Oct 03 2008
Txori
This week I am going to do something I don’t normally do. I am going to share my feelings with you on a restaurant I happen to love. There is a debate raging out there between newspaper reviewers and bloggers over who’s review is more valid, it is a debate I don’t care to enter. What I will say is that I will only share something with you if it is something I find truly delightful and consistently good. Since July I have been to Txori six times, eaten about90% of the menu, several specials, a few of their creative cocktails and experienced five of the impeccable yet laid back servers. So, after all of this “research” I feel comfortable writing this weeks post.
I was slightly lost while strolling down Second Avenue one hot July afternoon contemplating my growling tum and wondering how the I could have missed my destination, when I came upon a sandwich board in the middle of the sidewalk pointing me to my destination. I followed the arrow and found a tiny bar that looked as though it had been plucked from some cobbled passage in Madrid and placed in this blink and you’ll miss it location in Seattle. I had first read about Txori on the local blog Culinary Fool a few days before and I had been eagerly awaiting this moment.
The interior had a very crisp look with white walls, red trim, minimalist artwork, a creaky wood floor and a fantastic black bar with plenty of hooks to hang your jacket. Instead of keeping the chefs corralled in the backroom or basement, the kitchen is right there behind the bar. Most of the time I don’t care for that, it seems to feel showy and staged, but no one here is putting on a show and it seemed to encourage the warm and relaxed atmosphere Chef Joseba intended. I had worried that Txori would be overrun with hipsters, but the clientele seems quite laid back, mostly food lovers and local families out for dinner.
I chose a high seat close to the bar and watched to talented duo behind it create masterpiece after tiny masterpiece, scents changing from heavenly to sinful on a moments notice and eagerly waiting to begin my meal. The food served at Txori is of Basque influence and each item is called a pintxo which is basically the Basque version of tapas. Be prepared, if you visit you will be trying several different dishes.
One thing I learned on that first trip was that these servers are to be trusted. I had a chat with mine as I sipped on my glass of cava de folores and did not regret taking her suggestions. The first pintxo to come up was my servers favorite, pulpo da fiera (galacian octapus,potato, pimenton and lagrima oil) and I have to admit I was skeptical. I’ve never had really great octapus before and I am not partial to chewing on rubber-bands, but I decided to put myself in my servers hands. The flavor was lightly smoky with a tender velvety texture that I would never have expected from octopus. The very talented people behind the bar had successfully rocked my world and set me on the edge of my seat for the next course.
I moved on to morcilla con mazana (blood sausage, apple and piquillo pepper) which was sort of a mousse that I found really delightful. The apple really smoothed out the coppery flavors of the blood sausage and the piquillo cut right through the intense flavors of them both. Next was the very traditional pa amb tomoquet (bread rubbed with fresh tomato and garlic then topped with jamon), it was deliciously basic, just as it should be. After that I moved on to the tartaleta de faison (braised pheasant, pea and carrot tartlet)m that had a very fresh flavor and I was surprised at howmild the pheasant was, I had expected it to be a little gamey. I then moved on to the tartaleta do cebolla (oniontartlet with a sherry reduction), which was richly flavored and sweet from the sherry reduction. The tart had a spray of frisee on top that was the perfect way to lighten this dish.
The final course was my absolute favorite out of everything that was served that afternoon; pintxo moruno. When the plate was brought to me with a crostini topped with a cube of pork topped with a roasted green piquillo pepper my first thought was. . .hmm. Then I touched it. The pork positively collapsed at my touch. It’s simple flavors were more impressive that any overly complicated dish could ever hope to be. I feel that simplicity is a true art form and too many miss it while chasing after a trend.
Txori doesn’t follow trends, it starts them.
Since that first trip I have been back six maybe even seven times; I ‘m losing count. Each time has been a fantastic experience. It would seem that I just can’t stop talking about Txori and so far have made my mother, sister, husband (3x’s) and close friend join me for lunch or dinner at Txori, with everyone ending up as mad about it as I am.
On these subsequent visits I have discovered that chorizo and chocolate sit atop a crostini quite harmoniously together, tortilla Espanola is popular for a reason and a fried egg is amazing when paired with well seasoned and sauteed wild mushrooms. I’ve also had the most amazing fresh cherry tomato tart with a sweet piquillo vinaigrette and many more orders of pintxo moruno. On my lats visit I tasted the cheese plate that started at one end with candied walnuts and Valdeon Blue that was strong, sharp and creamy, moving on to quince paste and the mild, nutty Idiazabel, before ending with the bright almost cheddary Mahon and a cluster of intensely flavored grapes.
