Ethan Stowell’s Red Cow is open for business in Madrona

photoThe latest installment of Ethan Stowell’s apparent attempt to take over Seattle is Red Cow, a brasserie in Madrona. Red Cow opened last night with a packed house; diners filled nearly every spot in the 1,800-square-foot restaurant on 34th avenue.

Red Cow takes over the spot formerly occupied by much-loved Restaurant Bea. The space is divided into a brighter, family-friendly dining room, with 35 seats, and a 20-seat bar area that’s dim and romantic and looks into the kitchen.

The menu is decidedly meaty, with a focus on steak frites. You have six cuts to choose from: Hanger, Chuck Roast, New York Strip, Filet Mignon, Boneless Ribeye, and Short Ribs. Housemade charcuterie and local seafood round out the menu.

I stopped in and tried the short ribs, because…short ribs! I added a compound butter sauce, which the ribs soaked up beautifully. I also tried the frisee and bacon salad, which came topped with a lovely poached duck egg and thankfully didn’t shy away from the dressing.

Stowell isn’t finished with Madrona. He’s working on a small, boutique dining space called Noyer, which will open behind Red Cow this spring. Expect to pay $300 per person for the privilege of dining here.

“This will be a special occasion restaurant, a luxurious experience in Seattle with excellent wine and excellent food,” Stowell told the Puget Sound Business Journal back in November. “We want to give people something where they say, ‘Wow, we got a great experience for the money we spent.’”

Meanwhile, Red Cow is open for dinner seven days a week. Given the opening night reception, you’d do well to make a reservation.

 

Comments are closed.