Finding the secret

In this new age of celebrity chefs, restaurants easily fall out of fashion as new food trends and even new hot spots steal the foodie spotlight. There is one place however that seems to holds to secret to remaining a constant favorite - Dahlia Lounge. So what is the secret?
Maybe it's because its the first restaurant of chef Tom Douglas, who also helped to define Northwest cuisine? Maybe its because he received the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Northwest Chef in 1994 or that Food Wine named Dahlia Lounge the "Quintessential Seattle" restaurant in 1999. Or, could it be because he 'reigned supreme' over Masaharu Morimoto in an episode of Iron Chef America? Well, we needed to find out for ourselves.

Starting our dinner, we decided to try three items first; the honey lacquered pork belly, the dungness crab cake and the wood grilled Pacific octopus. Each were unto their own, fantastic. The octopus was a pleasant surprise, rich and meaty and not at all what I expected. Of the three, it was my favorite.

For our entrees, we enjoyed the roasted carrot ~ ricotta ravioli with sweet peas, oyster mushrooms and tarragon butter and the spit roasted Berkshire pork rack with grilled spring onions, watercress, rice beans and green garlic. Both were heavenly, velvety and creamy. Yes, creamy! For dessert, the triple cream coconut pie put us over the edge into food nirvana. I can't wait to go back.

Though the 1997 Dalla Valle was tempting (I say with a Cheshire grin) our wallets opted for a half bottle of one of our favorite pinot noirs - Patricia Green - and a half bottle of Sancerre. Both paired wonderfully with each of our dishes.

So here's a challenge, go find out the secret for yourself. For me, having enjoyed such a fantastic meal, the secrets are the culinary inspirations showing up on the menu!