Pacific Northwestern Comfort: Purple

We arrived in Seattle fairly late, so I was thrilled to discover that Purple Cafe & Wine Bar was open until midnight and just a few steps from our hotel!


Dark and sexy inside, Purple still manages to be warm and inviting. Its wine collection -- or at least its wine storage structure -- will impress you. The extensive list your server will hand you even includes a glossary of terms.

We're not big on wine, though. Shame, I know.

Mr. Monkey had a rhubarb Dry Soda in a champagne flute.

Baked brie, apricot preserves, caramelized onions, candied walnuts, grapes, and housemade crackers ($13).

As good as it sounds at looks. Cheese lovers, you'll want this. Badly.

Duck two ways -- pan-roasted breast and confit leg, escarole, crispy fillo dough, kumquat gastrique ($24).

No fowl play here. Everything it's quacked up to be. Just ducky. If you didn't get any of that, I'm saying that this was quite tasty.

Lobster baked mac 'n' cheese -- campanelle noodles and lobster baked in a sauce of creamy Gruyere ($23).

Another one for the cheese lovers. Al dente. Creamy. Nice browned top.

We had such a great time at Purple that we were more than happy to meet our new Seattle friends there for a quick drink during our second Seattle visit. Sitting at the bar was a completely different but equally enjoyable experience.

The French 75 -- champagne, gin, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice lightly sweetened ($10).

Yeah, I drank champagne at a wine bar. And I loved it. So there.

Purple has four locations in the Seattle area. You should visit. It won't disappoint.