Review of the Rhododendron Restaurant: Seattle, WA

Whenever you find yourself in the downtown Seattle, Washington area, there is a hidden secret eatery that is to be enjoyed. Located in the medical community on Spring Street (also known as First Hill), this restaurant has something for everyone. The fine eatery is known as The Rhododendron Restaurant.

First of all, the food is delicious. I have enjoyed meals on two separate occasions here - both for breakfast and dinner. Each time, the food was fresh and especially prepared as ordered. Both dishes were pleasantly plated and very eye appealing.

The Rhododendron Restaurant is located inside the Inn of Virginia Mason. In fact, it is right next the Inn's lobby area. To help patrons find it, there is a chalkboard containing the daily specials posted at eye level as one walks into the Inn's lobby. It is, therefore, easy to find. Plus, when one is in the lobby, there is no wall separating the two entities. There is simply a small partition. Very nice.

In addition to offering room service to the Inn of Virginia Mason's guests, they also have seating for all meals - breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner.

The ambiance is very pleasing and comfortable. The eatery appears as upscale. This is due to the wooden tables have linen tablecloths, and silverware being wrapped in cloth napkins. There is a wall of windows, along which some tables are placed. Outside, one can see patio seating. It is very pleasant to look at. I ate here in the colder months, but can see how outdoor eating would be a pleasure here. Lighting inside is not too bright, and not too low.

The servers at the Rhododendron Restaurant know the menu items very well and can make suggestions confidently. Plus, daily specials are described very knowledgeably. All in all, the servers make guests feel very welcome. Guests wait to be seated and are led to their seat by the server. Upon being seated, a menu is given and a beverage request is taken. It is a very efficient and pleasant process. Throughout my dining experiences, beverages were refilled without my asking. I think that is a sign of a great server, and really appreciate that.

For breakfast, I enjoyed the standard fare of two eggs, red potato hash browns, and toast. All were scrumptious. All the food was served at just the right temperature. Plus, there was not a long waiting period between ordering and the serving of my food. I also found out, if needed, that they accept dietary restriction requests. Nice.

For dinner, grilled salmon was my choice. The portion was huge, so a take-out bag was necessary. (I always like doggy bags.) The accompanying baked potato and steamed veggies were very tasty. Sometimes steamed veggies in restaurants are either overdone and mushy or undercooked and tough. That was not the case here. The steamed vegetables were perfectly cooked and seasoned. For dessert, the cheesecake just could not be beat.

The menu here is easy to read, with a pleasant reading font. Another thing I liked about the menu was it being leather bound. This tied into the elegant theme of The Rhododendron Restaurant. It is a simple, yet elegant, menu. Items are described very enticingly. Each item has a price listed, is helpful.

Prices are slightly above what I would normally pay, but considering the larger portion sizes, elegant atmosphere, and higher quality than other restaurants...it is worth it.

So, stop into The Rhododendron Restaurant and treat yourself to a special delight. They are located at 1006 Spring Street in Seattle, Washington. Reach them at 206-583-6453 or 1-800-283-6453.