Lampreia

05/12/2008 Posted by altomare

To celebrate my 50th birthday, my family selected Lampreia. I had never been there, but had read some reviews. If the food had been exquisite, it wouldn't have mattered if I had to park 20 blocks away. It was a fabulous evening just being there with my family. Yet, all the ambiance and artistry cannot make up for tasteless or bad tasting food. Presentation should not take precedence over taste. We had the eight course tasting menu. The service was impeccable, and although it was stiff and snooty, it was fitting for the circumstance. The champagne had delicate fruit undertones that were light and crisp. The bread was fresh, yet uninteresting. The apple/dungeness dish was quite nice. The truffle cream on which the soup was poured was wonderful, yet the soup was disappointing -- lacking in flavor. Most of the other dishes were unremarkable and forgettable. The chicken liver pate was bitter and sour tasting. Awful! The tuna proscuitto with sea urchin had a nice intense ocean flavor, but the overall dish was just okay. The lamb dish was nice. The meal overall was lacking in VEGETABLES. The chocolate mousse and orange frise (sp?) were both very good, but there was no offer of coffee, espresso, tea... NOTHING! I find that coffee enhances chocolate and was VERY disappointed that it was not offered. The mini cookies would have been great with espresso. The cheese dish (baked with honey) was very nice. The cabernet (and all of the wines) were very nice. Overall, my family made the evening wonderful, not the food. The food was very mediocre. My brother-in-law paid the bill, which must have been about $1,200 for the five of us, possibly more with tax and tip. At those prices, EVERY dish should be exquisitely seasoned, which our meal was not. I did not leave dreaming, thinking, pondering how good the food was. I was not calculating in my mind when the next time would be that I could get back there. The next special occasion will be elsewhere.

Pros: Attentive service

Cons: Food is better looking than tasting, no coffee service?

02/16/2008 Posted by mulder7

How could this restaurant be rated 5 stars? The service was slow and untimely. The waiter was very rude to us when we ordered to share (even though it amounted to $800). Our table was unattended for a long time without water in the glass, yet they were eager to clear the dishes that we were still working on. We didn't even get the small plate for individual use, and were forced to use tiny bread dish to serve ourselves. I asked the head-waitress about this inconvenience, and she said that the restaurant was not accustomed to serve food for share. The worst was the chef. When one of my friends stepped outside for a couple of minutes to check the call, the chef came over to our table and asked if he left. We explained that he would be right back, and that there was no need to wait for him if the order was ready. The chef looked angry, rolled his eyeballs, and left us without a word. It was as if we were being sacrilegious to the art he was about to offer or something... we all lost our speech and looked at each other with disbelief. I have been to most of renowned restaurants in Seattle, and usually, the finer the place is, the finer the experience is. The restaurant going is not just about food quality, but the total experience that makes us want to go back. At Lampreia, I felt we had to be A+ student for the "divine art" of chef Carsberg, in order to be treated human. I will never go back there. Never.

Pros: Visually interesting presentation of food

Cons: Food is not that great for the price, for the hard-to-find parking, for the terrible services.

02/03/2008 Posted by LiamdeGato

Lampreia’s food presentation is a visual work of art, but the food, unfortunately, is a secondary consideration. Visual appeal is a part of fine cuisine, but it should not be at the sacrifice of the food itself. Here the cuisine suffers at the expense of visual affectation. A duck dish included smaller than dime-sized dabs of several “fruit mustards,” which were attractive on the plate, but too insignificant to play a role in augmenting the dish---no great loss, however, as the flavors integrated poorly with the duck and its sauce. The sautéed bass, at $30.00, was good, but rather bland with no saucing and little seasoning, and it was nothing that could not be accomplished at home by a decent cook, albeit perhaps without the elegantly curlicued scallion that served as the artistic garnish. Occasionally, the presentation and cuisine mesh well, as with the Dungeness crab in a roll of paper thin apple slices, but regrettably such success is the exception rather than the rule. Several of the servers were cold and aloof, though ours was friendly and accessible. One other server seemed friendly and accessible as well, though perhaps not for long, as we observed the chef/owner treating him in a demeaning manner. The staff appear to have been brow-beaten into robotic automatons. We also observed the chef/owner behaving brusquely to certain guests whom he apparently deemed unworthy. A dinner here is quite expensive. We would gladly pay a similar price for a special meal at one of the Seattle area’s many fine restaurants---but not here. Not again. We will not be returning.

