Matt's in the Market @ Pike Street, Seattle

Dining Room and Bar

We landed in Seattle at eight in the evening, and although it was a relatively short flight, we left in the late afternoon and were tired.  Luckily, the adrenaline for us to explore still in our bodies, we veered outside and meandered through the Downtown streets to see what evening activities laid out before us.  We immediately went down to Pike Place, and as touristy as it is, it was wonderful to walk around and venture the closed stalls.  It was here that a small restaurant called Matt's in the Market is located and after circling the block a couple of times. we found the hidden entrance to this second floor venue...

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View of the sign from our table by the window

Matt's is a beautiful, cosy restaurant with a warmth that emanates comfort and familiarity in an intimate and romantic setting.  Checkerboard floors, open kitchen, huge mezzaluna windows and the fact it's a hidden really adds to the experience of finding a personalized venue within such a touristy area.

Bread & Olives...$10!!!  Shoot me!!

Well it was definitely time to start our Seattle culinary adventure, so we ordered some House blend Olives and Artisan bread.  I was a little surprised that the bread was a chargeable plate, (which wasn't explained to us by our waitress beforehand) and upon coming to the table, it looked rather sparse for four bucks... it looks like the amenity creep has finally reached F&B (add 'Artisan' and you can double your price)...And on top of that, the bread wasn't even all that!  Olives were delicious tho...

So it being late in the evening, we decided not to overload our stomach with heavy entrees, and ordered some lighter appetizers (a lot of the entrees looked really good, so we'll be back another time for that)!  So, we started with the Dungeness Crab and Scallop Ceviche: with a Fried Tortilla, Guacamole, Red Peppers all in an Ancho Chile Vinaigrette

Dungeness Crab and Scallop Ceviche

To be upfront; I was disappointed in this dish.  Coming to Seattle, I really wanted to enjoy great quality seafood, and maybe this dish had the best, but I would never have been able to tell because the chile and the side condiments overpowered the dish to the point that the ceviche tasted like filler.  The Guacamole and Red Peppers had a heat from the vinaigrette that neutralized any individual flavor profile; which is unfortunate, because the Dungeness Crab and Scallops are too delicate and subtle in flavor to ever compete with them.

So we ordered the House Made Sausage Plate: Boudin Noir, Chorizo Sausage, Head Cheese, and a Foie Gras Torchon.  It was a delightful dish, some we liked more than others:  the Chorizo Sausage was amazing and with the pickled vegetables it disappeared from the plate in lightening speed.  The Head Cheese (made from the flesh of calf or pig's head) was wonderfully savory with pickled onions it was subtle and exquisite.  The Boudin Noir was relatively light and righteous, and the Foie Gras Torchon was the least favorite- incredibly salty and topped with a bourbon sauce, it left a complex flavor profile in my mouth that I can't really forget, (and I love Foie Gras so it's really a shame)...

But all in all, the experience of dining near Pike Place Market was well worth the trails and errors of menu ordering, and it certainly doesn't dissuade us from coming here again, we know now to venture upon the other items.  It was a fantastic restaurant to start our exploration and I have fond memories of it's interior....the food, not so much.....

Ratings (Out of Five Stars)

Food:          2
Ambience:  3.75
Service:      2