THE SAME BROOM that’s sweeping the unfortunate aspects of Belltown up to Capitol Hill is probably responsible for pushing the favorable aspects of Broadway, Pike, and Pine further up to 15th Avenue East. Newish retailers Sonic Boom Records have injected vital energy to the hood and holdover pubs and restaurants like the Hopvine, the Canterbury, and Jumjuree Thai are busier than ever. This seven- or eight-block section of the Hill has seen lean days and dead days, but these are boom days. A promising new vegan cafe opened recently (our review of it is coming soon) and two new restaurant/bars are adding to the neighborhood’s vibe.
Kozak’s Bar & Grill serves house-smoked meats, fish, and cheese; additionally, they trade in fried bar food, burgers, big-screen TVs tuned to sporting events, and drinks, many of them silly (see: Polish Banana). Inquiring about the three varieties of appetizer “crustinis,” which are flagged with a trademark symbol on the menu, our server informed me that the owners are Polish (that explains the Banana—or does it?) and that that’s their Americanized term for pierogi.
That server also warned us that the crab, white cheddar, spinach, and mozzarella crustinis® ($6.99) that I ordered were heavy. Considering the sour cream and powdered seasoning dipping material they came with, she wasn’t kidding. But I can think of worse things to drink beer with, and if you get to Kozak’s in time for happy hour (4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday), appetizers are half-price when ordered with a beverage (alcoholic or otherwise).
There were other warnings. Our server suggested that I get my smoked salmon sandwich ($7.29) on a croissant because the other breads—focaccia and Kaiser rolls are offered—were “dry.” I took my chances with the roll and indeed found it, despite the menu’s proclamation that sandwiches are served on “charbroiled signature bread,” neither toasted nor worthy of anyone’s autograph. On the other hand, the salmon, hot-smoked and served cold, was excellent, deeply flavored and wonderfully moist, and I love that Kozak’s smokes fish and cheese (gouda, cheddar, mozzarella) in addition to ham, turkey, chicken, pork, beef, and various sausages. My friend’s beef brisket sandwich ($6.99) also arrived on a cold dry roll. The medium-thick slices had a nice burnished outer edge and Kozak’s sauce splits heat with sweet decently, but the sandwich could have been great if it were piled higher and served on a more worthy bun.
One or two sides come with your meal, depending; they can also be ordered separately for between $3 and $5. The “signature” grilled potatoes and vegetables are absolutely fantastic (like your garden-to-backyard barbecue dreams) while the typical smokehouse offerings (I tried the baked beans, the cornbread, and the mashed potatoes) are good but not remarkable.
KOZAK’S MENU—and the space—is gigantic but generic, and we found ourselves wishing that the owner’s heritage was more evident. Across the street and half a block north at 22 Doors, the menu is about one-fifth the size and the atmosphere and execution twice as pleasing.
The “Catch of the Day” (market price, $15 on the night of this particular visit), the seventh of just seven entrée offerings, is followed on the menu by this advice: “Caleb really does a nice job with fish, you should definitely give this a try.” Caleb is Chef Caleb Dorman, and his catch that night was a beautifully unadorned, perfectly pan-seared salmon fillet. Absolutely: a very nice job. I was told that wasabi risotto with a soy-ginger sauce would come underneath my salmon, but what arrived was much more colored by the bits of jalapeño in it. The salty, dry heat worked really well, however, and I didn’t miss the mustardy heat of the wasabi one bit.
When my friend ordered her burger ($11, made with Misty Isle organic beef and served with fontina cheese, grilled onion, and herb aioli) well done, I cringed, but it proved to be moist and flavorful nonetheless. We chalked it up to quality meat and, perhaps, some sort of kitchen secret. Excellent, crisp yet tender shoestring fries (also on the small bites menu for $5) with the essence of truffle came with the burger and they were so good we ignored the rosemary aioli.
On another visit, we sat on awesomely kitschy blue vinyl barstools at the bar underneath a rescued hotel chandelier and sipped Jameson 1780 ($8) while sharing a Caesar salad ($6) and a blackberry custard ($5). The salad was overdressed but the whiskey, the dessert, and the bartender were perfect company. Like Caleb’s fish, you should definitely give them a try.
Kozak’s Bar & Grill, 332 15th Ave. E., 206-709-4600. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Monday–Thursday and Saturday; until 10 p.m. on Sunday and midnight on Friday. 22 Doors, 405 15th Ave. E., 206-324-6406. 5 p.m.–2 a.m., kitchen open until midnight.
