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Copper River Salmon Returns to Ray’s!

Copper River 80s_Russ

Copper River salmon season kicks-off today at Ray’s! This year we’re celebrating 35 years of serving this coveted seasonal fish at Ray’s with a look at ‘Copper River Through the Decades’!

Copper River salmon has had a long history at Ray’s. Starting in 1983 we were one of the first restaurants in Seattle (as well as the lower 48 states) to serve Copper River salmon to our guests! Continuing into the 90s we partnered with Alaska Airlines on its “First Fish” cook off events, and celebrated each season with Copper River salmon and Oregon Pinot Noir pairings. Today we work directly with local Alaska fisherman and families to bring you the very first of the season, from the icy waters of the mighty Copper River.

This year we reunited with Alaska Airlines for its privately held, annual “Copper Chef Cook-off”! In true Copper River fashion, the fish was flown straight from its home in Cordova, Alaska to Sea-Tac International Airport. Upon arrival, Executive Chef Paul Duncan and two other local chefs had 30 minutes to prepare and serve their salmon creations to a table of judges. Though we did not come in first, we had an incredible time being there to receive the first fish of the season and cook up a gorgeous crispy skinned salmon with a Washington asparagus salad!

As we continue to celebrate this beloved fish, we also want to take the time to reflect on their strength and agility, as well as the robust Copper River. A few things to note:

  • Copper River is 290 miles long and is the tenth largest river in the U.S.
  • Copper River salmon builds muscle and fat just to run the rugged river. This is the reason for their juicy, fatty goodness.
  • Besides Copper River salmon, you’ll see bald eagles, sea lions and bears along the river; all coming to life after their long hibernation.

We look forward to showcasing Copper River salmon through the decades with you! Follow along the next few weeks on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for fun photos and facts.

Make your reservations for the Café at 206.782.0094 or online; or in the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or online to enjoy fresh Copper River salmon starting today!

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Fresh NW Halibut & Sablefish at Ray’s April 9-22!

Alaskan Halibut

Join us as we celebrate the fresh Washington halibut and sablefish (black cod, butterfish) season from Monday, April 9 through Sunday, April 22 in the Boathouse and Café!

We’ve partnered with Northwest fisheries to bring you an abundance of halibut and sablefish from Washington’s coast. Enjoy new preparations below in both the Boathouse and Café during this time only!

Make your reservations for the Café at 206.782.0094 or online; and in the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or online to enjoy these limited seasonal specials.

Café Specials

  • Crispy Smoked Sablefish and Pork Belly braised greens, miso glaze 42
  • Halibut Fish and Chips cilantro-red onion coleslaw, batter dipped fries 26
  • Sablefish Cheeks green papaya-apple salad 8
  • Halibut Bouillabaisse Alaskan king crab, mussels, tomato-saffron sauce, grilled bread 36

Boathouse Specials

  • Sablefish Two Ways seared with sesame crust and hot smoked with shoyu glaze, jasmine rice, pickles 44
  • Sablefish Cheeks green papaya-apple salad 8
  • Pan Seared Halibut king oyster mushroom, pomme puree, pea vines, currant beurre blanc 45
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Ballard Beer Awards Returns April 16 – May 11!

2017 Ballard Beer Awards Winner Lucky Envelope Brewing
2017 Ballard Beer Awards Winner Lucky Envelope Brewing

Beer lovers rejoice! Ballard Beer Awards is back at Ray’s Café and it’s up to you to crown the victor in the battle of the best Ballard beers! But… in true Ballard fashion it’s more like a friendly neighborhood competition.

How it works: from Monday, April 16 to Friday, May 11 the Café will feature one beer on tap from each of the following Ballard breweries: Stoup Brewing, Reuben’s Brews, Lucky Envelope Brewing and Maritime Pacific Brewing. Each purchase of one of these beers (any size on our menu) counts as one vote for that brewery.

On Monday, May 14 we’ll announce the winner and along with bragging rights, they’ll receive a dedicated tap in the Café for one year!

Bonus! Every Wednesday throughout the duration of the contest a different brewery will host a happy hour from 4-6pm in the Café where you can chat with their team and learn more about your favorite Ballard beers. Here’s the lineup:

Wed., April 18 – Reuben’s Brews

Wed., April 25 – Stoup Brewing

Wed., May 2 – Maritime Pacific Brewing

Wed., May 9 – Lucky Envelope Brewing

Share your Ballard beer photos with us on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by tagging #BallardBeerAwards. Cheers!!

