Seattle Makes It Rain Patrón

Even one of Seattle’s notorious rainstorms couldn’t have put a damper on our latest Secret Dining Society dinner. The invite-only soiree was attended by notable Seattle residents (Ohm Sweets created chocolates for the exclusive invite). It was an evening filled with locally inspired dishes and, of course, innovative Patrón cocktails.

The Location

Pike St. Supper Club, a former auto body shop-turned-event space in the trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood, was filled with poppies and roses between salvaged furniture and wood beams. Guests stepped through a sliding barn door and were greeted with a fizzy apple cocktail just as the last of the evening light poured through the windows.

The Talent

It’s no surprise Rosie Ruiz, one of our Margarita of the Year finalists, loves tequila. A bartender at Cole’s in L.A., she’s done everything from create cocktails for Elton John’s Oscar party to crisscross the country to learn the newest cocktail trends from her colleagues.
“Tequila, especially the Patrón Silver, is so versatile,” Ruiz, who concocted four cocktail recipes for the evening, says. “You can make an old-fashioned with big, bold flavors just as easily as you can a light predinner drink.”

Matt Dillon takes farm-to-table cooking one step further: He owns Old Chaser Farm on Vashon Island just southwest of Seattle. There, the winner of the James Beard 2012 Best Chef Northwest works closely with everyone from foragers to fishermen to source the best possible ingredients. The vegetables, meats and even honey end up at his restaurants, including Sitka & Spruce and The London Plane.

“I need to see the product,” Dillon says. “To actually taste it.”

The Dinner

“The menu comes from my laziness,” Dillon jokes. His dishes included a cured rockfish served atop local kelp, which he massaged with Patrón Reposado, as well as a following course of hearty braised lamb.

For dessert, Ruiz paired a Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa with a simple almond cake.

Her goal? “I wanted everyone to enjoy the tequila from the beginning until the end of the night.”