"This is a FirstBite report. Look for our full review soon"
Fred Brack - FirstBite restaurant reviewer

Celebrated chef Tamara Murphy is back in the kitchen after an 18-month vacation. That's Big News. This time, it's in her own restaurant. Judging by our first bites, Murphy's sabbatical recharged her creative batteries.

Food was astoundingly good considering we visited during Brasa's first week (beginning March 1). Aromas emanating from entrees like roast suckling pig bedded on cabbage and white beans, and shrimp with black beans, rice and fresh coconut were so heady they stayed our forks' imperative as we bowed our heads and inhaled again and again. Salads like mixed baby greens with shallots and sherry vinaigrette, and spinach with warm mustard, goat cheese and shiitakes came perfectly tossed and dressed — and vibrant with bright flavors. Seared foie gras melted in the mouth. Accompanied by balsamic-tinged pear chutney, celery-root puree and warm herb brioche, the appetizer dazzled with its merry-go-round of flavors and textures.

Flawless? No, not yet at least. The shrimp entree tantalized but failed to deliver full promise because the de-veined shrimp could not be extracted easily from their shells, even — messily — with fingertips. Beans under the suckling pig were a bit crunchy rather than perfectly tender.

Quibbles? Sure, and grossly unfair to a kitchen crew still trying to find the light switches. But Murphy inspires mile-high expectations. For seven years she labored at Campagne, helping to create one of Seattle's few four-star restaurants. She also assisted in the birth of Cafe Campagne. During this span she earned a bushel of awards, including being named best chef in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii by America's gastronomic arbiter, the James Beard Foundation.

Her return was keenly anticipated. At Campagne she produced French country food. At Brasa she calls her cooking "sun-drenched Seattle" — apparently without sarcasm. Translated, that appears to mean a Mediterranean-inspired approach, with flavors melting into one another country-style. Food is meant to be consumed with gusto, not worshipped.

Brasa suits Seattle's end-of-century craving for casual stylishness. Behind a custom-forged iron gate in a handsome brick building at Third and Lenora, the restaurant evokes a Mediterranean village. A curvaceous terrazzo path separates lounge and dining room. The former features a copper bar with padded elbow rest. The latter includes a raised gallery. Warm colors and woods, upholstered booths and banquettes and soft music spell conversationally friendly comfort.

Conceiving of the dining room and lounge as complementary-but-separate venues, Murphy creates a bar menu (pizza, steak frites, mussels, couscous, etc.) that will be served until 2 a.m. A communal table in the lounge draws patrons into conversation and taste sharing.

Murphy's co-owner, Bryan Hill, runs the front of the house and the wine program. He was general manager at Campagne, where his wine program earned as many plaudits as Murphy's kitchen. For Brasa he's drawn an inspired international list with some moderately priced selections. And he's assembled a staff of hospitable servers and hosts.

Parking: Valet and nearby pay lots. Street spaces are hard to find.

Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 5 p.m. to midnight; bar menu to 2 a.m.
Closed Sundays