"Chef Jeffrey Kessenich brings a keen sense for cooking local to his airy new waterfront restaurant, Birch, opening July 21 at 1001 Fairview Avenue N, next to White Swan Public House in South Lake Union. Prix fixe or chef’s choice tasting menus center around seasonal Northwest ingredients — king oyster mushrooms with summer greens, duck egg tagliatelle with summer squash — in a minimalist space with white walls, modern light fixtures, wood floors, a large stone fireplace, and views of Lake Union and the Space Needle." - Megan Hill