Pros: Food as stunning visual art

Cons: Indifferent and pretentious cuisine. Cold atmosphere. Owner/chef rude and condescending

05/20/2007 Posted by zebdog

Since moving to Seattle over 11 years ago Lampreia has been high on our list of places to try. We finally made it there for my birthday last night and I can't remember a single "fine dining" experience where I felt surly, annoyed and hungry by the end of the meal. We spent close to $400 after splurging on the 8 course tasting menu with accompanying wines...which is all good and fine if the food is tasty and interesting. To be fair, the food was very interesting to look at and were little works of art, but nothing was particularly tasty. He used some beautiful crab, but I could have run down to Mutual Fish and bought comparable crab and stuffed myself silly all night for $40. Our waiter was awkward at best and with each course they would drag out a linen lined cart, drop a silver tray with the dishes and then present them to the table. It got to be a bit much after watching this go on for several hours. I also hate going to a nice restaurant where they try to upsell you on things like bottled water or tiny bottles of olive oil. If they think the olive oil is so magical then why not drop two tablespoons on each table and let people try it. To start your meal with some weird olive oil infomercial and then be told "that we will be allowed to take the remaining olive oil home with as a momento of our evening" just made me want to run for the hills. But, I settled down and enjoyed some yummy champagne in anticipation of a good meal. Too bad it never happened. Bland food and we did not have a single warm dish. Two crab dishes, a slice of duck, a pea pancotta, a horribly unseasoned and chewy ravioli with a runny egg center, a duck breast and for dessert two yogurty dishes. The only standout were the petit fours. Sadly, on the way home we ended up buying a few slices of Hot Mama's. There are so many interesting chefs making innovative and tasty food you shouldn't waste your time at Lampreia. I'm still annoyed that we spent so and got so little.

Pros: Beautiful and artistic appearing food

Cons: Food is boring to eat, ambience is stiff

03/25/2007 Posted by slpgripp

My husband and I had gone to Lampreia a few years ago after reading a review in a "Seattle's Best" book, and we loved it. Decided to go back again for our anniversary this year. We invited some friends, but after they read all of the negative reviews on this site they decided not to go. Too bad, because it's the most amazing dining experience! Yes, we did spend $500 on just the two of us- but we CHOSE to go all out. We had drinks before dinner, the 8-course Chef's Tasting Menu, a good bottle of wine, the extra cheese plate, the madeira to go with it, the $12 bottle of oil for the bread! I can't imagine the types of behaviors talked about by some of the reviewers on this site. Making the reservation was easy as pie, we were a few minutes late, but didn't get an angry cell phone call! The waiters were friendly, knowledgeable, ever present, but not hovering. When I got up to use the ladies room, a waiter quickly stopped what he was about to do and escorted me to the door to the hallway. The 8 course tasting menu was absolutely amazing. Yes, each course looks small on the plate- the presentation is part of the experience for heaven's sake! By the time we got to the end, I was actually uncomfortably stuffed- I think I'll go for the 5-courses next time!! The taste sensations are like nothing you have ever encountered, and the descriptions given by the waiters are brief, factual, and necessary. I wish I had a written description of everything we had to eat last night! If you're looking for a big ol juicy steak, or a traditional seafood dinner with baked potato and side of vegies, then you really should just go to one of the many fine restaurants in Seattle as mentioned by others on this site. Lampreia is most assuredly not that type of restaurant. If you have a sense of adventure when it comes to dining, and can afford to drop some coin once in a while for an out of this world feast, then you must go to Lampreia. We will definitely be back again!

Pros: Outstanding food and service.

Cons: Can be very expensive.

03/16/2007 Posted by devilred

The staff at Lampreia made making, and cancelling a reservation one of the most uncomfortable experiences ever. These people lack even the most common decency and consideration one would expect from a complete stranger, let alone a customer willing to spend $$$$ for a dinner. That the chef/owner, manager and host all readily assume their guests have zero integrity and unforgivable intentions tells much of the kind of people they are. Never again will I, or my colleagues, visit Lampreia. I would implore all those who read this to follow suit.

