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Buzz around new Ballard restaurant proves Seattle is a top city for chefs

Ballard's Sawyer could take home the prize for Best New Restaurant, proving once again that Seattle is one of the best cities to open a new restaurant.

Chef Mitch Mayers was sitting on his couch with his 17-month-old son and wife when he saw the news. His new restaurant, Sawyer, had been nominated for the “Oscars of food.”

The up and coming restaurant serving comfort food with a gourmet twist was the only Washington restaurant to get a nomination for Best New Restaurant this year by the James Beard Foundation (JBF). Mayers opened Sawyer in Ballard seven months ago, just off Market Street on 22nd Avenue and Shilshole Avenue.

The restaurant operates out of a chic updated sawmill that harks back to Ballard’s past as a lumber town. Oxtail nachos and bone marrow matzo balls share the menu with the s’more choco tacos. It's a delicious twist on the popular ice cream cone that is made of graham cracker waffle cone, peanut butter ice cream, Theo’s chocolate and swiss meringue.

“I’m a product of the 90s... so I grew up chasing the ice cream truck,” Mayers said, giving a hint to the inspiration behind the dish. “We call ourselves new American, casual comfort new American, which I like to say doesn’t really mean anything. It’s fun words that ultimately just mean we can cook whatever we want.”

Sawyer’s nomination comes one year after another Seattle restaurant won top honors. Edouardo Jordan‘s restaurant JuneBaby took home the prize for Best New Restaurant in 2018.

Seattle restaurants are no stranger to receiving national attention by the JBF. Besides last year’s win, new Seattle restaurants have been nominated in the category year after year: Upper Bar Ferdinand and No Anchor in 2017, Girin Steakhouse & Ssam Bar in 2016, Bar Sajor in 2014, Shanik and The Whale Wins in 2013, Altura in 2012, and Staple & Fancy Mercantile in 2011.

A new report out last month positioned Seattle and Bellevue among the best cities in the country to open a restaurant. The study compared annual restaurant sales per capita, competition and market saturation, workforce and median income in 236 cities.

Seattle placed ninth on a list of 50 cities. Bellevue was just behind in tenth.

Since 2009, Seattle continued to see steady growth. The city finished each year between 2009 and 2017 with more restaurants than the year before. Seattle averaged more than 2 percent growth year over year between that period, according to data from the Department of Revenue. Overall, there were more than 500 more restaurants across the city in 2017 than in 2009.

Bellevue did not finish each year with overall growth, but the city has seen steady growth since 2009 and increased its restaurant total by more than 24 percent by 2017.

Mayers won't admit he knows the recipe to success, but he was willing to share a few of the ingredients that make Sawyer special. 

"We wanted to find a location first.... A location that we felt was going to resonate with us as entrepreneurs and then create a concept that we felt fit the neighborhood and still was true to us and true to what we want to do," he said.  

Mayers opened Sawyer in the epicenter of cuisine in the Ballard neighborhood, adding to the community's rich menu of restaurants.

"To me, food that is based on experiences is so much more powerful and resonates so much more with individuals than some new or different," he said describing the way Sawyer's menu is constructed. "Even though we might be serving nachos or jojos, but just higher-end food, to still have the level of creativity and just fun takes on things like that put twists."

What's next for Sawyer? Brunch. Mayers and his chefs are working on their play on a crunch wrap supreme from Taco Bell with eggs. 

The James Beard Foundation will announce its list of finalists on March 27. If Sawyer makes the shortlist, it will be up for the top prize at the awards show in May. 

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