Joule

07/15/2008 Posted by devo2400

I went to Joule on a Sunday evening for a bite having never heard of it and really not expecting much. I was just walking by looking for a place to eat and it seemed like it could be fun. As it turns out Joule is a fabulous place to eat. It is a bit small but the space is inviting and has a positive modern vibe. I had four items: The boar bacon salad with roaster corn and cilantro was superb. Everything is better with bacon but this was on a completely different level. The bacon was thick sliced and just a little crisp, and with very little fat (for bacon) it did not feel heavy, even on a hot summer night. The savory and smoky bacon was well balanced by the sweetness of the corn, and the acid from a well structured vinaigrette brought the dish together. The olive gnochi was good but not great. It was well prepared, tender but with just enough bite to feel satisfying, and the pasta itself was very good with the subtle olive flavor, but not enough was done with it. The small bit of cheese and the sweet red peppers were fine but didn't really elevate the dish to what it could be. Hopefully they will tweak the dish and give it a bit more pop, but it was good and would probably order it again. The bread was fantastic and it comes with three butter options. I chose the seaweed butter which was good, but very potent. If you have any aversion to seaweed go for one of the other options. If you love seaweed, dive on in. Finally I had the bison hanger steak with garlic and chimichuri. It was tender, perfectly seasoned and just melted in my mouth. If you haven't had a hanger steak before, this is a great place to try one. The chimichuri was strong but not overpowering. It really accentuated the natural depth of flavor in a hanger steak rather than overwhelming the meat as chimichuri so often does. All and all it was a great little place to grab a meal and have a drink.

06/21/2008 Posted by Snafu2

Great spot for a date - food is fun to share and quite good. Best of all, it made the best next day leftovers I've ever had. Prices are very reasonable. Only dish I didn't like was the olive gnocchi, which weren't particularly tasty and whose texture was unexciting.

Pros: Interesting food, very cozy, very reasonable prices

Cons: Some dishes cute use a little sprucing up in terms of texture/spice/acid balance

06/11/2008 Posted by kittyKLK

We went to Joule a few months ago and it was really good, but not great. We went again last Sunday for their Urban BBQ series and it was a fabulous experience. Four of us ordered one of each thing on the menu to taste it all and then ordered seconds, thirds and fourths of some of the dishes. There were some inventive dishes (bruschetta with onion,capers, goat cheese and grilled grapes) and crazily tasty drinks (blood-orange juice, sherry vinegar and sugar, anyone?) The chefs/owners were friendly, the live music was a compliment instead of a distraction, and seating was available without a wait. Their BBQ series menu changes every week.

05/11/2008 Posted by countsguys

I must disagree with the negative reviews posted. I have a feeling that some of these reviewers just want to keep traffic down so they can keep this amazing little place to themselves. Joule quickly is rising to the top of my short list of favorite restaurants in Seattle. The food is innovative and executed to perfection. Don't expect Korean or French cuisine, but enjoy a meal that hints at what is great about both traditions. Do yourself a favor and try the calamata gnocchi if they're on the menu. While you won't have a "fine dining" service experience, you will be attended to by a freindly, competent staff. Get to this restaurant soon. It won't be long before this pair of chefs earn a Beard Award and we won't be able to get a weekend table here.

Pros: great food!

Cons: small space. wine list left a bit to be desired

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful

05/10/2008 Posted by keeman

I was hesitant to try this place after reading some of the reviews but I was very pleasantly surprised tonight. The Korean-French fusion cuisine is definitely unique and pushes culinary boundaries, but I really liked what we ordered: the kalamata olive gnocchi, sliced almonds, red pepper served with a side of crispy white rice cakes (addictive), duck a l'orange with a kumquat sauce (carefully prepared, flavorful), a fresh whole branzino fish (perfectly grilled and moist) with olive tapenade and poached red grapes. We finished off with a dessert called the Jewel Box: tapioca pudding scented with basil and coconut, topped with lightly broiled grapefruit sections. A modern take on an asian dessert that was light and refreshing. The server was very friendly and chatty too. The place had a nice buzz of activity for a Saturday, but I feel this place deserves more attention. I mean, if this place was located in SF, LA or NY, it would be totally packed with people looking for something new and different.

