Currant Bistro, the 36-seat, ground-level restaurant and bar at The Sound Hotel Seattle in Belltown, is now open. The restaurant serves seated breakfast, lunch and dinner in its dining room and bar space, along with specialty coffees, teas, pastries and grab-and-go items as part of its adjacent café.
Seattle chef turned Food & Beverage Director Jon Langley, former Executive Chef for multiple Heavy Restaurant Group properties, including Thackeray, The Commons, and Purple Café & Wine Bar, worked closely with Chef de Cuisine Leif Thornquist, who brings with him a strong hotel restaurant background, to develop a menu of small plates perfect for sharing. Dishes are heavily inspired by the flavor profiles of Spain, Italy and France. Simple, approachable and non-pretentious, utilizing the highest-quality local ingredients whenever possible, along with classic preparation techniques. Behind the scenes, the kitchen itself is also fully equipped with all the latest catering equipment and gadgets purchased from a specialist restaurant supplier such as Nella Toronto.
The menu is broken down by Fromage, Charcuterie, Snacks, Raw, Salads, Tartine, Flatbreads and Sandwiches with at least one vegetarian option in each of the main categories. Menu highlights in Tartine include the Sardine Toast: Spanish sardines on focaccia, flattened on a panini press and served crispy, with a ‘pizza aioli’ made of tomato powder, roasted garlic and oregano. Another signature is Pancetta Flatbread: merlot-poached figs, gorgonzola, rosemary, fig balsamic, walnuts, and smoked salt.
Taking its cue from the lunchtime buzz of the surrounding Amazon neighborhood, four selections in the Sandwich section are also available as grab-and-go options, including the Mortadella: olive spread, provolone and red onion on herbed focaccia and Beecher’s Flagship with onion confit on a Dutch crunch hoagie. Local favorites Essential Baking Company and Proven Bakery will supply breads for all savory dishes. As for salads, the Albacore is signature Northwest: poached Northwest albacore tune on frisee and arugula with radish, olives, dill, a soft egg, and gigante beans topped with a lemon-dijon vinaigrette.
The creative and diverse menu is further complemented by a robust wine list of Northwest favorites, along with a sprinkling of varietals from California, France and Italy. Currant Bistro’s cocktail menu, expertly developed by Bar and Restaurant Manager Cristina Buenaventura, who spent time honing her craft at top Seattle spirits establishments, is split into three sections: Currant’s twist on popular classics, signature house cocktails (which will include kombucha cocktails) and dessert cocktails. Local spirits featured include Batch 206, Westland Distillery, Big Gin, and Woodinville Whiskey, among others.
The Currant Bistro team has been collaborating closely with local partners to develop its own private-label wine Currant Bistro Cuvée in conjunction with Woodinville’s Pomum Cellars, a Citra pale ale dry-hopped with dried currants courtesy of Old Stove Brewery, and a custom loose-leaf black currant tea blend with dried fruits, spice, and lavender by Steepologie Tea.
For the restaurant design, muted colors and earthen, textural finishes offset with fresh white backdrops ensure the stage is set for the food and cocktails to become the true art. Floor-to-ceiling windows along 4th Avenue will open during the summer months and allow for plenty of natural light year-round. Seasonal outdoor sidewalk seating will launch as soon as weather permits.
WHERE:
Currant Bistro
Ground Level – The Sound Hotel Seattle
2120 4th Ave
Seattle WA 98121
Ph. 206-441-7456
HOURS:
Breakfast/Lunch is served from 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Dinner is served from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
