Fodor's Expert Review Rover's
Editor's Note: This location is no longer in operation.
Thierry Rautureau (dubbed the "chef in the hat" for his signature Panama-style hats) is one of the Northwest's most imaginative and charming chefs, and his restaurant is an essential Seattle foodie destination. Sea scallops, squab, lobster, and rabbit are frequent offerings on the prix-fixe menu (though items are also available à la carte, and there's a vegetarian menu as well). Traditional accoutrements such as foie gras pay homage to Rautureau's French roots, but bold combinations of local ingredients are evidence of his wanderlust. The service at Rover's is downright excellent, the setting romantic, and the presentation stunning. Rover's is a short cab ride from the center of Capitol Hill, in the Madison Park neighborhood.
Rautureau is also frequently on-site at adorable Luc (2800 E. Madison, 206/328–6645), his busy casual French bistro just next door, but Rover's is the real destination restaurant.