Cons: Insulting and unprofessional staff

03/09/2007 Posted by karensquirrel

I have been frequenting Lampreia for several years and it is absolutely the best restaurant I have ever dined at. That includes the best of establishments in Seattle, the Napa Valley and other metropolitan areas in CA, to name a few. Scott, owner and chef, is truly an “artist” with food and is incredibly passionate. His creativity flourishes in the manner in which he pairs flavors to create a dining experience like no other! And, if you are wondering, there is a difference between “dining” and “eating out”. From my experiences, the average Washingtonian requires inexpensive food, a lot of it and no preference regarding the quality of the service to rate a restaurant as excellent. If that is you then Lampreia is not your type of establishment. If you relish a true quality dining experience then it is the restaurant of choice. The wait staff at Lampreia is truly knowledgeable, respectful and professional. As referenced in an earlier post they “watch you” so they can ensure that they provide the appropriate service at the exact moment during your entire visit. They are not trying to make anyone uncomfortable. They absolutely provide a European service experience, which, is lost on most local residents. To those of you that recently say you had a bad experience at Lampreia. Shame on you for submitting 5 posts!!! That is obviously indicative of your sophistication or lack there of. I can see how that would carry over to your behavior in public at the restaurant that evening. People like you are usually not worth the trouble you cause those in the service industry. So, to others, if you are looking for a wonderful restaurant with exquisite food take the chance and visit my favorite Seattle restaurant!

Pros: You won't find flavors, aromas and tastes like this anywhere! The prices are worth it.

Cons: None

03/09/2007 Posted by stevejj

Lampreia is simply the finest dining experience, not only in Seattle, but on the west coast. The service is impeccable and the food esquisite. The creativity that Scott demonstrates in the development of his cusine reflects his committment to presenting the diner with dishes unmatched in other fine venues. I have visited Lampreia routinely since it was opened. I have never been disappointed and frequently surprised, once again, by Scott's creativity. This is especially the case if you have Scott cook for you. He has the ability, honed from many years of cooking on several different continents, to pair food and wine while also catering to the desires of his customers. As for pricing, I think the cost is reasonable considering the quality and creativity demonstrated in each dish. Some people think that if they don't receive copious amounts of food that they have not received good value. If that is the case, Lampreia is not for you. What you get at Lampreia is a superb dining experience that will be the subject of many conversations in the future! As to the decor, I find it pleasant and understated. The staff always demonstrate respect for the customer in my experience. Is it unreasonable to return respect in the manner in which you handle your reservations and attendance? As to the comments made by others concerning children, I thoroughly enjoy a relaxing dinner free from the understandable, but distracting, outbursts from young children. This is simply not the restaurant for children although I have never heard any comments about the age of customers from Scott or the staff. Lampreia is a treasure for Seattle and should be treated as such.

Pros: Creative dishes, polished service, pleasant atmosphere

Cons: None

03/08/2007 Posted by yoda63

T'was a sorry experience of a starkly decorated, Eastern European - like, hang dog ambiance, under the helicopterish hovering of a sophomorishly trained wait staff of depressed glum drifters on meth. I had fun... And when I left seriously devoid of all my monthly alottment of food/scotch/and cigar money, I felt like Ken Kesey must've when he got the hell out of Cuckoo's Nest... Food was good like Grandma's overdone roast only with truffles but Scottie is way too proud of it, as you wil find out when you get the bill. Our threesome dropped $600+ and I assuredly would rather have spent several fun and gorgeous evenings at Shiro's Sushi or El Gaucho's Steak House around the corner--or the Met downtown etc. etc.. Unless you like sociopathetic threatened dining where at any minute you sense a dark force and an underlying sense of doom and want to pay highly for it, don't go... However, if you like blowing gobs of money in a cemetary in N'arlans on mescaline with voo-doo--by all means take this white knuckler and tell Scottie his meat is overcooked!! Ha!!

Pros: location.

Cons: scary, overpriced,menu scam...

03/07/2007 Posted by victoriabestof

I expected great things from this restaurant, but was highly disappointed. What a stark, sad place. The hostess ushered me in and looked glum. The waiter had a cold, uptight attitude. The chef looked like he needed a hug – very stressed out, frantically flailing his hands around, with an angry look in his face. True, things happen in the kitchen, but I want my food to be made with at least a little passion and enthusiasm. The food was bland and the wine was way overpriced. Don’t go to this place if you want any warmth or great service.

Pros: Location

Cons: Chef needs a hug.