December's dishes at Spur

Heirloom Lettuces
baby beets. chevre. hazelnuts.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Roasted Cauliflower
fennel. taggiasca olive.arugula.

Parmesan Gnocchi
parsnip. chanterelle. brussel sprout.

Steamed Mussels
potato. leek. bacon.

Sous Vide Octopus
chickpea. celery. treviso.

Fried Rabbit Terrine
potato. turnip. truffle.

Veal Sweetbreads
delicata squash. kale. orange.

Tagliatelle
duck egg. oyster mushroom. pine nut.

Washington Chicken Confit
mustard. garlic chips. scallion.

Pork Belly Sliders
quince. mustard. bourbon.

Grass fed Beef Burger
provolone. red onion jam. thyme aioli.

Grilled New York
thumbelina carrot. pearl onion. peppercorn demi.

October's Drinks at Spur

West Coast Pimm’s 9
pimm’s no. 1. lemon. cucumber. mint. basil. ginger ale.

Empress 10
jamaican rum. grapefruit. st. germain.

Plum Dandy 10
clear creek blue plum brandy. pineapple. bitters. sparkling wine.

Pegu Club 9
gin. lime. cointreau. angostura and orange bitters.

Side Saddle 9
pineapple-sage infused brandy. ginger beer.

Floradora 9
gin. raspberry. lime. ginger ale.

Broken Spur #2* 10
maker’s mark bourbon. cointreau. lemon. amaretto.

Clover Club* 9
gin. lemon. grenadine. egg white.

Red Rum Daisy 10
red pepper infused rum. lime. ginger. grenadine.

Harrison 10
boodles gin. kirschwasser. beet vinegar. orange juice.

Kentucky Tuxedo 10
bulleit bourbon. sherry. lavender. orange bitters.

La Rocio 10
tequila. red wine. stone fruit.

Empress photo by Barbie Hull.

October Menu

Heirloom Lettuces 9
baby beets. chevre. hazelnuts.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Roasted Cauliflower 10
fennel. tagiasca olive.arugula.

Parmesan Gnocchi 10
parsnip. chanterelle. brussel sprout.

Steamed Mussels 13
potato. leek. bacon.

Sous Vide Mackerel 16
nicoise olive. tomato . quail egg.

Veal Sweetbreads 18
delicata squash. kale. orange.

Tagliatelle 14
duck egg. oyster mushroom. pine nut.

Washington Chicken Confit 10
mustard. garlic chips. scallion.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
plum. mustard. bourbon.

Bison Burger 15
caramelized onion. pepper goat cheese. shoestrings.

Flat Iron Steak 24
peppercorn. shallot. fried potato.




kitchen shot of veal sweetbreads.

come see Spur's new photography show by Kristen Imig

Kristen’s hometown is Boulder and her art comes to Spur by way of Paris too... where she graduated with a BFA in photography at Parsons School of Design in Paris, worked for the French magazine "this City Paris" and even was the personal assistant to Pulitzer prize-winner photojournalist Anthony Suau.
Kristen’s photographs have appeared in feature films, in exhibits across the country, and have earned her a win in a National Geographic photo contest. She teaches photography here in Seattle and does commissioned portraits. Kristen Imig Photography, 206.380.4644 and www.kristenimig.com.
Thanks Kristen for a great show.

chefs' days off: Seattle Met mag blogs about what area chefs do with their downtime

Dinners at Tilth and Palace Kitchen... Floating down the river on a hot day with only a DQ Blizzard to sate you... brunch at Luna Park and supper at Serafina with pork chops from Carlson Farms...

Read Parisa's blog on what Dana Tough and Brian McCracken of Spur, and their soon-to-open Tavern Law, do on their treasured days off.

Photo by Kristin Zwiers. Click on blog title above to read article.

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happy hour

today's happy hour chalkboard at Spur.

August menu at Spur Gastropub

Heirloom Lettuces 9
baby beets. chevre. hazelnuts.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini* 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Bill & Steph’s Tomatoes 10
rocket. dill crouton. olive oil.

Parmesan Gnocchi 10
summer vegetables. chive pudding.

Steamed Mussels* 13

white wine. summer peppers. paprika sausage.

Sous Vide Mackerel 16
nicoise olive. tomato . quail egg.

Veal Sweetbreads* 18
washington cherries. corn. bacon.

Papardelle 14
farm egg. peas. speck.

Washington Chicken Confit 10

mustard. garlic chips. scallion.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
apricot. mustard. bourbon.

Bison Burger * 15
beefsteak tomato. tasmanian peppercorn. shoestrings.

Rib Eye Steak* 28
walla walla onion rings. horseradish.

Spur makes it on Conde Nast Traveler's Hot Tables List of 2009

The editors of Conde Nast Traveler magazine say, "Each year, our team of voracious eaters sets off, fork in hand, to search out the world's most exciting new restaurants—as always, traveling anonymously and paying for every last bite of foie gras. Countless courses later, we discovered there's something for every taste and budget—from bargain prix fixes in Paris to blowout feasts in Dubai."

Spur is greatly honored to have made it onto this list in our first year.

A David Nelson summertime creation on Spur’s July drink menu: The Side Saddle

Bartender David Nelson came up with this drink, inspired by some of the ice cream flavor ideas from our last contest and as a play on the classic whiskey and ginger ale "Horse's Neck" cocktail. (A drink named so for its garnish of a long lemon peel hung over the side of the glass, looking like a horse’s neck.)

Nelson’s variation on this very simple cocktail is ingredient-driven. It's made with a brandy he infuses with pineapple and sage, ginger beer, and a house made pineapple syrup. Served in a highball with a lime wedge it’s super refreshing and so summertime-- one of his new drinks celebrated on the July drinks menu at Spur Gastropub.

