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Fresh Fish Series: NW salmon season has arrived!

WildSalmon

Fresh fish season is rollin’! The 2017 salmon season opens today.

What do you know about salmon? We may turn to the ol’ “interwebs” to discover salmon is full of the omega fat we prefer to eat, and that king salmon is the biggest in the family. You’ll read that they are born from eggs and immediately escape the fresh water river into the salty ocean. Then salmon return back to the same river to spawn as big fatty adults. After swimming around in the great Pacific Ocean for years, how do they know where to come back? Maybe by a built-in magnetic field, or a strong sense of smell they follow. All are still theories; we just don’t quite know.

So if a salmon’s life cycle begins and ends in the same place, what does that do for their genetic make-up? Each river has its own type of salmon profile. The taste, fat content, color and size all attribute from the characteristics of their native river. Copper River for example, provides an extremely fatty, darker colored salmon. Some of these reasons are due to the size of the Copper River, how strong the river flows, and how rugged it is. The vast gorges make for a difficult river to swim up. For that, the Copper River salmon need to grow stronger and store more fat to swim deep into their spawning grounds. All of these salmon share the same strong genetics and pass them down to the next generation.

There have been many chefs at Ray’s and they’ve spent their time perfecting salmon preparation. We utilize almost all salmon species for their many characteristics. For smoked salmon, we love to use Coho or Keta from the Yukon River. They accompany our in-house smoking process so well. Periodically you’ll find the deep red flesh from Sockeye available, and always King salmon. King salmon fetches a fair price for its grand size, its beautiful scales, and the strong flavor it provides, thus being the most popular of them all. I wonder how Coho feels about this? That’s for another segment.

Fisherman will be out searching for King salmon to start the season. Coho, Sockeye, Keta, and Pinks will follow. Salmon runs fresh through the summer and as always, we’ll provide you with wild salmon from the Northwest all summer long. The flavor profile will change based on time of year and region from which the fish originates. So come taste it often and become a “real” Northwest salmon expert.

Until next time…

Steve Hauch, Executive Sous Chef

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Ray’s Loyalty Member donates 80+ Meals to Mary’s Place

Mary's Place Dinner April 2017_2
Paula Roe & Amanda Viereck of Ray’s Catering

In the spirit of helping our community thrive and ‘caring through loyalty’, we continue our partnership with Mary’s Place in 2017! In a wonderful act of charitable giving we teamed up with one of our most loyal guests who anonymously offered to donate its family’s Loyalty Card points to offset the cost of dinner for 80+ people at Mary’s Place!

The Ray’s team prepared and delivered the meals to Mary’s Place north Seattle location last week and were greeted with much gratitude.

We are humbled and grateful for this family’s generosity and giving. A meal like this not only nourishes the women and children of Mary’s place but can brighten their whole week or month, and create happy times and memories. We hope this act of giving resonates with other Loyalty Members and that we may do this again soon!

Mary's Place Dinner April 2017

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#RaysRewind: Our Family Tree

Ray's Family Tree v4

Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe has a rich and broad history in the local culinary and beverage scene. We’ve had so many incredible employees walk through our doors over the last 40+ years and it’s humbling to look at how far our roots stretch. So many people have started at Ray’s and gone on to build amazing businesses, found local events or represent exciting brands that we all know and love.

To bring this to life in a visual way we created the Ray’s Family Tree above with many of these awesome Ray’s Alumni included! But we know there are more we may be missing. Help us fill in the gaps by including names of past Ray’s team members and what they went on to do in the comments section below. Or share on social media and use #RaysRewind.

Then, we’ll add them to our family tree and keep growing!

Your Ray’s Team

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Fresh Fish Series: Halibut!

BH-Pan Seared Washington Halibut 2

Kicking off our Fresh Fish Series on the Ray’s blog is….. Halibut! Halibut season has taken off this year with no short supply.  Fleets are fishing from Kodiak Island, to South East Alaska, and through British Columbia.  We’ve been filleting beautiful fish this season and halibut is forecasted to be plentiful now through October.

We’ve also just heard from our local fishermen that we will receive Washington Coast halibut as soon as this Monday, April 17!

Because of the grand numbers of halibut in the Pacific Ocean, it elevates its sustainability level, which protects other species living in our ocean, like Rockfish. This is another delicious option that is set to be abundant this year and available at Ray’s all summer.

Join us this weekend for perfectly prepared halibut in the Boathouse or Cafe!

