Breaking the Ice

New techniques, flavors, and ingredients are being used at Brimmer & Heeltap this summer, and not just in the kitchen. Getting our guests excited about trying something unexpected is one of our very favorite things, and, lucky for us, there are many things to get excited about these days thanks to our fantastic bartenders.

Ever curious and passionate about libations, B&H bartender Nick Barkalow has extensively researched and tested new techniques as a way to continue elevating the bar program at the restaurant. Such care and time spent innovating our offerings has resulted in a list of phenomenal new cocktails, including one standout dubbed the “Clear Cut.” Inspired by Dave Arnold’s James Beard Award-winning book Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail, Nick set out to create crystal-clear ice cubes, a task that is surprisingly complicated. Suddenly, a drink that would normally take 2 minutes to make takes over 48 hours; elevating a process as simple as freezing water in order to enhance the entire cocktail experience is one of the things that makes Nick such a fantastic bartender.

Nick's "Clear Cut" cocktail.

Have you tried Nick’s “Clear Cut” cocktail yet? A beautiful thing to behold, at first glance it looks like nothing more than a clear spirit filling your glass. After a moment though, you’ll notice the sharp edges of a large square ice cube – hand carved and clear as crystal – floating among a balanced combination of gin, Salers, Pisco, Lillet Blanc, and bitters. It is the perfect cocktail to sip on as you begin your meal, and can also stand alone if you fancy a cocktail experience sans food.

Of course, this is just one of a handful of new drinks Nick has created just in time for summer. “My summer menu reflects what I would want to drink if I was sitting on the patio enjoying our famous steak tartare or our incredible duck fried rice,” Nick recently told Seattle Magazine of his food-friendly, imaginative cocktails. The “Porch Reviver” is another standout. A play on the classic “Corpse Reviver” that utilizes mezcal, Cocchi Americano, Ancho Reyes, and lime, this cocktail embodies Nick’s idea of a great summertime drink in all of its smoky, citrusy glory. 

Ryyan hard at work stirring something delicious. 

These cocktails are fantastic to sip on before and during a meal at Brimmer & Heeltap, but we suggest trying Nick’s take on espresso to really end your night on a high note. Inspired by the idea of an after-dinner espresso, our bartenders have been infusing scotch with a rotating selection of fantastic coffee beans from Seattle-based Slate Coffee. The 24-hour infusion creates a delicate flavor profile that evokes espresso in a completely inventive way. Served with a side of soda water to cleanse the palate, this after-dinner drink option is truly not to be missed.

Summer isn’t the only time you’ll find thoughtful, creative techniques elevating beverages behind the bar; ongoing projects spearheaded by our bartenders are giving us lots to look forward to year-round. A house-made eggnog recipe that utilizes tequila, scotch, and dry sherry was recently perfected, batched, sealed, and is now being aged for 5 months. We can’t wait to taste the finished product this coming holiday season when it will be ready! Our Bloody Mary, tested and tweaked with great care by our brunch bartender Floyd Bender, is another cocktail that takes hours and hours each week to prepare. The homemade Worcestershire sauce alone takes 5-7 days to develop its funky flavor, Floyd says, not to mention the homemade pickles, freshly made tomato-based mix, and the careful execution of the cocktail itself each weekend during brunch.

Floyd spends hours each week perfecting our Bloody Mary recipe for brunch. 

Do carefully prepared ice cubes make cocktails taste better? How could we make awesome Worcestershire sauce in-house? What if we infused scotch with some of the best coffee beans in the city? How can we inspire our guests to get as stoked about mezcal as we are? It’s the questions that our bartenders continue to ask – and the creative, playful answers they come up with – that make sitting at the bar such a treat. Come in soon for beautifully executed cocktails and the chance to geek out on libations with some seriously talented bartenders.

Cheers!

Blog Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster Photography

Saving the Best for Last

“Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.” – William Powell

Summer is a magical time to work in a restaurant. The kitchen is hotter than ever, and the dining room is brighter. Our guests visit us more regularly and tend to stay later, their conversations around the fire pit dissolving into the warm night air as their glasses hold the final sips of wine. It’s a time when Seattle’s weather is volatile, and our seasonally-inspired menu changes constantly based on what ingredients we can get fresh. Unpredictable and ever-busy, Brimmer & Heeltap’s crew adapts to this lively season with great care.

