The 39 spice beef had a very sophisticated mixture of flavors which made it a unique taste for me, very different and definitely recommended. The squash pizza was also very different and tasty. I tried the trio dessert, ice cream + baklava + tiramisu. The tiramisu was not special at all, but the other two were really good. This place is by the water and has great view. The have very good choice of background music and good lighting.
Review Source:We wanted to find a romantic place for a special occasion and we found Phoenecia. Â On Valentine's Day no less. We hadn't made a reservation because we were short on funds and hadn't planned to go out. But the mail brought an unexpected payment from a client. Â Off we went. Â As we drove down Alki, a car pulled out of a space right in front of Phoenecia. Â It was almost 5:00 and I thought they've got to be fully booked even for the early seating. Â They were. Â But the owner took pity on us and gave us the table he usually uses.
  We had a choice of ordering tapas in "small plates" (2-3 per person) or the special prix fixe Valentine Dinner. I couldn't resist the prix fixe: 4 courses (savory pastry with herb salad, stuffed black mussels, choice of entree (lamb chops, fish, confit chicken or ravioli) and duo of desserts at $110/couple. It was too good to pass up! Phoenicia sells wine by the glass so we could indulge without blowing the budget.  While  we waited for our appetizer, we were mesmerized by the sight of the sunbeams dancing on the water off of Alki Beach. It was hypnotic. The herb salad arrived, and was so fresh and crisp it was as if it had just been picked. The combination of herbs used added a complex depth to the crunch.  As good as the first course was, it was surpassed by the mussel dish. The mussels were visually beautiful: inky black gems glistening on the plate. The crumbling stuffing was a textural counterpoint to the chewiness of the mussels.  For the main course, my husband selected the lamb chops while I had the fish. The fish turned out to be a tilapia filet steamed in parchment paper with string beans and potatoes. It was firm and flaky and so flavorful the only enhancement it needed was lemon.  And the green beans were deliciously al dente.  The lamb chops were tender and perfectly pink in the center, with not even a hint of gaminess.  Dessert?  Well, how can you go wrong with chocolate?  Especially when you're watching a beautiful sunset on the sound. All in all, the service, the ambiance and the cuisine combined to make it a most romantic evening.
Phoenecia's been on my list for about a year (a friend of mine knows the owner and had been tirelessly recommending!) and we finally broke bread there. It was worth the wait! We shared the scallops, perfectly seared and sweet, and the grilled shrimp, which were a perfect start. We then tucked into some great 'Za! My pizza had figs, pancetta and other glorious things. Crazy good crust. Service is wonderful- family run with a touch of Beirut elegance. Wine list is thoughtful and very complementary to the menu. The view? Good Lord- it is perfect. The evening we went was bright and clear- the view of Seattle, across the Puget Sound, is memorable.
Review Source:While looking for a tapas place on Seattle, I came across this place. The pictures of the inside looked like this would be a nice, low key, causal atmosphere perfect for a dinner with my wife. The food was not a disappointment.
We were both happy with the decision to venture to this part of Seattle and experience the delicious food available at Pheonecia. We ordered the Margaherita pizza, the  chartecurie, the flank steak and the trio of samples. They also have a wide selection of wines to go with you dinner selection.
Anyone looking for a place to unwind for a quiet and intimate setting, check this place out.
Not my cup of tea.
I really wanted to like this place. Â It is my son's favorite restaurant and where he proposed to his fiance. Â Went there for dinner the other night and was under impressed. Â
First, a little history. Â The Phoenecia opened up in the location of the old "The Restaurant". Â Yes, that was its name. Â We loved it. Â Would regularly drove from South Seattle to Alki to eat there. Â Once it closed, we stopped making the drive for dinner - too far away. Â So wen we walked in and realized it was the same location, our hopes were raised.
We ordered the cheese plate, the spicy prawns and the Alki pizza. Â We then watched as others who ordered after we did get the food before us. Â Frustrating!!!
All the food tasted good, but the cheese plate was anemic and we only got 4 prawns. Â The center of the pizza was done well and very tasty, but the crust is HUGE. Â I really wanted to just skip eating the crust, but I needed to in order to fill up.
