Chez Shea - Seattle (Happy Hour)

Seattle is something of another home for me. Since moving from Idaho to the Pacific Northwest for university, I have found myself in love with the city. I especially like downtown Seattle, especially with its abundance of good food and excellent restaurants. Chez Shea is a small French restaurant nestled above the Corner Market Building directly in Pike Place Market. A look outside the enormous windows displays a beautiful view of the market and the harbor. The interior of the restaurant lounge is an earthy, tactfully unfinished loft with bare floors and minimal flair. My dining partner and I had already made a stop at another of our favorite places for an early snack, and we were looking for another small bite here. The solution was Chez Shea's Happy Hour, served in the lounge, from 4:30-6pm, Tuesday-Sunday.  

We began with the Pear & Pecan Salad ($5.50), a stunningly beautiful plate of pear, Parmigiano Reggiano, pecan, honey, and champagne vinaigrette. The salad was plated in a narrow torpedo bowl with the pecans placed evenly and meticulously along the edge. A salad so simple but so far elevated above any expectation. I would venture so far as to say this salad is worth a quick stop into Chez Shea just by itself. Luckily it's currently on the Seasonal and Lounge Menus as well as the Happy Hour Menu.

We also ordered a side bowl of Homemade Potato Chips ($1.50) forgetting that the coming Lounge Burger included a side of them. The side order heaped over the rim of the bowl, beautifully crisp yet somehow not as crunchy as they appeared. My partner agreed that they were somewhat sweeter than expected, almost as though they were tossed with something such as a truffle salt or oil. The menu reveals nothing beyond they are made with Yukon Gold potatoes.

We rounded out the afternoon with the Lounge Burger ($6.50), accompanied by the same homemade chips, cornichon, and pickled red onion. The menu claims beef tenderloin, and I requested it be done medium rare. It arrived just slightly more to the side of medium, but still tasted delicious and packed more juice than any burger I've ever had. Luckily, the bun is sturdy enough to hold up to the flow of beef juices. The bottom bun seemed to be in danger of drowning, but it somehow maintained a sturdy structure. I'm not sure where this bun comes from, but I'd like to buy some directly. It was the perfect bun for the burger. 

Overall, I was very impressed with our quick trip to Chez Shea. It is a beautiful spot with a million dollar view, and the food is just incredible. Happy Hour was a great way to be introduced to this spot, but the next step must be experiencing the kitchen's full potential through a tasting menu or prix-fixe menu. This is an excellent spot in downtown Seattle, and definitely worth your time.