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New Summer Menus!

All the fresh summer flavors are here! Our new Boathouse and Cafe menus are filled with sustainable local seafood and seasonal ingredients. Here’s a peek, come try them all this summer!

Cafe
Charred Corn & Crab Salad shredded romaine, lime aioli, cherry tomatoes, avocado, cotija cheese, jalapeno, cilantro
Warm Brie strawberry-balsamic, fresh strawberries, basil, toasted hazelnuts, rosemary croccantini
Tanner Crab Cluster fried Yukon gold potatoes, asparagus, butter sauce, lemon
Seafood Tom Kha PNW salmon and whitefish, clams mussels, prawns, seasoned coconut milk broth, jasmine rice, red bell pepper, basil, scallion
Creamy Lemon Ricotta Rotini seared zucchini, asparagus, herbs, breadcrumbs
Roasted Summer Squash quinoa tabbouleh, lemon-tahini dressing, watermelon radish, fresh herbs

Boathouse
Fried Oysters sweet peppers, pickled shallots, frisée, Calabrian chili aioli, scallion oil
Seared Octopus yogurt, smashed cucumber salad, pickled red onion, radish, mint, dill oil
Penn Cove Manila Clams Tom Kha, pickled serrano peppers, chili oil, chorizo, basil, baguette
Applewood Grilled Sake Kasu brown rice, gai lan, miso glaze, pickled ginger anddaikon
Dungeness Crab Cakes fried green tomatoes, corn salad, cherry tomatoes, cotija, lime, scallions, garlic aioli

Ray’s Cafe: Located upstairs is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-9pm, Friday & Saturday 11:30am-10pm. Walk ins only for indoor and outdoor dining.

Ray’s Boathouse: Located on our first floor is open Monday-Friday 5-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 4:30-9pm. Reservations accepted and encouraged for indoor dining, deck is seated on a first come basis.

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June Seafood Spotlight: Copper River Salmon!

Try our 50th anniversary Copper River Salmon special this June! 

Did you know this spring marks the 40th anniversary of Copper River Salmon in Seattle?! In 1983 Ray’s was one of just a few local restaurants to receive the first shipment of fish from Cordova, AK absolutely dripping with incredible, fatty salmon oil. They grilled it simply with salt and pepper to let the fish shine through, just as we do today. 

Enjoy this dish now through June 30 in the Boathouse and Cafe and pair it with an Oregon Pinot Noir for the ultimate Ray’s experience!

50th Anniversary June Special
Grilled Copper River Salmon
sweet corn sauce, ragout of wild mushrooms, English peas and spring onions

And check out Chef Kevin’s recipe for Grilled Copper River King Salmon with Sweet Corn Puree and Succotash on the Copper River 40th anniversary site! Click here to read the full Copper River Salmon story.

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Celebrating 50 Years this June!

We’re 50!! Thank you to everyone who has spent the last six months celebrating with us (and to many, the last 50 years). This June we’re diving into our 50th summer season so grateful for this community.

Though our roots in Ballard date back to the 1930s, the Boathouse and Cafe that you all know and love came to be 50 years ago when our owners had the idea to take a steakhouse approach to fresh, sustainably sourced fish and local seafood, grilling and preparing it simply to let the seafood shine.

50 years later we are honored to continue this same approach with the love and support of the incredible Ray’s community!

We remain locally owned and operated in the same location we opened at in 1973. After a devastating fire in 1987, another fire in the 90s, and many economic ups and downs, we’ve always bounced back with the help of our hard working team and unwavering support from you, our loyal guests.

We thank all of Ray’s staff, past and present, for being stewards of our mission and we thank our guests for making Ray’s a tradition that continues on with each generation.

Please raise a glass with us this month and cheers to the next 50 years!!

