5 Things You Need to Eat and Drink in May

You’re already lining up at Junebaby, filling the counter at Art of the Table and getting your dumpling fix at Din Tai Fung’s new locations—where else should you be dining this month? We’re here to help:

Cheer on our local talent.
Tonight, the James Beard Awards Gala—the culinary answer to the Oscars—take place in Chicago. You probably don’t get to go (don’t feel bad, I don’t either). But you can watch it streaming live here from 4 p.m. and cheer on our local nominees: chef Brady Williams of Canlis for Rising Star Chef of the Year, Eduoardo Jordan of Salare (and new Junebaby) and couple Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi of Trove/Joule/Revel for Best Chef Northwest, plus Canlis’ outstanding wine program. 

Sit in the sun.
Or, you know, the cool grey drizzle. Either way, the best place to eat outside right now is the 100 Pound Clam—White Swan’s epic outdoor patio and seafood shack that reopens today after a winter hibernation. Let’s maybe take this as a cue to brush off our own moss and cobwebs and get outdoors? There’s a bowl of seafood chowder that makes it totally worthwhile.

Eat all the pierogies.
I was briefly disappointed to learn that the annual all-you-can-eat pierogi party at the Polish Cultural Center is no longer all-you-can-eat, but then I remembered the lines and chaos from the last time I went a couple of years ago. It’s $10 for 10 pierogies—and truly, that’s plenty. The May 13 event will also include folk dancing, art and workshops (including learning how to make these delicious little dough pockets at home, so you really can eat your fill). 

Don’t miss your steak.
By many accounts, Metropolitan Grill is where you go—and where you’ve gone the last few decades—for steak in Seattle. Well, they’re closing next month, but only for a brief remodel. June 19 will be the last day until August, so you have all of May to save up for that long-bone rib eye carved tableside.

Mark your calendars.
There’s simply not enough space here to go into all the cool food events coming at you this month, but here are two highlights for the first week, anyway: There’s a special bo ssam night at Delancey tonight (looks like there’s a single ticket left, so get on it); and Kraken Congee is hosting a fun Cinco de Mayo party on the 5^th, featuring (from their Facebook page) “burritos with pork belly adobo, sisig and tofu dan dan served garlic fried rice and togarshi spice tortilla chips ($12) and $5 margaritas with calamansi, mango Thai chili and lychee.”