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Sun, Patios & Cocktails… Summer has arrived at Ray’s!

Relax with us on our Café and Boathouse decks all summer long! Soak in the sun and the gorgeous views as you enjoy our fresh, local seafood menus of Dungeness crab, clams, mussels, wild salmon and perfectly grilled steaks… plus ice-cold Ballard beers, chilled Rosé and cocktails!

Here’s a peek at some of our favorite sunny-weather libations:

Cafe

  • Endless Summer Plymouth gin, fresh lemon, strawberry purée, house-made lavender syrup, tiki bitters
  • My Tie Fighter Bacardi white rum, falernum, triple sec, lime, hibiscus, float of Goslings dark rum

Boathouse

  • Pocket Full of Posies Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice gin, Gifford Créme de Violette, house-made lavender syrup, lemon
  • Black Cherry Margarita El Jimador reposado tequila, house-made black cherry shrub, sour, triple sec

Grab your sunglasses and we’ll see you soon!

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Ray’s Visits Fish & Family Seafoods in Sitka, Alaska

Ray’s has been sourcing and serving fresh, sustainably caught Northwest seafood directly from fishermen and women for decades. But no matter how long we do this we can never get enough knowledge about where our fish comes from and the people behind it. We have great respect for the men, women and families that have fished for generations, sometimes in treacherous conditions, to make a living and provide people with the freshest seafood available.

This love for connection and knowledge recently led our team to the crisp, cool waters of Sitka, Alaska to visit with some of our suppliers. On our first day we were welcomed with open arms by Lexi of Fish & Family Seafoods with a private dinner on Bamdoroshni Island (big thanks to Captain Gary of Sitka Adventures for ferrying us back and forth!). She immediately made us feel like part of her family and we enjoyed a beautiful dinner withLexi, her two children, her mother, mother-in-law and sister-in-law, with ingredients fresh from their local waters like kelp salsa and pickled beach asparagus (sea beans). We missed her husband and business partner at Fish & Family, Adam, who was out halibut fishing while we were in town.

Fish & Family Seafoods is a wild salmon purveyor and we were thrilled to be able to visit them at their home base to break bread, learn about their family, their history, their process, visit their fishing boat Myriad, and experience a bit more of what life is like for a fishing family with two small children. Hint: it’s not always easy. Lexi and the kids join her husband Adam and their two crew on salmon fishing trips aboard the Myriad throughout the summer. In the fall they join Lexi’s extended family to longline for halibut and black cod. Whatever the season, their lives involve lots of chasing both kids and fish!

We were also lucky to spend time with our partners and friends at Pacific Seafood who chartered a fishing boat with Big Blue Charters and took us out for a long day on the beautiful waters of Sitka Sound. We also toured Sitka Sound Seafoods to learn more about how they process their salmon, and we hosted a dinner where we served one of their gorgeous White King Salmon!

The trip also allowed us to explore Sitka, a place in Alaska none of us had been before. We took in a hike up Mt. Verstovia, a boat trip to Goddard Hot Springs, dinner at the Channel Club with some amazing King Crab and Champagne, as well as a beautiful dinner at Ludvig’s Bistro!

It was a packed trip and we loved every second of it. The people of Sitka are salt of the earth, good, kind people. They share their love of the land with everyone who passes through and we felt that kindness and hospitality radiate throughout our four days there.

You may not be able to hop a flight to Sitka anytime soon but you can taste the freshness of their wild salmon and the thoughtfulness with which it is caught and handled at Ray’s every day of the week.

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Celebrate the Sonics’ 1979 Championship at Ray’s 5.31-6.2!

On June 1, 1979 Jack Sikma, Ray’s co-owner, helped lead the Seattle Sonics to their first and only NBA Championship title! The city celebrated for days with tons of fans meeting the team’s airplane at Sea-Tac, a celebratory parade through Seattle, and fanfare all around town.

Now 40 years later we celebrate this historic win with you at Ray’s Cafe, where Jack has been a co-owner since the early 1980s. We’re also celebrating the news that Jack will be enshrined into the NBA Hall of Fame this September!

Join us in our upstairs Café for a special “$19.79 SuperSonics” menu from Friday, May 31, 2019 at lunch through dinner Sunday, June 2. Wear your Sonics gear, sip on wine and try food specials celebrating Jack and the 1979 team!

