Shellfest Returns in the Cafe January 4th-31st!

shellfish

Ray’s is celebrating shellfish season this January! Join us in the Cafe to enjoy a variety of specially prepared shrimp, crab and oyster dishes, only available January 4-31. It’s the perfect time for the novice shellfish eater to try something new, and shellfish lovers to go enjoy their favorites.

We’ll feature rotating wine and cocktail pairings for each dish, check in weekly for changing selections. Reserve here today for lunch or dinner!

Shellfest Menu:

Clam Chancellor Chorizo, sherry, smoked scallop $8/15
Mussels Wilson White wine, garlic, chili flake $8/15
Buffalo shrimp & wings Habanero sauce, blue cheese, celery $13
Rock Shrimp Tacos Crispy fried rock shrimp, Pico de gallo, chipotle-sour cream, shredded romaine lettuce, tortilla chips, salsa $14
Chilled Peel & Eat Prawns Lemon-spice poached, Louis dressing 10
Half Pound Popcorn Shrimp Lightly breaded, fried golden brown, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce $14
Ray’s clam chowder House smoked bacon, clams, cream $6/8
Washington Razor Clams Pan fried, panko crusted, saffron-shallot jam, jalapeno tartar $13
Baked Half Shell Oysters Half dozen with Uli’s Andouille sausage, leeks, smoked paprika-butter $16
Steamed Half Pound Snow Crab Legs Drawn butter, fried potatoes $19
Prawn Cocktail Classic cocktail sauce, lemon $9

Rays Signature Bloody Mary with Grilled Prawn House infused horseradish & garlic vodka, Dimitris Bloody mix, grilled & chilled prawn kebob garnish $10

Give the Gift of Ray’s & Earn Rewards!

Ray's Gift Card

Give the gift that never goes out of style – gift cards from Ray’s, Seattle’s most beloved seafood restaurant! For every $100 you spend on gift cards in December, you’ll receive a free $20 card for yourself – it’s like two presents in one!

Perfect for friends, family or co-workers, everyone loves the gift of fresh, Northwest seafood at Seattle’s best waterfront restaurant with breathtaking views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.  To order your gift cards, please visit our Guest Relations desk in the Boathouse or call us at 206.789.3770. Offer valid December 1-31, 2015. Happy Holidays!

Holiday Parties & Events at Ray’s!

1498104_10151925117256247_619046250_o

We know the holidays are hectic and filled with extra plans and busy weekends. Let Ray’s Catering take the stress of planning holiday events and seasonal gatherings off your plate!

At Ray’s, we’re gearing up for the season and putting together a special menu with many delicious options for your guests… and less decisions for you! Whether it’s a lunch gathering, large dinner event or cocktail reception, Ray’s can do it all. We also bring the party to you with catering in your home or at a local venue of your choice!

Enjoy our special holiday catering menu for any events you have now through December 31st. Our expert event team will handle the details so you can enjoy your friends, family or coworkers.

Holiday event venues in Seattle don’t get any better than our private Northwest Room and covered, heated outdoor deck overlooking Shilshole Bay and the Olympic Mountains… it’s a gorgeous backdrop to your holiday festivities, as well as New Years Eve parties, birthdays, life celebrations, weddings & more!

Holiday Inspired Buffet Menu
Carving Board
Spice Rubbed Turkey Breasts (herbed gravy)
House Smoked NW Salmon (shallot aioli)
Maple Smoked Ham

Sides
Garlic Whipped Potatoes
Seared Green Beans
Orzo Gratin
Roasted Brussels Sprouts-House Smoked Bacon
Brown Sugar Baked Yams
Chestnut & Sage Stuffing

Cold Items
Butter Lettuce Salad (apples, almonds, white balsamic vinaigrette)
Mixed Green Salad (craisins, hazelnuts, sherry vinaigrette)

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie
Apple-Pear Crumble

 

Please contact us for available dates, pricing, additional menu options or any questions at rayscatering@rays.com, 206.780.6309 or Rays.com. We look forward to creating a memorable event with you!

 

Your Ray’s events team ~
Phyllis Fischer & Rebecca Lee

A Visit to Penn Cove Shellfish Farm

It takes passion and high standards to be a farmer.

Penn Cove proves it in their products by supplying us with beautiful fresh mussels from pristine Puget Sound waters. How they do it and why they do it is what brought Ray’s in for a visit.

