Last night my partner Chris and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at The Whale Wins in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.

We learned about The Whale Wins from Nate, owner of two of our favorite Tucson restaurants — Prep & Pastry and Commoner & Co. When he found out that I was moving to Seattle he told us that we HAD to eat there. So when Chris came out for a visit in December, that’s exactly what we did.

Our first meal there was so good that when one of Chris’s coworkers messaged me on the down-low because they wanted to give them a gift certificate to celebrate their graduation and move, this was the first and only place to come to mind.

We had to wait a while to use our gift certificate because life has been so stressful since the move, but finally things have settled down enough that we felt like we could really savor a delicious dinner.

We started with a couple of cocktails, because of course we did. Mine, on the right, is “THORN & ROTH:
MIDSOMMAR AQUAVIT, CUCUMBER JASMINE SHRUB, ST. GERMAINE, CAVA” and Chris’s, on the left, is “THE TYPHOON: TEQUILA, PINEAPPLE, SUZE, MEZCAL, LEMON, CHOCOLATE BITTERS”. We both felt that ours was the tastier drink, so we ordered well. Both cocktails were really refreshing on a warm end-of-summer day and I felt like the colors and garnishes (a single jasmine flower in mine, a slice of pineapple and jaunty paper straw in theirs) were really summer-y too.

Next up we have some appetizers which I forgot to photograph because I was SO HUNGRY. We had a plate of bread from Sea Wolf Bakery, which is across the street, served with whipped butter and coarse salt. And we had some cheese, which I did not realize when I ordered it was a form of blue cheese. I’ve always avoided blue cheese in the past because I associate mold with spoilage, but it was really delicious so I’m willing to admit I was wrong.

Then it was time for entrees! So here’s the thing about The Whale Wins. The menu changes daily. What you see on the website is an approximation of what may be available when you get there. They only seem to do about 4 main entrees a day, one of which is a high-end beef dish that serves two. So if you’re a picky eater, this is not the place for you. You have to be willing to go into it with the expectation that you’re going to have limited choices, but they’ll all be delicious.

I ordered the fish. How beautiful is this? It was halibut, served over beans, with a relish of almonds, corn, onions, and herbs. Fish and beans are not a combination I would normally ever think of, but the beans were deliciously smoky, a nice counterpart to the almost creamy halibut. And while it is not a huge dish, it was just the right size when paired with the bread and cheese I had already eaten.

Chris ordered the half chicken, which was salt-roasted and served with a fresh slaw and poppy seed dressing. The chicken skin was delightfully crunchy and the slaw was crisp and flavorful. Much like the cocktails, it had a very summery feel, especially with the little florets in the slaw. This was also a larger portion than the fish, so a better choice if you brought a big appetite!

Now for the real star of the meal — dessert! We both have a sweet tooth and a desire to try new things. We’d seen a couple of dessert options on the menu that seemed interesting, but then our server told us there was a special dessert for the evening and as soon as we heard what it was, our decision was made.

Just look at that. Although I feel guilty making you look at it when you can’t taste it.

And what is it? Why it’s a cardamom upside down cake with marionberries and nectarines, topped with a generous scoop of nectarine sour cream ice cream.

Sure, our cocktails and entrees may have been rather summery, but does anything epitomize summer in the Pacific Northwest more than berries and stone fruit? And cardamom is a favorite flavor in this house.

I’m really glad we opted to share because it was a sizable slice of cake, and like most upside down cakes, a little denser. The flavor was incredible. The nectarines especially were so delicious I can almost still taste them. It was really the perfect ending to an enjoyable meal.

Although we want to keep exploring Seattle’s food scene, it’s going to be hard to top The Whale Wins as a go-to for special occasions.