I am sorry to report that since Danielle Custer’s departure from 727 Pine (in the Elliot Grand Hyatt) it has become a conventional, mundane hotel restaurant. If you’d like to wax nostalgic about 727’s ‘salad’ days, take a look at my review of Custer’s glorious culinary wit and style: 727 Pine: Danielle Custer’s Triumph.
I ordered a wonderful wild mushroom soup with seared scallop. It was a sheer delight with the smooth texture of the soup contrasting nicely with the outer crunch and inner sofness of the scallop. However, the tarragon lobster macaroni and cheese was terribly bland. The cheese had no discernible taste and made for an eminently forgettable dish. I ordered a parfait for dessert and it came to the table frozen solid. Even when it defrosted enough for me to eat it, it was still forgettable.
This is a good restaurant for hotel guests, but alas it is no longer a ‘destination’ for food.
Given the luxuriousness and elegance of Custer’s preparations, one can imagine that her food required great expense and enormous amounts of time and patience. Perhaps the hotel management wanted a more straightforward and less expensive dining experience for their guests. If so, they have silenced one of Seattle’s most creative culinary voices.
To learn more about what Custer’s up to these days, check out Seattle Weekly‘s Best of 2003 Danielle Custer’s Picks.
