The February Hit List: Mountaineering Club, L’Oursin, Gracia, and More

If you’re looking for a romantic date idea, The Mountaineering Club has got you covered. Nosh on a camp tostada with marinated shrimp or potato chip nachos — a brilliant twist on the basic snack. Or cozy up on the heated outdoor patio with an Inside Sweater, a boozy Valrhona drinking chocolate laced with Jamaican rum and green Chartreuse. If you’re still wary about indoor dining, grab food and cocktails to go and head to nearby Fritz Hedges Waterway Park for lake and cityscape views.

There’s a lot to love about this outpost of the Bellingham bar. For one, its cocktail flights, which feature three colorful creations. (Namely, SRCC makes its own edible cocktail glitter, sugars, and confetti.) It’s hard to beat Wednesday night’s $12 burger, beer, and fries deal. Sink your teeth into an Aussie lamb burger stuffed with feta or the black ‘n blue beef burger with bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Sure, bold flavors and spices shine in Peruvian staples here, like aji de pollo, lomo saltado, and arroz con pato. But it’s dishes like the Causa Crocante, a Nikkei-inspired take on the popular mashed potato cake topped with tuna tartare and unagi sauce, and a perfectly grilled octopus (pulpo a la parrilla) marinated in anticuchera sauce that take tastebuds on a quick trip to South America. Pair it with a Peruvian beer — Cristal, 7 Vidas, or a Cusqueña — or a pisco sour.

Chef Brian Durbin’s cozy gastropub is all about shared plates like reggianito cheese-stuffed fried olives with romesco, or grilled halloumi cheese with a Madeira wine sauce. The Pacific Northwest beef short ribs with malbec glaze or wild-caught scallops wrapped in smoked bacon will satisfy for something heartier. Thirsty diners have many choices — more than a dozen wines by the glass, ditto for beers on tap. Cocktails are fantastic, too — the Nordic Nights, made with aquavit, bourbon, honey, and orange bitters, was made for winter sipping.

Okay, so maybe a trip to France isn’t in the travel cards right now. But you can still skip off to L’Oursin for a Paris fix. The raw albacore with sea urchin and habanada mayonnaise is a simple, unpretentious presentation of fresh flavors. (L’Oursin is French for “sea urchin,” and the pale orange beauty appears throughout the menu.) Sweetbread nuggets with espelette barbecue sauce pair with a glass (or two!) of Champagne. Also, the market and wine shop are well-stocked with provisions for a picnic or fancy night in.

Every seat in the house at this lovely French find tucked away in Pike Place Market is a stunner, with far-stretching views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Come dinner, start with appetizers — les entrées, en français. Baked escargot, Hudson Valley foie gras, and French onion soup are bistro staples that’ll make you feel like you’re dining in Paris. On chilly winter days, consider heartier fare like the Hudson Valley Duck leg confit with French green lentils or steak frites. Starting mid-month, outdoor dining will be offered in self-contained igloos for parties of up to five people.

Winter is here, which means shellfish season is upon us. Oysters, in particular, are at their peak during the coldest months of the year (aka, right now). Family-owned for five generations, Taylor Shellfish touts a handful of Seattle area locations. But it’s the Queen Anne spot that has the most abundant menu, including geoduck (pronounced goo ee duck), a giant saltwater clam that’s served raw with wasabi and soy sauce. Step up your zinc intake by slurping freshly shucked oysters, including local varieties Kumamoto, Virginica, and Shigoku. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

We’re deep in another pandemic winter, and everyone can use some extra joy. Gold Bar’s festive Caribbean food and downright playful vibe brings it. So does its bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marias if you swing by during brunch (Saturdays only). Remember, the restaurant’s mantra is “no bad days.” Try the taco trio, empanadas, or queso fresco pupusas. Bonus: Gold Bar offers all-day happy hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, because there’s no playbook for living through a pandemic. Oh, and on Sundays, they host Gold Coast, a West African pop-up.

There are few things in the world that cheese can’t soothe. Thankfully, it makes frequent appearances on the menu at Gracia. Think tucked in a chicken tinga empanada, atop enchiladas suiza, on roasted vegetable tacos. But, hands down, it’s best highlighted in Gracia’s queso fundido, a cheesy blend of chorizo and poblano peppers that is a most divine comfort dish. A bevy of margarita selections, including a spicy jalapeño and serrano pepper-infused version, plus a comfy outdoor dining space round out the experience. In addition, all two-ounce pours of mezcal, Tequila or other agave spirits are 25% off on Tuesdays.

If you’re headed back to the city after a day of hiking, skiing, or snowboarding, Fins Bistro is well worth a stop. Although the menu shines mostly on seafood, there are plenty of dishes to sate even the most diehard carnivore. Start with the Dungeness crab cakes with Braeburn apple relish before moving on to the miso black cod with kimchi rice or Parmesan-crusted chicken piccata. Finally, save room for the warm cinnamon churros with salted caramel, which are basically a sweet, fried hug.