Paul V.
Google
Birch is new to the scene, and we were impressed overall. We hope this restaurant will succeed, we'll return in a year or so to see how it's improved, and we recommend everyone give it a shot now. Two elements of our date experience topped the list: the view of Lake Union and the cook quality of the proteins and vegetables.
Birch sits atop the White Swan Public House with huge windows to see the marina, Lake Union, Westlake across the water, the Space Needle, and Gasworks Park to the north. Gorgeous.
Birch offered a three course tasting menu, and Chef Jeffrey Kessenich cooked our well-selected salmon tartare, scallops and steak to the perfect temperature and tenderness. Sourcing for Birch is outstanding - the ingredients were fresh, bright, and authentic Northwest.
But 3 and 4 stars?
Food: as good as Chef cooked, his dishes lacked a complexity of flavor and proper seasoning. A Wagyu steak needs salt, and so do the potatoes that accompany it. While the salmon had citrus to brighten the flavor, the accompanying crackers had little flavor. The salad was excellent but morel mushrooms are as earthy as can be; a second note of heat or even a goat cheese to provide a different earthy experience would have produced better balance. Every dish had a superb foundation, but every dish needed more notes, primarily adding seasoning to most dishes and sprinkling heat throughout the meal would have done wonders.
Service: not quick, unfortunately, particularly given that we were among few diners at the new restaurant.
Ambience: As good as the view is, the ambience does not take overall advantage of it. The lighting is a bit bright and the decor is cold. Birch's choice of wood for its paneling and stainless accents provide a very clean look, but the venue is neither inviting nor romantic. Fabric, please! Color, please!
For a new restaurant Birch has a lot of horsepower - some decor and flavor fine tuning will place it among the top restaurants in Seattle.