Lastly, the noise level was pretty high. Â Not a place for a quite romantic dinner.
Over priced, small portions and not that great for the money. I was excited to try this restaurant, so my husband and I went on a busy Friday night. We got a $12 scallop appetizer and a $12 prawn appetizer. The food came out and there were 2 small scallops and 4 prawns. Both were drizzled in the same pepper olive oil. For 4-6 bucks a pop, definitely not worth it. We ordered a pizza because we didn't know they had entrees (they weren't on the menu and no one told us). It took awhile to be brought out and was pretty good, but again, small and not worth the price. If you are looking to spend money in a romantic atmosphere and leave not hungry, go to La Rustica instead.
Review Source:So sad to give this place a low rating, but it is deserved. We had a reservation for 6 people and arrived right on time. We were promptly seated and it was a really really good thing that we had two children with us otherwise we couldn't have sat at the table. We were smashed up against the chairs for the bar where a couple was seated. The couple was petite and took up little room, so the table should have been given more room by the restaurant, but it wasn't. The little kids (ages 4 and 8) were able to fit behind the couple, but it was a tight squeeze. No regular sized adult could have fit there. We sat and it was fin, but it was a bit of an omen.
We ordered drinks and food and then the wait started. We ordered an appetizer and that came our quickly but we also ordered entrees. The entrees took a full hour to arrive at our table. After 45 minutes of waiting, the waitress came by sand said "They just put your pizzas in the oven, the pizzas take a long time and are what is slowing everything down". So confused. Why didn't they put them in earlier? Why didn't they come by and at least update us earlier?
Our food eventually came and was good but not great. My husband enjoyed his salmon, but it was really small for the price (compared to other entrees and their prices). I had the Pasta Diablo with lots of seafood in it. It was ok, but too many types of seafood in the pasta muddled the flavors. Â For dessert, we wanted something, but we were informed that the bananas foster would take a long time and we immediately nixed that! I got the Tiamisu and it was unusual and not very good.
We split our bill but when our credit cards were run, they overcharged one of the people by $75. Good thing we caught it, because we just wanted to get out of there and would have signed anything! They quickly rectified the problem, but it's too bad it happened to begin with, especially after such a long evening.
I would not go back here and if you value your time, I would suggest you skip this place too.
Amazing food with great views...love this place at the Alki Beach...The food prepared them is totally organic and amazingly tasty...we have tried everything on their menu...the trio spreads, the olives are just to die for...the pizza dough is as fresh as it could be and the ingredient used in everything are just fabulous....they run specials every week and they are highly recommended...a great place for a family dinner or for a date night....
Review Source:A couple good friends of ours live right off Alki, just a block or two up from Phoenecia, and they had been raving about this place for months. They promised it would be worth the drive out to West Seattle. We finally made it over there for dinner at Phoenicia, and all I can is I wish we'd done it sooner!
The pizza was unexpectedly stupendous. We all got a different pizza for dinner and there wasn't a dud in the bunch. My favorite was off the specials board - I can't remember the exact ingredients now, but I do recall that it combined salty meat with sweet figs - an excellent and surprising combo. The Alki with spicy salami, caramelized onions, kalamata olives and a medley of cheese was also mouth-wateringly delicious. Â I would encourage you to branch out and try something a little different rather than just getting a basic margarita or pepperoni pizza - you might be surprised!
We didn't even get to the tapas menu, with the exception of the 39 Spice Beef... it packs a punch! Tons of flavor and tender meat, great for sharing as an appetizer. Prices are in the mid-range but certainly justified given the quality of the food. Love the focus on local, sustainable ingredients.
This a really a neighborhood gem. Great spot for a date or dinner with friends. The front windows offer a gorgeous view of the sunset behind the Olympics... but go early if you want to snag a window table (or hope you get lucky!).
Beautiful spot located on Alki beach. If you go at night there should be ample parking right out front or on the adjacent streets.
Tapas are excellent. They leave you feeling full but not gluttonous. I met my friend here on a Friday night and the place was full, not to worry though there's plenty of space at the bar, where I waited until she arrived.