Penn Cove is a beautiful location on Whidbey Island. It’s your typical quiet, serene bay where you dream to live. Looking toward the weather protected south end of the bay, there is a series of rafts where the mussels grow below the water’s surface. Mussels seeds are collected and then grown on lines that hang 20 feet down into the water. It was described to us as an underwater mussel forest. Some of the Penn Cove Shellfish growers’ success can be owed to our Cascade Mountains. From there, minerals flow through the rivers and pump the Puget Sound with nutrients that mussels thrive on.

Ray’s General Manager Doug Zellers, our Cafe Manager Emmett and myself, Sous Chef Steve Hauch, met the gang that runs the farm. Tim Jones, Penn Cove Shellfish’s Operations Manager, gave us the lowdown on basics of how to grow thousands of pounds of mussels at a time. He showed us an app and pointed at the map, and that was it, right? Not even close.

At the shoreline, a skiff cruised up and we all jumped in.  Tim chauffeured us through the bay to one of the rafts where the mussels grow. He pulled a line out of the water and there they were. There must have been a thousand mussels growing on the single line. He and an employee discussed how the daily harvest was going for the day while pulling on some ropes that were hanging in the water. As they inspected the size and quality Tim says, “let’s move the crew to this raft, these look good.”

Pushing away from the raft, we went  to another, here there was a much larger barge where all the action was happening. The mussels were being pulled out of the water and put through a series of small machines to remove them from the line and pull the beards off.  Next in line were sent to several workers who sorted the good from the bad. Another employee was busy bagging them up, ten pounds at a time. I admired this crew, although it was sunny and calm that day, imagine working in the cold, wind and rain. They tell me they’ve missed only one harvest day due to ice in the bay. For that, Ray’s thanks all of the Penn Cove Shellfish crew for what they do. Farming anything is hard work.

Penn Cove has provided Ray’s with shellfish since the 1980’s and has been a staple on our menu. We appreciate the product they’ve supplied our guests and chefs, from past to present, for more than 30 years. Thanks to everyone at Penn Cove Shellfish, from the office to the beach and on the water. Their passion is proven in the excellent, high-quality product they produce, and Ray’s continues that passion and quality from bay to table.

Steve Hauch, Ray’s Sous Chef

[juicebox gallery_id=”17″]

 

 

 

Betz Family Winery Dinner at Ray’s Oct. 16!

Betz-Logo-2

 

Ray’s Fall Forage Wine Dinner with Betz Family Winery

Join us at Ray’s on Friday, October 16, 2015 for our Fall Forage Wine Dinner, highlighting the best of our Feast of the Fall Forage menu along with hand-selected wines from award-winning, locally-owned and operated Betz Family Winery.

The five-course dinner features a bountiful harvest from some of our beloved local purveyors, including Taylor Shellfish Olympia Oysters, Penn Cove Mussels, Northwest Albacore from Olympic Seafoods, and gorgeous mushrooms, berries and greens from Foraged & Found Edibles.

Each course will be expertly paired with exquisite Betz Family Winery wines. This Northwest winery is helmed by Bob Betz, Washington’s only Master of Wine and the only Master of Wine who currently makes wine in the United States. Betz Family Winery was founded in 1997 and is a leader in producing excellent Washington wines by collaborating with Washington growers to yield the highest quality grapes, season after season.

Tickets are $125 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). 6:30 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner; 21 years of age and over only. Reservations required and seating is limited.

Reserve your seats today at 206.789.6309 or rayscatering@rays.com.

 

Fall Forage

About Betz Family Winery

Since our first vintage in 1997 we’ve had a single minded goal of crafting compelling wines with individual character that are approachable and ageworthy, and which showcase Washington as a distinguished wine region of the world.

By carving out specific vineyard blocks and being meticulous in the vineyard and cellar we are able to achieve the quality we aspire to.

As importantly over the years our winery culture has become a way of life in which everyone – our growers, winery team and customers are family.

Today, Betz family Winery is headed by our two families, both committed to be true to our heritage, our family members, and true to what Betz winery embodies: wines of dimension and pleasure, wines that allow the character of Washington to shine through. They are a blend of the best elements of the new and the old worlds; full ripe fruit and yet structured for longevity.

We believe our best wines are yet to come.

Screen Shot 2015-09-08 at 10.26.10 AM

New Game Day Menu & Hours at Ray’s Cafe

Fish and Chips

Starting Sunday, September 20th, we’ll be opening the Cafe early for game day!

Join us at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday in the Cafe lounge and top deck through the fall and winter. We’ve added more flatscreens and a Game Day Menu to start the festivities early! Menu runs 9:30-11:30 a.m. until our regular lunch menu begins.

Enjoy fresh seafood, the return of our wicked hot wings, local beer, wine by the glass, cocktails and more while you cheer on the Seahawks or your favorite team!