Spur Gastropub Turns One: Send us Your Photos

Spur will be turning one year old on Saturday, July 18 and to celebrate we’re asking you to send in photos of your nights at Spur to information@spurseattle.com. Email those digital pics in by this Friday July 10 and we’ll put them all together in a slide show that we’ll be showing the night of the 18th.

That night we’ll have Fish House Punch drink specials and some other treats in store. We hope you can join us. We’ll open at 5pm, per usual, with the fun really starting at 9:30.

photo by Kristin Zwiers.

July Menu at Spur

Bibb Lettuces 9
chevre. green goddess dressing. hazelnut.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini* 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Bill & Steph’s Tomatoes 10
rocket. dill crouton. olive oil.

Parmesan Gnocchi 9
spring vegetables. chive pudding.

Hamachi Tartare* 16
chiogga beet. champagne vinegar. horseradish leaf.

Veal Sweetbreads* 18
fava bean. spring onion jam.

Papardelle 14
chanterelles. peas. ricotta.

Washington Chicken Confit 10
mustard. garlic chips. scallion.

Game Hen 22
potato puree. baby carrots. consommé.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
apricot. mustard. bourbon.

Bison Burger * 15
beefsteak tomato. tasmanian peppercorn. shoestrings.

Rib Eye Steak* 28
walla walla onion rings. horseradish.

Dinner with Us at Oxbow Farm- July 16

Come July you’ll also find us out cooking on the farm, with the great team from Outstanding in the Field, the group of culinary vagabonds who stage white-tablecloth dinners in farm fields across North America. On Thursday, July 16 we’ll be cooking up a five course farm-to-table dinner to be enjoyed at a long communal table at Oxbow Farm in Carnation.

Working out of an al fresco kitchen, we’ll be making some great dishes to showcase the crops from Oxbow along with food from the artisans of Stokesberry Farm and Black Sheep Creamery and the wines from Novelty Hill - Januik Winery. The dinner starts with a 4pm tour of Oxbow by Luke and Adam. Guests then take their seats at the long, linen-draped expanse set between the soil and the sky. During dinner, the farmers and producers from Oxbow, Stokesberry, Black Sheep and winemaker Michael Januik will share the table with guests and talk about where the food on the plate and wine in the glass came from and what it takes to get it there.

Cost of the July 16 Outstanding in the Field dinner is $180, with wines paired to each course throughout the five-course meal. For more information and to make reservations visit http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/. We'd love to see you there.

Photo of a recent Outstanding in the Field farm dinner.

Rebekah Denn's review of the Alinea book for the CSMonitor

Rebekah wrote a great article on the Alinea cookbook, which alienated art critic Regina Hackett who called it "soul-less" and conversely was a source of inspiration for Spur's chefs. To read Denn's entire piece, click the link above. In the meantime, here's what Denn reported we said about the book:

"I wanted to lug it one step further, and there I hit “Alinea”’s true niche. It was in the kitchen of Spur, a new Seattle restaurant that has won wild fans with splashy, chemistry-enhanced creations such as a deep-fried Bearnaise sauce.

Co-owners Dana Tough and Brian McCracken didn’t need to look at my copy of “Alinea” when I walked in holding it under my arm – they already had their own on Spur’s kitchen bookshelf, cover already gone and pages well-thumbed. “We jumped on this right when it came out,” said Tough.

Did the book speak to them, I asked? “We find recipes in [the Alinea book], and they inspire us to mess with those and come up with something different,” said McCracken. “What [chef Grant Achatz] is doing here is all revolutionary,” Tough said. “It’s all trying out new things, and seeing where he can take food.” The book “helps us lowly chefs around the country to come up with other things ourselves.”

Even the price – $50, stunningly inexpensive for a book of its production level –was a treat for the young restaurateurs, endowed with more creativity than cash. The price break must have been, Tough thought, “so that chefs could buy it.” The book’s audience was smaller than I had first pictured, but it was there. The book was more than the lab notebook it seemed to me, or the pretentiousness it broadcast to Regina. For the two young chefs, it was a heady hit of inspiration, on every page."

Photo of Alinea cookbook.

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Spur makes list of top five new gastropubs in the country

Click blog title above to read the article in this month’s DRAFT magazine

The editor of one of beer lover’s favorite magazines, DRAFT, came through Seattle a few month’s back. The result of her visit? A great write-up in their article on gastropubs and their top national picks.

We hope you’ll take a moment to read the entire article online. Here’s just a bit of it: “In the kitchen, McCracken and Tough match the bravado of the bar with neo-American dishes like a luscious, earthy Tagliatele pasta with oyster mushrooms, duck egg, and parmesan foam, and the most addictive menu item, pork-belly sliders with heirloom apples atop buttery buns. Nearly every ingredient is native to the Northwest: An exquisite buttermilk-fried rabbit confit hails from Oregon, while the butterfish, cooked sous-vide until it’s so soft it’s cheeselike and served with pickled grapefruit, was plucked from the nearby Pacific.”

June Menu at Spur

Baby Lettuces 9
speck. almond. sherry vinaigrette.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Yakima Asparagus 10
spring onion. hollandaise. miners lettuce.

Parmesan Gnocchi 9
spring vegetables. chive pudding.

Hamachi Tartare 16
chiogga beet. champagne vinegar. horseradish leaf.

Veal Sweetbreads 18
fava bean. spring onion jam.

Tagliatelle 14
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.

Washington Chicken Confit 10
black pepper glaze. mascarpone. horseradish.

Spring Game Hen 22
english peas. baby carrots.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.

Ostrich Burger 15
ramps. buttermilk bleu cheese. shoestrings.

Lamb Saddle 24
spring vegetables. gnocchi. fines herbs.

Nancy Leson’s column in the Times features our Chefs and a look at our new place opening this summer

Click on blog title above to read all of Nancy’s article: “Spurred on by success Spur team to open Tavern Law”.

