Le Pichet! (Part 1)

I am so excited I am literally ready to jump out of my skin! But I digress.... It has recently come to my attention (Thank you Kim Glidden) that there is such a place in that ever so close emerald city, Seattle, that specializes in the French bistro fare I have been searching for.  A place were I will be free to pursue my gastronomic adventures in discovering and enjoying the foods and many cultures that makes up our strange and awesome world.  Enter Le Pichet.

A little background first:
Jim Drohman and Joanne Herron opened Le Pichet in 2000 with the hope of recreating the personal, neighborhood style of restaurant they had come to love in France. Located in Seattle's Pike Place Market Historical District, Le Pichet is a 32 seat restaurant specializing in the regional cuisine and wine of France. The name "Le Pichet" means "The Pitcher", which is the ceramic vessel in which simple, traditional neighborhood restaurants in France serve wine.


OK, enough biography time, this posting is more along the lines of talking about this amazing discovery that I plan to try on Saturday the 24th.  Hell, I might actually make a day of it.  Skip breakfast, go for a jog, stuff myself stupid on enormously delicious French cuisine that would make my friends reconsider vegetarianism. Sounds like a great day to me!  All this prior to guys night out in Seattle, of course.  I'm thinking mi amigo Rion might be willing to come along on this taste test, maybe even Brandon G.  Who knows. 

I highly recommend having a look at Le Pichet's website (http://www.lepichetseattle.com/) to view their spectacular menu.  As of now, here are a few things I plan to have during my visit there (Perhaps it will take two visits to accomplish this):

-Gâteau au foie de volaille
“Smooth chicken liver terrine” $6.00

- Pâté albigeois
“Country style pork pâté with honey and walnuts” $6.00

- Langue de boeuf
"Beef tongue, spice brined, simmered in stock and pressed”

-Boudin noir
“Blood sausage made with pork, cream, eggs and nutmeg”

-Boudin noir maison et salade tiède aux pommes de terre $9.00
“House made blood sausage, sautéed fingerling potatoes, garlic, spinach and sweet grain mustard vinaigrette”

-Caille rôtie à la moutarde et son coulis aux poivrons rouges et au cacao $17.00
“Semi boneless quail, roasted with mustard and bread crumbs, on a red pepper-cocoa coulis, escarole, olives and fried potatoes”

-Mijoté d’agneau aux pois-chiches et aux abricots secs $19.00
“Boneless lamb shoulder, simmered with chickpeas, spinache, cumin, picholine olives and dried apricots”

Now, if you have been following my recent posts, you can understand why this restaurant has captured my attention.  I look to the bring an element of culinary cultural diversity to the people who don't necessarily venture out of "The Norm", those that like their comfort zone of processed cheese product and grey burger pattis.  I seek to expand my own horizons, taste pallet, and imagination, while gently placing a cattle prod under those who think my eating habits are gnarly.

Not so long ago I would have cringed at the very thought of eating any food that had even a hint of fat in it (As my affinity for health, fitness, and the pursuance of an Adonis like physic bordered on obsession and addiction).  Now I say, bring on the Prosciutto Blanco, the duck foie gras, the Andouille/Chorizo/Kielbasa/Blood sausages of the world.  Let us have our cake and eat it too, my friends.

I will be reporting back on my findings to let you know if these patrons of the "Surrender Monkey" foods is worth your time, so stay tuned. 

Thanks for reading and wishing you best eating,

-Chris