Before Seattle was a restaurant town, there was Le Gourmand, quietly espousing, in a clandestine East Ballard storefront, all the values and proficiency that would ultimately put Seattle on the culinary map. Until it opened the cocktail bar Sambar next door, Le Gourmand was the opposite of a pop-in place: If you went to Le Gourmand, it was a dining event, with courses. Every customer who passed through Le Gourmand’s doors expected their dining experience to be memorable. Hence, it could be argued that the bar was set higher for Le Gourmand than for just about any restaurant in Seattle. And man, did Le Gourmand clear it, time and again. MIKE SEELY