If you wanted to sell short Tilth, you could call it trendy.
Ninety-five percent of the ingredients the restaurant uses are certified organic, a difficult and expensive level to reach. Its evolving menu — a new one every month — is posted online at http://tilthblog.wordpress.com.
Those traits, however, don’t speak to the charm of its setting, a Craftsman-style home on Seattle’s northside, or the skill of its executive chef and owner, Maria Hines.
In February, the New York Times called her spot one of the 10 best new restaurants in the country, praising its homey feel and expert cuisine, which has included braised pork cheeks ($13 for small plate /$25 for larger plate), squash risotto ($12/$24) and all manner of local seafood.
After appearing at the North Cascades Institute Environmental Learning Center to speak on organic cooking, Hines spoke to the Herald.
Q Your blog says you specialize in New American cooking. How would you describe that to someone who isn’t a frequent restaurant goer?
A It’s basically using local ingredients and applying European techniques.
Q What was your reaction when you found out the New York Times named Tilth among its top 10 new spots?
A I was absolutely surprised.
Q What sort of repercussions have you seen?
A It’s been busier. Definitely busier. More people are aware of us, so that’s great.
Q What led you to locate Tilth in a Craftsman-style home?
A I was just looking for restaurant spaces this size, and this is the one that came up.
Q Your restaurant seats 50 people. What led you to choose such an intimate space?
A It’s just more manageable if you’ve never opened up a restaurant before and you don’t have a lot of money.
Q Along with 95 percent certified organic food, you use items such as foraged mushrooms that can’t be certified. Why choose that type of food?
A It’s just wanting to make sure we’re using ingredients that are local to the area, wild ingredients, so we have sense of place.
Q How does food convey a sense of place?
A You can actually taste where you’re living.
Q Your Web site seems very accessible. Why include links to vacation pictures along with menu changes?
A I just wanted to share the food experience with people from another area.
Reporter Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455 or e-mail arathbun@heraldnet.com
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