Pros: Food, Parking

Cons: The tables next to the door might be a little drafty.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

03/14/2008 Posted by sandradeen

We were really looking forward to this restaurant as it combined 2 of our favorite cuisines. I have no idea how you could have a French/Korean fusion restaurant and have the food be so bland. It quite literally seems impossible. We were also disappointed by what you got for the price. Hey, how about putting a scoop of rice with our entrees, at least? (no rice to be seen on the menu at all, btw, which is so strange for with all the Korean dishes) The service left something to be desired but it really was the food that let us down the most. I wish I could recommend this restaurant but I can't.

01/21/2008 Posted by Shrielenee

My boyfriend and I and some friends of ours dined at Joule on a Friday night for a birthday. The service was excellent... we had a reservation and weren't kept waiting at all. My spicy beef soup was brothy and delicious, albeit very un-spicy. Likewise the pear kimchi was a delightful surprise as was the lamb (cooked perfectly and melt in your mouth!) The pulled pork and black bean dish looked like a big sloppy casserole but was full of robust flavor and a delectable saltiness that wasn't overwhelming. The wine was very reasonably priced, and all six of us ate for under $200. Now if that's not a steal for an excellent meal, I don't know what is. The chef, Rachel Yang, watched over us the whole meal and introduced herself to us on the way out. I would say that this was a great choice for my friend's birthday. He told me again and again how good of a time he and his wife had. Thanks Joule!

Pros: Attentive Service with a friendly smile

Cons: Rude snobby patrons

01/20/2008 Posted by benmargoles

I respectully disagree with the negative reviews posted here. My girlffriend and I went on Friday and enjoyed great service (they juggled and fit us in without a reservation and the waiter was friendly and attentive and made a great wine recommendation). I enjoyed the green salad with squash chips and funky radishes and my girlfriend and I both absolutely loved the fennel soup with clams... creamy with complex flavors that we never expected from a fennel soup. Crispy pork dumplings were great - loved the gingery sweetness of the sauce. Main courses -- Bison Hanger steak and short ribs -- were cooked perfectly and were quite tender and flavorful. Desserts were perfect -- a REAL ginger ice cream... not too sweet.... and a chocolate cake with condensed milk ice cream that reminded me a eating brownies with milk as a kid. simple goodness. Thanks for a great meal.

01/10/2008 Posted by carol2880

Went on a date after reading the glowing weekly review. Talk about overrated, the food was completely bland, the service was indifferent, and the atmosphere was dry. Whoever wrote that review was either bribed or has never eaten in a truly inventive bistro. Gnochhi and the cornbread was unique but flavorless, the octopus tased like rubber. Only redeeming dish was the whole cooked fish which was tasty. Try Opal or Harvest Vine if you want real inventive and flavorful food.

Pros: Within walking distance of other restaurants

Cons: Bland food and indifferent service

01/05/2008 Posted by rtwa33

My friends suggested we go to Joule for dinner after they had read a Seattle Times review on the new restaurant. I am always excited to try a new restaurant. Sadly, this was a major disappointment. The food was fair at best. I started with the spicy beef soup which was well seasoned but difficult to eat with pieces of leeks cut way too long. Several of us had grilled fish of some sort, which all was good. Other dishes ordered by the table were the short ribs and lasagna which were both highly disappointing. Ribs were tough and the lasagna was poorly seasoned. The service though was by far the most disappointing. Our waitress could not care less if we had a pleasant experience or not. She even made it clear to us by what time we needed to be out of the restaurant. The owners have some serious work to do with their staff if they want to gather a dedicated following.

Pros: Intimate setting, street parking not hard to find

Cons: poor service