We ordered 6 dishes, perfect for sharing between two people:
*Trio of Spreads - hummus, baba ghanoush, and labneh served with warm pita
*Grilled Portabella - in a sweet balsamic clove reduction with arugula
*Saffron Chicken - with roasted red chili and watercress
*Fiery Prawns - accompanied by habanero oil, red chili, cilantro and garlic
*39 Spice Beef - Painted Hills all natural beef with crimini mushrooms and arugula
*Mixed Greens - field greens with balsamic raspberry vinaigrette, Bosc pears, candied Marcona almonds, and gorgonzola dolce.
I really loved the salad, it was perfect. Other than that my favorite dish was the 39 Spice beef and the Fiery Prawns.
Total for that was around 60 dollars with tip. Seem steep for small plates? I admit when the plates came out I was surprised at how small some of the portions seemed. However upon tasting everything, it became obvious that some of the finest ingredients are used to make those dishes taste amazing. Much if not all of those ingredients are sourced from local sustainable companies, often organic too.
I'm not going to go there every day, but I liked it. The atmosphere is great. It's candlelit with a dimmed light and the service is reasonably fast.
A dreamy intimate spot with pleasant service and thoughtful food. I liked it. A lot.
Small plates, fresh salads, artisanal pizzas and sweet desserts. It's a tapas menu with local and sustainable foods from Salumi, Zoe's meats, Husky Deli, West Seattle Farmer's Market, Stumptown Coffee, Painted Hills Beef and many more. Some rotating entrees listed on their blackboard with many vegetarian and vegan options too.
They know their wines and have the perfect pairing for each and every plate. Grab a seat. Relax. Sip. Taste. Chat. Mingle. Enjoy.
Top rated place on Alki Beach with a little outdoor seating, well dang....let's give it a try! Â We procured a couple of seats outside so we could watch the evening entertainment stroll along alki beach. Â
The service was nice and the meal consisted of a couple small plates and a pizza. Â We tried the 39 spice beef (honestly, could do without probably 20 of the spices since they just blended together and left almost a paste texture in your mouth because of the spice consistency), the trio of spreads, and the phoenicia pizza. Â
The spreads were nice and I wanted more, but the pizza was ok. Â This is the kind of pizza where it really isn't special and doesn't hit that pizza craving spot. Â The crust is also huge on the pizza taking up some much needed toppings square footage.
Overall it is a nice quiet spot away from a lot of the hectic activity of the beach strip. Â It was a nice meal with decent prices, just nothing stood out that would bring us back.
To the old guy that sat behind my boyfriend today around 5:30 pm and gave him a dirty look because you apparently thought he was sitting too close - you obviously are not very intelligent if you were blind to the fact that this restaurant is TINY and all of the tables are about 12 inches away from each other. Â Get over yourself.
Food is decent, kind of overwhelming on the seasonings...but the small plates are REALLY small. Â Not the place to go if you are starving unless you feel like spending a lot of money.
The food is alright but neither worth the price nor the discomfort of sitting so close to other people that you feel like they are at your table. Â Won't be back.
You can't beat this location on a nice evening - great views, the beach right nearby, and the sunset. The food is pretty good too. The three of us shared the 39 spice beef, which was alright - way too saucy in my opinion, in an attempt to mask the beef, which was nothing special.
We each got a pizza - 2 Alki's and a fig and prosciutto special. I enjoyed it more than my dinnermates. The quality of the ingredients stood out, although the pizza is incredibly greasy. I think that turned off the other two. But each of the pizzas was good and, combined with the location, is a reason to go back.
On a Saturday near the end of June when the pouring rains cleared late and the sun *finally* came shining though at around dinner time, everyone came down to Alki to eat & hang out. Â Our table for 9 wasn't quite ready when we arrived so they offered us each a glass of prosecco while we waited and kept us updated until we could be seated. Â They did a great job of getting tables (and even a few other customers!) shuffled around and organized; everyone was happy & smiling.
It was clear that we were all much more interested in talking than ordering so they helped us choose a variety of appetizers for the table. Â These were all very tasty, probably my favorite was the 39 Spice Beef which was very tender and super flavorful. Â
When it came time to order our meals a few folks had a specific entree in mind and the rest just shared a variety of pizzas, again with the helpful recommendation of the staff. Â The fig pizza from the specials board was a huge hit because of it's great mix of flavors. Â The Alki and the Sausage and Peppers pizzas were also very good. Â The mushroom & ox tail risotto from of the specials board was off-the-hook delicious - highly recommended!
