Golden Beetle

Golden Beetle Review

The local-seasonal trend heads to the Eastern Mediterranean at this certified organic (but casual and unstuffy) restaurant owned by James Beard Award-winner Maria Hines (also of Tilth). There's nothing wrong with entrées like gillnet-caught salmon in a Moroccan charmoula sauce, but the best route here is usually a series of shareable small plates like sumac-spiced french fries cooked in duck fat, kibbeh-bulgur lamb meatballs in date sauce, and dolmas made with grass-fed beef. Cocktails are also serious business, with housemade bitters and bartenders willing to create drinks tailored to your taste. Parking can be tough in Ballard, so take advantage of the free lot behind the building.