Downtown’s Thompson Hotel now open

Huxley Wallace fine dining restaurant, Scout, and swanky rooftop bar, The Nest, to follow

By Seattle Mag May 30, 2016

A bar with large windows overlooking the ocean.

Hold on to your fine dining hats, Seattle. The luxurious Thompson Hotel opens its first Pacific Northwest property on June 1, at 110 Stewart St., just a stone’s throw from Pike Place Market. And that means two highly anticipated restaurants from Josh Henderson’s Huxley Wallace – the sleek, full-service Scout, and the hip, rooftop bar, The Nest – are just days away from unlocking their doors as well.

Scout opens to the public June 6. The Nest lands June 13.

As we’ve discussed before, hotel fine dining in Seattle is on an upswing, with everyone from Jason Wilson (Millers Guild, Hotel Max) to Ethan Stowell (Goldfinch Tavern, Four Seasons) increasing their game and vying for the “return of hotel dining” trophy.

Henderson’s entries sound like they’re going to be showstoppers.

Scout will highlight locally-sourced items such as shellfish from the Puget Sound, wild mushrooms foraged from the Cascade Mountains, and grass-fed beef from the eastern farmlands. Some dishes to drool about now: buckwheat pancakes with candied pecans, maple butter and white chocolate, and a hearty seafood chowder with Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, mushroom and potato. A prix fixe Chef’s Counter will serve cutting-edge courses (8 to 12, we’re told) incorporating the region’s seasonal and sometimes out-of-the-box ingredients. Scout will begin taking reservations for the Chef’s Counter in June.

Now, The Nest: If you’ve ever imbibed into the night on stylish hotel rooftops in San Francisco and Los Angeles, then you know how awesome this bar and lounge is going to be for Seattle nightlife. Opening as the highest hotel rooftop bar and lounge in Seattle, The Nest will offer “unobstructed views of the city and natural scenery in an outdoor living room aesthetic complete with warming fire pits and engaging seating environments,” according to Henderson. We’re particularly excited about the custom “ice program” designed to showcase the flavor notes of each handcrafted cocktail. And the views of Puget Sound and the Olympics, of course.

Under the eye of Henderson, executive Chef Derek Simcik will direct both culinary venues (and room service, if you partake) plus nifty tableside cart experiences including oyster shucking and carving stations – a creative solution to a one-kitchen problem. A little more about the Olson Kundig-designed Thompson: the 12-story luxury hotel will feature 158 mid-century modern guest rooms including eight corner studios and two suites. In terms of aesthetics, be prepared for a bold mix of exposed steel and concrete and sumptuous leathers and mohair.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, you’ll want something nice to wear with that fine dining hat.

 

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