With so many random seasonal elements creating a deeply energetic atmosphere each night, there is one consistent thing we can all take comfort in: dessert. I love peering out into the dining room to see guests delight in the final sweet bites of their meal, eyes closed as they slowly savor each bite. If you haven’t ended your meal with us on a sweet note lately, you’ve got to come in and try the bold, inspired desserts we’re serving this summer. Here’s a taste of what you can look forward to on your next visit:

Nick’s Slate Coffee-infused scotch

If you prefer to drink your dessert, you are in for a wonderful treat from behind the bar. Inspired by the idea of an after dinner espresso, Brimmer & Heeltap bartender Nick Barkalow has been infusing scotch with the high-quality coffee beans we’ve come to love from our neighbors over at Slate Coffee. The 24-hour infusion results in a soft, subtly smoky and flavorful finish to one’s meal. Served with a side of soda water, this after-dinner drink option is one that is not to be missed.

Koji Rice Sorbet

Chef Mike Whisenhunt’s koji rice sorbet served with toasted rice powder is a light, refreshing way to end any meal, or to enjoy as a wonderful intermezzo. Koji is a cooked rice that has been infused with a naturally occurring fermentation culture, and can be found in many ingredients and even beverages including sake, miso, and rice vinegar. This sorbet is a perfect example of Chef’s love of playful flavors and unexpected twists on more traditional recipes.

Spiced Chocolate Cake

Served with a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting and spiced cocoa crumble, this chocolate cake is the stuff that chocolate-lovers’ dreams are made of. Rich and comforting with a surprising, subtle use of savory spices, this cake is a fantastic way to end a meal. Enjoy it with a glass of the Cocchi Barolo Chinato for a truly balanced, phenomenal dessert experience.

Almond Panna Cotta

Sous Chef Dallas Dziedzic’s almond panna cotta is the pièce de résistance of our summer dessert menu. With elements that alone are crunchy, creamy, tart, and sweet, the sum of its parts is a whimsical, dynamic dish that is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. A perfectly executed almond panna cotta sits beneath layers of blueberry caramel sauce and rice crisps rendered purple from beet powder. A candied egg yolk sits atop these violet layers and is meant to be broken over the other components as a way to marry the unique, powerful ingredients. Creating something classic like panna cotta and innovating it by adding unexpected, fantastic elements is one of the things we love to do most.

We can’t wait for you to indulge in our playful, delicious desserts on your next visit. Even if you’ve already had a cookout at home, there’s no better way to end a summer evening than with something sweet paired with a cocktail or glass of wine at the bar. It’s okay to save the best for last, after all.

Blog Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster Photography

Meet Us in the Garden

Everyone says that summer in Seattle doesn’t actually start until July 5th, but that sure doesn’t stop us from trying to get outside as much as possible before then.

At Brimmer & Heeltap, we L-O-V-E al fresco dining and we’re kind of obsessed with our garden patio – a charming, beautiful space that feels like a precious secret shared between friends. During their first visit to the restaurant, many guests admit that they never realized our patio existed. Even some of our neighbors and regular diners were surprised to find such a unique outdoor dining area tucked away behind the main part of building. Its secretive nature lends itself to a wonderfully intimate atmosphere, and is one of the things we love most about it. 

Perhaps one of the reasons why so few people know about our garden patio is because it actually hasn’t been there for very long. When Brimmer & Heeltap proprietress Jen Doak first stepped into the newly cleared out Le Gourmand, the restaurant that inhabited the space before it became B&H, she immediately recognized how much more impactful the space could be with some renovations. “Standing inside the vacant walls, I felt an instant connection,” she explains in this blog post. “I could see the potential unfolding before my eyes.”

“Standing inside the vacant walls, I felt an instant connection,” explains Brimmer & Heeltap's proprietress Jen Doak, of the old studio space. 

One part of the property that held significant potential was a one hundred-year-old 400 square foot studio that sits to the rear of the garden. Formerly used for dry storage by Le Gourmand, this studio space has since been refurbished and transformed into a gorgeous dining room that anchors an expanded outdoor dining area. It’s a stunning space that we use for private events throughout the year, as well as additional seating when the weather is warm. 