We shared ice cream, baklava, and tiramisu plates for dessert and liked them all. Â We were celebrating and the birthday girl even got a chocolate creme brulee which was a nice surprise in addition to being quite yummy!
While we clearly loved the food I must make a special point to say that the two ladies running the show did a great job. Â Their service and assistance with the ordering were just awesome and we had a great night because of their efforts. Â Thanks so much for a memorable evening!
Perfection! Try everything on the menu.
When you consider paying $10 for a salad, also consider that it is all local and organic. Their produce and ingredients are simply superior to what you would find at most restaurants.
We have ordered lamb at all the best restaurants in Seattle. Most of the time it has a weird after taste or is over cooked. Phoenecia cooks their lamb shank to perfection.
I love how inspired their food is. It is evident that someone with a deep passion for great food carefully operates this establishment.
I like this place.
Atmosphere has an intimate and European feel and best of all it's next to the waters.
Dishes are cute and made for a delicate appetite. I think it's one of those places where you take a date to wow her with your company and your culture before or after a walk along the waters.
Appetizers were delicious.. the pizza was unique and one of the best pizzas I ever had. Â Yes, you must order one of their specialty pizzas, otherwise you'll be missing out. Â This place was intimate yet had a lot of character to it. Â Did I mention, they have a great wine list!
Oh gosh, their pizza was delish!
My husband and I visited Phoenecia for a belated Valentine's dinner last Friday and I'm sorry to say the experience was a disappointment. I hesitate to write this review because I know it is a hard working family restaurant and I'm a big advocate of our West Seattle establishments. That said, we intentionally visited Phoenicia for a low-key, inexpensive meal (prompted by a Scoutmob coupon for 50% off) and were sorely misguided.
Here's a breakdown of our dinner:
Mixed green salad ($10) - nice dressing, but fairly small and a bit measly on the plate. Also missing candied marcona almonds as described in the menu.
Fiery Prawns ($12) - flavorful, but another basic portion of four small shrimp with no other garnish.
Sausage & Peppers Pizza ($15) - terrific
Fig Special Pizza ($15) - terrific
Baklava - We were full from our pizza, so we asked for two orders to go. The waitress handed us a container with six small pieces along with the check, including a $16 charge for our dessert. (For reference, the menu on the wall described this dessert as served with fresh berries and Husky deli ice cream - neither of which were offered or included with our to go order.)
Total cost (including a glass of wine, a beer and a soda) - $89
The kicker was our Scoutmob coupon for 50% off -- MAX $10 LIMIT. Laughable, considering it didn't even cover the tip.
Admittedly, we didn't make a fuss over any charges or errors at the time - a mistake in retrospect. I think we were trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, and the bill caught us off guard. I'm not sure what I find more frustrating - that our meal was so expensive, or we that we didn't choose a place like Staple & Fancy or Revel where it would seem justified.
This place rocks, the server told me she loved my purse and really that's all that matters to me. Okay fine, the food was pretty amazing too. We came here for my birthday and snagged a table by the window. It was one of the last sunny days in Seattle, so to spend it with views of the water was pretty amazing. Â I can appreciate the european atmosphere of the restaurant, down to not being rushed by the service at all.
We started with the hummus plate and then moved on to pizza and their 39 spice beef. I felt like I could taste every single one of those 39 spices, the beef was tender and so flavorful. Definitely a highlight!
A truly perfect date spot for the pair (or adventurous threesome) that enjoys good food, good wine, and a fantastic dining experience. Â The decor and lighting are intimate and romantic and the waitstaff is professional, while maintaining a warm and friendly demeanor.
Thankfully, my partner in crime on this occasion shared my inability to order appropriate amounts of food, so we were able to try a great deal of the menu items. Â
Fiery prawns and scallops - Both of these were phenomenal and certainly my favorites. Â The sauce had so much flavor packed in to each bite, and despite the very admirable amount of spice, none of the flavors ended up masked. Â The scallops were cooked perfectly, as well, which while clearly necessary, just doesn't seem to happen at as many places as one would hope. Â For small plates, the portions were generous.
