In this day of faddish culinary trends and cookie-cutter copies of successful operations in other cities it's often too easy to overlook old favorites. A case in point is Elliots Oyster House on pier 56 (206/623-4340) in Seattle. We went there last night before the fireworks show & it was wonderful. I had the lightly smoked Copper River chinook & my wife had the clam bake. My salmon was perfect - a large center-cut steak, slightly translucent in the center and as flavorful as any I've ever had. My wife loved the clams, mussels, & crab. Two other persons in our party don't eat fish. They ordered a filet mignon & roasted chicken. Both enjoyed their dinners very much. In fact, the ONLY complaint I had for the whole evening was the slightly inadequate air circulation in the restaurant (it wasn't hot, it was just not fresh enough for my tastes). My point being that while the fads come & go, restaurants that earned our praise for presenting top quality food for years seem to go on & on. Thank goodness! Robert Harmon
Seattle, WA