Imagine sipping a delicious cocktail while live jazz plays from your right. You exhale and look to your left for a bird’s eye view of the city as the sun sparkles on Elliott Bay.
The floor-to-ceiling windows at Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge make your worries seem as small as the seemingly Lego-sized people walking the streets below while you dine in the sky. The space has the energy of a New York skyscraper, so I like to take in the view and my old-fashioned tastes at the same time.
Located in the luxurious Lotte Hotel Seattle, Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge is just a short elevator ride to the 16th floor. Before or after your meal, guests can relax in the lounge. The modern yet elegant atmosphere provides the perfect setting for an after-work happy hour or a sexy evening date.
Charlotte’s decor is upscale but inviting, with beautiful large bouquets of flowers, wooden tables and soft lighting.
As for the menu, the more adventurous your taste buds, the more fun you’ll have. When the server placed full-grown octopus legs in front of us, it became clear that their take on Pacific Northwest cuisine was anything but ordinary.
The winner for me, however, was undoubtedly the scallops. The way they melted in my mouth, paired with a Jerusalem artichoke purée, was perfect.
After enjoying the appetizers and second cocktails, the real star of the show came – the desserts! These were some of the most colorful, expertly prepared desserts I have ever seen. White chocolate chunks shot out of the top of the red velvet cake like delicious flames.
The flourless araguani chocolate cake contained tapioca cherry caviar, which I honestly didn’t know existed! But it does. And it was delicious.
Sitting behind the huge windows, watching the birds soar between the skyscrapers and observing the city lights chase away the day was an unforgettable experience.
If you’re looking for a place to impress your out-of-town guests, or just want to enjoy a good cocktail, Charlotte is the place to be from brunch to late night. In the wise words of R&B icon Brandy (you can really tell how old I am here), you’ll feel like you’re “sitting on top of the world.”
Check out Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge here!
Susan George is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined. Follow her adventures here.
Although some products, services and/or accommodations featured in this story were provided free of charge, the opinions expressed are those of the author and the editorial staff of Seattle Refined.
