Seattle Steakhouses Put Vegetables in the Spotlight
Nestled along the coast in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by shoreline and fertile farmland, Seattle is one of the most fruitful cities in the country when it comes to fresh, locally sourced ingredients. This is true of its beef, its pork and of course its seafood. It’s also true of its vegetables, of which there are ample varieties harvested mere miles from city limits all year round. Seattle’s steakhouses are the perfect example of the city’s proclivity for farm sourcing, because not only do these restaurants spotlight the region’s meats, poultry and fish, but also its pristine produce. Here are some of the best veggie dishes in Seattle steakhouses these days:
John Howie Steak is one of Seattle’s foremost meat Meccas, renowned for its USDA prime steaks that are grilled over mesquite coals and heaped with optional sides and sauces like black peppercorn, lobster tails, chimichurri and black truffle butter. But don’t overlook the vegetable dishes. In addition to myriad side plates like mesquite-grilled corn, char-roasted broccoli, creamed spinach and fried Brussels sprouts, John Howie gives these ingredients their due diligence with hearty plates that could easily sate a vegetarian. Case in point, the basil pesto risotto is a verdant and vibrant bowlful of baby spinach, sweet peas, fresh basil pesto, mascarpone cheese, heirloom tomatoes and Parmigiano-Reggiano. There’s also a wilted spinach salad prepared and served table side, with warm maple-sherry vinaigrette, Kurobuta bacon, sweet onions, Marcola almonds, cremini mushrooms and sunny side-up quail eggs.
Even though it’s a national chain, Ruth’s Chris Steak House has made a name for itself as a trusted brand that handily adapts itself to each urban market it enters. They do so by featuring city-specific dishes for each location, frequently utilizing local farms and purveyors to enhance that local flavor and originality. In Seattle, their two locations up the ante with roasted Brussels sprouts sweetened with honey butter, fire-roasted corn sauteed in butter and topped with zesty salsa verde, fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomato salads, among others. The restaurant also features a rotating vegetarian plate, which changes on a regular basis based on whatever is freshest in the kitchen.
The Metropolitan Grill is routinely touted as one of the best steakhouses not only in Seattle, but in the Pacific Northwest at large. While much of those accolades can be attested to the restaurant’s meats, the vegetables and side dishes are just as prominent. Crispy, flash-fried artichoke hearts are a great way to kick off a meal here, served with a pungent grain mustard aïoli. For heartier options, fettuccine comes swirled with onions, wild mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crab and fire-roasted prawns, while broccoli with cheddar sauce or creamed spinach are apt accompaniments to any cut.
