My “Happiest Hours” are on fire! A week or so ago I showed you Lecosho (click) which is within reach of my 3 hour walk around Seattle while I wait for my next class to start.

Last week I chose Le Pichet as a place to have my Happiest Hours and it was a great choice.  I love French food and while I don’t think I would have said that before I started culinary school I can honestly say that it’s been a grand discovery.  The food is simple, it’s good, and the people at Le Pichet know what they’re doing when it comes to French food.

The restaurant is small but there is a very nice at-home feeling to it.  I was planning a seafood extravaganza so it was a nice relaxing place for me to scribble crazy ideas all over a piece of yellow legal pad paper while I constructed three courses from their lunch menu (Le Déjeuner).

First up was the Almonds Sautéed in Olive Oil with Coarse Sea Salt.  I loved this dish…..I loved the salt and I left enough so I could take some to class with me. I enjoyed the liberal amount of sel de mer…..my favorite.

Next course was the Cold Salad of Roasted Beets, Goat Cheese, Oil Cured Olives, Parsley, Crispy Chickpeas and Almond Vinaigrette.  When I look at menus there are always things that stand out but when all of those things are in one dish I get excited.  Roasted Beets……yes…….goat cheese……..YES…….Olives!!!!………CHICKPEAS THAT ARE CRISPY!!!!!…….ALMOND VINAIGRETTE (Font size infinity).   That’s what goes on in my head, pretty awesome.

Then it comes to the table and then I start to do imaginary back flips (tried once, wasn’t sure how to land……it was more of just falling on my back…..I’ll just leave it to those Cirque Du Soleil people.  In the future I’ll hire a person from Cirque Du Soleil to go with me to restaurants and when I get a great dish I’ll scream “backlflip now!!” then clap my hands….. opulence, I will have it.”

What? Ok, back on track!

Look at that…….Yeah, it was really good and it was a great way to set up the last dish.

Just stop talking. No more writing.  Order this, thank me later.

Country style pork pâté with honey and walnuts.

Eric