Her piece begins, “It's been less than a year since chefs Dana Tough and Brian McCracken's Spur Gastropub made its daring debut, setting the town afire with such branding-iron signatures as carpaccio with deep-fried bearnaise, and pork-belly sliders. These crackerjack kids with the modern Western-themed haunt wasted no time knocking food fanatics off their Belltown bar stools -- where they'd been perched precariously already, thanks to alcohol's artful alchemist David Nelson. Now they're set to do it all over again with Tavern Law -- a "speakeasy bar" expected to open late next month at the Trace Lofts complex on Capitol Hill.”

In addition to dishing about Tavern Law, Leson continues on to write, “If anybody can capture the zeitgeist of Capitol Hill and its growing collection of go-to eat-and-drinkeries it's these young cowboys of cuisine, who, at 28 (Tough) and 27 (McCracken), have been singled out as the new breed of Seattle chefs, acknowledging the classics be it at the bar or in the kitchen, yet keeping one foot firmly at the cutting edge of contemporary American cookery.

McCracken grew up around the restaurant industry and notes, "My dad owned big fun bars in Seattle" -- among them Charlie Macs and Montana's, as well as "little bars and sports bars." Meanwhile, his mother wowed them in the kitchen at home and taught cooking lessons on Mercer Island. A graduate of Portland's Western Culinary Institute, McCracken landed at Silks at the Mandarin Oriental in San Francisco and came home to work at Earth & Ocean under Maria Hines, where he met his future business partner.

Tough -- who followed Hines from Earth & Ocean to her award-winning restaurant Tilth as her chef de cuisine -- is a Montana native who graduated from the culinary program at South Seattle Community College. "I got started cooking with my mother," he says. "I was always the one in the kitchen, seeing what was going on." His career got a kick-start with a dishwasher's job at Twin Lakes Golf & Country Club in Federal Way where the chef gave him a solid piece of advice. "He said, `You've really got to love cooking, because you're not going to get paid a lot doing it.'"

Given the reception these chefs, their bartender and Spur Gastropub have received both nationally and locally, it's worth noting the speed with which they've ridden the wave of success.
Asked how that's come to pass, McCracken posits, "From the beginning, our idea was to never have anything lacking, to pay as much attention to each product that's going out -- the service, the bar, the food, the ambiance, we didn't want to overlook anything." With Spur, "We had a very clear vision of how precise we were with the product -- offering food that's exciting and fun and approachable, and we wanted to have a bar that had the same attention to detail. With Tavern Law, we want to do the same."

We’re deeply honored Nancy- thank you.

Photo by Dean Rutz for the Seattle Times

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The Seattle Times’ Tan Vinh reviews Spur’s Happy Hours

“Happy Hour Spur Gastropub keeps you guessing — and happy
Happy hour is improv hour for Spur Gastropub chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough.
PREV of NEXT
In the unpredictable but intriguing happy hour at Spur Gastropub, you may snack on foie gras beignets with whipped crème fraîche and farm honey one evening. Then it may be erased from the happy-hour blackboard the next day. Never to appear again.
Such are the whims of the two wunderkind chefs, Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, who use happy hour as their creative outlet to test entrée ideas. Yeah, you may be their guinea pig, but you will be a happy one.
Some random happy-hour offerings in recent weeks: spicy pepper gazpacho with crab and garlic purée, crispy pork belly with pickled ramps (spring onions) and quinoa and a fromage blanc tartlette with sous vide rhubarb.
Its specialty cocktail menu, though, remains consistent every evening. Thanks to a deep bench of talented mixologists — David Nelson, Zane Harris and Kevin Langmack — the drinks are reliable night after night.
Last week, Spur added a late-night happy hour of snack-and-drink pairings including apple-chip-smoked shoestring fries with Rainier beer ($5) and chicken confit paired with a lemonade cocktail ($10).
Spur Gastropub, 113 Blanchard St., in Belltown, offers happy hour 5-7 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays with bar food from $3-$5 and specialty house cocktails $6 wine $5 and draft beer $3. The new, late-night pairings menu is available 11 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays (206-728-6706 or spurseattle.com).”

Photo by Kristin Zwiers

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Spur on Food & Wine mag's 2009 Go List: a guide to the world’s best restaurants

We couldn't be happier than to be included on Food & Wine magazine's Go List:

"Discover what F&W considers to be the most outstanding, must-visit restaurants in the world.

Spur
At this new Belltown gastropub, chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough’s seasonal, sensational small plates all have an element of surprise, like pork belly sliders with orange marmalade. Bar manager David Nelson makes his own tinctures and bitters for cocktails like the Kentucky Tuxedo, which mixes bourbon, sherry, orange bitters and lavender syrup. We loved: Crispy chile-glazed drumettes of chicken confit. 113 Blanchard St.; 206-728-6706. Written by Providence Cicero"

Thank you Food & Wine magazine.

Spur's written up in Seattle Dining

Thanks to Connie Adams for a really nice write-up on Seattle Dining. Click the link above to read her entire piece. 'Til then, here's a snippet...

"Nearly half of their menu changes over the month, both sweet and savory, with daily specials. 'After 11 p.m., we offer half pints of ice cream with garnishes. For a lot of people, it’s like hitting their own kitchen before going to bed.' They always wanted to have a chalkboard menu and have used one wall to list happy hour specials. 'We aren’t trying to compete with Seattle happy hours,' explains Dana. 'We’re offering high quality food—meats from Snake River Farms and fromage blanc made in-house—at good prices to build trust with guests.' They’re also planning a late-night happy hour. Currently they offer their full menu until 11 p.m. and a six-item menu from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m."

photo of Brian and Dana by Connie Adams.

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May's menu at Spur Gastropub in Seattle

In addition to the nightly additions on our blackboard menu, here are some of the things you'll taste this month at Spur:

Baby Lettuces 9
speck. almond. sherry vinaigrette.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini* 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Yakima Asparagus 10
spring onion. hollandaise. miners lettuce.

Parmesan Gnocchi 9
spring vegetables. chive pudding.

