New Year's Eve. Dinner at Spur

This New Year's Eve we will be offering a three, five or eight course tasting menu priced at $50, $80 and $110 per person excluding tax and gratuity.  Reservations are available by phoning 206/728-6706.  The evening's menu? Take an advance look here...

Heirloom Squash Soup 3.5.8.

Spot Prawn. Crème Fraiche. Granny Smith Apple.

Foie Gras Terrine 5.8.
fennel. orange. curly endive.

Beet Salad 5.8.
buttermilk. caraway. arugula.

Handrolled Garganelle 8.
carrot. tarragon. brown butter.

Olive Oil Poached Albacore 5.8.
celery root. Yukon gold potato. taggiasca olive.

Wagyu Cullotte 3.5.8.
baby turnip. apple. crisp sweetbread.

Passion Fruit 8.
grapefruit. streusel. fromage blanc.

Chocolate. 3.5.8.
pistachio. pear. caramel.

Spur Chefs McCracken and Tough Named "Chef of the Year, Seattle" by Eater

Eater has named Brian McCracken and Dana Tough  "Chef of the Year, Seattle".  The announcement read:

"It is time now to announce the winners of the 2011 Eater Awards, presented by Patrón Tequila. In over 50 categories spanning thirteen cities, the winners comprise a diverse bunch of the finest and most interesting chefs, operators, and characters in the country. We applaud them. You are hereby instructed to applaud them. So, without further ado—

Chef of the Year, Seattle

Nominees: Jason Franey (Canlis), Jerry Corso (Bar del Corso), Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi (Joule and Revel), Blaine Wetzel (Willow Inn)

Winner: Brian McCracken & Dana Tough (Coterie Room, Tavern Law, Spur)".

The entire story can be read here.

Thank you to Eater's editors and all of you who also voted. We're humbled and so look forward to seeing you at Spur, Tavern Law and The Coterie Room soon.

Seasonal Dishes on the Spur Menu

photo by Trevin Chow

Baby Lettuces 9
hazelnut. apple. sherry.

Pear Salad 12
treviso. pine nut. danish blue cheese.

Smoked Parmesan Gnocchi 14
parsnip. brussels sprout. almond.

Alaskan Spot Prawns 18
ginko nut. celery root. brown butter.

Foie Gras Terrine 18
huckleberry. black pepper. basil.

Lamb Tartare* 18
castlevatrano olive. tomato. egg yolk.

Merguez Sausage 14
chick pea. harissa. tender herbs.

Olive Oil Poached Hamachi 24
carrot. coriander. taggiasca olive.

Corned Duck Breast 26
stone fruit. chanterelle. leek.

Veal Sweetbreads 18
braised greens. squash. apple.

Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks 25
white bean. leek. guanciale.

Wagyu Sirloin* 30
cauliflower. baby artichoke. almond gremolata.

Chefs Tasting Menu: 5 course 75. 8 course 100.

Spur Menu Staples

Sockeye Salmon Crostini * 4 each.

mascarpone. caper. pickled shallot.

Pork Belly Sliders 12

cranberry. walla walla sweet onion. scotch.

Tagliatelle* 14

duck egg. oyster mushroom. pine nut.

Grass fed Beef Burger* 15

red onion jam. cheddar. thyme.

Additions

Pork Belly 6

Fresh Baked Brioche 6

Sous Vide Duck Egg 4

Desserts at Spur

photo by Kristin Zwiers

Cranberry. Pumpkin. Spruce. 8

cheesecake. soda. shortbread.

Almond. Pear. Rose. 8

crème brulee. meringue. snow.

Chocolate. Buttermilk. Beet. 8

sorbet. sponge cake. mousse.

Ice Cream 6

playful accompaniments.

Sorbet 6
playful accompaniments.

Artisanal Cheeses 13
accompaniments.

