Veg Out

The Carlile Room shines a spotlight on vegetables from local growers

When the last notes of music fade out at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, concertgoers file out the doors and are greeted by the neon sign across the street bearing a familiar name: The Carlile Room.

Chef and restauranteur Tom Douglas was influenced by musicians such as local singer Brandi Carlile, for whom the restaurant is named. Inside, hungry diners find an unlikely pairing: a rock-and-roll bar vibe partnered with a menu full of vegetable dishes that steal the show.

“I often say to my chefs, if you have a perfect product, what you need to do is get out of the way and let it shine,” said Douglas. “Throughout the seasons of the year, we support all of our friends who are farmers. We’re very veg-centric.”

In Washington state, foodies are blessed to be surrounded by multitudes of “perfect products,” many of which find a home on the Carlile Room menu. Fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins and dairy are produced all over the state, so professional chefs and amateur home cooks have a long list of high quality, fresh ingredients to choose from.

“It’s just really a treat to be in the middle of this,” Douglas continued, gesturing around as though to indicate the whole state of Washington. “I used to think, ‘Wow, we have great salmon and great crab,’ but really, we have great everything: from the wine we’re drinking, to the asparagus, to the potatoes.”