Ray’s Cafe $19.79 SuperSonics Food Menu – May 31-June 2

  • Bourbon Prawns – Blackened prawns, bourbon, herb butter, baguette
  • Dungeness Crab Clusters – Fried potatoes, drawn butter, lemon
  • Seared Ahi Tuna Steak – Sesame crusted, spicy mustard, ginger spike green beans
  • Grilled Asparagus & Baby Romaine – Washington asparagus, little gem romaine, classic Caesar dressing, Moroccan spiced almonds
  • Smoked Scallop Carbonara – House smoked scallops, bacon, egg yolk, linguini, parmesan

Ray’s Cafe $19.79 Super Sonics Beverage Menu – May 31-June 2

  • Double-Double Old Fashioned – Gentleman Jack Whiskey, Scrappy’s orange and Angostura bitters, float of Pappy Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B 12 year Whiskey, orange peel
  • The Distinct Shot – Gentleman Jack Whiskey, Johnny Walker Black Scotch, Blanton’s Bourbon, served neat or on the rocks
  • áMaurice ‘Sparrow’ Viognier, Walla Walla Valley, WA 2017 – $19.79 per glass, $75 per bottle
    • Exclusively from their estate vineyard site, this stunning wine features expressive aromatics of freshly cut flowers, peach, creamsicle and tangerine.
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Fresh Copper River Salmon Has Arrived!

Copper River salmon season has begun and Ray’s has just received this incredible, fresh fish directly from Alaska!

We source our Copper River salmon from hard-working fishermen and women who take great care in fishing sustainably and providing the best fish available. These gorgeous fish build muscle and fat just to be able to run up the mighty Copper River– and the result is a rich, fatty fish with incredible flavor and texture.

It’s also the time of year for our favorite pairing: Copper River salmon and Oregon Pinot Noir! We have some excellent Pinot Noir selections available by the glass or bottle in the Boathouse including:

  • Brittan Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir, McMinnville, OR 
      • Brittan’s ‘Basalt Block’ bottling shows a fullness and depth of richness that still manages to retain the laser focus on the basalt driven minerality of the estate terroir. Raspberries galore, with pinpoint definition.
  • Smockshop Band 2018 Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge, OR
      • Master Sommelier, Nate Ready’s focus for Smockshop Band is a biodynamic farming exploration of the Columbia Gorge terroir. This ‘Spring Ephemeral’ bottling of Pinot Noir represents the fleeting transitory nature of spring and displays a silky, elegant balance of wild, tart red and dark berry fruit and rustic earth. Just stunning!
  • Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé 2018, Dundee Hills, OR – from Pinot Noir grapes!
      • Made from 100% estate grown pinot noir grapes, this stunning Rosé features fresh strawberry, pink grapefruit and blood orange with a hint of pepper spicing up the finish.

Make your reservations for the Café or Boathouse to enjoy fresh Copper River King and Sockeye salmon at Seattle’s best waterfront restaurant! And follow our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for new Copper River salmon specials over the next few weeks.

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Experience All-inclusive Weddings at Ray’s!

Experience the ultimate Northwest wedding at Ray’s Boathouse with our private waterfront venue, inclusive packages, and fresh, sustainable Northwest seafood!

Our inclusive wedding package makes booking and planning a snap. And our incredible events team makes the whole process enjoyable and seamless.

The Northwest Room’s outdoor / indoor capabilities provide separate areas for your ceremony, reception, dinner and dancing all while enjoying a spectacular view of the Puget Sound and Olympic mountains.

Book your 2020 wedding today at rayscatering@rays.com or 206.789.6309!

Ray’s Wedding Package Includes:

  • Natural wood folding ceremony chairs (150)
  • Fresh floral centerpieces (12)
  • Votive candles, tables, chairs and linens, including custom napkin color
  • 12’X15′ In-laid dance floor
  • Complimentary parking
  • Dedicated dressing area
  • Altar Stands
  • Designated event manager from start to finish
  • Vendor liaison to proven and recommended partners: DJ’s, Specialty décor, florists, photographers, etc.
  • *One-hour rehearsal walk through
  • Complimentary open house style tasting (held in early Spring)
  • Audio Visual Capability: Built in sound system, screen and microphone

*based on availability

Photo by Ksenia Kasenev Photography

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Mother’s Day Brunch & Dinner at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe May 12!

