Savour Specialty Foods

In college a keg and some plastic cups made for a good time on any occasion, but throwing a grown-up holiday party requires more than an ice luge shaped like Shawn Kemp. Actually, that's a lie, but if you feel the need to really show of, there's Savour.Opening Wednesday from a former Expedia employee, this right-in-the-heart-of-Ballard storefront is dominated by a classic white deli case filled with meats and cheeses, a lordly compliment of wines and beers, and shelf after dark wood shelf of specialty foods, kitchen and glassware all meant to help you bring the most foodtastic dining experiences back to your house, but don't bother trying anything, they've got an early meeting tomorrow morning. Inspired by the owners' world travels, the shop stocks local and international goodness starting with an extensive selection of artisanal cheeses (Quillisascut Farm aged raw milk goat cheeses, sweet Italian blue Gorgonzola Dolce); antipasti (bulk olives, wild Italian mushrooms); and cured meats including rich, nutty jamon from Spain's famed Iberico pigs, and San Fran's own Boccalone's "tasty salted pig parts", most of which are up for very important roles in Ham-let. There's also a ton of savory, sweet, or spicy accompaniments (pickled veggies from Boat Street, Oregon Growers jams), chocolates from Dagoba and Theo's, plus international/NW wines (Spanish Aliguer Cava sparkling wine, Columbia Valley Sinister Hand Grenache Syrah Mourvedre) and craft beers (Elysian); they've even got super fly Riedel and Spiegelau glassware, and several different styles of linens, which are for putting on the table, and then quickly pulling off the table, while everyone looks on in amazement, and girls try and tongue kiss you and stuff. Savour's also offering beer and wine by the glass at the shop as well as a short deli menu featuring thick slices of country paté, Quiche wedges, and mascarpone, Gruyare and cheddar Mac & Cheese, which is great because you can no longer get away with pouring hot water from the bathroom into a packet of cheese dust.