Hamachi Tartare* 16
chiogga beet. champagne vinegar. horseradish leaf.

Slow Cooked Butterfish* 26
cauliflower. radish. watercress.

Tagliatelle* 14
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.

Washington Chicken Confit 10
sherry glaze. pine nut. wild sorrel.

Oregon Rabbit 22
rutabaga. ham hock . mustard.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.

Bison Burger * 15
caramelized onion. pepper ketchup. shoestrings.

Lamb Saddle* 24
new potatoes. haricot vert. mint.

Seattle Metropolitan Interviews Spur's David Nelson

Jessica Voelker of Seattle Met interviewed David for her Sauced column that ran today. In addition to "intensely talented" she describes David as offering "always perfect cocktails (that)have become known as some of the most innovative mixed drinks in town."

Thanks Jessica. Read the entire column here: http://www.seattlemet.com/blogs/sauced/

Photo of David Nelson by Barbie Hull for Spur.

Voelker’s photo caption reads:

“Nice tats. David Nelson shows off some arm art along with La Rocio--an egg-white foam with red wine, lemon juice, sugar, tequila, and fruit.”

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Nancy Leson's All You Can Eat Seattle Times column announces our ice cream contest

click on blog title above to read Nancy's entire column on our Ice Cream Challenge on the Seattle Times website

Seattle Times food writer Nancy Leson let folks know about our Ice Cream Challenge in her column this evening with a story called "Spur Us On: with a Good-Humored Ice Cream Contest".

Nancy's submission to the challenge? She writes, "Call me old-fashioned, but my entry would have to be Cinnamon-Basil Badley, named after a lawyer I used to wait on at Saleh al Lago. That basil-scented sensation is nothing but goodly, but there's a downside: the Spur chefs would be ripping off Jerry Traunfeld -- as I was when I made that luscious recipe and posted it on my blog last summer."

Thanks Nancy for letting people know about our summer's coming contest. We've already seen entries coming in.

Photo of the chefs by Nancy Leson.

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cocktail culture expert Robert Haynes-Peterson calls Spur "uber-hot"

Click on blog title above to read Robert's article on muddled cocktails on HalogenLife.com

He gave us a nice shout-out in his article on muddling and more saying, "... uber-hot new Seattle gastropub Spur is offering up a bevy of cocktails showcasing local stone fruits and pears."

Thanks Robert.

Photo of Spur's master muddler David Nelson by Star Chefs.

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Spur Ice Cream Challenge

Think you’ve got what it takes to come up with the next outstanding ice cream flavor served at Spur Gastropub? The chefs are inviting fans of Spur to submit their best flavor and theme ideas by May 22. The chefs will pour over the submissions that week and a winner will be announced May 29.

The prize? The winner and five of their friends (21 and over please) will be invited down to Spur for a gastropub-style ice cream social where they’ll taste their ice cream, as interpreted by Chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, and enjoy a paired cocktail by David Nelson. The prize also includes bragging rights, as the ice cream flavor will be featured throughout the month of June on Spur’s Dinner and Late Night menus.

Flavor ideas can be made by submitting flavors via email entitled “Spur Ice Cream Idea” to spellmans@spurseattle.com. Please include your name, contact info including phone number and email address, and the flavor or theme idea you have for the Chefs. Without all this info, we won’t be able to contact you should you win.

Inspiration? Spur’s menu has recently included ice creams and frozen yogurts by Chefs McCracken and Tough with the themes of Cigar and Cognac, Cookies and Cream, and Ants on a Log. Their ice creams are always on the dessert menu and Spur’s late night menu always features a ½ pint from 11pm – 1:30 am daily.

photo by Kristin Zwiers for Spur.

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Braiden writes about "chefs and their eggs" in Sunday's Pacific mag in the Seattle Times

Braiden Rex-Johnson, author of "Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining," did a great write-up on eggs this Easter. We were so pleased she included Spur's tagliatelle dish in her article which she described as, "amazing Tagliatelle with Oyster Mushrooms and Parmesan. The toothsome pasta was draped by a duck egg cooked sous-vide (slowly simmered in a plastic pouch to preserve its eggy essence). The parmesan was both shaved and foamed."

Thank you Braiden.

Photo of Spur's tagliatelle by Dean Ruitz for the Seattle Times.

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having fun with "eggs"- chocolate cake at Spur

Our dessert menu has a soft chocolate cake with orange on it. The cake's served on white and dark chocolate soils, orange fluid gel and a "poached egg". (The egg white is white chocolate and the egg yolk is orange. Crack it open and the yolk runs, becoming a delicious sauce.)

Photo by Chef Tough.

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Desserts at Spur in April

FROM THE KITCHEN

Profiteroles
11
pomegranite. foie gras. pistachio.

Soft Chocolate Cake
7
ganache. orange. cocoa butter.

Pear Clafoutis
7
brown butter. almond. crème fraiche.

Ice Cream
6
playful accompaniments.

Sorbet
6
playful accompaniments.

Artisanal Cheeses
13
accompaniments.


FROM THE BAR

Coffee Cocktail
10
cognac. ruby port. egg.

Navan Flip
10
navan vanilla cognac liqueur. lemon. sugar. angostura bitters. egg.

Delicious Sour
10
applejack. lime. peach brandy. sugar. egg white.

Bourbon-Orange Crème
10
bourbon. orange. lemon. salt. burnt orange twill.

Photo of Bourbon Orange Creme by Barbie Hull for Spur.

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April Drinks at Spur

West Coast Pimm’s

9
pimm’s no. 1. lemon. cucumber. mint. basil. ginger ale.

Lupe’s Sangria
9
tequila. white wine. lemon. dubonnet.

Dover Cocktail
10
gin. macvin blanc. lavender. grenadine. chartreuse.

Pear Rum Swizzle
10
bosc pear rum. falernum. lime. chartreuse.

Income Tax
9
plymouth gin. vermouth. orange. angostura bitters.