Seattle Met Magazine’s Kathryn Robinson describes this section of the restaurant, and the small seating area that leads to it, as an “enchanting hidden courtyard,” adding that it’s “a sun-dappled must on the romance tour.” Eater’s Megan Hill also sings the praises of our patio, calling it “straight up dreamy.” Ever since the expansion of the garden, Brimmer & Heeltap has been included on various lists of the best outdoor dining destinations in Seattle, a nod to the truly special feeling one gets when dining in this beautiful space. Eater mentions B&H in its roundup of great spots for outdoor dining and drinking in Seattle, as does the Seattle Met and Seattle Weekly, to name a few.

In addition to the dreamy annual flora that blooms there, the garden patio and back studio are dotted with special touches that really make this part of the restaurant come to life: One wall of the studio is actually a retractable garage door that helps provide privacy for private dining and special events in the studio, while still allowing guests to peer out into the garden beyond. A fire pit adjacent to the studio serves as a gathering place for friends who want to share snacks and stories in a casually intimate setting. Ceramic sculptures created by local artist Larry Halvorsen blend effortlessly into the garden where they are displayed; these fantastic custom pieces create depth in a way that feels organic. 

If you haven’t yet dined outside in the garden patio, we invite you to join us on the next sunny day. We love seeing our friends, neighbors, and guests breaking bread together outside in the summer air, and with new dishes and cocktails gracing the menu, as well as a brand new brunch menu to enjoy on the weekend, now has never been a better time to come by and dine al fresco at Brimmer & Heeltap.

Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster Photography

Art Meets Charity at Brimmer & Heeltap

When one thinks of Brimmer & Heeltap, many things may come to mind: Chef Mike Whisenhunt’s bold, playful food, proprietress Jen Doak’s big smile and vast wine knowledge, our craft cocktail offerings, the locally crafted beers we love to serve, the warm and friendly service, the neighborhood feel of the place, our tucked-away garden patio…the list goes on and on (and on).

One thing that people don’t often think of when they think of B&H is its commitment to philanthropy. From the very first day that B&H opened, Jen has been dedicated to not only feeding our community, but also bringing people together, raising awareness about vital charity work being done on a local level, and raising funds for Seattle-based nonprofits.

In addition to encouraging her team to volunteer their time to neighboring organizations, Jen also works to support the community through the creation of commemorative prints to benefit charity. Each year, Brimmer & Heeltap collaborates with a local artist to create an anniversary poster for the restaurant; net proceeds from sales of the print go towards a deserving charity. “I wanted B&H to have some tangible, creative, and philanthropic placeholder for celebrating each year,” says Jen, of the vision behind the commemorative prints. “The goal is to work with a local artist and charity to celebrate each of their talents and causes.”

Jen explains that the inspiration for the Brimmer & Heeltap anniversary poster came from an old bar she visited in Paris called Willi’s Wine Bar. For years, the wine bar has created and sold “bottle art posters” to commemorate a moment in time, and to recreate the visual emotion of the wine that the bar serves its guests. Moved by this simple, powerful idea, Jen decided to take the tradition a step further by using B&H’s anniversary posters to support local charities and artists.

Artist Kristen Winn's design for the 2016 anniversary print to benefit Big Table. 

In 2015, Brimmer & Heeltap partnered with local artist Mike Klay, a graphic designer, musician and outdoorsman who designed an inaugural poster in honor of the restaurant’s one-year anniversary. Sales of this poster continue to benefit the Ballard Food Bank, an important local organization that strives to feed its neighbors in need. According to its website, the Ballard Food Bank distributes food to over 1,200 individuals on a weekly basis. Its commitment to providing nourishment and resources to those most underserved in our community is something that Brimmer & Heeltap is glad to support.

This year, Brimmer & Heeltap selected Big Table as the beneficiary of proceeds from our anniversary poster. Big Table is a fantastic local organization that advocates for cooks, servers, and other members of the restaurant industry. Its mission is to “see the lives of those working in the restaurant and hospitality industry transformed by building community around shared meals and caring for those who are in crisis, transition, or falling through the cracks.” Big Table’s mission is one that hits close to home, and one that we believe in so much.