See you soon,

Steve Hauch, Executive Sous Chef

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Ode to Our Fishermen

Northern Leader Image
If there is one thing that I can put my finger on as the main reason for our 44 years of success it would be the fisherman. The fisherman, deckhands, fishing communities that support the fleets, and the families that watch their children, spouses, and parents go out to the unforgiving sea to earn a living has helped make Ray’s what we are today.

We understand that the fish we receive is a precious commodity touched by sometimes only one or two hands. Often the link between where our seafood comes from, between the sea and the restaurant table in front of you, has become longer and more obscure. For Ray’s it is easier as we have always been connected to our fisherman.

We are all very excited at the opportunity to connect with the team of the Northern Leader, and the larger Alaska Leader fleet, as made possible by this Mighty Ships documentary on the Smithsonian Channel. Our hope is that you our guests will get to see the human side of the story and understand it as we do.

To our fisherman, we appreciate each of you and we want you to know that the hard work you do shines on each plate we serve our guests. Click here for a preview of the documentary and air dates for your local channels.

Warmly,
Douglas Zellers
Ray’s GM

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We blind tasted 14 rare WA Wines & here’s what happened

Rays Rewind Wine Tasting Group Photo

What is old is new again?

I admit it. I am guilty of holding on to my silk paisley ties that were fashionable many years ago in hopes that they would be stylish enough to wear again. Certain things never go out of style, right?  OK, I admit I know close to nothing about fashion but I do understand/respect pedigree and I have learned patience.  While I still have my ties “cellared” I recently “un-cellared” all of my oldest Washington Wines.  I promised Sean Hails (Winemaker, Columbia Winery), Master Sommelier Thomas Price, Sean Sullivan (Founder, Washington Wine Report), and a few other esteemed colleagues that we would double blind, taste, and casually compare notes on 14 rare older Washington wines. Both pedigree and patience showed up in spades at this recent private tasting. I can’t think of a better way to support of Washington Wine Month than to, once again, prove that Washington wines stand the test of time.

 

Double blind tasting wine bottles
Double blind tasting wine bottles

While we passed brown bagged wine around the table the conversation was for the most part was quiet.  The typical technical ‘cork dork’ lingo with tasting note spreadsheets and laptops was absent. And we are all guilty of sometimes getting lost in the west facing view from Ray’s Boathouse dining room, but this was not the case either. What was clearly present in the silence was the contemplativeness of what we were tasting.  What we were lost in was the ageless beauty of Washington wine produced in its infancy by pioneers such as Master of Wine David Lake and vineyard genius’ like Otis Harlan. The transition from the 80’s through the 90’s was seamless and the most impressive part to me was less the winemaking skills, and more the consistent sense of place. The foresight and skill to seek perfect areas to plant and farm vitis vinifera and capture the vision of the early pioneers is something that was contained in every one of these bottles. And it poured out beautifully.

 

Full line up of tasting labels
Full line up of tasting labels

Two wines stood out as our favorites so we of course unveiled them first.  The 1995 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon was tops pretty much across the board. Running a very (very) close second was the 1988 Columbia Winery Red Willow Vineyard Syrah.  If you are old enough to recall (or smart enough to read the back label) this was the first Washington Syrah ever produced for sale.  It was showing beautifully. Again, quiet contemplation.  Impressed, oh yes. Surprised, not at all.  The first Syrah from Washington: Patience and pedigree.

 

Sign of a good time
Sign of a good time

Washington wine as it is today was built on the stakes that were driven into the ground in the 60’s. Each of us that has made a living buying, selling, and serving Washington wines should take a moment and re-up on the history behind it.  Get back our roots.  Pull an old bottle out and enjoy it. May you be as impressed as we were. Paisley ties not required.

– Douglas Zellers, Ray’s GM

Wine Tasting Lineup:

1980       Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon

1981       Columbia Winery Bacchus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

1982       Columbia Winery Otis Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

1983       Champs de Brionne Cabernet Sauvignon

1987       Columbia Winery David Lake Sagemore Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

1988       Columbia Winery Red Willow Vineyard Syrah

1988       Quilceeda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

 

1992       Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon

1993       Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon

1993       Columbia Cabernet Sauvignon

1995       Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon

1997       Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon

1999       Leonetti Cellar Sangiovese

1999       Betz Family Winery Clos de Betz

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Fresh Alaskan Halibut Season lands at Ray’s today!