Broken Spur #2
10
maker’s mark bourbon. cointreau. lemon. amaretto.

Lover’s Lock
9
aperol. grapefruit. absinthe.

Foreigner
10
old overholt rye. ramazotti amaro. strega. blood orange and peach bitters.

Kentucky Tuxedo
10
bulleit bourbon. sherry. lavender. orange bitters.

White Thistle
10
applejack. vermouth. lemon. angostura bitters.

Uptown Old Fashioned
9
rye. lillet. bitters.

Long Ride At Sunset
10
cognac. tawny port. benedictine. peach bitters.

photo by Kristin Zwiers for Spur.

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April Menu at Spur

Artisanal Cheeses
accompaniments.
13

Baby Lettuces
speck. almond. sherry vinaigrette.
9

Sockeye Salmon Crostini
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.
9

Fried Potato Dumplings
tasmanian peppercorn. fondue. chive.
9

Warm Spring Artichokes
fromage blanc. sherry. miners lettuce.
10

Hamachi Crudo
chiogga beet. champagne vinegar. horseradish leaf.
16

Slow Cooked Butterfish
cauliflower. radish. watercress.
26

Tagliatelle
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.
14

Oregon Rabbit
rutabaga. ham hock . mustard.
22

Pork Belly Sliders
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.
12

Bison Burger
caramelized onion. pepper ketchup. shoestrings.
15

Lamb Saddle
spring vegetables. gnocchi. fines herbs.
24

pork belly sliders photo by Kristin Zwiers for Spur

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Spur's Cocktail The Foreigner One of Year's Best Drinks

TOP DRINKS OF THE YEAR

David Nelson's cocktailing is showcased in a pretty cool photo in the upcoming April issue of Seattle magazine.

"Spur Gastropub bartended David Nelson mixes up a mean cockatil at this Belltown hotspot," the photo caption reads. Food writer Lorna Yee selected Nelson's rye whiskey, Amaro Ramazzotti Strega, blood orange bitters, opeach bitter and flamed orange peel cocktail The Foreigner as one of the year's best drinks.

Thanks Lorna.

photo for seattle mag by brooke fitts

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Spur's Fries Rated the City's "Most Delicious Barhopping Snack" by Seattle magazine

MOST DELICIOUS BARHOPPING SNACK OF THE YEAR

April's Seattle magazine gives our fries a shout-out as this area's best post barhopping snack. Tossed with our house smoked olive oil and served with a tasmanian pepper aioli, late night and early diners seem to agree. Thanks for the accolades Seattle.

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Spur Gastropub at Star Chefs Event

We had a great time last night, joining our peers to serve-up some amazing dishes to the throngs of serious food lovers. Event better than being recognized as Rising Star Chefs was the opportunity to interact with so many talented people, all enthusisatic about good food and good wine.

Thanks Star Chefs for a terrific evening. We sure enjoyed it.

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recipe sharing from the chefs, post three

click blog title above to go to Star Chefs website for our recipe

Spur's Beef Carpaccio with Deep Fried Bernaise

At tonight's Star Chefs event at McCaw Hall we've been asked to serve this dish to guests attending this gala honoring our area's top chefs. We though you'd enjoy the recipe, as discussed on the Star Chefs website. It's a fun one to cook and eat.

photo by StarChefs

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Food & Wine magazine's article on the nation's best new places to eat includes Spur

The April 2009 Food & Wine magazine "Where to Go Next" feature covers wine bars and beer halls this month.

In their list of the country's six best gastropubs not to miss, you'll find Spur.

"America's liveliest places to drink are also some of its best new places to eat," the article reads.

What an honor to be included.

Thanks Food & Wine.

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April issue of Food & Wine magazine mentions Spur

Food writer Anya von Bremzen describes the salmon of Spur's crostini, prepared using the sous vide method, as having the "ultimate silkiness".

The salmon is on our March menu at Spur or-- for those of you with the burning desire to recreate it at home-- the recipe can be found on an earlier blog post from Chefs McCracken and Tough.

Thank you Anya.

salmon crostini photo by Kristin Zwiers.

...

a classic 1870's cocktail at Spur

Here’s one coffee drink that’s not a coffee drink at all.

On our dessert menu, you’ll find the “Coffee Cocktail” which first appeared in recipe form back in 1887 in Jerry Thomas’ The Bar-Tender's Guide or How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks book.

It looks like an after dinner coffee drink when in actuality it’s a delicious marriage of cognac, ruby port and egg. Watching David Nelson whip one up is a mouth-watering affair indeed.

Photo by Kat for Spur.

...

housemade sorbets and ice creams at Spur

Our menu always features a sorbet or ice cream from Chefs McCracken and Tough. These desserts have their own following, with people often asking what's featured now. To appease our need to know, Chef Dana Tough took a quick picture of their brown butter sorbet with frosted feuillitines and compressed apples. So there you have it...

The Seattle Weekly Names Its Favorite Restaurants of 2009

The list of favorite restaurants was just announced and the Weekly's Jonathan Kaufman wrote,

"Spur: At their tiny cocktail bar-restaurant, decorated in a style you might call West Elm Western, Dana Tough and Brian McCracken have rightly picked up a reputation for being among Seattle’s most adventurous chefs. Given their work with molecular-gastronomy devices, I imagine their kitchen as a cross between the Flubber set and a high-priced hair salon. But most of the unsuspecting diners on whom the pair bestows their gels, foams, and creams will only notice how good everything tastes. That’s because, in terms of flavors, McCracken and Tough are echt Seattle, calling on the best of the seasonal, local produce within their reach.