Reserve Your Table In Advance. We’ll be accepting reservations for the lounge and top deck at 9:30 a.m. only, afterwards it will be first-come. You can also reserve our top deck for large groups and watch the big game with friends or alumni clubs. Reserve online, call 206.789.3770 or email us at rays@rays.com today!

Game Day Menu Highlights

12th Man-Hattan
John Jacob Rye, Domaine de Canton, Cointreau, sweet vermouth, Scrappy’s Orange Bitters 12

Crispy Calamari
Lemon aïoli half 8 / full 12

Dungeness Crab Dip
Artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sourdough crostini 12

Wicked Hot Wings
Habañero chile sauce, celery, bleu cheese dressing 9

Mediterranean Mussels GF
Thai red curry, coconut milk broth 13

True Cod Fish + Chips
Cilantro slaw, housemade tartar half 16 / full 18

Classic Burger
Painted Hills ground chuck, Tillamook cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, poblano sauce, choice of fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or garden salad 14

Feast of the Fall Forage Sept. 14 – Oct. 11 at Ray’s

Fall Forage Salmon

Ray’s Boathouse is excited to present our Feast of the Fall Forage, celebrating the Pacific Northwest’s beautiful fall bounty from land to sea!

For four weeks, from September 14 through October 11, we will highlight local purveyors who work tirelessly to forage the Northwest for the best product available. Each week Ray’s will feature a special dish by our Executive Chef Paul Duncan, highlighting unique preparations of local products, from Taylor Shellfish Olympia Oysters to Penn Cove Mussels, Northwest Albacore from Olympic Seafoods, and gorgeous mushrooms, berries and greens from Foraged & Found Edibles.

Try a new dish each week and be sure to join us at our Betz Family Wine Dinner on Friday, October 16 at Ray’s, where we will highlight the best of the Feast of the Fall Forage!

Enter to win tickets to our wine dinner and a prize package September 14-October 2 on social media! See below for details.

To enter, use #RaysFallForage on social media when dining at Ray’s from September 14 through October 11 so we may share your photos!

Feast of the Fall Forage Menu Highlights:

  • Sept. 14-20: Penn Cove Mussels Matsutake & lobster mushrooms, dry sherry, house-made pappardelle, grilled ‘goose tongue’ sea beans, herbed bread crumbs
  • Sept. 21-27: Olympic Seafoods’ Pacific Northwest Albacore Fennel dusted and Applewood grilled, Madrone bark “tea egg”, dragon tongue beans, Marcona almond, Washington tomato, Nicoise olive vinaigrette.
  • Sept. 28-Oct. 4: Foraged & Found Edibles’ Fall Harvest Grilled fall bolete mushroom, wild herb rubbed Anderson Ranch t-bone, fried kale, brie cheese, puffed farro
  • Oct. 5-11: Taylor Shellfish Olympia Oysters Half dozen, half-shell local oysters, wild red huckleberry mignonette

*Menu subject to change, based on availability.

SAVE THE DATE

Ray’s Fall Forage Wine Dinner featuring Betz Family Winery

Join us on Friday, October 16, where we’ll highlight the best of the Feast of the Fall Forage along with wines from award-winning, Woodinville-based Betz Family Winery. Five-courses, $125 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Reservations required and seating is limited. 6:30 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner; 21 years of age and over only.

Reserve your seats today at 206.789.6309 or rayscatering@rays.com.

ENTER TO WIN!

Win a pair of tickets to our Fall Forage Wine Dinner September 14-October 2!

  • Simply follow along our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter from September 14-October 2.
  • Answer trivia questions from around Ballard.
  • Email your answers to contest@rays.com to be entered. Each guest can enter to win one time per each trivia question asked, for a total of eight entries over the three-week period.
  • One winning name will be drawn on Friday, October 2.

Winner receives:

  • Two tickets to Ray’s Fall Forage Wine Dinner on Friday, October 16th (valued at $328).
  • A Bob Betz Master of Wine autographed bottle of each wine served at the dinner from Betz Family Winery.
  • A foraging trip and lunch for two with Jeremy Faber, owner of Foraged & Found Edibles and Ray’s Executive Chef Paul Duncan. Mutually agreeable date.
  • Gift certificate to purchase Foraged & Found Edibles’ goods from your local farmers market.
  • Two Ray’s embroidered sweatshirts to keep you warm in the great outdoors.

Foraging Safety

Ray’s sources all foraged ingredients from local, qualified, professional purveyors. While eating forged items from the Northwest is a true treat, you must be careful when foraging on your own. Ray’s asks that you know the rules, guidelines and risks prior to eating anything you forage in the wild. Ray’s cautions anyone to not go foraging without the proper guide or education needed to make accurate choices for what is safe to eat in the wild. Learn more from local foraging experts like Langdon Cook and Foraged & Found Edibles.