BH_Fresh Washington Coast Halibut 2

Seattle’s first fresh Alaskan Halibut of 2017 is at Ray’s starting tonight!

Enjoy one of the Northwest’s best fish in the Boathouse and Cafe where Chef Paul Duncan and his team will serve it seared and lightly seasoned with kosher salt. Then accompany it with fresh, local flavors and complimentary sides.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for up to date availability. We’ll have a few fish here and there until halibut fishing becomes consistent.  As soon as the weather in Washington subsides, we’ll be sure to have the fresh Washington halibut as well!

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Ballard Beer Awards Dinner March 9!

Lucky Envelope photo

Join us at Ray’s for a specially paired Brewer’s Dinner with our 2017 Ballard Beer Awards Winner: Lucky Envelope Brewing and taste what everyone is raving about!!

Dinner is this Thursday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m. Four courses plus beers for $60 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).

Reservations are required! Please reserve by end of day Tuesday, March 7 by emailing Darla Marchi at dmarchi@rays.com or calling 206.782.0094.

Menu & Beer Pairings

Welcome Snacks
Kennebec Potato Chips w/Gruyere & Ikura
Rye IPA

1st Course
Baked Pacific Oysters – Chorizo béchamel, pickled onion
Helles Lager

2nd Course
Oregon Albacore Crudo – Sesame, avocado, lime, micro cilantro
Citra Session

3rd Course
Espresso Braised Beef Short Ribs – Smashed “sea salt” potatoes, crispy kale & onion
Eniac Mosaic IPA

4th Course
Stout Cake – Malted cake, Bailey’s frosting, caramel
Beardless Brewer Red

*menu subject to change.

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March is Taste Washington Wine Month!

Wine Tasting at Ray's

Ray’s Boathouse is celebrating Taste Washington Wine Month all March long by offering unusual by-the-glass (and bottle!) selections from Washington State.

Savor such wines as the 2015 Buty Sémillon, Sauvignon, Muscadelle, a vibrant, Bordeaux-inspired white blend from Columbia Valley; the citrus-and-floral 2015 Idilico Albariño from Yakima Valley, proving how deliciously Spanish varieties perform in Washington State; the 2014 Betz ‘Bésoliel’ from Columbia Valley, a plummy, brambly Rhône-style blend from legendary winemaker Bob Betz; the 2000 Col Solare Red Wine from Columbia Valley, an excellent vintage Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah blend showing concentrated raspberry, chocolate and spice notes; the deep, foxy 2013 Sequel Syrah from Columbia Valley, a collaboration between Allen Shoup for Long Shadows winery and John Duval of Penfolds wine fame; and the 2011 Leonetti Cellars Sangiovese from Walla Walla Valley, showing founder Chris Figgins’ passion in this blackberry-driven, spicy Italian variety.

Glass pours maintain their flavor profiles and varietal integrity through Ray’s Coravin wine-dispensing system. By inserting the Coravin’s hollow needle through the cork and pressurizing the bottle with argon gas, any amount of wine can be poured without compromise.

“Taste Washington” at Ray’s Boathouse now through March 31!

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Our 2017 Cause: Mary’s Place

 

Marys Place Logo

With Seattle roots firmly planted for decades, and more charitable donations to our credit than we could list in this blog post, Ray’s decided in 2017 to focus the bulk of its team’s time and charitable resources to a fitting cause: Mary’s Place (marysplaceseattle.org).

Mary’s Place is a leading voice for homeless women, children, and families in emergency situations. It empowers women to reclaim their lives by offering community, acceptance, hope and dignity. Its work keeps struggling families together and provides practical tools and resources that help them find housing and employment. Mary’s Place inspires the community to support homeless women, children, and families through advocacy, partnerships, volunteerism and philanthropy.

We kicked off the year by closing the restaurant for one day on Jan. 2, to host a staff party that included a successful coat drive for Mary’s Place. Each quarter we work with this incredible organization on a different initiative. This spring, Ray’s will bring meals to shelter guests, where up to 100 people may find respite in a given night.

Recently, Mary’s Place raised a record $4.5 million during its “No Child Sleeps Outside” campaign. The campaign raised funds to respond to our growing community crisis of hundreds of families and children sleeping outside in King County, many of whom are living in cars or tents, waiting months for shelter.

If you would like to help, you can donate to Mary’s Place at its website: marysplaceseattle.org, or donate shelter-related items from its Amazon Wish List.