20 Foodie Questions with Julien Perry

Our dear food and dining editor Julien Perry was the subject of a culinary Q&A over on OpenTable’s blog. (Read the entire post here.) In it, Perry reveals her fave restaurants and cuisines as well as her pre-foodie past (something we fellow Seattle mag-ers didn’t even know): “I used to be a bodybuilder and was on a strict diet for most of the mid ’90s. I’m pretty sure I had more artificial sweetener coursing through my veins during my competition diets than a silo of Sweet ‘n Low.”

Below, a sampling from the Q&A:

What are some of the best qualities of the Seattle dining scene?
I’ve lived here for 20+ years, and some of the best qualities include: always incredibly fresh local produce, staggeringly good seafood, chef-driven restaurants, and a quaint neighborhood feel in a big city.

Any restaurants at which you’re something of a regular?
Most Ethan Stowell restaurants (mkt., Bar Cotto), Corretto (across the street from my home), RockCreek, and the bar at Canlis (until I can afford to have a real meal there).

The next time I’m in Seattle, where must I dine?
The Whale Wins, Joule, mkt., Il Corvo, Matt’s in the Market, Le Pichet, and RockCreek.

Hungry for more? Read some of Perry’s latest restaurant news, including a post on the Hurricane Cafe closing and details on international street food cuisine that’s coming to Capitol Hill this fall.