The artist behind Brimmer & Heeltap’s 2016 poster is friend and neighbor Kristen Winn. Her hand-drawn poster design is inspired by food, art, and community – three important elements that work together in harmony at Brimmer & Heeltap. The pen and ink drawings on the poster are a lovely representation of the restaurant’s spirit, and some of the lines found within it even mimic those found in our beautiful garden. Keeping with tradition, net proceeds from the poster will benefit Big Table.

Moving forward, Brimmer & Heeltap is excited to continue partnering with local artists as part of a larger effort to support our community. A restaurant has the power to exist as a space where art, ideas, philanthropy, community, and food intersect, and we are thrilled to be a hub for all of these things and more.

You can check out our commemorative prints and find more information about the artists that created them here.

Author: Caitlyn Edson 

Morning People

Chef Mike Whisenhunt's hot puffed rice served with sweet, warm coconut milk and fresh mango. 

Mornings just got a lot tastier in Ballard, you guys.

After months of extensive menu testing, crew training, and intense planning, Brimmer & Heeltap has officially launched its brand-spanking-new brunch program. We are so pleased to announce that we are now feeding the hungry masses not one, not two, but THREE mornings every week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Can I get a hell to the yeah!?

If you’ve ever been to Brimmer & Heeltap in the evening, you know that the space itself possesses a very special, animated quality. From the excited, laborious clangs and clinks coming from the open kitchen, to the lively chatter of friends coming together to nosh on Chef Mike Whisenhunt’s signature menu in the adjacent dining rooms, there is a very present sense of joie de vivre that invigorates each of us that works here. It’s what makes this job such a delight.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we opened our doors to welcome guests to dine with us for brunch for the first time earlier this month. Would that same sense of playfulness and energy be present during the daytime, I found myself wondering? Neighbors, friends – I am so happy to report that being at Brimmer & Heeltap in the morning is just as wonderful as it is at night. Spring’s early light floods the main dining room in the most incredible way, and spills into the nooks and crannies of the restaurant, reminding me what a truly unique and beautiful space it is. The kitchen crew is hard at work preparing the thoughtful, dynamic, boldly-flavored food that our regular guests have come to know and cherish. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the fragrant blooms of the garden, and a wonderfully serene feeling washes over our little corner on NW Market Street.

Not one to ever dabble in the ordinary, Chef Whisenhunt’s brunch menu is a deeply satiating combination of sweet, savory, and umami flavors, unique textures, and complex combinations of ingredients. The Dungeness crab salad with smoked fingerling potatoes and lemongrass green goddess dressing has been met with great praise by guests, as has the giant lemon pancake served with seasonal berry syrup, a menu item that absolutely lives up to its name. His hot puffed black rice, served with fresh mango and warm, delightfully sweet coconut milk, is the grown-up Rice Krispies you never knew how much you needed. The thick-cut bread slathered with house-made jam and peanut butter frosting is ridiculously tasty. The slab of bacon is out-of-this-world good.

Thick cut bread, toasted to order and slathered with housemade jam and peanut butter frosting. 

Our fried duck leg and Belgian waffle awaiting a hungry diner. 

The "Italian Panache" - a delightful combination of Carpano dry vermouth, lime, grenadine, and egg whites. 

If you love brunch as much as we do, you know that a good cocktail can be the best way to kick off your weekend, or quell your hangover. Our list of brunch libations showcases an array of vermouths and is a thoughtful, fresh complement to the bold flavors you’ll find coming from the kitchen. During our opening weekend we delighted in seeing so many friends and regular diners sitting at the bar sipping sweet coconut milk and tasting our refreshing, unique brunch cocktails for the first time.

Now that our brunch kickoff weekend has come and gone, we are more excited than ever to share mornings with you. We are looking so forward to seeing friends come and spend their mornings drinking and dining on our garden patio together. We can’t wait to see moms, dads, and their little ones trying new foods and flavors together for the first time. We’re so stoked to serve our fellow cooks, servers, and bartenders on Friday mornings before they start their long work weekends. Perhaps more than anything else, we are so excited to share this new, delicious side of Brimmer & Heeltap with you. So come in soon, and come hungry.