 

Contest Fine Print

  • Winner will be selected at random and must prove they are 21 years of age or older prior to being declared the winner.
  • One entry per email account per trivia question, for a total of eight entries per email account.
  • Start date: September 14th 2015 at 12:01 a.m. PST; entries made prior to this will not be valid.
  • End date: All emails must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. PST on October 1st, 2015 in order to be considered in the grand prize drawing.
  • Winner must claim prize within 48 hours of being contacted by Ray’s via the email address they used to enter, or we will draw again.
  • Enter to win anywhere in the country or world.
  • Employees of Ray Boathouse, Inc. and their immediate families are not eligible to participate.
  • Entrants must be at least 21 years of age on or before the date their post is submitted.
  • Ray’s reserves the right to re post pictures and entries on our social media outlets and website.
  • By claiming a prize, the winners consent to Ray’s use of their names and image/likeness including photography and video in future Ray’s marketing and advertising without compensation or further approval. Further, by accepting a prize, the winner agrees not to assert any claims and to release Ray’s, from any and all liabilities, injuries or damages sustained in connection with the award or use of the prize.
  • Winners are solely responsible for reporting winnings and paying all applicable taxes.
  • The odds of winning will be one out of the total number of eligible responses submitted.
  • Legibility: all submissions must be legible by Ray’s staff.
  • Grand Prize:
    • Two tickets to Ray’s Fall Forage Wine Dinner on Friday, October 16th (valued at $328).
    • A Bob Betz Master of Wine autographed bottle of each wine served at the dinner from Betz Family Winery.
    • A foraging trip and lunch for two with Jeremy Faber, owner of Foraged & Found Edibles and Ray’s Executive Chef Paul Duncan. Mutually agreeable date.
    • Gift certificate to purchase Foraged & Found Edibles’ goods from your local farmers market.
    • Two Ray’s embroidered sweatshirts to keep you warm in the great outdoors.

Contest General Conditions

  • Void where prohibited / restricted by law.
  • All federal, state and local laws apply.
  • Paying and reporting taxes (if any) are the winner’s sole responsibility.
  • Prizes may not be substituted, transferred, redeemed or exchanged for cash, except at the sole discretion of Ray’s.
  • Ray’s is not responsible for illegible, damaged, lost, late or misdirected entries.
  • All submissions become property of Ray’s
  • Ray’s reserves the right to refuse all prizes to any client who in their sole determination abuses their right to participate or violates the rules.
  • Should the winning submission be determined to be untrue or false in any way, the winner must be responsible for any and all real costs associated with grand prize or another winner may be picked at the discretion of Ray’s management.

These are the official contest rules of #RayFallForage Contest. These rules may be subject to change without notice.

 

Sustainable Seafood Week at Ray’s

Sustainable Seafood Week Seattle is on now through August 8th! There are multiple events plus a citywide Sustainable Seafood Week Dine Out celebration at dozens of Seattle restaurants including Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe! Join us for lunch or dinner in the Cafe and dinner in the Boathouse daily.

Celebrate with us all week and enjoy an abundance of sustainable seafood options at Ray’s including our Grilled Wild Northwest King Salmon served with brown rice, carrots, snap peas, and lobster-shiitake sauce.

Grilled NW King Salmon

Or our Pacific Northwest Grilled Sablefish in Sake Kasu served with Jasmine rice, grilled bok choy, honey-soy, and scallion oil. Ask your server for more details and ask about our special of the week!

Ray's Kasu Sablefish 2

More Sustainable News & Events!

Ray’s is a wine sponsor at the upcoming Sustainable Seafood Week Gala on Tuesday, August 4th at the Seattle Aquarium. We’re donating our L’Ecole No 41 Ray’s Partnership Chardonnay to be paired with delicious seafood! Tickets are $85 per person and include food and wine. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.

Check out Ray’s partnership with Paul Allen’s Smart Catch program in the local media and learn about our involvement in this important seafood program: Puget Sound Business Journal, The Seattle Times, and Eater Seattle.

We love being a local Seattle seafood restaurant and helping educate seafood lovers about which seafoods are safest for the environment and for you to enjoy. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask your server or one of our managers for more details about sustainable seafood!