This Mother’s Day treat mom to a delicious brunch or dinner with spectacular waterfront views on Sunday, May 12, 2019!

Reservations are highly recommended and available for groups up to 8 guests (including children and highchairs) for our Boathouse brunch and dinner, or Cafe dinner. Reserve in the Café or the Boathouse today!

Café
Brunch Buffet – only accepting bar seating reservations for guests 21 years of age and older at this time.

Enjoy a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet from 9am-2pm (last seating) featuring a Carving Station, Shellfish Bar, breakfast dishes, appetizers, salads, sides, desserts and much more! $65 per guest for brunch, juice and sodas (prices exclude tax and gratuity).

Cafe Brunch Buffet Menu
Salads

  • Spring Panzanella salad
  • Spring mixed green salad, white balsamic vinaigrette
  • Chicory salad, walnuts, apple, Manchego, sherry vinaigrette
  • Classic chopped Caesar salad
  • Soba noodle salad, sesame, sweet soy, ginger, peppers, edamame
  • Antipasto assorted meats and pickled vegetables
  • Caprese salad
  • Roasted beets with French feta, hazelnuts, arugula and sherry vinaigrette
  • Assorted fresh fruits and berries

Raw Bar

  • Chilled peel and eat prawns
  • Oysters on the half shell
  • Dungeness Crab Legs

Breakfast

  • Eggs benedict
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Brioche french toast
  • Uli’s breakfast sausage
  • Carlton Farms bacon
  • Pan seared true cod, broccolini and lemon caper beurre blanc
  • Sautéed garlic prawns
  • Grilled herbed chicken breast, green bean and cherry tomatoes
  • Crispy breakfast potatoes, old bay, scallion
  • Penn Cove manila clams and mussels
  • Three cheese mac n’ cheese
  • Bay shrimp mac n’ cheese
  • Green beans with walnuts and lemon
  • Washington spring asparagus
  • Whipped Washington russet potatoes
  • Roasted cremini mushrooms

Carving Board

  • Roasted RR Ranch prime rib of beef
  • House smoked wild Alaskan salmon

Dessert Table 
Assorted house made desserts and pastries

Dinner
We will open for dinner at 4pm serving our regular menu until 9pm.

Bar
The Cafe Bar will have the same menu offerings and hours as above for brunch and dinner, reservations only accepted for guests 21 years of age and older.

 

Boathouse
Brunch
We are serving some of our best-selling Boathouse appetizers, salads and entrées along with a special Mother’s Day a la carte brunch menu from 10am-3pm.

Boathouse A la Carte Brunch Menu

  • Hamachi sashimi of yellow tail amberjack, Shiso, avocado, apple, pepitas
  • Washington Asparagus burrata, hazelnuts, saba, chili flake
  • Roasted Carrot Soup  Parmesan, herbed bread crumb, olive oil
  • Frittata  spring vegetables, basil, eggs, feta, mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette
  • Brioche French Toast house smoked bacon, fried red potatoes, maple syrup
  • Lamb Sugo braised lamb leg, tomato, ramp, chard, fried polenta, pecorino Romano
  • Mahi Mahi applewood grilled, shiitake, snap pea, shoyu, beurre blanc

Dinner
We will be open for dinner at 3pm serving our regular menu until 9pm.

Bar
The Boathouse Bar will have the same menu offerings and hours as above for brunch and dinner but is on a first come basis with no reservations taken.

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Ray’s Team Helps Restore Wild Salmon Habitats

The Ray’s team including owners, managers, chefs, servers and hosts all joined together this week to restore critical salmon habitat along the Snoqualmie River.

We teamed up with our non-profit partner Long Live the Kings to volunteer for a day with Stewardship Partners, a local non-profit committed to habitat restoration in the Snoqualmie Valley to help maintain economic viability of farms and forestland while helping landowners restore fish and wildlife habitat.

We worked to remove invasive plant species and install native trees and shrubs to enhance salmon habitat and restore the riverbank on an 80-acre farm in Carnation. The plants will eventually provide shade for the river that will help keep water temperatures low, providing an optimal environment for salmon to thrive.

It was a great day working outside as a team to help keep our local salmon habitats alive and well! Check out some photos from the day below.