Brimmer & Heeltap now serves brunch weekly on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays from 9am-2pm. You can reserve your spot for this weekend here.

Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster Photography

The Summer of Hibiscus

Brimmer & Heeltap's wonderful crew member Nicole Hardy waxes poetic about hibiscus-infused cocktails.

They say once you notice a trend it’s already over. Which I hope is not the case, in the case of hibiscus-infused cocktails—though at first I had serious doubts. I saw hibiscus twice in two weeks on different bar menus, and groaned—still scarred by the year of the pomegranate. Fully dreading another food craze about to take over the world: hibiscus cupcakes, with bacon sprinkles! Hibiscus infused ganache for your cannabis brownies!  

I’d have never ordered a drink as floofy as a Hibiscus Sour without some serious prodding from Max the bartender at Maggie’s on the Prom in Seaside—a restaurant I found only because I was walking on said Prom. It was there, and it was beckoning, with its outdoor tables overlooking the beach.

Gin, Chambord, fresh lemon juice and house-made lavender honey syrup. Sure, it sounded good, but so many specialty cocktails are syrupy. And this one had syrup in it.  

“It’s the first sunny day of spring,” Max said. “Trust me.”

I resisted: I’m a dedicated drinker of bourbon, I said, and suspicious of any cocktail featuring more than three ingredients. But eventually, he convinced me. Max was handsome, and persistent—as so many bartenders are. He was also correct: it was the first sunny day of spring. A time when gin is virtually irresistible.

It was the deep shock of magenta, though, that really won my heart. And with every sip, that cocktail got better. The lavender! The honey! Just enough to balance the tart burst of lemon. The floral taste and scent perfectly complemented the gin, and I could’ve stayed in that chair, drinking Hibiscus Sours all afternoon. I would’ve, had I brought more than $20 when I left for my walk.

And since then, I’ll admit I’ve developed a little obsession. Though I’m far too lazy a bartender to infuse anything. Luckily, a quick internet search led me to hibiscus tea cocktails. A drink easy enough even I, lifetime fan of the three-ingredient drink, could manage to make.

Also, it’s fun to have an alternative to margaritas or sangria—my usual summer go-to, when hanging out with friends in the backyard or at the beach. This pitcher cocktail—gorgeous, refreshing, easy—has already been the hit of the season. One note, though: you do have to plan ahead a bit. The recipe is easy, but takes a couple hours to chill.

Combine a cup of sugar in three cups water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil until the sugar is dissolved, then remove the pan from the heat, and add six hibiscus tea bags. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes, then take out the tea bags, return the pan to the heat, and cook, until the liquid reduces by half. Chill it for another hour, and add it to a pitcher along with a cup of orange juice, a cup of tequila and half a cup of lime juice. Throw in a sliced lime, a sliced orange, and a bunch of fresh raspberries. Let it chill for another hour, then serve your cocktail over ice, topped with club soda.

Finally, get ready to be very, very popular.

If you’d rather be drinking cocktails than making them, you know where to find us! Pull up a seat at the bar or on the patio and we’ll craft you something seasonal, boozy, and delicious!

Author: Nicole Hardy

Images: Will Foster Photography

The Intricacies of Beef

Brimmer & Heeltap's Sous Chef Dallas Dziedzic writes about the many complicated facets of the cattle industry. 

Mark Twain once noted “Sacred cows make the best hamburger,” referencing the belief that how well you treat your beef is going to determine its quality.  This outlook has recently gained in popularity in the US.  From “Prime” to the “grass fed” and even the “dry aged” there are a lot of ways to add value to beef. What do all of these terms mean, and why do they matter? 

Do you think you could visibly assess the quality of beef just by looking at it? The USDA meat graders think that you should. They rate quality based on “Prime,” “Choice,” or “Select.”  By the USDA standards “Prime” beef is from well-fed young cattle, and has abundant marbling. “Choice” is considered high quality but has less marbling than Prime. “Select” is uniform in quality but leaner than Prime or Choice. To detect these differences, the USDA will take a core section from the cow between the 12th and 13th rib, which allows them to see if the meat is speckled with white bits of fat throughout (Prime) or consisting of only red muscle (Choice).