Seattle's Spur Honored in "The 20 Best Bars in America" by Men's Health Magazine

Men's Health November issue features The Thinking Man's Guide to Drinking.   We're thrilled Spur Seattle made it onto the list of the 20 Best Bars in America.  They write:

BEST BAR FOR LOCAVORE DRINKERS 

At this avante-garde gastropub, the chefs use local ingredients only-- and drinks aren't exempt.  In summers, Spur serves mixers made from scratch--come winter, cocktails are dosed with housemade bitters.

tomatoes and melon at Spur

sweets of summer: Spur

lavendar sponge cake. yogurt. honey.

Spring Menu Offerings at Spur

...a look at what's joining our staples on the menu at Spur...

Endive and Treviso
fava bean. spring onion. crème fraiche.
9

Warm Asparagus Salad
truffle. crouton. chive.
12

Parisian Gnocchi
morels. english peas. parmesan.
12

Bigeye Tuna Crudo
caviar. avocado. radish.
16

Foie Gras Terrine
rhubarb. rose. sorrel.
18

Lamb Tartare
castlevatrano olive. tomato. egg yolk.
18

Merguez Sausage
chick pea. harissa. tender herbs.
14

Sous Vide Butterfish
haricot vert. potato. chamomile.
24

Corned Duck Breast
sunchoke. brussels sprout. apple.
22

Veal Sweetbreads
bing cherry. corn. lemon verbena.
18

Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks
nettles. spring onion. guanciale.
25

Wagyu Sirloin*
cauliflower. baby artichoke. almond gremolata.
30

Chefs Tasting Menu
3 course
45

Pirate Drink for this Weekend's Film Premier: Daily Beast Taps us for a Recipe

We loved it when Brody Brown sent along the film trailer to us for this weekend's new Pirates of the Carribean on Stranger Tides movie and asked what cocktail we'd create to emulate this new flick. A spicy Dead Man's Chest is what we're sipping this weekend. Thank you Daily Beast for the call from all of us at Spur and Tavern Law.

Click on blog title above to read the story which reads in part, "An undoubtedly delicious drink might be made to taste like the main pirate of this film, who also happens to be frequently lauded as the sexiest man alive?

With so many options, it’s best to leave it to the professionals and thus why we’ve enlisted the aid of Dana Tough and Brian McCracken, co-chefs and co-owners of Spur and Tavern Law in Seattle. “A pirate’s hold was prized if it included exotic spices—a costly luxury back then,” says Tough. “We capture the magnetism that spices held for pirate bandits like Captain Sparrow with the Tasmanian peppercorn syrup that adds a spice and tells a story.”

“Ingredients like falernum bring a depth of variety of spice that a successful raid by these bandits would have procured. Our cocktail may have a laundry list of ingredients, but that’s why it’s named the Dead Man’s Chest,” adds McCracken.”"

Our Summer Cocktail in This Weekend's Wall Street Journal

There's a great ode to summer in this weekend's Off Duty section of the Wall Street Journal. We were tapped for an elderflower-forward cocktail idea and shared our Elderflower Iced Tea drink recipe. Thanks to the WSJ and Kevin. Click blog title above to see all the recipes.
Photo by F. Martin Ramin for the WSJ.

Watch the Segment: A Look at Spur from InTheMo

It's great to see the video review of our Seattle restaurant Spur online from IntheMo. Click on blog title above to view it and come by to join us soon.

Bon Appetit Magazine Taps Spur Chefs in Good Health Story on Housemade Sodas

The May issue of Bon Appetit magazine has a Good Health story on DIY Healthy Sodas, for which we were tapped for our thoughts and recipes.

Meryl Rothstein wrote, "FIZZ ED: Ripe fruit and a carafe of soda water; that's all you need to can your canned soda habit once and for all. At Spur in Seattle, where chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough change their menu according to what's growing at nearby farms, serving soda from a bar gun wasn't going to cut it. Like so many chefs across the country who are embracing all things D.I.Y. they started making sodas with the same seaosnal ingredients that go into their dishes. Not only are the results more food-friendly (McCracken and Tough pair their house-made Cucumber, Mint, and Basil Soda with saddle of lamb and English peas), they're also organic and corn-syrup free. "We use ingredients that we go bonkers for," Tough says. "Then we don't have to do much to them to make a good product.""

