Eating Seattle: Le Pichet

My dream came true: After working our tails off weeding and digging in the dirt (our dirt! I'm still getting used to the fact that we own this house!) we took quick showers and headed down to the market. We hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast and it was after four, so we were a little grumpy and a little slow to make a decision. The rooftop patio at Pink Door? A Post Alley table at Kell's? Nah, let's go see what they're serving at Le Pichet.


All the tables outside were taken but we decided to stay and take a seat near the front windows; almost as good. We ordered a pitcher (hence the name, Le Pichet) of a French white from the Gascogne (sorry, can't remember the exact name but it was fresh with a little mineral and perfectly chilled), plus their five-cheese plate and my personal favorite, the country pate with honeyed walnuts and grain mustard.

Ruby had decided to skip her afternoon nap so we were a little worried she might start erupting with her "talking to the seals" voices, aka making squeeking noises so piercing that only seals can understand. I'd brought all the essentials: ice water in a bottle (for teething), teething biscuits that taste like animal cookies, even her wiggly doggie sock toy. But instead of erupting, just as our cheese and pate arrived, she started falling asleep in my arms like a beautiful little angel. This is probably something that happens a lot with other 7 month olds, but I think the last time Ruby drifted off to sleep in my arms without at least a little struggle was probably when she was 4 months old or younger. You know what they say about the little things in life? Well, this was magic.

So was the food. I nibbled the wonderful cheeses and Ed helped me make perfect pate-walnut-mustard bites since I only had my tard arm at my disposal. We were having such a nice time--tired in that great way you only feel after physical work--and Ruby was being such a trooper that we decided to order one more thing: the warm chicken liver and spinach salad, with walnuts, parmesan and a fried egg! Hell yeah. Is it me or has the "salad" category seriously improved in the last 10 years? We shared a demi-pichet of a light red to go with the salad. Perfect. I think the entire bill was around $45 and it was one of the most enjoyable afternoon meals I can remember. Our server was warm and attentive (she even let a little girl sitting outside borrow her jacket when she got chilly). Damn, I love that place.