Ada's Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Seattle

I had been wanting to go to Ada’s for a while and finally decided to go for Restaurant Week and it was . . . Ok. The food was good, but the service bad. We had finished our meal and were out of water for 20 minutes before we finally got a waitress to stop at our table (they shouldn’t have a big clock on the wall, because it makes it easy to see how much time has elapsed). I understand that they were busy, and that’s a knock on the owner who should be limiting seating if they don’t have the staff to make the meal enjoyable and service acceptable. So the food – Good, but not exceptional. Daughter had Linguini Pescatore and that was very good. Plenty of seafood and a big portion. Her comment on the side of Brussel Sprouts she got – “Yours are better Dad. They have more flavor.” I agreed, but they were still good. Wife had the Ezogelin soup (delicious) and Almond Ricotta Ravioli – Her comment on the Ravioli – “Bland and kind of tasteless.” I had the Dolmas (delicious) and Pan-Roasted Sea Bass. The sauce was good, but the skin on the fish was so rubbery I couldn’t cut through it. A crisp skin on Sea Bass is what really makes the dish so that was really disappointing. Overall an Ok meal, but I don’t feel I need to go back with all the good restaurants on Phinney Ridge.

One note – When they ask if you would “like them to bring out the bread and butter while you decide” know that the sourdough bread and butter is $5. It’s not on the menu and we didn’t know about the cost until we got the bill. Not a big deal, but one of those...

We went to Ada’s because my wife saw them featured on Evening Magazine highlighting that they served Manti. She has loved that dish since we first had it in Istanbul. Ada’s did not disappoint her. I had the Sac Kavurma which was delicious. So why not five stars? I have high expectations I guess.

First, the cocktails were expensive, small, and extremely watered down. My Manhattan barely had any color to it when it normally should be an deep amber color. I’m offended to pay $14 for melted ice.

Second, the dinner portions were meager. Even with an appetizer, I found myself eating bread and pita after the entrée because I was still hungry. Speaking of bread, we were charged $5 for cold hard bread. If a restaurant is going to charge you for bread, it should be listed on the menu as such, or at least the server should mention the cost when they offer it.

Our server was friendly and I understand restaurants are having a difficult time with staffing, but I found myself searching the restaurant for her more often than I felt was necessary.

Lastly, the final bite of my Sac Kavurma had a shred of metal in it. I felt something sharp and not the right texture in my mouth and pulled out a metal shaving. It may have been a piece from a metal scouring pad used on the serving wok. It made me wonder if I could have swallowed more of it earlier. Not a good feeling and disappointing for a $100+ meal for two. The restaurant’s response: dessert on the house. Wow, not even an apology...

The perfect dinner experience; The dishes were beautifully presented, from the salad, risotto and fried calamari all of them well balanced in flavours. • • The bread tasted liked it was coming right out from the oven. It brought back memories from my hometown were we use to buy the bread fresh and it was still warm at touch. The butter had the right counts of Himalayan pink salt crystals as topper; wondering what comes next. • • The master plan is carefully designed starting from the way the plates flows out from the kitchen to the way the plates are positioned with such extremely detail on the table... Perfect timing and surprising effect. • • The Mushrooms Risotto had exactly the right amount of sweetness, saltiness, acidity and bitterness (please eat the artichoke in the middle right after you have completed 60-70% of the rice, you''ll probably thank me later...), all these flavors were transported by the perfect risotto rice integrated with a rich red pepper bouillon. Definitely the star of the night. • • Nevertheless the experience and attention was classy, coordinated and timed. Even the chef came out to check out on us and even he gave some treats and water to our doggy, nice touch. • • The mixologist did a great job, well balanced Aperol Spritz with a nice garnish, dehydrated bloody orange. • • Thank you chef, you have an amazing team and place. Keep doing what you are doing, consistently...