:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64901939/EdenHill_Official.0.jpg)
Changes are afoot for one major restaurant in the city. The much-lauded Eden Hill — Queen Anne’s modern American bistro well known for its “Lick the Bowl” foie gras cake batter — announced that it will ditch a la carte items and move toward all tasting menus, starting September 5. Rather than the current “approximately” seven-course tasting menu offered (along with shared plates), diners can choose a five-course meal ($85) or a twelve course option ($160) at both the bar and dining room, with reservations managed through Tock. The menus will feature familiar fare from chef Maximillian Petty, including the aforementioned cake batter and the pig head “candy bar.” Dinner service will be Thursday through Sunday.
Those looking for a more casual experience, with some old favorites such as the Big Max burger, cauliflower “chilaquiles,” and Waldorf salad, can head over to Eden Hill Provisions, Petty’s upcoming family-friendly Eden Hill offshoot in the neighborhood. Back in May, the chef revealed to Eater Seattle that the new restaurant would be “less fancy” than the other place, with dishes such as a crab and scallop lasagna and duck liver mousse paired with a doughnut. The recent announcement on Instagram said Eden Hill Provisions would open in September (and include lunch and brunch), around the same time that Eden Hill makes the tasting menu switch.
“It was hard for us to meet and exceed expectation in our current restaurant when you’ve got the choice of a grand tasting seated right next to someone who could get an off-menu burger for $18,” says Eden Hill co-owner Jennifer Petty. “It just didn’t make sense anymore to continue try to push it all out from one kitchen, under one name, with one staff. By splitting, we’re hoping to focus.”
Tasting menu-only restaurants are popping up more and more around the city, whether it’s Art of the Table’s focus on Pacific Northwest cuisine or Archipelago’s Filipino extravaganza. Budget-conscious diners may bristle at some of the prices, but tasting menus often allow chefs to emphasize more seasonal dishes and expand their creativity. They also might make more economic sense for some restaurants and help reduce waste (since chefs may have a better handle on exactly how much food they’ll be serving each night).
UPDATED, August 2, 2019, 12:02 p.m.: This piece has been updated with quotes from co-owner Jennifer Petty.
