Le Tastevin Retains Its High Standards

XX 1/2 Le Tastevin, 19 W. Harrison St. French. Lunch ($9 to $15) 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner ($17 to $25) 5 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lounge, full liquor. Major credit cards accepted. Non-smoking areas provided. Reservations: 283-0991. Expensive.

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When Le Tastevin first opened its doors almost 15 years ago on Lower Queen Anne, there were two minor but significant impediments to its quick acceptance.

The first was that few in Seattle knew what a tastevin was. The second was that even those who knew had some difficulty pronouncing it. Through the years, Jacques Boiroux and Emile Ninaud, the founding partners, managed to overcome the linguistics.

They moved from their original, modest storefront place to an expansive (and expensive) set of Northwest-sawed cedar dining rooms in late 1982, and quickly established Le Tastevin (which is the shallow silver sipping cup that wine professionals use to taste wines) as probably the most reliable French restaurant in downtown Seattle.

Originally, Ninaud - a wine specialist - ran the dining rooms and Boiroux the kitchen. Later, Les Goetz took over the kitchen and both Boiroux and Ninaud served as front-of-the-house managers.

``We had to,'' Ninaud said a couple of days ago. ``The restaurant is too big for one person to run; and someone must be out front all of the time.''

There have been changes in the four years since we last reviewed Le Tastevin, but they are few. Prices have increased, but surprisingly little. Their excellent Green Asparagus Salad, made with Eastern Washington asparagus, for example, went from $5 to $5.75 in the interim; Rack of Lamb from $21.50 to $24.25; a scallops appetizer from $6.50 to $7.25.

The restaurant has a curious mix of clients. There are the regular Francophiles who know and appreciate the blend of French classics and local variations thereupon. Then there are the early evening sports fans, from about 5 p.m. to 7:30 or 8, who eat fast, leave quick, and trot to the Coliseum a couple of blocks east.

Then there are the opera-goers and the theater crowd, who can order from fast-service menus and ride the restaurant's ``Shuttle Service'' to Seattle Center events.

Rumors that Ninaud and Boiroux would go separate ways proved unfounded (although the option was considered), and Le Tastevin seems to be running as efficiently as ever.

Best among the starters are still the Penn Cove Mussels ($7.25). A large bowl of blue bivalves come steamed in semillon (Ste. Michelle, I think), seasoned with Thai lemon grass and a ginger-shallot butter.

They always seem to be prepared perfectly here - warmed and plumped but never over-heated and dessicated. The aromatic broth makes the non-stop rolls most welcome.

A recent serving of Coquille St. Jacques ($7.25) was less fortunate. The combination of pre-cooked scallops, shrimp and mushrooms in a pleasant cream and champagne sauce was hot and sizzling on the outside, but tepid half-way down and cool at the base of the serving plate.

That perennial local favorite, Port Chatham Smoked Salmon and Halibut ($7.25), seemed less firm that usual, and saltier; neither characteristic, I realize, has much to do with Le Tastevin.

Bouillabaise Puget Sound ($10.25 at lunch; $17.75 dinner) was another story. Ringed by a picket fence of upright mussels, the Mediterranean classic was as visually appealing as it was gustatorially satisfying. Served with saffron aioli and a crouton on the side, the bowl contained poached sections of ling cod, scallops, prawns, Hamma Hamma oysters and a piece of smoked black cod.

The saffron and herb ``soup'' itself was a light fish fume enhanced with sauvignon blanc. It couldn't have been better.

A Beef Filet au Poivre ($21) was cooked precisely as ordered (half-way between rare and medium rare) and presented in a somewhat heavy cracked-pepper crust (heavier, at least, than I was led to expect from the ``lightly peppered'' description on the menu). But it was otherwise excellent, flambeed with a single-malt scotch.

Port Chatham Black Cod ($10.25 at lunch) also was more salty than usual - and I like seafood well-seasoned. The filet was nicely steamed and accompanied by mussels and a lemon-butter sauce.

Vegetables at Le Tastevin have always been arrayed around the house special, creamed spinach - blanched and dill-sauteed carrots, pan-fried potatoes, et cetera. It isn't easy to carry on over creamed spinach, but the dish really is quite good. I suspect they cut back slightly on the Pernod, but perhaps not.

The wine list is, without question, among the best in the city. And, fortunately, in each category are some modestly priced selections, as well as a half-dozen reds and whites available by the glass.

All in all, this is a highly professional restaurant run by two of the city's enduring veterans.