The story showcases a gorgeous photo of our soda by Gentl & Hyers and goes on to include our recipe along with one from Graham Elliott, Contigo in the Bay area, and Gruner.

We'll share the recipe soon.

Thank you Bon Appetit magazine and Meryl.

Spur's Smoked Cavatelli

Spur's Smoked Cavatelli

We are gearing up for Seattle Restaurant Week which starts this Sunday April 10. It was wonderful to be invited to Q13 This Morning News to share our Smoked Cavatelli with peas, artichoke, ricotta salata. Watch our appearance here: http://bit.ly/SpurQ13.

A Morning Foraging, Before Our Thursday Workshop

We headed to Seattle's Discovery Park with the team from Spur this morning. Our foraging netted nettles, honeysuckle, miner's lettuce and wild watercress. Watch as they join the menu tonight.

on the menu at Spur

Her's what you'll taste seasonally here at Spur:

Celery & Apple Salad
walnut. crème fraiche. local greens.
9

Chiogga Beets & Carrots
coriander. chevre. mizuna.
10

Parisian Gnocchi
chanterelles. cauliflower. parmesan.
10

Bigeye Tuna Crudo*
caviar. avocado. radish.
16

Foie Gras Terrine
pear. black pepper. sea salt.
18

Alaskan Spot Prawns
winter squash. walnut. pomegranate.
18

Lamb Tartare*
castlevatrano olive. tomato. egg yolk.
18

Tagliatelle*
duck egg. oyster mushroom. pine nut.
14

Corned Duck Breast
sunchoke. brussels sprout. apple.
22

Veal Sweetbreads
parsnip. castlevatrano olive. grapefruit.
18

Lamb Shank
potato. parsley. pearl onion.
27

Wagyu Sirloin*
quinoa. truffle. root vegetable.
30

Chefs Tasting Menu: 3 course
45

Photo of Spot Prawns by Kristin Zwiers.

Spur Whiskey Dinner: Wednesday March 9 at 6:30 pm

Ready for a night of whiskey? This 5-course dinner by Spur Chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough will be paired with 5 cocktails created by the evening’s guest bartenders from Tavern Law, Rob Roy, Bastille and Bathtub Gin & Co. To reserve your seat at the table please call Spur at 206.728.6706. The price is $80 per person plus tax and gratuity.

Guest bartenders are Phillip Thompson (Tavern Law), Brynn Lumsden (Rob Roy), Charles Veitch (Bastille) and Adam Freem (Bathtub Gin & Co.). And here’s a sneak peek of the evening’s five courses in all their deliciousness:

MENU
1ST COURSE
Kusshi Oysters
beets. saffron. sherry.
cocktail with Oban 14

2ND COURSE
Duck Terrine
foie gras. kumquats. ginger.
cocktail with Bushmill’s Black Bush

3RD COURSE
Smoked Cavatelli
razor clam. cashew. grana padano.
cocktail with Crown Reserve

4TH COURSE
Porchetta
cabbage. apricot. yellow foot chanterelles.
cocktail with Bulleit

5TH COURSE
Orange Blossom Panna Cotta
maple. nutmeg shortbread.
cocktail with Dickel 12yr

Will you be joining us?

Photo by Chad Pryor for Spur.

FOOD and WINE magazine’s editors nominate us for The People’s Best New Chef award. Please vote.

The editors of FOOD & WINE magazine have given us the nod for innovation by nominating us for their first-ever The People’s Best New Chef award.

“We know that people are opinionated, especially when it comes to food, and their tastes are more discriminating than ever,” says FOOD & WINE Editor in Chief Dana Cowin. “We’re excited to give restaurant-goers across America a chance to give a giant shout-out to their favorite chef.”

What a tremendous honor. We’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to vote for us. It’ll be one good party here in Seattle if we win.

Thank you for taking the time to vote for us for the FOOD & WINE award http://bit.ly/gea9E7 before March 1 and please encourage your friends to vote as well.

