Major credit cards. Complimentary valet parking. In the current Seattle dining universe, three and a half years is a long time. Meanwhile, the quality bar for dining in Seattle has been raised a few notches. The crab tower brings a brisk and lively note to the small-plate menu, layering crab, avocado, hearts of palm and salsa.
Red pepper spikes the briny verve of saut ed calamari in a garlicky tomato sauce.
Puffs of phyllo oozing a blend of goat, blue and cream cheese stand out on the vegetable meze plate. Salmon surfaces as a lunch special in a pistachio crust, moistened by an intriguing wheat-mustard vinaigrette and accompanied by fingerling potatoes and leeks. Johnson steers clear of olive overkill with the chicken Nicoise, sauced to please with a blend of tomatoes, onions and olives. Pumpkin walnut risotto works, too, with a kick from cumin. But not all rice is so nice, as the paella lacks luster.