While marbling found in the steak is prized for its flavor and ability to retain moisture, it’s not everything.  There is also the technique of “dry aging,” a process that enhances an already established flavor. The meat will mature in a controlled setting, pulling away moisture and concentrating flavor.  The fat will become buttery and taste of blue cheese; the meat will become increasingly tender and its beefy flavor will intensify. Together these characteristics create harmony within the beef like a fine salumi.

At Brimmer & Heeltap we love serving thoughtfully prepared, high quality cuts of grass-finished beef. 

“Grass feeding” is another popular topic in the cattle industry. There are in fact some grey areas and complicated details to pay attention to.  “Grass-fed” beef in the US only has to be accessible to a pasture of grass, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that the cows will eat it. They may receive supplemental nutrition in the form of corn, grain, or hay. I believe what most people are thinking when they hear “grass fed” beef is something that is referred to as “grass-finished,” which means that the beef’s diet is not subjected to these supplemental grains. It will be tough to find a truly “grass finished” steak packaged in your super market. You have to get out to small town farmers that pride themselves on the quality of their beef – the kind of farmers that treat the cow like one of their own family members.

This practice is becoming more and more rare, and if it is being implemented, it tends to be a watered-down version. Commercial farms have found ways to increase their beef marketing without really increasing value. Not to mention the cattle industry creates more greenhouse gas than all of transportation combined (yes that means planes, trains and automobiles). In addition to the environmental damage greenhouse gasses cause, the commercial cattle industry uses an astounding 34 trillion gallons of water in a single year (about 2500 gallons of water per 1 pound of beef), compared to the hundred billion used for the oil industry. The cattle industry is booming, but with a booming economy comes serious environmental side effects.

If you’re passionate about cooking and eating beef at home, it’s important to know where the product comes from, and to be aware of some of the intricacies of the cattle industry. When possible, supporting the small-time, local farmer that grass finishes their beef will yield the best product.

For some information on how we approach beef and animal butchery at Brimmer & Heeltap, you can read Chef Mike Whisenhunt’s thoughts on the topic here.

Author: Dallas Dziedzic

Images: Will Foster Photography

Spring Things

“Spring looks good on you guys,” one diner commented during a recent visit. He had just shared a plate of our new-to-the-menu English pea hummus with his dining companions, and bread, rice cakes, and scallops were on the way. 

With fresh flowers lining the walls of the dining room, our garden patio open, and a pantry filled with bright, leafy ingredients, we think spring looks pretty good on us too.

One cannot help but notice just how very green Seattle is looking these days. Lush flora is springing to life again after a cold, rainy winter, and beloved sunshiny days are getting Seattleites excited to spend as much time outside as possible. Have you enjoyed dinner and drinks outside on our beautiful patio yet this season? In a recent feature for Eater Seattle, writer Jason Price calls Brimmer & Heeltap’s outdoor dining area “one of the sweetest hidden patios (complete with fire pit) in the city.”  Another article describes it as “straight up dreamy.” We love inviting guests to dine on our garden patio, especially when they didn’t even know it was there!

Inside, it’s looking quite dreamy as well. You know spring has sprung when you see fresh flowers resting cheerily in tiny vases around the dining room. Each week, proprietress Jen Doak takes care to bring in a new batch from our neighbors at Ballard Market. With soft breezes and bright light coming in through the open windows and filling the dining room, inside is just as pretty of a place as out to break bread with friends on a warm spring evening.

The thing that really makes Brimmer & Heeltap shine this time of year, of course, is our menu. With English peas, snow peas, green curry, poblano peppers, miner’s lettuce, pandan, and sorrel being utilized by the kitchen, there are an abundance of vibrant, fresh, and wonderfully seasonal offerings to choose from.

New to the menu is Chef Mike Whisenhunt's tasty English pea hummus served with homemade grilled flatbread. A play on traditional hummus, our version is made with sesame oil and served with fresh peas and pea shoots. Each bite is like a taste of spring. Scallops are also having a moment on our menu. Seared perfectly and served with pickled Cipollini onions, snow peas, and foamy, aerated poblano pepper aioli, this dish is not to be missed! Also new to the menu are rice cakes served with green curry, pea vines, pistachio and mint. This combination of ingredients makes for a dish that is comforting without being too heavy. Balanced and bright, the rice cakes are a playful, flavorful homage to spring.

