The George, located inside Seattle’s iconic Fairmont Olympic Hotel, is part of a $25-million restoration of the historic 1924 hotel. This project includes the remarkable makeover of what was once known as the Georgian room into The George, an upscale brassiere-inspired restaurant featuring fresh and local ingredients indigenous to the Pacific Northwest.
Through the spectacular hotel lobby, you will find The George restaurant, a New Age, Art Deco-style dining space and bar, with tall ceilings, natural light and gold accents. The decor will automatically elevate your dining experience, transporting you from the city streets of Seattle to a chic refresh of the building’s original framework and unique design which sets the space apart from others. While this space has previously hosted legendary musicians, fashion icons and more, it is now the home of renowned Seattle culinarian, Executive Chef Thomas Cullen. Cullen dishes up an extensive menu of carefully curated dishes that are equally delicious and visually pleasing.
While enjoying dinner at The George, the Olympic seafood tower is a must. Accompanied by Dungeness and king crab, oysters, prawns, mussels, clams, salmon belly and geoduck, the tower is available for $155 with the option to add an Osetra caviar enhancement. If you are looking to try only a few raw items alongside starters, begin with the seasonal local oysters served with shallot vinegar, Calabrian chili sauce and Meyer lemon pepper. This pairs wonderfully with the Pacific octopus, which is prepared on a plancha then plated with sea beans, jalapeño, butterball potatoes and chorizo.
For your main course, the bouillabaisse (also a highlighted menu item) is filled with mussels, clams, scallops, prawn, fresh catch and rouille. The 32-oz. dry-aged bone-in ribeye is tender and rich with flavor, cooked to your preferred doneness then topped off with black truffle jus and paired with cipollini onion rings. Both are an excellent choice for sharing if you are dining in a group. The agnolotti pasta is another popular dish featuring lamb neck, fromage blanc, favas and pecorino. Top off your meal with a show by ordering the Baked Alaska, this flaming desert classic is both fun to watch and photograph.
Beverage curator Jesse Cyr has created a wide range of cocktails using a variety of liquors, and signature drinks at The George are both unique and revitalizing. Sip and savor a glass of the Cove Springs, poured with Wheatley vodka, lime, lemon, Cointreau and simple syrup. You may be looking to kick it up a notch and turn up the heat by ordering the I Think Love made with Croft Pink Port, Siete Misterios Doba Yej Mezcal, aperol and saline.
The George is open for dinner, Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10:30 p.m. Be sure to stop by for weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., presenting an array of breakfast classics along with some in-house specials.
For more information on The George, visit www.thegeorgeseattle.com.