Seattle restaurant scene

Steelhead Diner is near Elliott Bay — and Seattle’s venerable Pike Place Market. Here, chef-owner Kevin Davis turns out updated diner fare with a local bent.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Steelhead Diner has the traditional counter, plus an open kitchen, which provides views of the cooks in action. Dig that mural.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The booths at Steelhead Diner have a retro feel, but the colors are distinctly urban and modern.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

For starters, try the caviar pie with traditional garnishes at Steelhead Diner. Another option? The Brutus salad.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Be sure to save room for dessert. The Ligurian lemon cake with lemon curd and mascarpone is a crowd favorite at the diner. And don’t even think about sharing it!  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The kitchen is a blur of activity at Tilth, an organic restaurant in the Wallingford neighborhood just west of the University of Washington.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Fresh vegetables are prepared for the evening rush at Tilth. Even at 9:30 p.m., the place is hopping.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

At Tilth, chef-owner Maria Hines’ creations include rare St. Jude’s tuna with avocado, grapefruit and watercress.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

A gaily colored two-story Craftsman houses the organic restaurant Tilth. When the weather’s nice, enjoy a meal alfresco.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

At Pair, the welcome committee has a cold, wet nose and an inquisitive nature. The little restaurant is in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

The dining room at Pair has a raffish, hand-hewn charm with its deep pumpkin-colored ceiling, pierced tin lanterns and gingham curtains.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

At Pair, the menu is small-plates Mediterranean. The dishes aren’t highly original, but they’re cooked with care and respect, including a Yukon Gold potato and cauliflower gratin topped with Gruyère and panko breadcrumbs.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

John Sundstrom’s restaurant, Lark, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood northeast of downtown, is another must-stop in Seattle.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Chef-owner Sundstrom knows how to write a small-plates menu: For those wanting to try everything at Lark, the prices — nothing over $20 — mean you almost can. Among his creations: Atlantic fluke steak with morel mushrooms and asparagus.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Lark is in an old barn of a place, a former woodworking shop, with pitched roof and exposed beams. No reservations are taken, so as soon as you arrive, check in with the maitre d’ before heading next door to Licorous, a spinoff of Lark, for an aperitif and a small bite while you’re waiting.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)