Highlights of Ray’s history, 50 years & beyond:

  • Ray’s begins: In 1939 namesake Ray Lichtenberger moved his growing boat rental and bait house to the current location and later opened a coffee house. Through the 1960s Ray’s operated as both a casual fish and chips cafe and boat rental. In 1973, Russ Wohlers, Earl Lasher and Duke Moscrip bought Ray’s Boathouse and transformed it into a nationally respected seafood restaurant while maintaining its cordial atmosphere. Moscrip left to pursue other restaurant ventures and Elizabeth Gingrich joined the ownership team in 1975. Seattle Sonics star Jack Sikma would join the ownership team a few years later and is still an owner today.
  • Under Wohlers, Ray’s built its reputation on seasonal dishes prepared simply to highlight the flavors of impeccably fresh seafood and the freshest locally grown produce.
  • Ray’s became part of a Pacific Northwest food revolution by helping to introduce its distinctive regional cuisine built around Northwest products, microbrews and wines.
  • This approach drew national recognition from top food critics, writers, chefs, and personalities including Julia Child who received a personal tour of the Puget Sound from Russ’ seaplane in the 1990s. It also captured the hearts and palates of locals and tourists who packed the restaurants nightly to enjoy the fresh, seasonal fare.
  • Many “firsts:” Ray’s was the first to reintroduce Seattleites to Olympia oysters, the region’s only native oyster, elevated Northwest delicacies such as singing scallops, Loughborough Inlet spot prawns, Copper River Salmon, Bruce Gore “frozen at sea” salmon and the then-novel concept of serving red wine with fish.
  • In 2002 Ray’s earned an America’s Classics award from the James Beard Foundation.
  • Notable Employees: Ray’s has had the pleasure of employing and fostering many local chefs and notable figures including Chris Cornell of Soundgarden who worked as a line cook in the 1980s.
  • Sustainable seafood before it was popular: In 1976, Ray’s was also the first local restaurant to purchase its own wholesale fish buyer’s license, allowing it to buy directly from the fisherpeople, ensuring the freshest catch—light years ahead of today’s “sustainable seafood” consciousness
  • Ownership from within: Two new co-owners stepped into the partnership from within the Ray’s family after Gingrich retired in 2017: Tom Olsson, a longtime Ray’s team member who started in Ray’s kitchens and worked his way to Chief Financial Officer, and General Manager Douglas Zellers, best known for managing iconic local restaurants.

Photo by Ali Nassersaid

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Enjoy Shellfest at Ray’s January 7-24!

Our annual shellfish celebration returns Tuesday, January 7 for lunch and dinner with a special menu available for only three weeks in the Boathouse while our Café undergoes renovations. Executive Chef Paul Duncan has created a mouthwatering menu with Dungeness Crab, Shrimp, Scallops and more!

Reserve today for lunch or dinner and don’t miss this limited time menu before it ends on Friday, January 24!

Sautéed Day Boat Garlic Prawns  – $16
White wine, garlic, butter, fresh herbs

Popcorn Shrimp – $16
Crispy Rock Shrimp and popcorn, Louis dressing

Dungeness Crab Clusters  – $25
Emulsified butter sauce

Pan-Fried Oysters – $18
Wakame salad, garlic aioli

NW Bouillabaisse  – $26
Alaskan King Crab, clams, mussels, grilled baguette, rouille

Chilled Peel & Eat Shrimp – $14
Spice poached, cocktail sauce

Sea Scallop Carbonara – $18
House smoked bacon, egg yolk, cream, linguini

Alaskan King Crab Knuckles – $32
Half pound, chimichurri, fried garlic

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It’s time for Copper River Salmon & Oregon Pinot Noir!

With Copper River salmon season upon us our Wine Manager Chip Croteau has put together an incredible list of Oregon Pinot Noir to pair with it in the Boathouse and Cafe! The bright fruit flavors and acidity of Pinot Noir is the perfect complement to Copper River salmon. Ask your server for their recommendation and try something new and exciting from our wine-growing neighbors down south!

Angela Estate Pinot Noir
Yamhill-Carlton, OR 2013
15 gls / 58 btl
Ken Wright oversees production on these estate grown bottlings.  Smooth and supple, the fruit a mix of ripe raspberry, red plum and cherry jam, with a gentle touch of chocolate.  Seamless and delicious.

 

Beckham Estate Vineyard
Rosé of Pinot Noir
Chehalem Mountains, OR 2017
14 gls / 51 btl
A pale blush color, mouthwatering acidity and notes of apricots, honeydew and grapefruit are featured on this lovely estate grown Rosé named after the winemaker’s youngest daughter, Olivia.