Pesto Pizza - If a dish has pesto in it, chances are I'm going to absolutely love it, regardless of the rest of the ingredients or style of dish. Â Regardless of this, the pizza here is pretty incredible. Â The crust has that perfect crunchy outside, chewy inside finish, and the mozzarella and feta were perfect. Â After a childhood filled with the belief that Pizza Hut was the best pizza in the world, I'm certainly glad that my taste buds have grown up, even if I haven't. Â
Buffalo Caprese - I can't say no to a caprese salad, regardless of whether I'm eating the same ingredients on a pizza.  The mozzarella and tomato were both fantastic, and I really enjoyed the Olive Oil they used, which was a lot lighter and tangier than some of I've tried  (Tangier is not the right word - in fact I'm not sure it is a word...). Â
Hummus and Baba Ghanoush (I think there was something else - Delicious. Â Superb. Â Their pita bread was awesome too - didn't even think about how I wished it was na'an as I do at most places. Â Yum. Â
I think I said it already. Â Fantastic first date spot. Â Fantastic drink wine and eat food spot. Â
**Special request - please move to Seattle proper... preferably within three blocks of my house. Â West Seattle Bridge makes Mike a sad panda.
I brought my mother and stepfather here to celebrate my mothers birthday. Â Other than the usual hassles with finding a parking spot on Alki, I was once again impressed by this restaurant. Â
My mother has this annoying habit of always trying to pay for dinner when we go out. Â While I appreciate the thought, this was for her birthday and there was no way in hell she was going to pull that tonight. Â I let the waitress know that it was her birthday and she was not to accept payment from either my mother or stepfather and she agreed immediately and help enforce my request at the end of the meal. Â =)
The food was absolutely delicious, and even my stepfather, who has gluten issues, was able to find several dishes that he could enjoy. Â The wait staff was fabulous and the wine was awesome. Â
HIGHLY.RECOMMEND.YOU.TRY.IT.
Absolutely LOVE Phoenecia! Â I've been here twice and can honestly say it's in my top 5 Seattle restaurants. Â There's so much about this place that I adore. Â
The ambiance is small, quaint, dark, romantic - a perfect date spot. Â
The service is amazing. Â From the time you walk in to the time you stand up to leave - everyone you encounter here is gracious, attentive and welcoming. Â I just get the feeling that everyone who works there, WANTS to be there and wants the customers to enjoy their meal. I usually never comment on a restaurant's service too much unless it was completely horrible - but for Phoenecia, it's quite the opposite. Â When I recommend this place to friends, I rave about how lovely everyone here is.
And now the food - all dishes I've tried here on both visits were fantastic. Â Get the cheese plate, it's awesome! Â Several cheeses, fig jam, pears and crackers. Â Simple, yet delicious. Â Their pizzas are great too. Â Hummus plate, quinoa salad, 39 spice beef...all of them are 5-star worthy. Â
Bottom line, Phoenecia is awesome! Â LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Yes, it's a beautiful location. It's Alki Beach!
However, this is clearly an attempt for the family to rally after their patriarch passed away.  I believe they modernized too quickly, and weren't  terribly interested in jumping so quickly into the limelight.
We tried the Mediterranean dip plate, seafood marinara, and the wild mushroom pizza. On the positive, I believe they are all trying very hard and always have a smile and a kind word. Also, the food is quite nice. Â The big chalkboard with daily specials was very appealing. And the pizzas are absolutely delicious. The crusts are moist yet crisp at the same time. Beautiful. And we loved two of the three dips - the hummus and baba ganoush were delicate and very tasty. Â We loved the pasta and the sauce used in the seafood marinara, but it seemed overpriced.
On the downside, the place is too loud and really should have more tables and a podium of some sort so we know who to talk to when we get in. Â Too much space is now taken up by the bar. Â The bar stools are too short for the counter, so we felt like we were children all over again. Â It was very hard to get their attention, even when they were speeding past us every minute. Â
Also, we were confused by the constant recommendation that we spread our least favorite dip (tasted like cream cheese) on the already perfect pizza crust. Â We tasted it, and were reminded of a bagel with cream cheese. Â We would have rather enjoyed the pizza for itself without adding even more calories. And it was strange to constantly see the chef looking out of the kitchen with a frown on his face. Guess he's interested in how the dining room is faring but looked disappointed.
