Green.House

Where: 4793 Point Fosdick Drive NW, Gig Harbor, 253.514.6482
Hours: Sunday, Tuesday - Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday - Saturday 4 to 11p.m. Closed Mondays
Cuisine: Regional seafood, Nebraska beef, pasta, daily specials, handmade desserts, salads.
Scene: Warm ambiance, casual to upscale feel yet still family friendly.
Drinkies: Northwest wines, full bar, creative cocktails, locally breweries on-tap
Prices: $8-$30

ANNOUNCER:  A familiar location awaits those willing to make the trek just across the Narrows Bridge - one with comfortable padded leather chairs, warm ambiance, a mellow vibe and low lighting that flatters every dame. This location once held another restaurant of great promise in the much-lauded Uptown Gig Harbor shopping center, but is now occupied by Green.House.

Cuisine at Green.House relies on organic produce sourced locally and prepared using French techniques, resulting in surprising combinations of flavor and ingredients for a creative homage to familiar American and international dishes.

JASON: The food at Green.House is well-thought-out and tastes as good as it looks. Chef and owner Robert Green has scored a win in my book. We brought friends with us and had a seriously chill and fantastic three-hour experience.

JAKE: I am so with you, brother. Our crab cakes appetizer reached us within 10 minutes of ordering. A tart, aïoli type sauce covered the plate in zigzag fashion. Besides herbs and spices, I couldn't detect breadcrumbs, celery chunk or any of the like as filler; it seemed to be all crab. A second appetizer was made of thick slabs of crisp bacon wound around large al dente shrimp - a delicious combination. We leisurely caught up with friends while sitting at the bar until a table opened in the dining area.

JASON: Speaking of that, the bar has been transformed from one stocked with booze to one with live cooking action performed by smiling, young gastro-maestros in chef‘s whites. Besides locally sourced ingredients, what sets Green.House apart is the price point. The food is absolutely divine with multiple layers of flavor and texture, yet still many dollars less per plate than its predecessor, Sip, or many other restaurants claiming to offer the same type of foods. My wife and I still appreciate a nice night out; my wallet just isn't as fat as it used to be. That truth shared, I wanted to try the Nebraska beef we'd heard so much about. The steak salad fit the bill.

JAKE: I agree: great way to try it. Crisp romaine, mild chunky blue cheese and marinated tomato and mushroom were a bonus. Five slices of perfectly medium rare steak with seared edges were remarkably tender. Dead Canyon Ranch Cabernet put a beaming smile on my lips. Next up, the chicken picatta entrée, which did not disappoint. Saltiness is a personal preference - light lemon and tangy capers achieved an excellent salt balance for my palate. Two very tender chicken breasts coated in a bright sauce lay atop a generous pasta pile. A complimentary bread basket gave our table an easy way to sample saucy picatta, Marsala, Mahogany chicken and clam linguini entrées.

JASON: When the big bowl of clams in shell with al dente pasta arrived we unanimously wiggled our eyebrows in excitement. The linguini was lightly coated in a thin white wine, garlic and herb sauce. The Marsala sauce at Green.House is rich, earthy and only moderately sweet.

JAKE: Mahogany Chicken, an unusual name to be sure, was a treat. A subtle take on sugared teriyaki, the moist chicken had a superb flavor pop. Wild rice with golden raisins sounded better than it tasted, yet was still decently good.

JASON: Another item we simply had to try was Chef Green's chocolate truffle tort. It made me think of ganache for its dense, intense consistency and flavor. Very rich and incredibly decadent, it was made more so by raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and a touch of freshly made whipped cream.