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Robin Leventhal of 'Top Chef' Pushes Truffled Popcorn In Seattle

Where: 115 Blanchard St [map], Seattle, WA, United States, 98121
November 12, 2009 at 2:29 PM | by | Comments (0)

Even when the grand prize eludes them, Top Chef alums often find a way to get the maximum mileage out of their fifteen minutes. Take, for example, Robin Leventhal, who didn't earn many popularity points with her fellow cast mates, but did manage to land an Executive Chef gig at Seattle's See Sound Lounge in early October. A simple panna cotta proved to be Leventhal's Achilles' heel on the show, so it's a good thing that there aren't many desserts on See Sound's menu, aside from a couple ice cream sandwiches and the silly inclusion of candied orange peel.

See Sound talks up their new chef's pseudo-celebrity stature on their website, declaring with pride, "The show is extremely popular. Take heed, watching it makes you hungry!" However, it's going to take more than a paltry self-endorsement to convince us of the restaurant's culinary cred. In our experience, the focus of restaurant/lounges tend to be promoting a cool, sexy atmosphere, not quality dishes. Pre-judging? Maybe, but let's take a closer look at what's on the menu for more.

If you stop by See Sound to find out what Robin is offering, keep in mind that the focus is on small plates, not entrees. The dishes strike us as club food made for sharing, like the requisite Ahi Tuna Tartar for $9, Fresh Spring Rolls for $5, and Truffled Pop Corn for $3. At least the price is right for these bite sized platters.

There is a larger Mezze Platter for $10 that includes the kind of de rigueur Mediterranean-inspired spread that many drink-dance-ambiance focused lounges tend to include on their menus. On it you'll find hummus, olives, and cucumber raita, which you could conceivably snack on at home pre-night out courtesy of your local grocer. Personally, we're partial to Trader Joe's addictive Eggplant Hummus.

This isn't to say that Leventhal's brand of club food is poorly executed, but it's definitely not pushing any boundaries. If you need a place to duck into for a drink the next time you're in Seattle, See Sound could be the place to go, but we're highly skeptical that you'll leave feeling genuinely wowed or adequately fed.

Related Stories
· See Sound Lounge [Official Site]
· Laurine Wickett of 'Top Chef' Gives Left Coast Some Market-Fresh Options [Jaunted]
· Top Chef coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Bravo, via Grub Street Blog]

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