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

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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.