Chilies, neighborhood buzz heat up eclectic dining at Bick's

They say nature abhors a vacuum, though abhors is a pretty strong word. This North End neighborhood wasn't exactly a dine-out vacuum before Bick's Broadview Grill opened here five years ago -- but close enough. Bick's was and is the right place at the right time: a neighborhood gathering spot with a buzz.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

BICK'S BROADVIEW GRILL

PHONE: 206-367-8481

ADDRESS: 10555 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle

PRICES: Starters, $3.95-$17.95; entrees, $11.95-$21.95; desserts, $3.95-$5.95

HOURS: Dinner 5 p.m.-10 p.m. nightly

BAR: Full bar

SMOKING: At bar

RESERVATIONS: Accepted

PAYMENT: Major credit cards; no checks

SOUND: Loud but not too loud

ACCESS: No barriers

PARKING: Small private lot plus street parking

BEST BETS: Bick's Original Spicy Rock Shrimp Spring Rolls, $7.95; Mussels in Coconut Milk Broth, $8.95; Northwest Style Spare Ribs, $16.95; Sesame Crusted Halibut, $15.95; Fruit Cobbler, $5.95; desserts $3.95-$5.95

RATING: ** 1/2

The buzz results partly from design -- ownership desired a vivacious atmosphere, so there's no sign of acoustic tiles. It gets "happy loud" from sports watchers at the bar and from general chitchat, both intra-table and inter-table. Many here seem to know each other, or else they're just mighty friendly folks.

The buzz also is due to the emphasis on pepper and chilies. Just pick up and bite into the Firestarter appetizer -- roasted habaneros and jalapeños -- and feel the buzz. Feel the tears stream. No, not with your fingers!

Flail past a line of straight-backed, flat-bottomed wooden booths, and grope blindly for the restroom door, hoping it's the appropriate gender (Tip: men's is on the right). Feel the endorphins start to kick in before you find your way back to the table.

There, ahh, have another, more careful bite, this time incorporating the soft, golden-fried flatbed, and the herbed goat cheese. Relax, look around and notice a single shelf that rings the main room, which is airy and open, painted the color of pumpkin chiffon, a pair of brick chimneys rising through the ceiling. Hundreds of hot sauce bottles line the high shelf, standing at the ready. Beware earthquakes. Hundreds of hot sauces would tumble, crack open and spill, melting down tables, old wood floors, and customers alike.

Heat is a theme, but Bick's is far from a one-chord song. The menu lists a dozen appetizers, plus 15 entrees, categorized Seafood, Meatless, Chicken and Meat (sic).


	Don Schuette, left, manager, and Stephanie Lynch, chef, of Bick's Broadview Grill. MERYL SCHENKER/P-I

Best of the starters were spicy-hot (thanks to red-curry paste and jalapeño) house-made spring rolls, available with duck, rock shrimp or crab, all zesty, served with a cool (sort of, thanks to serrano peppers) avocado creme fraiche dipping sauce.

Mussels also charmed, both for their plump, fresh goodness and for their red-curry coconut-milk broth, which would work just fine as soup. Clams, in a garlic-herb broth, proved pleasant. Bick's worthy Creamy Northwest Crabcakes assume Asian identity napped with napa-daikon slaw, cilantro pesto and Bick's wonderful, fun, piquant sweet-and-sour tomato jam. These may be had as appetizer or entree.

Sesame-Crusted Halibut was indeed, with salt-and-pepper-colored seeds, in a sweet-on-sweet treatment -- great fish in an orange glaze atop milky coconut rice, asparagus spears on the side. Broiled Copper River king salmon, also high quality and perfectly broiled, rested atop bright-flavored lemon-arugula risotto. Lemongrass Flavored Portobello Mushrooms got the sweet treatment as well, also with coconut rice.

Bick's Bistro Burger is a study in excess -- what with roasted poblanos and bell peppers, caramelized onions, avocados, salsa and jack cheese. Forget the bun top. Knife and fork are required, or great dexterity. Wish the default doneness was not well well well.

A boneless half bird, marinated silly in herbs and garlic, the Flattop Flattened Chicken was deeply flavored, even more so with accompanying herbed goat cheese and lemon spinach, plus garlic horseradish mashed potatoes. These, too, are a study in excess -- excess garlic, and, one night, what must have been an accident with the pepper can.


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The Northwest Style Spare Ribs earned high marks, both for quantity (1.5 pounds) and for the warmly spiced, blackberry-barbecue-sauce basting. The result was blackened, tender, mildly sweet and meaty ribs. Add a big square of jalapeño corn bread drizzled with honey butter for down-home goodness.

More than a dozen wines are available by the glass, but the bottle list is limited (and priced only $9 over cost). An easy-to-like $10 cork fee opens the options.

Each table sports a little rack with maybe a half-dozen hot sauces, bearing such names as Liquid Axe and Crying Tongue. Customers add to the collection. Bring in three new varieties, and you get a free appetizer.

Of course, come dessert time, we hope the hot sauces get a rest. It would be a shame to add fresh red lava to a choco-mousse in a mug or to the trio of creme brulee flavored with Kahlua coffee, vanilla bean and chocolate raspberry. Or to a very attractive cobbler: two thin crusts held apart by a single layer of sliced fruit, with more fruit on the side, as well as vanilla ice cream.

If our visits are representative, erratic service is one issue here, and an easily overwhelmed kitchen another. One night we had to send back a New York steak for the requested filet (pancetta wrapped, topped with Stilton-walnut butter). No apology. Another night, we got both an apology and a free peach cobbler to compensate for slow food delivery. But since we already had desserts aplenty, the good intentions were deflected.

It may be they were not expecting to absolutely fill on a weeknight (what happens when they open their deck?), or maybe the crowd is of a tolerant nature, here for more than food alone.

James Goldsmith can be reached at Goldsmith_James@hotmail.com.

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