The two both trained under Maria Hines, whose all-organic restaurant, Tilth, is a model for sustainable, ingredient-driven cuisine. Their playfulness comes out in texture: a parmesan foam floating over a plate of fresh tagliatelle with hedgehog mushrooms and a duck egg yolk; the sashimi-like feel of a chunk of smoked salmon croustade with mascarpone and pickled shallots. This is food that your retired parents, as well as your Top Chef-addicted college student, will fall for. "

Note by JONATHAN KAUFFMAN; Serves: dinner, late night. 113 Blanchard St., 728-6706. BELLTOWN, spurseattle.com

Photo by Steven Miller for the Seattle Weekly.

Thank you Seattle Weekly.

...

the Seattle Times examines The Last Word classic cocktail

Tan Vinh wrote an in-depth piece in today's food section on the comeback of Prohibition-era The Last Word cocktail. This gin drink features maraschino liquor, lime and green chartreuse (a French liqueur originally made at a monastery in the French Chartreuse Mountains and containing no less than 130 different plant extracts plus chlorophyll for its distinct color).

Thanks for including Spur in your article, Tan, as one of the spots in town to try this historically significant and modernly pertinent drink.

Photo, courtesy of Chartreuse. To learn more about this fascinating liqueur, mentioned in everything from The Great Gatsby to Brideshead Revisited, read more about it on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartreuse_(liqueur)

...

Bourbon at Spur: Critic and Foodie Clancy Recaps Her Taste of the Kentucky Tuxedo

Food critic and writer Maureen Clancy was back through town last week... this time on a quest for bourbon. The delight she took in David Nelson's Kentucky Tuxedo cocktail was a treat to hear.

In her "Going Bonkers Over Bourbon" article Clancy says,

"This marriage of Bulleit Bourbon, Sherry, lavender syrup and homemade orange bitters, is smooth and elegant, with a come-hither aroma and layers of flavor."

To read her full article on this drink and others, visit Clancy's Matter of Taste blog: http://www.maureenclancy.com/.

Thanks Maureen!

Photo by Kristin Zwiers for Spur.

sweets

March's dessert musings from the kitchen and bar include:

Coffee Cocktail
cognac. ruby port. egg.

Daily Dessert Cocktail

Profiteroles
pomegranite. foie gras. pistachio.

Cocoa Butter & Chocolate
ganache. blood orange. candied tarragon.

Pear Clafoutis
brown butter. almond. crème fraiche.

Ice Cream
playful accompaniments.

Sorbet
playful accompaniments.

Artisanal Cheeses
accompaniments.

dessert photo by Kristin Zwiers for Spur.

...

March menu

March has arrived and with it some new menu items here at Spur.

Artisanal Cheeses

accompaniments.
13.

Baby Lettuces
speck. almond. sherry vinaigrette.
9.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.
9.

Fried Potato Dumplings
tasmanian peppercorn. fondue. chive.
9.

Dungeness Crab Salad

cerignola olive. pear. frisee.

14.

Razor Clam Chowder

bacon. celariac. red potato.
11.

Slow Cooked Butterfish
fennel. brown butter. pickled grapefruit.
26.

Tagliatelle
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.
14.

Oregon Rabbit
rutabaga. ham hock . mustard.
22.

Pork Belly Sliders
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.
12.

Bison Burger
caramelized onion. pepper ketchup. shoestrings.
15.

Grilled Flat Iron
sunchoke . fried egg. anchovy.

26.

Spur's Kentucky Tuxedo

Bourbon.

Lavender Syrup.

Dry Sherry.

Orange Bitter.

+ Sunshine in Seattle.

= Perfect Friday evening.

Photo by Chef Dana Tough.

Spur makes the list on Urbanspoon.com

We're honored to be included in Urban Spoon's "Talk of the Town" list of restaurants "everyone is talking about".

Thanks Urban Spoon.

photo for Spur by Kristin Zwiers

recipe sharing from the chefs, post two

An insider's look at how Spur cold-smokes their salmon for their menu-favorite crostini-- smoke gun, homemade marscapone and all.

For the less serious chef at home, the fried capers alone are a quick and knockout garnish.

COLD SMOKED SALMON
SERVES 2 PEOPLE

5OZ SOCKEYE SALMON
- FOR SALMON: REMOVE SKIN AND PIN BONES
- SEASON FISH WITH SALT AND WHITE PEPPER
- TRANSFER FISH TO A VACUUM PACKING BAG
- WITH A SMOKE GUN LOADED WITH APPLE CHIPS SMOKE THE FISH IN THE BAG AND ALLOW THE SMOKE PERMIATE THE FISH.
- VACUUM SEAL THE SALMON
- IN A CONTROLED WATER BATH SET TO 125 F
- POACH SALMON FOR 6 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE FLESH IS JUST SEPARATING.
2 MEDIUM SIZED SHALLOTS

- FOR PICKLING THE SHALLOTS: SLICE THE SHALLOTS INTO RINGS
- 1 CUPS WATER
- 1 CUP RED WINE VINEGAR
- 1/3 CUP SUGAR
- 1/8 CUP SALT
- SACHET OF THYME PEPPERCORN AND BAY LEAF
- BRING ALL INGREDIENTS ASIDE FROM THE SHALLOTS TO A SIMMER
- ONCE THE LIQUID IS TO A SIMMER ADD THE SHALLOTS AND ALLOW
THE SHALLOTS TO COOK OF THEIR NATURAL GASSES (ABOUT 3 MIN)
- STRAIN THE SHALLOTS FROM THE LIQUID AND COOL BOTH THE SHALLOTS AND THE LIQUID SEPARATLEY (THIS WILL PRESERVE BOTH THE COLOR AND THE BRIGHT PICKLE FLAVOR)
- AFTER THE TWO INGREDIENTS HAVE COOLED COMBINE THE SHALLOTS WITH THE PICKLING LIQUID

1OZ. BRINED CAPERS
-FOR THE FRIED CAPERS:
- HEAT A SAUCE POT 1/3 FULL OF CANOLA OIL TO 325F
- ONCE THE OIL IS UP TO 325F ADD THE CAPERS
- FRY THE CAPERS VERY SLOW UNTIL CRISPY THEN STRAIN
- AND COOL ONTO A PAPER TOWEL ( DO NOT SALT)