 

Rex Hill Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2015
16gls / 62 btl
Aromas of violets, iris, ripe raspberries, dark cherries and wild strawberries all emerge from the glass followed by more savory aromas of wood smoke, cured tobacco, earth, sandalwood and cinnamon.

 

Sozo Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2014
15 gls / 58 btl
With fruit sourced from Lange winery, and a portion of the proceeds going towards WEC’s People for Puget Sound program, this wine exhibits intense and complex aromas of black cherry and cranberry with elegantly textured flavors of dark strawberry and pomegranate.

 

Evening Land Pinot Noir
Seven Springs Vineyard
Eola-Amity Hills, OR 2014
25 gls / 92 btl
30 year old vines planted in the iron-rich, volcanic Jory soils of the Eola-Amity Hills create this stunning wine flush with rich dark cherry, briary blackberry, raspberry and lush tones of rose and lilac.

 

Big Table Farm Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, OR 2015
26 gls / 95 btl
This wine is very expressive of smoky espresso, cacao, oak-spiced raspberry and cherry aromas, along with hints of vanilla and cola. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering vibrant red berry and floral  flavors of hibiscus tea and rosewater that deepen as the wine opens up.
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Announcing our Guest Favorite Menu Nov. 15-21

Ray's Salmon w:Onion Marmalade

Drumroll please! After sorting through your emails, tweets, comments and survey answers, we are pleased to present our Guest Favorite Menu! This 3-course menu showcases your all-time favorite Ray’s appetizer, entrees and dessert from our 44-year history.

This limited-time menu will be offered a la carte in the Boathouse and Cafe from Wednesday, November 15 until Tuesday, November 21, as part of our “Win Dinner for a Year at Ray’s” contest. Use your Loyalty Card each time you dine until November 21 at 9 pm to be entered to win “Dinner for a Year at Ray’s.” Don’t have a Loyalty Card? Sign up for free today!

To make a reservation for the Cafe call 206.782.0094 or visit online, or the Boathouse at 206.789.3770 or visit online.

Appetizer: Mediterranean mussels, Taylor Shellfish Farms mussels, Thai red curry, coconut milk broth  $15

Cafe Entrée: Grilled Wild Northwest King Salmon with Yukon Gold potatoes, broccolini, Kalamata olives, fennel, black kale, lemon, capers $36

Boathouse Entrée: Applewood Grilled Wild King Salmon with sweet onion marmalade, fennel dusted cauliflower, baby carrots, grilled King Oyster mushrooms, pepitas (pictured) $45

Dessert: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Indulgence with Chambord Sabayon $9

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Win Dinner for a Year at Ray’s Nov. 1-21!

Ray's Fire Boat Cropped

This November, as we look forward to 2018 and turning 45, we want to pause for a moment to celebrate the past, present and future of Ray’s, with you our beloved guests.

From November 1-21 enjoy three weeks of special menus that throwback to memorable moments and eras in our history. It will conclude with the drawing of a very special prize… Dinner for a Year at Ray’s for one lucky guest!

But first we want to hear from you!

Help us create a special 3-course menu of your favorite Ray’s dishes during the final week. Describe for us your most memorable Ray’s appetizer, entrée and dessert dishes from a recent experience (one in each category) or get out your copy of Ray’s cookbook, “Seafood Secrets of the Pacific Northwest” and tell us which appetizer, entrée and dessert is your favorite by Friday, November 3 at 11:59pm. Then our Executive Chef Paul Duncan will recreate a 3-course menu made up of the top item in each category, available in the Café and Boathouse Wednesday, November 15-Tuesday, November 21.

Tell us your top choices on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, email us at rays@rays.com, or fill out a quick online poll. Don’t have a cookbook? Don’t worry we have some gently used copies available for purchase at the Café.

How to Win Dinner for a Year at Ray’s:

  • Starting Wednesday, November 1, 2017 and ending at dinner service on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 each time you dine at the Café or our first floor Boathouse and use your Loyalty Card you will be automatically entered to win dinner for a year at Ray’s Café and Boathouse.
  • The more times you dine the more chances you have to win.
  • On Wednesday, November 22 we will put all of the entries into a drawing and choose a winner at random.
  • Don’t have a Loyalty Card sign up here and start entering to win today!

Each week we will feature a different multi-course menu with nods to our past, try all of them and get entered to win each time!

