The November Hit List: Marmite, Brimmer & Heeltap, STK, and More

A few years ago, Brimmer & Heeltap started observing Day of the Dead (thanks to a former chef), and it’s become a beloved event. The restaurant sets up an honor wall for anyone who wants to share a photo of a loved one (human or fur baby), replete with candles and space held in their honor. The display runs through the first week in November. Swing by for a comforting bowl of corn soup with spice butter or a pork chop with fermented greens, and raise a glass (owner Jen Doak’s wine list is always inspired) to pay homage to the loved ones who’ve passed before us.

It’s officially soup season, and nobody does warming soups and restorative broths better than Bruce Nafalty. If you’re craving something heartier, try the crêpes filled with Dungeness crab, spot prawns, Gruyère, and béchamel, or a lightly smoked, sautéed filet of sturgeon with caviar beurre blanc. The Chophouse Row space is as darling as ever, but the heated patio is a nice touch for the colder months.

Selfishly, we want to keep this queer-owned spot to ourselves. It’s a breath of big-city sophisticate tucked into the sleepy Mount Baker neighborhood. Between the cozy, eclectic décor and craft cocktails, it’s the perfect place for a first date or solo night holed up over a book and a Boulevardier. Or the Shiso Extra — Mount Gay Gold Rum makes fruity magic with shiso liqueur, lime juice, peach bitters, and ginger beer. Then, order a Japanese Okazu Pan (beef curry is a favorite) or takeout from Mio Posto next door. Outside food is more than welcome.

Bourbon plus the dreamy backdrop of the Puget Sound is the perfect balm for cold weather. Ray’s Boathouse has plenty of new cocktails, like the Man About Town made with its new private selection Old Forester single barrel bourbon, crème de cacao, orange bitters, and a boozy cherry. The sweet and spicy flavors of the grilled Spanish octopus with chickpea ragu and Uli’s chorizo pair especially well.

Ever since STK Steakhouse took over the old Palomino spot last year, Bellevue locals have been soaking up its hip vibes, great cocktails, and, of course, perfectly grilled cuts of steak, from wagyu flatiron to bone-in filets. Although meat is the main attraction, don’t skip over the raw bar – the jalapeno pickled shrimp cocktail or Alaska red king crab are both winners. Try it with a burnt pineapple paloma or STK mule. Pro tip: head there for happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. 

On a misty autumn day, the view of Snoqualmie Falls is as dreamy as it gets. The Dining Room at Salish Lodge is such a Pacific Northwest classic — and so worth a day trip from the city. Fall is in full swing on the menu: hen of the woods mushrooms served tempura-style with local cherries and smoked hazelnut; comforting Dungeness crab bisque; and grilled salmon with lentils, romesco, and cippolini onions. Enjoy the flavors of fall with a Harvest Moon, a soothing mix of apple cinnamon-infused vodka, Salish honey, sweet and sour, and sparkling cider.

What the world needs now is comfort food, sweet comfort food. What could be better than duck poutine, topped with duck confit and Ellsworth cheese curds? Maybe pork schnitzel with spaetzle, red cabbage, and apricot mustard gastrique, but it’s close. Smith’s cocktail program is always spot-on – an apricot and black walnut Manhattan will warm you right up. Save space for the brandy-soaked fruit and mascarpone tart.

Call (206) 709-1900 for reservations of 6 people or more.

Billing its menu as “inauthentic Eurasian food,” Cook Weaver’s menu actually takes inspiration from all over the world. With things like a meaty vegan “pot roast” with matsutake mushrooms and truffles, smoked black cod with potato dumplings and borscht, and a banh mi-inspired chicken liver mousse with sweet and sour golden beet, it’s like an exotic journey in one night.

Sometimes you just need a total escape from the city. On San Juan Island, chef Jason Aldous interweaves the seasonal bounty of the islands throughout his menu. A beet salad with Mama Bird Farm greens and fresh chèvre, tiger prawn pasta with housemade trottole, and a glass of Washington wine — the list leans heavily on the Pacific Northwest — is the perfect antidote to rainy-day doldrums.

Happy hour is back at this favorite for West Seattleites, and with a brand-new cocktail menu. Tuck into a booth for steak frîtes, crispy pork lettuce boats, chicken and andouille gumbo, or fried dill pickle chips (a sampling of the menu’s incredible options). The best part? Happy hour plates are a sweet, budget-friendly $5-9 each. As for the fancy new libations, try the Blackberry Beret, a nod to Prince, with gin, orange and ginger liqueur, and blackberry puree.