Art Bar at the Four Seasons, My pennies worth

So when Ms. Darling recommended going to the Art Bar, my mind immediately went to the dive bar that was once located on 2 avenue between Pike and Pine Streets. But alas, that was not to be.

What can I say...? Swanky. Chairs are lush. View of the old steam factory and the Viaduct out the window. Would probably be a very pretty sunset site, if the sun didn't set at 4:00 pm on a cold Seattle December.

The place kind of feels like it is trying just a little too hard to bring in a hipper, younger set. Lighted bars, futuristic but homey decor, pricey drinks. But what are you to expect from a hotel bar. I would not be surprised had we stayed a little later, a more techno beat would have been piped out of the speakers. But the fact that it is plopped down in the tourists part of downtown Seattle might hinder its aspirations.

No, no. Don't get me wrong I LOVE hotel bars, but this one felt a little... What's the word I am looking for...? Strained.

I order only one drink. A dirty vodka martini. It is a classic and is either done very well, or done very badly. This one was done very well. Strong and with just enough dirty to make me happy. it came with two olives, I would have preferred three, but I am greedy like that.

I tried the mini burger, plain, medium-rare. It was good, but would be just as good at any other place you order a mini burger, plain, medium-rare from. Nothing to really get excited about, nothing to knock down either. I also tried the Dungeness crab spring roll. That was very good, but basically if it has crab in it I cannot resist. The cheese plate was spectacular. (I should have written down the varietals, but I was busy into my second dirty vodka martini at this point and research kind of fell by the wayside.) The hummus and tapenade plate was also very good.

The waitress was very personable and pleasant. Our drinks were relatively promptly served, for the amount of patrons in the bar, I would have expected slightly quicker service, but it was fast enough to not be an annoyance. The food was also served quickly, and when we asked for more crackers to finish off the remainder of the cheese plate it was brought quickly and politely.

They do not have a Friday or Saturday happy hour, which brought our bill to an impressive $176.00. I don't even spend that much on groceries and quite a bit much for four ladies out on a Friday eve and I will recommend avoiding the bar on the weekends.

Foods: Nothing to write home about, but might be worthwhile during happy hours
Drinks: Damn fine dirty vodka martinis, but need to be less stingy with the olives
Ambiance: Comfortable, but again not exceptionally impressed, might be prettier when the sun comes back.
Price: Like Ms. Darling says, stay to the school nights, avoid Friday and Saturday... Oy, I still have stabbing pains from my bank account.

Angelina