So, all in all, we could tell that there is a genuine effort to get it going. We'll likely go back but not on a hectic Friday night. Â Perhaps in the middle of the week or during the off season.
Phoenicia is just another reason that I think West Seattle is awesome. Â Situated right on Alki Beach, it's hard to imagine a more lovely spot to have a drink, watch the sunset, and enjoy a wide variety of delicious food. Â There's something for everyone: pizzas, steak, seafood, and the mark of any good restaurant: a rotating specialty cheese plate. Â Two things I might particularly recommend are caprese salad (served with a basil-infused olive oil) and the 5-spice beef (I don't know what the spices are but they are pretty darn good).
Our server told us that their sweet potato pizza was one of their most popular varieties and it didn't disappint - it was sort of like combining Thanksgiving with fresh wood-fired pizza. Â If that sounds gross, I'd challenge you to go and let me know what you think.
In any event, a step above and beyond the normal tourist/mediocre beach food you get in many of the establishments nearby with an intimate ambience to boot. Â Now all they need is a full liquor license!
Last year, some local magazine ran a review of Seattle's ethnic restaurants that shouldn't be missed, and Phoenicia was listed among them. After reading the reviews on Yelp, my girlfriend & I added it to our personal list of places to try out. Â I was particularly enthusiastic about going since I'm a big fan of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Â BTW - I'm not sure why some reviewers referred to this as a Greek restaurant. Â As best I can tell, it's Lebanese, which would be consistent with its name - "Phoenicia" (ancient name of the area where Lebanon sits). Â But I digress.
We arrived for a very late lunch (4pm-ish) and were starving. Â We ordered the Trio of Spreads small plate, and the Bean Salad to start. Â I then ordered the Lamb Shank daily special while my girlfriend ordered the Sausage & Peppers pizza.
What a disappointment. Â
Nothing was bad, but nothing was great either. Â When going to a restaurant that got reviewed so well by both a magazine and Yelpers, I had higher expectations. Â In fact, with the kinds of reviews this place gets, the food should've been extraordinary. Â And it just wasn't. Â In fact, just about the best thing Phoenicia has going for it is probably its view along the Alki Beach waterfront. Â But even that comes at a price because it's a bit of a nightmare finding parking nearby.
Those of you raving about Phoenicia's food either haven't had good Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, or just don't have very high standards. Â If you're looking for something that's genuinely extraordinary, just send me a message and I'll be glad to recommend places I think are much better.
Amazing Pizza, super attentive and friendly/genuine service, you can tell this is a family owned restaurant where they take pride in what and how they make their food. Â Did I mention the pizza was amazing ? Â Compares favorably with Via Tribunali, and I might say (heavens... don't tell the foodies) better crust ? Â There, I said it.
It's clean, classy, simple, great menu, good mix of Mediterranean and pizza, good beer selection.
The Baklava was great with ice cream, the offered me Turkish coffee, but it was too late in the day for me, I can't wait to go back for lunch and  try some other options on the menu !
Great spot, great room, great kitchen, great wine program, great staff. This place really has it all. It's pretty comical to see them getting knocked for not offering good greek food...only the name is greek. Everything behind the sign is purely a modern american foodie bistro.
First off, it sits up against a wall of tabletop to ceiling windows framing a spectacular view of Alki and the Alki sunset. You can't overstate the effect that has on the dining room. It's a small place, just a few tables and barstools. But the menu and wine list (even the beer list) are all adventurous and ambitious.
They specialize in pizzas, with lots of great dishes and appetizers complementary to a good pizza roster. And pizza really is a fair specialty here; they say their oven hits 900 degrees and does things to the crusts that lesser ovens simply can't do. Bottom line, this place is a great laid back spot for interesting dishes and drinks with first class ingredients in a totally unpretentious setting. They do a great job of blending the best of everything with a totally easy-going attitude.