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Easter Egg Coloring Party at Ray’s Café Mar. 31!

Get Egg-cited!

On Saturday, March 31 the Café will be hosting its first Easter Egg Coloring Party on our covered patio at 11:30am. This event is all ages and includes hard boiled eggs and a PAAS dying kit for each table to create festive Easter eggs. The full Café menu will be available for purchase.

A $10 donation to Mary’s Place is the price of admission per reservation, which will be collected upon arrival. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the Cafe at 206-789-3770.

We can’t wait to see all of your Egg-cellent creations!

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

WA State Wines_photo jpg

Since the early days of Washington wine, Ray’s has been a proud champion of local winemakers and wineries. In 1982 we were one of two restaurants to receive and sell Leonetti Cellars’ wine with the release of its 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon… what an incredible and robust journey our local wine industry has had since then!

This March we invite you to join us for Taste Washington Wine Month, celebrating the beautiful wines, talented winemakers, and rich, diverse landscape of Washington wine country. From Thursday, March 1 through Saturday, March 31, we will be offering a curated selection of Washington wines from our Wine Director Chip Croteau in the Boathouse and Café.

The Boathouse will be serving six unique and delicious Washington wines by the glass and bottle to enjoy alongside the best view in Seattle, from 5-9pm daily.

Boathouse Taste Washington Wine Month Menu

àMaurice Viognier Columbia Valley, WA 2016 – $16 / $54
The viognier grape is often used for blending in France but has become one of Washington’s greatest white varietals.  Expressive aromas of peach flesh and orchard fruits lead towards kiwi, quince preserve and lemon. A stunner!

Buty Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle Columbia Valley, WA 2015 – $15 / $53
A top Washington white blend every year, Nina Buty’s fresh and bright white Bordeaux inspired blend features sémillon, providing eloquent floral tones and textural richness while the sauvignon and muscadelle lend layers of jasmine, grapefruit and lime.

Savage Grace Grüner Veltliner Underwood Mountain Vineyards, Columbia Gorge, WA – $15 / $53
The classic Austrian white grape finds a lovely single vineyard expression with light aromas of white pepper, lime and herb capped off by hints of honey and wet stone in the acid laced finish.

Hedges Syrah ‘DLD’ Cuvée Marcel Dupont, Red Mountain, WA 2013 – $15 / $55
Dedicated to Anne-Marie Hedges grandfather, Marcel Dupont, this cuvée displays the greatest qualities of low yield farming and the hallmarks of Red Mountain syrah: earthy minerality, rich dark fruits, dried spices, cocoa, leather and smoke.

Owen Roe Cabernet Franc ‘Rosa Mystica’ Yakima Valley, WA 2014 – $18 / $65
David O’Reilly’s ‘Rosa Mystica’ begins with aromatics of ripe red cherries, red bell pepper and sage. This leads to flavors of rose petals, red cherry, sagebrush, red raspberry with hints of blood orange. This is a polished and complex wine.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, WA 2014 – 3oz $35 / 6oz $70 / bottle $265
A tour de force reminiscent of a first growth Bordeaux, this 100-point wine offers incredible notes of black currants, graphite, lead pencil shavings and crushed rocks in a full-bodied, decadent, insanely layered and seamless style. Ultra-fine tannin, no hard edges and a forward, already hard to resist style.

The Café will be serving select Washington wines by the bottle daily from 11:30am-9pm, including:

  • àMaurice Viognier Columbia Valley, WA 2016
  • Buty Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle Columbia Valley, WA 2015
  • Hedges Syrah ‘DLD’ Cuvée Marcel Dupont, Red Mountain, WA 2013

Reserve in the Café at 206.782.0094 or online; and in the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or online.

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REX HILL Wine Dinner at Ray’s Boathouse Mar. 27

rex hill 2

We are thrilled to have Carrie Kalscheuer, Director of Sales & Education for REX HILL and A to Z Wineworks at Ray’s Boathouse on Tuesday, March 27th for a beautiful four-course wine dinner. She will share with us the groundbreaking work that these wineries are engaged in; making both stunning wines as well as forging an organization entrenched in social and environmental care.

I was lucky enough to spend some time in Willamette Valley, Oregon this summer tasting the wines produced there and learning about the storied history and success behind REX HILL and A to Z Wineworks from Carrie. The hospitality they showed me was only second to the quality of the wines.

