Canlis Chef Brady Williams Revamps Menu, Promises "Seasonal, Inspired and Relevant" Food

Seattle fine-dining powerhouse Canlis is back in the news this week, with new chef Brady Williams celebrating his four-month anniversary at the restaurant in a grand way. The Seattle Times’ Bethany Jean Clement explored the chef’s just-released tasting menu, which will change with the seasons and the chef’s whims. Of the tasting menu, she writes "It’s a minute examination of flavors and methodologies — and an intense application of creativity — that bodes well."

The new 11-course, $145 menu takes items like the classic Peter Canlis prawns and shifts them into a local spot prawn dish showing off new pottery from Akiko Graham, commissioned by Williams to highlight specific dishes.

Clement relates one of Williams’ favorite dishes from the tasting menu, a lamb saddle that was dry-aged for 28 days to "intensely concentrate" flavor and "give it some funk."

The Japanese influence on the restaurant’s food continues at Canlis, and Clement mentions that Williams — whose mother is Japanese — is "eager" to carry it forward.

One big priority for the 29-year-old chef: bust through the public’s perception of the two "classic" long-standing prix fixe menus and instead give them a makeover to become "seasonal, inspired and relevant."

Overall, Clement seems hopeful that Williams and the Canlis brothers "could finally bring Seattle into the world’s top tier of fine dining." Canlis recently departed the Eater 38; we look forward to watching how it continues to evolve.

The new Canlis tasting menu:

Red currant

Black olive

Salmon

Dill, cultured cream, roe

Baywater sweet oyster

Tomato, seawater

Albacore

Shiso, radish

Canlis salad

Spot prawn

Vermouth, chive

Summer squash

Wagyu beef, tomato, succulents

Olive oil

Dry-aged lamb

Eggplant, yogurt, celtuce

Blackberry

Lemon verbena

Chocolate

Fig leaf, tobacco, black walnut