Come in soon to try these new additions to our menu. Pull up a chair with friends at your favorite table, or, better yet – get cozy around the fire pit and treat yourself to an al fresco dining experience. We’ll have the rosé waiting!

Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster Photography

Umami’s The Word

Farro, cucumber, pickled leeks, house-made Madras curry yogurt sauce, lamb lardons...the combination makes for a surprisingly complex, umami salad.

In the small, open kitchen at Brimmer & Heeltap, something mysterious, scientific, and absolutely mouth-watering is at work. Chef Mike Whisenhunt and his team are committed to working with an element of gastronomy that can be immensely challenging to properly harness. It’s been referred to in a multitude of ways, which only adds to its allure; a delicious “flavor-bomb,” or the “fifth taste” are some of its more common descriptors.

So what is it, exactly? It’s called umami, and it’s one of the things that makes the food we serve so deeply satiating and crave-worthy.

Considered separate from the four recognized food tastes – salt, sweet, bitter, and sour - umami is loosely translated from Japanese as "a savory taste" or simply, "yummy," and can be as difficult to articulate as it can be to detect in food. According to Brimmer & Heeltap’s Sous Chef Dallas Dziedzic, common examples of umami-rich foods include tomatoes, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, fish sauce, soy, and Parmesan cheese, most of which can be found on our menu when in season.  

 “We use fish sauce throughout the menu,” points out Dziedzic, who is on a mission to form a unique umami flavor at Brimmer & Heeltap. “The house-made yogurt with the lamb lardons on the fennel salad lend some of those same mouthwatering, satiating values,” he explains. “Or even the beans on the lamb with the crème fraiche...” It’s exciting to look at the menu at Brimmer & Heeltap and try to detect which elements of our current dishes likely contain umami flavors. Simple ingredients such as locally foraged mushrooms can sometimes pack a powerful punch, and at B&H, big flavors are definitely our thing.

Chef Dallas Dziedzic has spent many hours researching and experimenting to perfect umami-rich flavors for the menu at Brimmer & Heeltap.

According to journalist Amy Fleming, “umami” was coined in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda, a chemist at Tokyo University. Writes Fleming, “He had noticed this particular taste in asparagus, tomatoes, cheese and meat, but it was strongest in dashi – that rich stock made from kombu (kelp) which is widely used as a flavour base in Japanese cooking. So he homed in on kombu, eventually pinpointing glutamate, an amino acid, as the source of savoury wonder. He then learned how to produce it in industrial quantities and patented the notorious flavour enhancer MSG.” In addition to its loose association with the more commonly known food additive MSG, Fleming also astutely notes that umami is a “fascinating piece in the jigsaw of our gastronomic evolution.”

Umami is such a fascinating food concept that Chef Mike Whisenhunt has been hesitant to even use the word, for fear that diners wouldn't understand what it meant, and that the menu would feel less accessible to new guests. “I think it is essential that we continue to develop and make this a more conscious part of Brimmer & Heeltap’s style,” says Whisenhunt, who believes that umami has the power to contribute to the fun, bold, and playful flavors that make the restaurant’s food so unique and satisfying. Whisenhunt also acknowledges Sous Chef Dziedzic’s role in bringing umami flavors to life in the B&H kitchen. “I have to give a lot of credit to Dallas for really heading down his path of knowledge on the subject,” he says. “It inspires me.”

Dziedzic’s work with umami at Brimmer & Heeltap has involved extensive research, experimentation, and finding ways to recreate elements of MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) in a more organic way by utilizing ingredients B&H already sources. “For me, adding MSG was kind of cheating, so I looked to more natural options,” explains Dziedzic. “Learning that tomatoes, mushrooms (specifically dried shiitakes), Parmesan, potatoes, nutritional yeast along with dried and fermented fish all contain natural glutamate, was really the base of the umami bomb B&H uses.”

The Saur Broccoli Salad at Brimmer & Heeltap contains an "umami bomb" of epic proportions.