We look forward to showing you the same hospitality at our wine dinner on March 27th! Our Executive Chef Paul Duncan has teamed up with their winemakers to create a custom, four-course menu featuring the iconic cuisine of Ray’s Boathouse with six award-winning wines from REX HILL and A to Z Wineworks.

REX HILL winery has recently been awarded an ‘Extraordinary Winery Award’ for being an ‘Under the Radar Winery’ from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, an accolade that recognizes REX HILL as a winery “poised to become the next-great-thing” in the Americas.  The A to Z Wineworks company, which includes the brand REX HILL, led the way in becoming the first Oregon winery to become a certified B Corporation in 2014. This distinction recognizes organizations that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Four-Course Rex Hill Wine Dinner Menu March 27, 2018
First Course: king crab “merus” legs, spot prawns, ginger spiked shimeji mushrooms
A to Z Rosé Bubbles

Second Course: hamachi sashimi, avocado mousseline, sugar snap pea, togarashi, yuzu
A to Z Chardonnay vs. REX HILL Seven Soils Chardonnay

Third Course: king salmon in sake kasu, roasted baby carrots, pork fried rice cake, scallion-soy
REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir vs. REX HILL Jacob-Hart Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir

Dessert: chocolate-praline cremeux, orange caramel, spiced caramel popcorn
A to Z Riesling

If you have any allergies, please contact us to ensure we can accommodate.

Price is $115 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Dinner will run from 6:30-9:30 pm in the downstairs Boathouse overlooking Shilshole Bay and the Olympic Mountains. Seating will be communal and convivial.

All reservations can be made by calling 206.789.6309 or rayscatering@rays.com. A credit card will be needed at the time of the reservation to reserve your spot.

Even though March is Taste Washington Wine Month and we’re featuring some stunning local Washington wines at Ray’s Boathouse, we didn’t want our wine-loving neighbors down south to be forgotten!

We look forward to seeing you then!

Chip Croteau
Ray’s Wine Director

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Shuck & Sip: Oysters & Sparkling Wine at Ray’s Feb. 19-Mar. 4

Oysters Unshucked

We’re kicking off our 45th year celebrating the simple joys of cool, refreshing oysters on the half-shell paired perfectly with crisp sparkling wines.

From Monday, February 19 through Sunday, March 4 in the Boathouse and Café enjoy a variety of local Penn Cove oysters served individually, by the duo, or as a half-dozen with an assortment of sparkling wines from all over the world available by the glass, half-bottle and bottle.

Café oyster varieties and featured sparkling wines include the following and pricing is: $3.75 for one, $7 for two, $20 for six.

  • Compass Point. Samish Bay, WA – Crisp, sweet, plump meats with a medium-high salinity and a mean finish
  • Purple Mountain – Moderately deep cups with firm, plump, sweet meats, a hint of mineral and a moderately high salinity.
  • Rock Point – Creamy texture, sweet flavor, medium salinity and a cucumber finish.

Cafe Sparkling Wines include the following with pricing by 3oz, 6oz and bottle:

  • Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé, Crémant d’Alsace, FRA NV $5 / $10 / $37. Tart red currant, rhubarb and strawberry come together in a very refreshing and well rounded rosé
  • Agusti Torelló Brut Nature Gran Reserva, Cava, ESP 2011 $8 / $15 / $54. Aromas of butter and toasted bread lead into flavors of ripe stone fruits, bright yellow apple and hints of lemon.
  • Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, CA, USA 2013 $10 / $19 / $75. Fresh aromas of green apple, pineapple and grapefruit; nuances of fresh-baked brioche and lemon zest on the palate
  • Pol Roger Brut Epernay, FRA NV $73 (bottle only). An elegant Champagne, with a smoky, minerally underpinning and subtle flavors of poached pear, toast, candied lemon zest and ginger

Menu subject to change.

Make your reservations for the Café at 206.782.0094 or online; and in the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or online.

We look forward to seeing you as we Shuck & Sip in honor of 45 delicious years!

 

 

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New Desserts & New Pastry Chef at Ray’s Boathouse!

Chocolate Terrine Close Up

We’re sweet on our new pastry chef Karen Williams! She has blown us away with her new Boathouse dessert menu… from rich chocolate terrine with orange and pistachio, to almond cake with merlot poached pears and currant-balsamic ice cream–it’s time to indulge in a little winter treat or two.