Phoenecia is a tapas bar and wine bar in the truest and most quintessential meaning of the phrase. Dark interior with huge front windows allowing a view of alki at sunset, dark tables and chairs, a chalkboard the size of the wall listing wine specials and some of their food options such as cheese of the week, wine racks line the bar and the decor is subdued. Romantic? Hells yes!
Our server was sweet and actually seemed to REALLy like her job, in other words I don't think she was pretending to have a good time, she just honestly was having a good time.
The food was stellar! A well thought out cheese plate complete with fruit, jam and other acoutrements, a spiced meat dish over warmed arugula the meat done rare and complimenting the spicey bight of the arugula, the only mediocre thing were the scallops. The dessert was a lovely scoop of vanilla ice cream and overall a take on a bananas foster, quite tasty.
My wine was a bitey bordeaux with a lot of depth and my firend had a few types of beer durring the night cause he's a total beer snob and seemed to appreciate most of the menu.... Overal it was an awesome little spot and I'll be back soon.
Phoenicia has been around for a long time, in several locations, integrated into the fabric of the Seattle restaurant scene. Â Since William has taken over from his dad, Hussein, it hasn't been better. Â The remodel and new menu provide a fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine in Seattle and the service is spectacular.
If you haven't been, the squash pizza is must. Â This is a great place to go if you are looking for an experience and want to dine for a couple hours on Alki Beach.
If you see an extra bright star shining over Alki that's probably Hussein smiling his approval of the family's reboot. The place looks very different with darker tones and a sleek granite bar. One whole wall is now a black board dedicated to specials. The family is there in force with the same warmth and friendliness that Hussein always showed.
The emphasis now is on small plates and artisinal pizza. We had the caprese salad which had delicate mozzarella, EVOO and a little tomato relish on top. The pita with three spreads was also very good. The pizzas are also really good, very different than their two Greek pizza neighbors. They're hand thrown with lots of fresh ingredients, the Delicata Squash with gorgonzola was good.
One quibble is that the blackboard is a little hard to read and there were a lot of words spelled incorrectly. (Zucini, Mozzerela) It didn't bother me but one of my dining partners was pretty annoyed.
This is a really good addition to the Alki Restaurant scene and for my money, a far better Alternative to Tutta Bella.
Phoenica is OPEN OPEN OPEN!! Â It's been 5 months since we lost Hussein suddenly. His family had regrouped, redsigned, and rebuilt.
Soft open tonight. Â The food is delicious, yet different. Â The focus is on small plates, as well as a few amazing staples for main dishes, and AMAZING pizza. Â A very complete wine list, turkish coffee, and a banana's foster dessert are just SOME of the highlights.
my fav thing tonight was the curry lamb rattatoiulle....droooooool.
more to come in future reviews, but, the family is back, and Phoenica is back, in a true honor to Hussiens legacy, as well as a whole, new dining experience for Alki Beach.
Phoenicia at Alki is one of the best restaurants in the City- for its food, character, and view of the Sound. Â Â It has fantastic food and the staff is among the best. Â The menu has a little for everyone and if there are multiple things on the menu you like or changes you want to make to a specific dish, Hussein is more than happy to make the dish to your specifications.
Hussein is one of the most personable characters. Â He will likely tell you what you should have and make you something "special." You won't be disappointed regardless of the dish or the wine he brings you.
I could not recommend this restaurant more.
After driving past this place thousands of times over the years without even a second glance, we finally went in after the raves from West Seattlites finally got my attention. Â But when people on Yelp are raving about the fact that this place has the best Greek food in Seattle, despite the fact that this place is more Turkish, you have to wonder and also think that maybe people who's diet consists mainly of Hot Pockets maybe shouldn't be writing restaurant reviews. Â Not that Hot Pockets aren't a pure delight. Â But I'm just sayin.
First thing that strikes you they need to clean their menus. Â Yup. Â You guys have gotta have a bottle of blue stuff tucked under some cabinet somewhere. Â Once and a while spray some of it on a rag and clean the grease, paw prints, drool and other bodily fluids off the menus. K? Â The menus looked like they had been used as placemats for a 2 year-olds fried chicken themed birthday party.
The wine menu seemed sparse and ancient. Â When I inquired about some better wine that I could see on the bar across the room, I was invited up to get a closer look and to just pick from the bar with no benefit of seeing everything side by side with prices. Â Weird.
