I'd add Matts in the Market and Campagne's. We're going to Zoe's on Monday, so will report back on that one.
I've been disappointed with Wild Ginger and Waterfront.

Also, suggest you check this out on chowhound.com.

As promised, reporting back about Restaurant Zoe where we went last night. Sorry to disagree with others, but I can't recommend it.

Thanks for the warning about Zoe's. I had an unpleasant experience at Nell's--highly recommended in the way Zoe is.

Some of these smaller places seem to fawn over a few regulars while they give short shrift to others and, in the case of Nells, my monk fish was a HUGE disappoint and I had better desserts in my grade school cafeteria.

Curious about what happened at Zoe, artlover, to make you say you don't recommend it? I've eaten there a number of times since it opened (I'd say 2x a year) and have always had great food and service, and I don't go often enough to be considered a "regular" by any means.

Maybe I had too high of expectations--in the restaurant section here, on chowhound, and from friends I trust who have been there, or maybe it was an offnight, or maybe as DD has pointed out, I'm going through "food shock" after being in France and Spain, but I was very disappointed.

We were a party of 5 and shared starters--sushimi was just so-so, asparagus were "killed to death", chicken pate was so-so, and there was a complimentary lentil appetizer served on a tablespoon that was very good, as was the bread.

I ordered the lamb and it was so stringy and salty I would have sent it back, but this would have been very awkward since we were being taken here by DH's business associates. He had the halibut, which was good, and the wine our host ordered was delicious (he's Italian and ordered a really nice Italian wine).

We shared several desserts which were good, one in particular stood out--a polenta cake with apricots, and had cappacinos which were really awful--just coffee covered with whipped cream.

The service was o.k., not great, and I thought the noise level was a bit high. I didn't think that the food or atmosphere or service warranted the cost (which fortunately we didn't have to pay:D) But when I told a good friend this, she, like NW, was surprised, but I wouldn't go there again.

Thanks for posting the details. I can see why you wouldn't want to go back given your experience, and the fact that there are so many other good places in Seattle. I hope it was an aberration and not the new norm there (but as someone else pointed out, consistency is SO important).

Thank for the details, artlover.

I have found that it doesn't pay to complain to restaurant management about a bad experience because, rather that pick up the tab, they usually give me a gift certificate that can only be used to defray the cost of another unpleasant dining experience at the same restaurant.

Oh, I wouldn't say it was a "bad experience"--it just didn't live up to my expectations and it's not on one of my tops in Seattle list, but others seem to like it.

By "bad experience" I mean that I was sorry to discover that I could have been somewhere else having a better meal and a better time.