MASCARPONE
- 1/3 CUP HEAVY CREAM
- 1/8 CUP CULTURED MILK
- SALT TO TASTE
- BRING MIXTURE TO 150F ( STORE FOR 15 HOURS AT 120F)


FOR THE CROSTINIS:

-1 BAGUETTE
SLICE AS THIN AS YOU DESIRE
DRESS EACH PIECE WITH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SALT AND PEPPER

- BAKE IN THE OVEN AT 350 F FOR 10 MIN. ROTATE BAKING TRAY AFTER 5 MIN. REMOVE THE CROSTINI’S WHEN THEY ARE CRISPY

Photo of chefs in Spur kitchen by Kristin Zwiers.

a closer look at David Nelson's Pear Rum Swizzle

The Swizzle was a classic party drink traditionally made with rum or whiskey and respectively mixed with Falernum or Chartreuse, sugar, and lime or lemon juice. Swizzles were always served in a tall glass on the rocks with a swizzle stick so that the person drinking would stir with the swizzle stick until the drink became cloudy and was nice and cold. It’s more of a Southern and Caribbean-style drink but since pears are in season Nelson thought it would be a nice refreshing drink to give people a whisper of summertime during our cold winter.

Nelson makes the rum by infusing it with Bosc pears. (This is an 8 hour sous vide infusion which brings a bright, fresh aroma and flavor). The pear brandy’s also made in-house with the same preparation as the rum.

Nelson also makes the drink’s Falernum: an ingredient not be found commercially but historically a widely-used staple in classic cocktails. This is made from light rum, lime zest, clove, almond extract and simple syrup.

February Drinks

West Coast Pimm’s
pimm’s no. 1. lemon. cucumber. mint. basil. ginger ale.

Empress
rum. st. germain. grapefruit.

Macvin Collins
macvin. lemon. sugar. soda.

Pear Rum Swizzle
pear rum. falernum. lime. chartreuse.

Hanky Panky
plymouth gin. italian vermouth. fernet branca.

Gentleman’s Lemonade
gentleman jack. lemon. honey.

Lover’s Lock
aperol. grapefruit. absinthe.

Cara Carina
cara cara bourbon. punt e mes. chartreuse. blood orange bitters.

Kentucky Tuxedo
bulleit bourbon. sherry. lavender. orange bitters.

Widow’s Kiss
calvados. chartreuse. benedictine. angostura bitters.

Uptown Old Fashioned
rye. lillet. bitters.

Long Ride At Sunset

cognac. tawny port. benedictine. peach bitters.

Photo of Spur cocktail and house snack, fried hominy, by Kristin Zwiers.

recipe sharing from the chefs, post one

Chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough are pulling together recipes to share with you, first up their Tagliatele Pasta with Oyster Mushroom. You've read about it a few places, many have tried it at Spur, and now you can create this dish at home. Enjoy.

Photo courtesy of Star Chefs.

TAGLIATELE PASTA WITH OYSTER MUSHROOMS, PINE NUTS, PARMESAN AND DUCK EGG
SERVES : 6

FOR THE PASTA:

- 8 EGG YOLKS- 1 CUP AP FLOUR- ½ CUP SEMOLINA FLOUR- ½ T SALT- WATER TO BIND
- ROLL THE PASTA PAPER THIN AND CUT INTO ¼ INCH STRIPS- COOK PASTA IN BOILING WATER FOR 30 SECONDS
FOR THE DUCK EGGS:-6 DUCK EGGS- IN A CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE WATER BATH SET TO 145F- PUT THE EGGS INTO THE BATH AND ALLOW THEM TO COOK FOR 45 MIN.( IN THEIR SHELLS)

FOR THE OYSTER MUSHROOMS:

- TOSS THE CLEANED OYSTER MUSHROOM IN:-OLIVE OIL- SALT- PEPPER- SLIVERED GARLIC- TYHME LEAVES
- SPREAD THE MUSHROOMS THIN ON A BAKING TRAY LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER AND ROAST THEM MUSHROOMS AT 400 F FOR 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL THEY ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT CRISPY.

FOR THE PARMESAN FOAM:
- 1 CUP PARMESAN RINDS
- 3 CUPS WATER
- 1/8 CUP SALT
- 2 T LEMON JUICE
- ½ T SOY LECITHIN

COMBINE THE PARMESAN RINDS AND WATER TOGETHER AND SLOWLY SIMMER THE BROTH WHILE NOT ALLOWING IT TO REDUCE. AFTER 45 MIN. PULL THE PARMESAN BROTH OFF THE HEAT AND ADD THE SALT , LEMON JUICE AND SOY LECITHIN ALLOW ALL THE INGREDIENTS TO DISSOLVE COMPLETELY. AFTER THIS MIXTURE HAS DISSOLVED COMPLETELY, STRAIN THE MIXTURE THROUGH A FINE STRAINER.

WHEN IT TIME TO GARNISH THE DISH, BLEND AIR INTO THE PARMESAN BROTH BY USING A HAND BLENDER.

February Menu

Things are delicious at Spur, with this month's menu looking like:

Artisanal Cheeses* 13
accompaniments.

Baby Lettuces 9
speck. almond. sherry vinaigrette.

Sockeye Salmon Crostini* 9
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Fried Potato Dumplings 9
tasmanian peppercorn. fondue. chive.

Dungeness Crab Salad 14
cerignola olive. pear. frisee.

Steamed Clams 12
bacon. leeks. white wine

Slow Cooked Butterfish* 26
fennel. brown butter. pickled grapefruit.

Tagliatelle* 14
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.

Oregon Rabbit* 22
rutabaga. ham hock . mustard.

Pork Belly Sliders 12
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.

Ostrich Burger * 15
red onion jam. provolone. jo-jo’s.

Grilled Flat Iron* 26
sunchoke . fried egg. anchovy.