I must say a bit about the wet side of the bar, which is rather impressive. They have a wonderful selection of wines to choose from and Phil was rather excited to see the abundant whiskey shelf, but I am most excited about their mixed drinks. My former favorite is the cava de folores which is made of cava the Spanish sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur and an orange wedge. Having never had anything elderflower before I was surprised and pleased by the slightly tart flavor that was beautifully accented by the orange. My new favorite drink is called Azafran. Composed of Hangar One vodka infused with Buddha’s Hand, freshly squeezed orange juice and saffron, this drink is utterly delicious. The Buddha’s Hand vodka tames the orange juice and allows the saffron to work its magic. Chef Joseba really hit the mark when he chose his bartender.
Txori has amazing food, drinks and the best wait staff I’ve seen in a very, very long time. The unpretentious atmosphere makes me feel right at home, feeling of relaxed tradition in the nontraditional town. I hope to spend many a meal in this place.
*Thanks to the Culinary Fool for her great write up on Txori which is what led me there in the first place!
* Please excuse my Basque and Spanish spellings, I tried to make them as accurate as a non-Spanish speaking individual possibly can.
*Fun Fact* I don’t think anyone saw, but on my first visit to Txori I was struggling with my bag and fell off my high seat.
“My former favorite is the cava de folores which is made of cava the Spanish sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur and an orange wedge. Having never had anything elderflower before I was surprised and pleased by the slightly tart flavor that was beautifully accented by the orange.”
Erin, thanks for this. We can get elderflower cordial here and usually you drink it with water and real lemonade. You have to practice to get the balance right, but it smells of flowers and summer. I’ve never had it with cava and orange before, so I’ll have to try it.
Elderflower is wild here and there are old English country recipes for the cordial and even Elderflower ‘champagne’. They are tiny creamy coloured flowers that grow in big clusters. I knew a lady who made Elderflower and she would send us out to get the clusters and bring them back to her. She would clean them, then steep them in sugar-water with slices of lemons in for days, covered with a muslin cloth in big steel bowls. Then all the flowers and lemons would be gathered up in the muslin and hung over the bowl for any flavour left to drip into the solution. The result would be bottled and put in a cold store.
I was just reading of Herriot’s experiences with elderflower “champagne”. Sounds delicious and dangerous! I need to investigate elderflowers further, there seem to be many possibilities there.
Richard is a fan of a particular brand of elderflower apple juice they sell over here, and I have to say it’s not bad.
Txori sounds great, Erin. I can’t wait for my next visit home so I can give it a try. My one day trip to Barcelona yielded no tapas and so far the closest I’ve come to the real thing was at a tapas chain restaurant here in town, and while it was fun, it was obvious the cooks in the back were just churning out plate after plate with very little care involved, and even if octopus had appeared on the menu I wouldn’t have dreamed of trying it.
Now! Have you been to Espresso Vivace yet, as per my recommendation?
Great write up! There are quite a few tapas bars in SoCal, and then only a couple of pintxos bars that I know of. I’ve never been to any of them but always wondered what the difference was between tapas and pintxos–but like you said, I guess pintxos are Basque.
Also, how the heck do you pronounce Txori?
Marvin, You know I was going to include that in the post, I am so absent minded. Txori is pronounced, ‘Chory’. You should really check out the pintxo/tapas bars, but be careful and do your research, a lot are trendy for the sake of being trendy.
Leslie, I can’t believe that! You two always sniff out the great places. Next time you’re home we’ll have to take the three of you there. You’d love the pintxo moruno.
No, I haven’t gone. . . we’ve been on a Cafe Zingaro kick. I promise to make it my mission to visit Espresso Vivace this weekend.
I should tell everyone that I keep remembering other dishes I’ve tried and forgot to include in the post. Oops. There is a lamb and potato mousse dish that I can’t believe I forgot to include. . . notorious memory.
You’ve written up such beautiful (and accurate) descriptions of the food already, that I can’t think of much more to say about it other than it’s a must eat!!!
You’re also right on about the atmosphere and the staff. On the two occasions I’ve been to Txori, I have felt right at home and well taken care of. The second time we ate there, we had the cutest waiter, who asked for my ID when I ordered a drink. I jokingly thanked him for asking (since I’m well over 21), and when he looked at my ID and saw my age, he said something to the effect of “Oh honey, you’re welcome!”
Thumbs up, all around!!
Oooh Erin this brought back memories of our time in the Basque region. I would love to visit this restaurant. It sounds fabulous.
Well you’ll just have to head to the great PNW for a tour of my favorite restaurants with Txori as the headliner.
I don’t believe I’ve ever been so excited about a restaurant before.