleasant shopping experience at Metropolitan Market. With fresh ingredients and tantalizing flavors on the mind, MM didn’t let me down. Never does. It’s too bad I don’t get over to W. Seattle more often. Granted it is a drive from downtown Kirkland, but it is always worth it.

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