Shellfish Recipes From Bite of Seattle

Paul Bite Cooks 3

 

Ray’s Executive Chef Paul Duncan and his team had the pleasure of participating in the Bite of Seattle’s Alley to benefit Food Lifeline last weekend. Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe helped raise thousands of dollars for Food Lifeline, met some great folks and fed a crowd with our Smoked Salmon Sliders: house-smoked salmon, scallion aioli, red cabbage-citrus slaw on a petite brioche bun.

 

During the Bite, Chef Paul also took the stage to cook up some of Ray’s signature dishes with The Chef in The Hat, Thierry Rautureau, at the Bite Cooks stage. Paul shared various techniques for cooking with shellfish, like clams and mussels, from how to clean them, to how to avoid overcooking, to the best flavors to pair with each.

 

Paul Bite Cooks

 

If you missed the demonstration, we have a treat for you! Here are recipes for the two dishes Chef Paul whipped up for the Bite Cooks audience that you can make at home, or visit us to enjoy variations of these dishes any day at Ray’s Café or Ray’s Boathouse!

 

Penn Cove Mussels in Thai Style Coconut Broth

For the Broth

This recipe is for 3lbs of Mussels (de-bearded)

  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
  • ½ Tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
  • 1 cup Sake
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 Teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped Thai basil 

1)     Add all ingredients to a standard blender with lid attached and pulse for 1 minute

2)     Once all ingredients are combined place the broth into plastic container with airtight seal.

In a large sauce pan add 2 tablespoons un-salted butter and allow to melt. Once butter has melted add the Mussels and stir to combine. When the mussels begin to “hiss and pop” add the Thai mussel broth, turn heat to medium and cover. The mussels should be fully cooked in 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and pour mussels and broth into deep serving bowl and serve family style. Garnish with whole Thai basil leaves.

Clams in Sherry Chili Sauce

For the broth

This recipe is for 3lbs manila clams (purged)

  • ½ cup sweet sherry
  • 1 cup clear chicken stock
  • ½ Tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped shallots
  • ½ Tablespoon chopped Calabrian chili peppers
  • 4 Tablespoons butter (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano
  • 6 slices fresh baguette
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for bread
  • Kosher salt to taste

In a large sauce pan add 2 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt. Once butter has melted add garlic, shallots, chili peppers, dried oregano, mix all to combine making sure not to damage shells. Once the clams begin to “hiss and pop” add the sherry, chicken stock and cover. Add the remaining butter and simmer on medium heat for 3-5 minutes. While clams are simmering, place your sliced bread on a cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Place into 350 degree oven and cook until desired color is achieved. Clams will be fully open when done. Pour into large serving bowl and serve family style, garnish with fresh whole leaves of oregano.

Learn more about Food Lifeline. Part of being a local Seattle seafood restaurant is giving back to our community through charitable events and responsible stewardship. You can learn the latest about regional events and Ray’s presence in the community by following our blog or signing up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page.

Sustainable Seafood at Ray’s

smrtctch_tag_clr

Did you know that 90 percent of the world’s fisheries are either fully fished or overfished? Ray’s Boathouse and Café has been committed to sustainable seafood practices since we opened 42 years ago as a local seafood restaurant in Ballard. We have always prided ourselves on purchasing from local fisherman and family-owned businesses that care about preserving the oceans and our eco-system ever since.

Being sustainable takes careful research, time and dedication. To help us make the best, most sustainable purchasing choices, Ray’s has partnered with Smart Catch, a Paul G. Allen company, that helps chefs and restaurants ensure that they are sourcing the best product for our planet and you, our loyal guests.

Learn more about Smart Catch and what they are doing to help the world’s seafood populations at smartcatch.fish and ask a Ray’s team member more about it next time you come in to the Boathouse or Café. Then bring your family, friends and out-of-town guests to dine sustainably at Seattle’s best seafood restaurant!

What is Smart Catch:

  • A new sustainable seafood program created with chefs for chefs to recognize restaurants working toward ensuring an abundant supply of seafood for generations to come
  • A simple way for diners to show their support of restaurants who are thinking beyond their menus
  • A way for everyone to simply make a difference in keeping our oceans sustainable

On July 12th Ray’s had the pleasuring of taking part in the first Smart Catch pop-up dinner at the Olympic Sculpture Park with Ray’s Executive Chef Paul Duncan, serving sustainable seafood dishes alongside Chef Tamara Murphy of Terra Plata and Chef Ignacio Reyna of Agua Verde.

A few photos from the pop up event!

Smart Catch Pop Up Photo Salmon
Grilled King Salmon, beet confit, kalamata salsa, heirloom tomato

 

Smart Catch Pop Up Photo 1
Chefs Tamara Murphy, Ignacio Reyna & Paul Duncan

 

Smart Catch Pop Up Photo Menu
Pop-up dinner menu