Ballard catches Maria Hines' Golden Beetle

You may recall we mentioned in October that Tilth’s Maria Hines planned to open a second restaurant in North Seattle.

This morning came word that Hines will unveil her Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Golden Beetle in Ballard in late February. Golden Beetle — named for a 27-ingredient spice mixture from Morocco, ras al-hanout, which includes dried golden beetle, a Spanish fly that is considered an aphrodisiac — will take over the former Via Verde location at 1744 NW Market Street.

From the press release:

Hines is known for her commitment to locally organic and sustainable practices at Tilth, which will also be maintained at Golden Beetle. Tilth is one of only two Oregon Tilth certified restaurants in the country and Hines will seek this certification for Golden Beetle as well, meaning that 95 percent of what is purchased will be organic.

Cultural influences of the Golden Beetle menu are rooted in Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. The food will be rustic with spices such as sumac, fenugreek and ras al-hanout seasoning dishes as well as offering some heat spiced dishes. The selection of ingredients will also be reflective of the Eastern Mediterranean with an emphasis on small game birds, lamb and rabbit. Beef will be featured as skewers and meatballs in place of a large steak offering. Fish and vegetarian items will also be represented at Golden Beetle.

The menu will focus largely on small plates with a more freestyle presentation that will be representative of what the menu reads. Larger entrée plates will make up approximately one-third of the menu and bare more resemblance to a composed and focused presentation. Overall, the menu will encompass elevated “street food” from the cultures in which it draws, slightly resembling a gastropub menu versus the elegant dishes found at Tilth.

Craft cocktails will receive a strong emphasis and beer and wine offerings will feature Northwest selections that complement the menu’s flavor profiles.

Hines’ interest in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine is rooted in her travels to the area, often due to her interest in rock climbing. “The food from these cultures really resonated with me. It is a bold and exciting departure from Tilth’s New American menu and demands a different type of creativity. It opens me up to exploring different flavor profiles and cooking techniques, which is incredibly exciting to me as a chef,” said Hines.

Given her interest in the cuisine, the concept for a bar and restaurant seemed like a natural fit in Seattle. Eastern Mediterranean influences are not often seen in Seattle, especially with an emphasis on locally organic.

Hines will split her time between Golden Beetle and Tilth. She recently promoted the Tilth sous chef, Jason Brzozowy, to chef de cuisine.

Hines is currently traveling in Istanbul, Beirut and Cairo for additional research for Golden Beetle and tweeting with pictures throughout her trip.