The owner of the place, Hussein, is a charming, gregarious, kind man who dawdles about the restaurant in an 80's era Cliff Huxtable sweater and sports a very faint bouquet of B&O railroad (Yes, a restauranteur who has captured the fleeting scent of a NYC cab ride). Â With that said I can't understate the charm enough. Â No restauranteur in Seattle will make more of an effort to learn about you, appreciate you and probably will remember you if you go back.
We heard the best thing to do at Phoenicia was to ignore the menu and just put yourselves in Hussein's hands. Â So we did that and he brought us our a large plate of salad. Â No iceberg in sight. Â Simply made but fresh with an almost too sweet balsamic. Â This came with a small basket of warm bread and a shallow dish of house-made hummus. Â Fresh pita would have been better than the crusty bread and the hummus needed more acid. Â But both we are a nice, simple start.
For dinner he brought us a large platter of delicious, succulent lamb that was covered with a very large, crepe-thin pancake of dry bread that we were supposed to use to wrap the lamb in. Â It was too brittle and dry for that to work very well. Â And the bigger problem, and what kept the meal from being transcendent was the fact that the pita bread (at last!) which was enclosed below was fairly dry and not fresh enough as was the cardamom-flavored rice under the lamb which clearly was not cooked the same day we were in the restaurant.
Dessert was a shared plate for two with baclava and something else based on phylo (that the young waitress told us was Creme Anglaise until we informed her that it clearly wasn't) and a scoop of ice cream. Â He also brought out an ibriq of Turkish coffee.
Bottom line: Â The meal was adequate. Â The owner/host was kind and charming. Â The food wasn't over-priced but the whole experience definitely was over-rated.
The highest praise for a restaurant isn't "I want to go back"; it's " I wish they knew me there." It implies something wonderful about the kitchen and the staff---an alchemy of kindness, efficiency, and talent that draws us in, makes us want to be more than a partaker.
This is is the way I feel about Phoenicia.
Greek restaurants...there's a million of 'em. A grape leaf here, an olive there, and lamb all around. You learn not to be surprised, and yet Phoenicia surprised me several times. When I got there (a bit late), beau had an open bottle of wine on the table. He didn't seem to be drinking to forget, and celebration seemed unlikely; so there it was: simply a grace of wine.
Then came the firm bread and herbed oil. The (unbidden) salad was a lovely balance of spinach, lettuces, feta, and balsamic vinegar. We ordered calamari, expecting little, and were surprised at how good it was. They serve it naked---little pink spades and frills tucked into a mellow tomato relish.
I hadn't quite read the whole menu when Hussein stepped up to the table and suggested "magic lamb." I desperately scanned for a description, but he shook his head and said it was special. We only squirmed a little when he said it was the best lamb we would have for the rest of our lives. (How do you make that sort of promise unless you know something tragic about your guests' futures?) But we ordered it anyway.
Now, I'm familiar with many varieties of lamb: tough lamb, gristly lamb, stringy lamb, but magic lamb? In fact, this was the best lamb I remember having: strips of melt-in-your mouth meat, rice, whole succulent mushrooms, herbs, and fat little garlic cloves in a giant bowl. You eat it Ethiopian style, tearing off pieces of a vast flat bread to wrap little presents for your mouth.
It was a lot of food, so we demurred on dessert. Nevertheless, Hussein  returned shortly with a giant blow torch and a smallish ramekin.  Creme brulee, for sure. The sugar glaze, when he gave us the dish, actually made that little "tap tap" sound that is so unfortunately rare in brulees. The custard itself was light and just a waft floral. "Lavender?" I asked Hussein. "That's right," he beamed. "And rose."
A few friends and I stumbled into this place after walking around on Alki one windy winter afternoon. Â It felt like we had been welcomed into someone's warm home, forced to stuff ourselves with the most tasty food this side of Gibraltar, and sit for a while to watch the sunset.
This is the place to take a date. Â Impress them with your knowledge of a wonderful, obscure restaurant. Â Dazzle them with the quality of the food. Â Then walk them across the street for a smooch by the Sound. Â A perfect evening.....
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