It’s bold and it’s briny, or it’s smooth and it’s grassy, or it’s a riot of campfire and a hint of the sea all in a glass. It’s Scotch and, like bourbon, Irish whiskey, Dickel and Daniels, it’s whisk(e)y. What makes Scotch unique in the whisk(e)y family are the rules around its distillation. Scotch is…

In Chef Varin’s kitchen, little goes to waste. Not the ends of chard, the last asparagus stems, or the tops of strawberries. For chef, this is the beginning of new additions to the menu, such as charcuterie. While most of us associate charcuterie with boards full of meats and cheeses, here those plates also brim…

We’ve invited Nina, the founder of Buty Winery, in for a special 5-course dinner. You will taste your way through a full Buty wine lineup paired with a special menu created by Chef Varin. Space is limited (only 25 spots), so book soon! Please RSVP to Justin at jroberson@conrests.com   Buty Wine Dinner Menu 5-Course…

Beverage Director Amanda Reed loves rum. Asking her to choose the best is like asking what her favorite wine is. That, or the fact that the categories of rum are so different, may explain why our downtown Seattle restaurant has more than 40 rums on the menu. A Rum Primer Fundamentally, rum is a liquor…

It’s pretty obvious that Chef Varin Keokitvon knows his way around fresh produce. This is the man responsible for fermenting his own black garlic, poaching quince for a bevy of seasonal desserts, and the very funky roasted asparagus with fermented black bean chili making an appearance on the menu. United Fresh Awards Varin Chef Varin…

Recently, beverage director Amanda Reed was thinking spring drinking and Beaujolais—the light, red-fruited, gamay from France—came to mind. If the flavors of fresh strawberries and earthy mushrooms work so beautifully in those wines, she imagined they’d work well in a cocktail too. So, she added some grassy rhum agricole and savory fennel and a fresh…