A former instructor at Le Cordon Bleu, Karen comes to Ray’s with many years of pastry experience, and you can enjoy her delicious labors of love in the Boathouse now.

Grab a date and try them all alongside a creamy cappuccino or delicious dessert wine like Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port. For a special treat ask your server about D’Oliveiras Bual Vintage Madeira from Portugal!

Almond Cake merlot poached pear, currant-balsamic ice cream, candied marcona almonds, brandy snap 10

Bittersweet Chocolate Terrine orange and pistachio sable, raspberry coulis, raspberries, pistachios 10 

Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding Baileys, spiced caramel popcorn (cayenne), walnut ice cream, ganache, brandy snap 10

Deconstructed Lemon-Meringue Tart basil, lavender-shortbread crumble, candied lemon peel

 

But now back to Karen! She is a lover of all things chocolate and confessed she would choose chocolate cake for dinner over a ribeye any night! Don’t you love her already?

Karen hails from upstate New York and received a degree in restaurant management at Morrisville State College, near where she grew up. Then she was off to the Culinary Institute of America for a baking and pastry degree. Next she found herself living in Seattle with a continued desire for education and a passion for food and enrolled in Bastyr University to earn her BS in nutrition. She went on to become a pastry and baking instructor for Le Cordon Bleu, first in St. Louis then in Orlando. While living in Orlando she earned her CEPC (certified executive pastry chef).

Karen and her husband are currently renovating a 55-foot wooden motor yacht on dry dock, getting it ready to call home at Shilshole Bay Marina.

We’re thrilled to have Karen running our pastry program and you can rest easy knowing all of your sweet treat dreams are in her capable hands. See you soon!

Poached Pear & Dessert Wine

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Ray’s FareStart Guest Chef Night March 22!

Chef Paul Duncan

Join Executive Chef Paul Duncan at FareStart’s Guest Chef Night on Thursday, March 22 from 5:30-8 p.m.!

If you don’t know FareStart, this is the perfect way to learn and support its vital job training programs. The FareStart team works tirelessly to train displaced locals and teach them cooking and restaurant kitchen skills through set course work. Guest Chef Nights often honor graduates with a short ceremony and announce their new job at a local restaurant. It’s truly a beautiful evening!

Paul and the FareStart chef students will prepare a delicious three-course menu for $29.95 per person with all proceeds supporting FareStart’s programs. For reservations call 206.267.7601 or visit farestart.org today as these dinners sell out fast!

FareStart Guest Chef Dinner Menu

Starter (choice of one)

  • Penn Cove Mussels in Thai Curry with coconut milk, red curry, cilantro
  • Beets Three Ways with roasted red and golden beets, beet relish, crispy beet chips, sherry vinaigrette, watercress, fresh herbs, goat cheese

Entrée (choice of one)

  • Crispy Smoked Sablefish and Pork Belly with braised greens, jasmine rice, miso
  • Minted Green Pea Pancakes with quinoa Zatar, horseradish crème

Dessert

  • Chocolate Indulgence Cake with caramel popcorn, caramel sauce

 

 

 

 

 

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Shellfest Returns to Ray’s Café Jan. 17-31!

Shrimp copy

Shellfest is back this winter at Ray’s Café from Wednesday, January 17 through Wednesday, January 31!

Our Executive Chef Paul Duncan has created a delicious, limited-time Shellfest menu featuring an array of fresh, local shellfish including oysters, snow crab, clams, shrimp and more in our upstairs Café.

Enjoy them while they last and try them all from January 17-31! Make your reservations for the Café at 206.782.0094 or online today.

Café Shellfest Menu

  • Popcorn Shrimp breaded and fried, served with tartar and cocktail sauce ($12)
  • Oysters on the Half Shell served with lemon and cocktail sauce (Market Price)
  • Full Pound of Steamed Clams with house smoked bacon, white wine, oregano and butter ($16)
  • Blackened Shrimp sautéed in butter, onions and bourbon, served with garlic bread ($16)
  • Mussels in Marinara simmered in spiced tomato broth, linguini and fresh basil ($23)
  • Peel & Eat Shrimp poached and served chilled with lemon and cocktail sauce ($9)
  • Snow Crab & Frites poached legs, seasoned shoestring fries, served with tartar sauce and butter ($21)
  • Smoked Scallop Carbonara house smoked scallops, bacon, cream, roasted pepper, squid ink spaghetti ($23)