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New chef, dazzling new dishes boost classy act of Green Lake eatery
Friday, February 4, 2000
By GREGORY ROBERTS
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Consider the restaurant formerly known as Saleh al Lago. It's got a new name, Nell's, a new chef-owner, a new menu, a new wine list and a new decorative scheme. Yet the bones of the place are still the same, and it's got much the same feel as it used to, a quietly comfortable blend of classy and casual.
The food, too, seems pitched at a similar level, with carefully composed preparations showcasing the quality of the ingredients, served in portions sized to sate rather than stuff.
Except that it's better.
This is not a knock on Saleh Joudeh, who opened Saleh al Lago in its unlikely Green Lake spot in 1982, and over the next 17 years earned much critical acclaim and a devoted following for his stylish, Italian-accented cooking. It's just that new chef Philip Mihalski, a Dahlia Lounge and Marco's Supperclub alumnus who cooked with Joudeh for six months before last fall's changeover, performs with more polish, and on a wider-ranging, contemporary American stage. Where Joudeh rarely dazzled while consistently delighting, Mihalski can definitely make your heart beat faster.
The cardiac stimulant one night might be a special entree of the silkiest tenderloin of rabbit wrapped in the most luscious bacon imaginable, lolling in subtly smoky ease on a bed of salsify. Or it might be the venison centerpiece of the tasting menu, a meaty grilled hunk flattered by sweetly braised red cabbage and herby, comforting spaetzle; there's a lot going on in this dish, all of it good.
Dried black cherries, moistened by a light onion-cumin broth, sound a lovely, fruity note in harmony with seared chunks of ahi tuna draped over almond couscous. Ripe kalamata olives chime in with proper restraint in the entree of pan-seared striped bass, with firm cauliflower and fresh artichokes joining the chorus.
Nell's, 6804 E. Green Lake Way N., Seattle, 206-524-4044. Prices: appetizers $8-$13, entrees $16-$23; five-course tasting menu $52. Hours: dinner 5:30-10 nightly. Full bar. No smoking. Reservations accepted. Major credit cards. No obstacles to access. Limited free parking in adjoining lot.
3-1/2 stars
A deft touch of char bolsters the grilled pork loin, though the sides -- burly kale and elegant onion soufflé -- threaten to steal its spotlight. No such challenge confronts the forthright veal sirloin, simply because it's an awesome, un-milk-fed revelation, escorted by mustard greens and sweet-potato gnocchi in edgy, earthy conjunction.
Thrills don't necessarily hold off until the entrees. Dungeness crab joins in riveting interplay with crunchy diced apple in a salad daubed with parsley aioli. Roasted beets and minted crème fraîche set off mild yet seductive slices of smoked sturgeon. Wontons enfold savory shards of duck and float in a perfectly tuned, robust-but-not-overpowering broth in a superb soup.
While clearly charting his own, imaginative course, Mihalski has kept a couple of Joudeh classics: quickly sautéed calamari dashed with garlic, parsley and paprika (and, in a Mihalski twist, deep-fried capers), and beef tenderloin graced with a basalmic-peppercorn sauce. Both are very good, even excellent, yet mostly outshined by their company on the menu.
In the plus ca change vein is Joudeh himself, who still holds a financial interest in the restaurant and puts in appearances in the dining room; much of Joudeh's service staff also has stayed on, and they go through their paces with practiced professionalism. The room itself retains its raised-center layout, but has otherwise been altered.
Gone is the pink-and-teal color scheme, replaced by forest green and that soft, butternut-squash hue that might be called Restaurant Yellow. There's less tile on the floors and more carpeting, and blond-wood wainscoting in place of vinyl wall covering up front. The overall effect is soothing, enhanced by Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald on the sound system.
Mihalski has reworked the wine list, which, like the food, is less focused on Italy than it was under Joudeh. Mihalski concentrates on producers in the Pacific Northwest, California and France, and his thoughtful selections include many reasonably priced choices on a roster that ranges from the vicinity of $20 a bottle to just under $100.
Happily, Mihalski has joined the growing number of chefs who offer an after-dinner cheese plate, and he's got some wonderful wedges on it, both domestic and imported. Less heartening is his lack of a pastry chef, but he pretty much resolves any doubts on that score with such dessert stunners as a satiny lemon-verbena crème brûlée, or a chocolate-mousse Napoleon at once lush and airy, or a vibrant house-made pineapple-mango sorbet encircled by honey-drizzled slices of pink grapefruit.
Joudeh named Saleh al Lago after himself. Mihalski named Nell's after his wife. Given the quality of Mihalski's act, that should let him off the hook for many Valentine's days and anniversaries to come.
Post-Intelligencer food critics arrive unannounced and pay for all meals and services.
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