#1116 #S664 - Noble Fir, Seattle - 5/26/2010

Update: Noble Fir closed Dec 2022.

This is a pleasant new place on Ballard Ave (it opened to the public on this date), with a quite good beer and wine selection and some interesting food items with nice meats, cheeses and desserts.  The decor is woody and neat, and surprisingly spare for a place with forest sort of theme. 

But don't go if you're not ready to get your drink on -- the wines by glass are a bit on the spendy side and the tap beers are not served in anything less than 20oz imperial pints.

It's not immediately clear to me that this will be enough to make people choose the Fir over various other place along this stretch, but I suppose we'll see.


5316 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98107

5316 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 - (206) 420-7425
thenoblefir.com -  seattle pi - thrillist - yelp

#1117 #S665 - Ruby Asian Dining, Seattle - 5/24/2010

Update: Sabai closed in Feb 2014

(Now "Sabai") There's not much to the bar here, but they do have a few house cocktails, very much on the sweet side.  I chose the Sabai Sabai (Mekhong rum, lemon juice, sugar syrup, thai basil, soda), which actually looked like the least sweet and sugary option, but it's nothing to write Siam about.

200 Lake Washington Blvd, Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 322-7288
rubyasiandining.com - the stranger - yelp

#1115 #S663 - Porterhouse, Seattle - 5/22/2010

Update:  The Porterhouse closed Dec. 3, 2011.

The Porterhouse, in the old Blackbird space in West Seattle, is the sister pub to a place in Mount Vernon of the same name, but is nevertheless owned by a West Seattle native, Silas Reynolds.  As the name suggests, the emphasis at the Porterhouse(s) is beer, and in general they seem to get very good reviews for their numerous west coast brews, with more mixed reaction to their gastropub food.

When the gal at the bar found out that I was more in the mood for an "interesting cocktail," she fetched Kristin, who made me a fairly nice French 75.


2329 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116 - (206) 932-2575
westcoastales.com - facebook - westseattleblog - thestranger - urbanspoon - yelp