Canlis in Seattle

Going in a few weeks… We’re planning on doing the tasting menu and som. flight. Although the wine list has me won second guessing myself a bit… Thoughts?

Definitely let the chef cook for you. See if you can get them to do the duck. Wow the duck!

http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/387-not-ducking-a-legacy

I love Canlis. One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle, and also one of the places I miss most since I moved. I’ve never done the tasting menu, but I was never disappointed with the food, wine or service.

Thanks gents!

Has anyone had experience with the wine flights at Canlis?

Love Canlis, and they are very accommodating. I remember we found out that some friends of ours were having their anniversary dinner there. I called the sommelier and asked him to have a bottle of champagne waiting for them when they got there. He asked “What do you want to spend?” and I replied “Can you get them something nice for under $100?” Their response was “Oh yes.” Our friends (who are true champagne afficionados) raved about the wine. Sadly, I don’t remember what it was. The best part was when I got my credit card statement, they had picked a champagne that was about $70.

Most places would just pick the wine that would get them closest to $100. The wine guy at Canlis obviously thought their best “Under $100” champagne was the one that cost seventy bucks.

Oh - and the food is awesome, too.

It’s a little too expensive for me to have a lot of experience. We get to go about once a year and are going again on the 27th - my wife’s birthday.

Canlis has their traditional dishes and new ones from Jason Franey, and the tasting menu seems to be core of the current restaurant. Both are very good, but from somewhat different worlds. Franey worked for Daniel Humm at Campton Place in SF, and Eleven Madison Park in NYC. I’ve never been to EMP, but did dine at Campton Place multiple times before they decamped for NYC.

As it was just the 2 of us, we did have the pairings - one each of the regular and somm pairings, and shared.
With a few more folks I would definitely do a combination of the list (which is expensive, but not outrageously marked up) and BYO ($35 corkage). I don’t remember the specifics, but do recall that the somm pairing was a bit better than the regular.
We were served aged Loire whites w/ the early courses - Savienneres, Vouvray - which I very much like, and went well with the food.
I do remember the Somm pairing getting an aged Mayacamas cab with the beef course.
The wine showed very well, but I didn’t think it paired that great with the overall dish if I pick a nit or two.

All in all, it was a very nice experience. Comparable to what I have had in NYC or SF, and i’m looking forward to it.
If 2011 had been a better year, we probably would have gone another time or two.
Will likely do the Somm pairing for both of us this time, and will also ask about supplementing the duck in the meat course.

They have a great list of 375ml to do your own pairing menu too, 1 375 for every couple of courses

Yeah, almost commented on this. It’s certainly more extensive than 99% of restaurants - nice.

The prices on the wines that excited me start to approach the cost of the pairings though.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

A couple well chosen 375’s and maybe 1 bottle of my own could be a really good way to go however.