Here’s what’s in store:

November 1-7: Guest Chef, Ray’s Founding Partner Russ Wohlers

The man who put Ray’s on the map with his simple approach to cooking the best local seafood, is back in the kitchen cooking up some of his favorite original Ray’s recipes:

  • Appetizer: Teriyaki Salmon
  • Entrée: Grilled Ling Cod with Black Lentil-Chanterelle Ragout
  • Dessert: Mum Mum’s Apple Pie

November 8-14: James Beard House Dinner

In 1992 Ray’s cooked a very special dinner at the James Beard House in New York City. For this week only, we are recreating that dinner in the Café and Boathouse for you to enjoy in full or choose courses a la carte:

  • Appetizer: Ray’s Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper-Lemon Aioli
  • Appetizer: Assorted Northwest Oysters on the Half Shell with Champagne Mignonette
  • Entrée: Chatham Straits Black Cod in Sake Kasu with Sesame-Rice Cake and Wasabi-Ginger Emulsion
  • Entrée: Crisp Butter Lettuce with Raspberry-Thyme Vinaigrette and Vanilla-Scented Alaskan Spot Prawns
  • Dessert: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Indulgence with Chambord Sabayon

November 15-21: You Choose the Menu!

Experience your favorite Ray’s recipes in a 3-course menu that you, our guests created!

We will be tallying up votes from your emails, social media comments and our online poll, to determine which appetizers, entrées and dessert to serve. The top item with the most votes for appetizer, entrée, and dessert will make up the menu. We will announce this guest favorite menu via social media before it begins.

Good luck to all, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

 

 

Official “Dinner for a Year at Ray’s” Contest Rules

How to Enter

  • Use your Ray’s Loyalty Card each time you dine from November 1- 21, 2017 and be entered to win dinner for a year at Ray’s. Each time you use your Loyalty Card your name will be entered in to the drawing to win dinner for a year at Ray’s, good in the Café and Boathouse.
  • Must have a Loyalty Card with a valid phone number to enter. Sign up here or at Ray’s Café or Boathouse.
  • One entry per day per venue (Café and Boathouse) will be counted towards the contest.
  • No minimum purchase amount is necessary to participate.

Prize

  • One winner will be drawn at random on Wednesday, November 22 to win Dinner for a Year at Ray’s, valid through November 30, 2018. We will announce the winner via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and contact them via phone.

Fine Print

  • Winner will be selected at random.
  • Entries are limited to one per day per venue (Café and Boathouse). You will be entered each time you dine during this period and use your Ray’s Loyalty Card.
  • Start date: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. P.S.T.; entries made prior to this will not be valid.
  • End date: Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. P.S.T.; entries made after this date will not be valid.
  • Winner must claim prize within 48 hours of being contacted by Ray’s via social media, email and/or phone. Or we will draw again.
  • Employees of Ray Boathouse, Inc. and their immediate families are not eligible to participate.
  • Entrants must be at least 18 years of age.
  • By claiming a prize, the winners consent to Ray’s use of their names and image/likeness including photography and video in future Ray’s marketing and advertising without compensation or further approval. Further, by accepting a prize, the winner agrees not to assert any claims and to release Ray’s, from any and all liabilities, injuries or damages sustained in connection with the award or use of the prize.
  • Winners are solely responsible for reporting winnings and paying all applicable taxes.
  • The odds of winning will be one out of the total number of eligible responses submitted.
  • Grand Prize:
    • $2,600 gift card to use toward “Dinner for a Year at Ray’s.” Valid in the Café and Boathouse through November 30, 2018. Equates to $50 per week for 52 weeks.
    • Cannot be used on Ray’s merchandise or in combination with any other offer. 
  • Menu items subject to change based on availability.

General Conditions

  • Void where prohibited / restricted by law.
  • All federal, state and local laws apply.
  • Paying and reporting taxes (if any) are the winner’s sole responsibility.
  • Prizes may not be substituted, transferred, redeemed or exchanged for cash, except at the sole discretion of Ray’s.
  • Ray’s is not responsible for illegible, damaged, lost, late or misdirected entries.
  • All submissions become property of Ray’s.
  • Ray’s reserves the right to refuse all prizes to any client who in their sole determination abuses their right to participate or violates the rules.
  • Should the winning submission be determined to be untrue or false in any way, the winner must be responsible for any and all real costs associated with grand prize or another winner may be picked at the discretion of Ray’s management.
  • All conditions, rules, and regulations of Ray’s Loyalty Card program apply.

