Scheff and Clement 'In Like' With Loulay

Before departing her post as Seattle Magazine's food and dining editor Allison Scheff reviewed Loulay, the two-month-old restaurant from The Chef in the Hat Thierry Rautureau.

While it has "broad appeal" Scheff was underwhelmed by the "only good" menu, "because this chef is capable of achieving great." Still, she gives high marks to a few menu items:

There is comforting depth in the proper French onion soup ($7.50), and a burger ($12) so unbelievably good, with its bacon-shallot jam and house-ground meat, served with perfect fries and a divine aioli.

Over at the The Stranger, Bethany Jean Clement was not blown away with Loulay. She looks past spotty service and digs crab beignets that "were not at all greasy" and the mondo beef rib eye, which "was an inch thick and plate-coveringly gigantic, a veritable landmass of steak; it was well marbled, nice and rare, and thickly carpeted with bitter greens and strong goat cheese."

But the reviewer declares that, "Loulay, on the whole, is okay. Depending on what you order, if you see Rautureau touring the dining room to greet guests in his signature headgear and manner, you might wish for more chef, less hat."
· Loulay [Official Site]
· Downtown Seattle's Latest Restaurant Opening: Loulay [Seattle Mag]
· One-Percenter Problems at Loulay [The Stranger]