Montlake Cut is a Nick Badovinus concept restaurant specializing in Pacific Northwest foods. It is medium sized with fairly close tables and bar seating which seemed to be for walk-in guests. The decor is nautical with bench seating that reminds you of seating on a boat and various boating signs, etc used as decorations. There is also a large aquarium toward the back bar. Service is helpful but staff are stretched so order while you can. In their defense, the night we went they called to see if they could move up our reservation by an hour as somehow they had gotten overbooked, which may have attributed to server overload.
We were able to come a bit earlier and they were kind enough to thank us with an order of their fried shrimp appetizer. No explanation was given, though, until after when we asked – afraid we might have eaten someone’s intended food. Tables are set with “goldfish” crackers, and I had forgotten how tasty those little crackers are. A nice nibble while looking over the menu. The crispy Gulf Shrimp were hot and delicious and came with a couple sauces that were nice but the taste of the shrimp alone was wonderful. There was a small salad on the plate which was not a throwaway.
For an appetizer we ordered a nightly special of King Crab, served warm or cold. We chose the warm with drawn butter and it was spectacular. Sweet, perfectly cooked and a nice amount of enhancing butter to dip it in. What’s not to like here?
For main course we had the Washington Lingcod served with campfire jack polenta and their original voodoo sauce. It was a spicy treatment of this large flake fish which was cooked perfectly. Topped with a few greens it was a good combination of flavors.
We also tried the Sitka Sound Alaskan halibut served with gribiche. It was cooked nicely and also served with a small salad. We accompanied all with side orders of Shells and Cheese with Mt. Townsend Creamery Campfire Jack cheese and some seemed broccoli, which was a special for that day. The mac and cheese was nice and creamy with lots of cheese and cream. It is heavy but very tasty. The broccoli was steamed very lightly and needed a dash of salt, butter, oil or something. It was a bit too bland and unexciting. Unfortunately we had no room left for dessert.