The best example of the “umami bomb” Dziedzic mentions can be found within the Saur Broccoli Salad that’s currently on the menu. The broccoli salad is comprised of a strangely satisfying combination of pickled serrano peppers, sesame seeds, popped quinoa, and black vinegar. The unlikely sum of its parts makes for a flavor experience so intense and nourishing it leaves you wanting more. Don’t just take our word for it – Seattle Refined recently named the salad among the five best vegetable dishes in the city. 

Chef Dziedzic explains that umami can be found in dishes that contain “rounded out flavors that make you want to go back for another bite.” Going back for another bite is exactly what umami is all about, and unsurprisingly, Brimmer & Heeltap is genuinely enthusiastic about food and beverages that inspire cravings among our guests. If you’re still unsure what umami is all about, we encourage you to come grab a seat at the restaurant and taste for yourself.

Author: Caitlyn Edson

Images: Will Foster.

Mr. Old Year

Looking back over a span of time is a humbling exploration. So much life happens within an hour, much less in a day, or in a week, or beyond.

I am a firm believer in the haves vs. the have not’s and B&H is certainly no exception. January 15, 2016 will mark our 2^nd Anniversary and it is critical for us to take pause and thank our incredibly talented team, our beloved guests, and dedicated vendors. For without you, none of this would be possible.

2015 has been a tale of expansion and fostering relationships. There are countless fond memories that make up the year, however, these are just a few that I am partial to...

Construction began in the early months of the year converting a nearly hundred year old free-standing building into a workable dining and storage room with an expanded patio. The space has exceeded our expectations and we are so grateful for the walls being filled with laughter, creative minds, celebrations, and the kind of juju that gives a building a sense of energy and place. 

In an era of same day deliveries, FaceTime, texting, instant chat, and more, tugging at our NOW factors… restaurants have the opportunity to provide a be-in-the-moment type of connection. Whether it is to a dish or beverage that is handmade or to another human being, there is an exchange, and that pause in your day contributes greatly to a much bigger and vital picture we are thrilled to be a part of.

As most of you know, our menu is also a postcard. We love that you have taken the time to handwrite a note to someone in your life. To date, we have mailed them to almost 300 cities nationwide and more than 20 countries worldwide. Keep up the great work!

Chef Mike and the culinary team continue to build amazing flavors and dazzle us with seasonal treats. Some of our favorite dishes of the year included…

Prawn cocktail with scallion-wasabi sauce

Celery salad with boiled local peanuts, soy pickled leeks, sesame soy vinaigrette, szechuan peppercorn

Braised collard greens with fermented garlic, house cured & smoked lardons.
We weren’t alone in our love for this dish as Rebekah Denn gave it a generous nod,
including the recipe in the Seattle Times. 

In commemoration of our anniversary, each year we will produce a limited edition screen print highlighting local artists with net proceeds benefitting a local cause.  One hundred prints are handmade, numbered, and autographed by the artist. We still have a handful of first year posters from artist Mike Klay that would make a great gift, benefitting the Ballard Food Bank. Purchase yours by clicking here. 

As 2016 rapidly approaches, instead of creating expanded to-do lists or resolutions, consider letting go of something. Perhaps an old belief that no longer serves you? Is there an old worry tugging at your sleeve that you’re tired of listening to? Do you have fear for the unknown and you’re ready to try something new? By doing so, you can make space emotionally and physically for amazing things.

This is a ritual that some of our dear friends and regulars have as this as their welcome to the New Year. They even take it a step further and write them down to burn ceremoniously at midnight. Perhaps you and yours can add a champagne toast? We can raise a glass to new thoughts and ideas!

As we close out one year and reflect upon the amazing changes and growth we have experienced it is exciting to briefly look ahead and see what’s to come in 2016:

• Our hours will change to 5 - 10 pm Sunday through Thursday, 5 pm - midnight Friday & Saturday, closed Tuesday.

• Save-The-Date for our anniversary dinner on Friday, January 15^th. Rumor has it Chef Mike and the culinary team are working on a throwback menu for the night. It’s never too early to save your seat by making a reservation. We will unveil our new artist, commemorative poster, and local charity at this event.

• Brunch is on the brain and we’ve been menu testing with you each Sunday. Our goal is to roll out Brunch Friday-Sunday by early Spring.

On behalf of the entire Brimmer & Heeltap family, thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. We look forward to connecting sooner than later.

Much love and gratitude,

Jen