Photo of Dungeness Crab Salad by Chef Dana Tough.

Wine & Spirits Features Spur, Touts Nelson

Contributor Jonathan Kaufman wrote,

"Spur calls itself a gastropub but actually specializes in small plates paired with classic cocktails. Reflecting the décor, a seamless blend of wild west and techno club, bartender David Nelson fuses the classic and the modern in cocktails like the Broken Spur #2, a reworked Sidecar with Bourbon, Cointreau, lemon juice and amaretto sipped through a sweet citrus foam. Key to Spur's success is its understated ambitions: While dishes like black cod cooked sous-vide with mussels and English peas combine innovation and seasonality, Nelson's Foreigner combines rye with Ramazotti Amaro, Strega and peach bitters; a challenging ingredient list, yet it drinks smooth and easy."

Photo by Barbie Hull.

a Valentine menu

Chefs Dana Tough and Brian McCracken have shared their Tasting Menu for February 14, and it looks terrific. From their notes:

Spur’s Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu ($80)
Enjoy an accompanying tasting of David Nelson’s Cocktail Pairings ($50)
or Wine Pairings ($40)



Amuse Bouche



Dungeness Crab Salad
poppy seed. meyer lemon. mascarpone

Pear Rum Swizzle
pear rum. falernum. lime. green chartreuse



Hudson Valley Foie Gras
pomegranate. olive. brioche.

French Tuxedo
gin. macvin blanc. lavender. grenadine



Sous Vide Butterfish
fennel. pickled grapefruit. lovage.

Lover's Lock
aperol. grapefruit. absinthe



Anderson Ranch Lamb Loin
licorice. sweet potato. ciopolinni onion

Uptown Old-Fashioned
rye whiskey. lillet. absinthe. bitters



Soft Chocolate
salted caramel. sassafras. rosemary.

Long Ride At Sunset
cognac. port. benedictine. peach bitters



Mignardis

Price per Tasting Dinner $80. $40 additional for wine pairings. $50 additional for cocktail pairings. Menu substitutions with at minimum of 24 hours notice please. Reservations being accepted now for this special night's tasting menu. 206/728-6706

-photo credit, Dessert at Spur, by Kristin Zwiers

***

Pan-Seared Skirt Steak, January at Spur

Was chatting with the Chefs about their favorites on this month’s menu. One they described is their Pan Seared Skirt Steak ($24) with the cube of a skirt steak they’ve created with sunchokes, caper, fried anchovy and a veil of house-made Worcestershire sauce.

Photo from Spur's kitchen.

Spur's Chef Duo Honored as "Rising Star Chefs" by StarChefs

It was announced today that Chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough are being recognized as "Rising Star Chefs" by StarChefs.

Antoinette Bruno, who you may recognize from her role as a judge on Iron Chef America, made the announcement. StarChefs' board including luminaries like: Jean Georges Vongerichten, Bobby Flay, Todd English, Norman Van Aken, Daniel Boulud, Josh DeChellis, Jody Denton, Todd Gray, Paul Liebrandt, Ken Oringer, Hans Röckenwagner, Marcus Samuelsson, Norman Van Aken, and Jean Georges Vongerichten.

This online magazine selected a few Seattle chefs for the awards. McCracken and Tough are honored to be included in the list.

Headshot photos courtesy of StarChefs.

Sumi Hahn Reviews Spur on Her Eat, Play, Love Blog

Foodie and former critic Sumi Hahn wrote about Spur on her Blog recently, saying, "Spur is perfectly named: It’s an agent of change, a kick in the pants to the local dining scene, where gastronomical innovation sometimes means changing the dining room setup. But forget those cumbersome platters, gritty communal tables, secret “underground” restaurants, and silly paintbrushes in sauces–they’re trying way too hard. Instead, look for a kitchen that’s cooking with heart, gut, and head in the right place—and having fun in the process. The guys are Spur are doing just that–and doing a damn fine job of it."

To read Sumi's entire review, visit her Eat, Play Love Blog at:

http://sumisays.wordpress.com/2009/01/06/spur-gastropub/

Who is Sumi? In her words, "When a restaurant critic retires, do her opinions retire as well? Absolutely not. This blog is for all those friends of mine who want to know whether I’ve been to the latest Seattle hot spot and what I think of it. I’m Sumi Hahn, AKA S.M. Hahn (former restaurant critic for the Times-Picayune and Seattle Weekly). I now freelance on food for various publications (like Edible Seattle & Seattle Magazine) and write on classical music for the Seattle Times."

Thanks for a wonderful account of your 8-courses at Spur, Sumi.

a look at our Parsnip Cake, crowned by housemade cream cheese

A favorite on our January dessert menu is the Parsnip Cake. Perched on a bed of almond praline, and lightly dusted with coconut, this cake is topped by frosting of Spur's housemade cream cheese.

Photo by Spur.

Spur's January Menu

Artisanal Cheeses*
accompaniments.
13

Lolla Rosa Lettuces
cheddar. hazelnut. mustard vinaigrette.
9

Sockeye Salmon Crostini*
mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.
9

Fried Potato Dumplings
tasmanian peppercorn. fondue. chive.
9

Alaskan Spot Prawn Terrine
carrot. brown butter. tarragon.
16

Steamed Mussels
fennel. sausage. white wine. rouille.
12

Slow Cooked Butterfish*
celery. meyer lemon. olive.
24

Tagliatelle
oyster mushroom. parmesan. duck egg.
14

Oregon Rabbit*
rutabaga. ham hock . mustard.
22

Pork Belly Sliders
heirloom apple. mustard. bourbon.
12

Ostrich Burger
red onion jam. provolone. jo-jo’s.
15

Pan Seared Skirt Steak*
sunchoke . caper. anchovy.
24

-substitutions are politely declined.
-a gratuity of 18% may be included for parties of 6 or more.
*consuming raw or undercooked foods may cause food borne illness.