These are the official contest rules of the “Dinner for a Year at Ray’s” contest. These rules may be subject to change without notice.

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Ray’s Celebrates Alaska Herring Week

Alaska Herring Week Ray's Boathouse 2017

Alaska Herring Week starts today through June 25th!

This week celebrates herring, the most consumed fish in the world, but often overlooked in the U.S. It contains more omega 3s than salmon, a Northwest favorite, and imparts delicious flavor to any number of dishes – not just pickled! It can be poached, smoked, grilled, fried, you name it. That’s why we’re excited to be joining in the effort to raise awareness of our local Alaska herring and all it has to offer.

Executive Chef Paul Duncan has created a beautiful herring dish available today through June 25th in the first floor Boathouse: crispy fried herring fillet, potato blini, pickled radish, and tarragon cream for $26.

Join us and savor this sustainably harvested fish while it lasts! To learn more about Alaska Herring Week, click here.

For Boathouse reservations, call 206.789.3770 or click here.

 

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Seattle Restaurant Week Returns October 9!

srw-banner-2016-fall

The fall run of Seattle Restaurant Week is back October 9-13th and October 16-20th! Dine like a king at Seattle’s best seafood restaurant with our exceptional three-course dinner menus for $32 at both the Café and the Boathouse. Each menu features exciting new options created by our talented chef team!

View our full menus below and make your reservations now before we fill up! For Boathouse reservations call 206.789.3770 or click here. For Cafe reservations call 206.782.0094 or click here.

Share your #SRW photos with us while you dine via @raysboathouse on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! 

Boathouse Dinner Menu

$32 per person

Starters & Salads

Chilled Calamari Salad GF

Spice poached calamari marinated with Spanish olives, sweet peppers, anchovy and herbs

Cavalo Nero

Black kale, grilled sourdough, new crop Washington apples, pickled red onion, creamy Dijon vinaigrette

Brussels Sprouts GF

House smoked bacon, chili pepper, fish sauce and soy

Roasted Parsnip Soup GF

Walnut pesto, gruyere, parsley

Entrée

Pork Belly & Crab Cakes

Achiote braised pork belly, Dungeness crab cakes, remoulade, malt vinegar potato, baby arugula

Seared Ahi Tuna GF

Sesame crusted, shiitake mushrooms, beet poke, jasmine rice

Petite Tenderloin of Beef GF

Garlic mashed potatoes, black kale, chimichurri

Quinoa Tabbouleh GF

Cauliflower puree, feta cheese, sweet peppers, Swiss chard

Dessert

Olive Oil Cake

Served with sweetened whipped cream and Washington autumn fruit compote

Chocolate Genoise

Nutella mousse, sea salt roasted hazelnuts

Olympic Mountain Ice Cream or Sorbet GF

Daily flavors with gluten free shortbread cookie

Café Dinner Menu

$32 per person

Starters & Salads

Autumn Kale Salad

Black kale, grilled sourdough, new crop Washington apples, pickled red onion, creamy Dijon vinaigrette

Roasted Parsnip soup GF

Walnut pesto, gruyere, parsley

Fried oysters

Pacific oysters, lemon aioli, wakame, tobiko

Lemon Poached shrimp in cocktail GF

White gulf shrimp, lemon, baby romaine, horseradish cocktail sauce

Entrée

Rays Smoked Scallop Carbonara

House smoked bacon, sea scallops, egg, cream and parmesan with fusilli

Wild Salmon

Lightly smoked, roasted and served with Old Bay fried potatoes, pickled cauliflower, butter

Petite Tenderloin of beef

Mashed potatoes, black kale, chimichurri

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Cauliflower puree, feta cheese, sweet peppers, Swiss chard

Dessert

Double Chocolate Brownie

Dark chocolate sauce, vanilla bean whipped cream

Caramel Panna Cotta

Poached new crop apple, short bread cookie

Olympic Mountain Ice cream or sorbet

Daily flavors