Learn more about Stewardship Partners and how to get involved at stewardshippartners.org.

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Wedding Inspiration from Ray’s Spring Open House

Ray’s Catering takes great care of its wedding couples, providing excellent service and the resources they need to plan their perfect, unique wedding!

To ease the process, we host an open house and create a one-stop opportunity for them to plan. This year our Spring Wedding Open House took place on Sunday, March 10 and featured Ray’s Catering’s spring and summer menus, cocktails, gorgeous decor inspiration, and our preferred vendors for floral, DJ, photography, hair and makeup and more!

This fun event is just one of the many perks that our wedding clients receive and it’s the perfect way to get all of their details finalized.

Check out the gorgeous photos from our event below and contact our catering team by calling 206.789.6309 or emailing rayscatering@rays.com to book your wedding at Ray’s today!

Our featured vendors at the 2019 Spring Open House included:

Photos by Emma Lee Photography

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Fresh WA Halibut Starts Today at Ray’s!

Our Salish Sea Certified fresh halibut was just caught below Lopez Island by the Lummi Nation and delivered to Ray’s! This incredible fish feasts on spot prawns and Dungeness crab throughout its life (10-15 years) resulting in a beautiful, flavorful fish.

This halibut is from a fishery that did not exist until the 1990s, due to destructive trawl fishing methods that caught juveniles before they could spawn. Now that halibut is allowed to mature and grow in the Salish Sea, there is enough of a biomass for a tribal commercial fishery, and a non-tribal sport fishery for about three weeks every March.

This is a precious local resource only available during this short window! Join us starting today in the Cafe and Boathouse for fresh halibut specials.

Ray’s Halibut Specials:

Cafe
Pan seared halibut, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, citrus-herb butter. 40

Boathouse
Pan seared halibut, potato gnocchi, black trumpet mushrooms, English peas & pea shoots, creamy butter emulsion. 46

Ray’s Proudly Supports Sustainable Seafood Celebration

Sustainable Seafood Celebration is a nonprofit group launched in 2018. Its mission is to raise awareness of the fruits of the Salish Sea – encouraging efforts to keep our local waters healthy despite rapid population growth; rebuilding healthy populations of wild salmon from the Salish Sea; supporting the survival of the Orcas; and highlighting the successful results of good policy and responsible management.

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Taste Washington Wine Month at Ray’s March 1-31!

To celebrate Taste Washington Wine Month this March, our Wine Director Chip Croteau has created a special Washington wine list that will be available March 1-31 in our first-floor Boathouse.

Chip and his team have hand-selected a variety of exceptional Washington wines from some of the most talented winemakers in our great state. Enjoy these wines by the glass or bottle all month long! Reserve online at rays.com.

Washington wines available by the glass or bottle include:

Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc Yakima Valley, WA 2017 16 gls / 62 btl

Sourced from top vineyard sites Boushey and Red Willow, discover aromas of white grapefruit, nectarine, lemon pith, straw, mineral, and herb. Sleek and puckering flavors with a steely spine of acidity that keeps the interest high.

àMaurice ‘Sparrow’ Estate Viognier Walla Walla, WA 2016 19 gls / 75 btl

Exclusively from their estate vineyard site, this stunning wine features aromatic notes of freshly cut flowers, peach, creamsicle, pear, and tangerine. It’s textured in feel with abundant stone fruit and vanilla flavors that lead to a tart, apricot filled finish that lingers.

Two Vintners Grenache Columbia Valley, WA 2016 15 gls / 55 btl

From Olsen and Boushey vineyards this lightly colored Grenache offers nuanced plum, fresh herb, orange peel, smoked meat, and white pepper.  Juicy, rich, and floral.

Two Vintners Syrah ”Some Days Are Stones’ 2015, Walla Walla, WA 18 gls / 68 btl

From Walla Walla’s famous Rocks District, intense aromatics of blueberry and plum are followed by smoked meat, dried violet, olive, gravel, and dried herbs.  It shows a whole lot of hang time on the potpourri filled finish!

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, WA 2012 25 gls / 95 btl

A rare library release from the team at Abeja, the brilliant 2012 vintage features blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and pretty notes of vanilla bean. Hints of cinnamon stick, dark earth, and pine sap add depth and complexity to the silky texture and refined tannins.