The Melting Teapot

If you’re a wine geek like me, though, it is the Wine and Cheese Flights menu that draws you back.  You can experience these in the Brasserie restaurant, in its wine bar, or next door at the more laid back Artisanal Table (with its fabulous antipasto bar and a great Italian wine list).

Here is the “Luscious Flight" I had when we visited a few days ago:

From left to right: triple cream cheese with a rose champagne, a camembert with cote du rhone, and a creamy gorgonzola with madeira.

It was a wonderfully tasty flight, and I fell in love with the lush gorgonzola. When it came to the actual pairings between wine and cheese, my favorite was the middle one: a Cote du Rhone with Camembert.  The other two were very nice, but the CDR-Camembert combo is one that I am going to take with me to future wine-tasting parties.  It was one of those pairings that provided a contrasting flavor profile, where the wine and cheese were distinct from each other yet created an even more interesting flavor than they had on their own.

The chef-celeb of the place is Terrance Brennan, also chef/proprietor of the renowned Artisanal Fromagerie in New York City.  He must make fairly regular treks between the two coasts, since he often offers special classes or makes appearances at the local Sur La Table shop.

In my visits to the Artisanal Brasserie and Table, I’ve never actually met, or even seen Brennan. For me, the cheese master of the restaurant is Doug, the cheese & wine sommelier. I am so happy to find someone who not only wants to pair the food and wine, he wants to TALK about it.  He’ll come over to verify the choices you’ve made, or to ask what sorts of cheese and wines you prefer, then heads back to the cheese counter to create your plate.  A little while later, Doug almost always returns to make sure the choices suited the diners.  I’ve learned quite a few tidbits of pairing info and advice from him, which is always an added benefit for me. 


Now is a great time to try this restaurant because they are participating in Seattle Restaurant Week.  Over the next few days, they’ll be offering a 3-course lunch for just $15, dinner for $25.

Check their web site for other special offers, and for interesting classes and tasting events. It is worth taking advantage of any special deals and offers because the Artisanal Brasserie can get rather pricy, especially if you start adding on wine. Wine Geek Alert: on Monday evenings, bottles of wine are half-price, and corkage (on wine you bring yourself) is free.