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Good Food
Good FoodRavenna's Sterling Cafe Serves Organic Goodness
By Zachary D. Lyons
May 09, 2002 -- Good food that's good for you. How many times have you heard that one, only to find on your plate something completely unappetizing? Heck, there are people who hear the word "organic" and still imagine tofu and sprouts, hippies, big un-neutered dogs, and, well, no meat. But the organic foods industry has matured over the last decade, and virtually everything we would expect from modern food is now available in a certified organic form, in a whole foods form, and very, very tasty. Case in point: Sterling Cafe.
Organic goodness: Lee Reddin and Suzi Jenkins prepare to enjoy a meal from Sterling Cafe owner Don Wilson. Zachary D. Lyons photo. |
Don and Rosie Wilson opened Sterling Cafe because they were frustrated in their quest to find much organic food listed on Seattle-area menus. Their passion for pure food coincides with Don's water purification business, begun in the mid-1990s when he retired from 25 years of construction work. For Don and Rosie, pure water and pure food went hand-in-hand. They did their best to eat organic, shopping at local natural foods cooperatives and farmers markets.
Don got his start cooking professionally as far back as junior high school, and he worked for restaurants right through college. In the early 1970s, though, he joined the Air Force, and shipped out to serve in Taiwan. While he benefited from a base with the highest rated U.S. military food on earth, he did not do any cooking. He did meet Rosie there. They married, and when he returned with Rosie to the States, he went into construction. "I always did a lot of cooking at home," Don said. "I just wasn't doing it professionally." Luckily for us, that has changed.
On September 11, 2001, the world itself changed. But on one of the darkest days in American history, a sparkle of light emerged in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. On that day, the Wilson's opened Sterling Cafe in the old space once occupied by Piecora's New York Pizza on NE 55th Street. Ironically, the huge mural on the side of the building of New York's Statue of Liberty, painted there by Piecora's, is still there, as if standing tribute to the city so scarred on this restaurant's opening day.
"About 95 percent of our ingredients are certified organic or wild," Don said. "We search everywhere--the entire world--for ingredients." This sounds like an exaggeration, until you hear the story about their organic corn syrup. They searched the Internet. They called everywhere. They even called the Iowa Farm Bureau. But they could not find organic corn syrup. Finally, they found a producer in Austria. Committed, or in need of being committed, the result is delicious pure food.
Organic pork comes from Washington's own SaraJoes, while organic chickens come from Rosie's in California (no relation). Beef comes from Oregon Country Beef. While not certified organic, it is hormone and antibiotic free beef from a cooperative of Oregon family ranchers. The cafe uses wild, troll-caught Pacific King salmon, wild Alaskan spot prawns, and local shellfish. As the menu says, "We use only the best quality of foods grown without the use of toxins (synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides) or other contaminants such as growth hormones and antibiotics."
The food ranges from homestyle to gourmet, and it is all good. For starters, we tried the Dungeness Crab Cakes and the Pan Seared Scallops. The crab cakes stand up against any in town, and the scallops were lightly seared and dressed, accompanied by roasted tomatoes, for a delightful start to our meal. They do not skimp on taste here for the sake of health, as evidenced by the Caesar dressing they make the old fashioned way, anchovies and all. And of course the greens are the wonderful organic greens we Seattleites have come to expect from our restaurants. Each day they create a soup from scratch, too. We enjoyed their chicken noodle soup, a simple concoction with house-made noodles worthy of anyone's mom.
The Lasagne was hearty and delicious, rich with cheese, and spiced up with SaraJoes organic Andouille sausage. Don's Roasted Chicken comes smothered in a rich sauce of herbs, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and wine and finished with cream. Served with herbed red potatoes, this country-style dish is tasty, stick-to-your-ribs goodness. Wild Alaskan Spot Prawns star in Prawns Fettuccini, served in a creamy, garlicky sauce which reinforces one of my favorite adages: there is no such thing as too much garlic.
Don's partner in the kitchen, Patrick Hovey, has created a terrific selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes, like the Vegetable Frittata or Penne Pesto. One standout veggie dish, both in its originality and its execution, is the Tofu Shepherd's Pie. They also offer a large lunch menu, featuring numerous sandwiches and salads, and smaller versions of dinner entrees.
A good selection of organic wines and beers are available, as well as a great dessert list. While I normally am not a carrot cake fan, Sterling Cafe's version got my attention. And the Warm Chocolate Cake, freshly baked, with organic Belgian chocolate oozing from its center, just plain rocks. It even comes with a scoop of Don's house-smade vanilla ice cream.
Sterling Cafe, 2614 NE 55th St, 522-3001, Open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Zachary D. Lyons, committed life-long grunge-puppy, wishes peaceful rest to Layne Staley.
Reader Comments
Discuss this article in the forums!
| pat eurek | Nov 11, 2002 | omaha, nebraska | banker |
| Hi, I am doing a story on Layne Staley. Would like to know where he lived, where he hung out. The where abouts of any friends or family for interviews. Any help would be greatly appreciated. | |||
| Don Wilson | Mar 12, 2003 | Seattle | |
| The correct phone # for the Sterling Cafe is 206-522-3011 | |||