Desserts at Spur

Here's how we're capping off a meal at Spur these days:


Apples & Caramel
brown butter sponge. cider. ice cream.


Lavender Panna Cotta
caraway. shortbread. grapefruit.


Oak Aged Chocolate
sherry. kumquat. wafer.


Ice Cream
playful accompaniments.


Sorbet
playful accompaniments.


Artisanal Cheeses
accompaniments.

Wall Street Journal Writes Us Up: "Great Taste, Less Booziness"

The Wall Street Journal's Kevin Sintumuang writes in his article that runs tomorrow,
"The Low-Alcohol Cocktail: Great taste. Less booziness. Three drinks made with vermouths and liqueurs—spirits heavy on sophisticated flavor and light (comparatively) in proof—from some of America's best bartenders.
We've been there: Some nights, looking at a Manhattan is enough to reintroduce a hangover. But nobody said that cocktails had to be so boozy. Before you reach for the club soda, however, know that there is an in-between: low-alcohol cocktails made with vermouths and liqueurs, spirits heavy on sophisticated flavor and light (comparatively) in proof. Don't drink these because they won't get you incredibly buzzed. Enjoy them because they're refreshing and surprising. The fact that you won't need to chase them with Advil before bed (if you haven't had 10 of them) is a bonus."

He described our own Marley Tomic-Beard's MARYLEBONE HIGH drink: "Think of this cocktail, named after the London street where Pimm's originated, as a cross between a Pimm's Cup and a mojito. The sage and lime play nicely off the liqueur's distinctive sweetness."

Get the recipes for our cocktail-- plus Jeff Hollinger's Barkeeper's Whimsy at San Francisco's Comstock Saloon and the Torino Fizz by Paul McGee of Chicago's The Whistler-- by reading the entire article by clicking on blog title above.

Thank you Kevin!



Photographer for the Wall Street Journal F. Martin Ramin. Stylist Anne Cardenas.

our seasonal menu offerings here at Spur

Seasonal

Celery & Apple Salad
walnut. crème fraiche. local greens.
9

Chiogga Beets & Carrots
coriander. chevre. mizuna.
10

Parisian Gnocchi
chanterelles. cauliflower. parmesan.
10

Bigeye Tuna Crudo*
caviar. avocado. radish.
16

Foie Gras Terrine
pear. black pepper. sea salt.
18

Alaskan Spot Prawns
winter squash. walnut. pomegranate.
17

Lamb Tartare*
castlevatrano olive. tomato. egg yolk.
18

Tagliatelle*
duck egg. oyster mushroom. pine nut.
14

Corned Duck Breast
sunchoke. brussels sprout. apple.
22

Veal Sweetbreads
rutabaga. mustard. smoke.
18

Lamb Shank
potato. parsley. pearl onion.
27

Wagyu Sirloin*
quinoa. truffle. root vegetable.
30

A Menu to Swoon for: Valentine's Day at Spur

The chefs have put together the menu for Valentine's Day which will be offered February 11-14th. Along with our three and five course tasting menu (see below for the delicious details) we'll have optional wine or cocktail pairings. Iconic love stories on film will play backdrop to your meal on our big screen. Reservations through opentable.com or by calling us at Spur: 206-728-6706. Will you be joining us?

Spur's Five Courses for Valentine's Day
Tuna Crudo
Foie Gras. Citrus. Chervil.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Truffle. Duck egg. Hazelnut.

Smoked Butterfish
Celery. Potato. Apple.

Corned Duck Breast
Sunchoke. Brussels Sprouts. Pomegranate.

Oak Aged Chocolate
Sherry. Kumquat. Wafer.

5 course $80

Spur's Three Courses for Valentine's Day
Tuna Crudo
Foie Gras. Citrus. Chervil.

Corned Duck Breast
Sunchoke. Brussels Sprouts. Pomegranate.

Oak Aged Chocolate
Sherry. Kumquat. Wafer.

3 course $50