A Mighty Wind

In a moment of quiet as the night began to wind down, I made this list of everything I wanted from Mistral, when in truth all I really wanted was another short rib, some potatoes, a bite of prosciutto, and the Herculean appetite to put it all away a second time. What I wanted was another reservation and another night like the one I'd just had.

I had dessert instead—a lateral slab of brownie, some peanut-butter ice cream, and a dusting of chocolate nibs. It paled in comparison to everything I'd eaten before.

Peter Mumford

The crust on Belickis' pizzas is like Indian naan.

Location Info

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Mistral Kitchen

2020 Westlake Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121

Category: Restaurant > American

Region: Belltown

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Details

Mistral Kitchen 2020 Westlake Ave., 623-1922, mistral-kitchen.com. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. lunch/brunch daily; 5–10 p.m. Sun.–Thurs.; 5 p.m.–midnight Fri.–Sat.

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More About

• William Belickis
• David Bouley
• Joel Robuchon
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Foods

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I went back for a pizza out of that big, tiled oven and loved it—the crust soft and charry like Indian naan, the sauce showcasing the fruity sweetness of tomatoes above their vegetable pulp, and the top finished with pink and white gourmet salts. I had sous-vide chicken, slow-poached in its own jus and dotted with only a few pieces of olive; a composed salad of Louisiana prawns, avocado, and butter lettuce; a wonderful, restrained, rustic/contemporary mashup of a bowl of butternut squash soup that I loved: the smooth purée like drinking warm cream, the threads of basil oil drizzled on top giving it a refreshing point, and the black trumpet mushrooms and chopped tarragon lending earthy top and bass notes to the sweet solidity of the squash.

But through all this, I would be telling the story of the short rib to literally anyone who'd listen—bothering strangers, telling my dining companions, "No, this is good. Don't get me wrong. But this short rib the other night..."

It was my first love in the city of Seattle, the first instant I knew for sure that there would be greatness and adventures to be had here.

And like they say, a fella never really forgets his first time.

jsheehan@seattleweekly.com

Price Check

Hamachi crudo $13
Pizza $12
Short rib $22
Charcuterie plate $16
Prawn salad $14
Potatoes Robuchon $7
Squash soup $9