Golden Beetle First look at the new Ballard spot from a (literal) Top Chef

It's hard to keep a hot streak alive, especially considering most of the dudes look like they're doing so while it's really cold out. From a chef with no reason not to ride her own, decidedly non-naked hot streak, Golden Beetle.

Fresh off Iron/Top Chef appearances, the lady behind accolade-heavy Tilth's now plating rustic Eastern Mediterranean eats (that're a staggering 95% certified wild/organic) in a 90-seat blue-trimmed space that's lit by custom-cut glass lanterns, open to a kitchen equipped with a mosaic-covered wood burning oven, and arted with shots of people/food from a recent trip to the Near East... so, like, Issaquah? Dinner means a handful of mains (wild mushroom/ ras al-hanout Skagit River Chicken Pie), and a mess of apps ranging from goat confit Wood Fired Flat Bread 'za, to ginger pasted Grilled Chicken Wings, to russet potato Za'atar Spiced French Fries w/ beef fat, but thankfully not beef with Fat, Joe, as he's just looking for an excuse to Get It Poppin'. There's also a tasting menu that includes starters (Pacific Cod Falafel & Turkey Doner Kebab), desserts (mint/ preserved grapefruit/ brown sugar Semolina Cake), and mains like an albacore tuna w/ red tartar sauce & nut pilaf, and a cauliflower and couscous sided Tagine made with Aspen Hollow Lamb, as the Aspen Extreme version just tastes like you 8 Powder.

GB's also got happy hour and latenight menus, plus a highly curated cocktail list that includes the bourbon/ mint/ Rainier Beer "Rainier Smash", and the Toronto to Cairo w/ George Dickel, fernet, house spice bitters & tamarind-lemon foam; future plans also call for lunch that'll be served walk-up, though that's probably a bad idea, until you find some pants.