Neighbors, I have great news for you. There’s a new restaurant in the ‘hood and it is extraordinary. Anyone who enjoys eating great food or drinking amazing beverages should just figure out the soonest time they can get on down to Livbud at the corner of Stone Way and 34th. A culinary adventure awaits.
I was hot off reading How Not To Die which details the scientific value of a plant-based diet when I was invited to check out this new “plant-forward” restaurant. Livbud is the child of well-loved Heavy Restaurant Group which includes the iconic Purple Café and Wallingford’s own Fiasco and Pablo y Pablo (well, Fremont may claim them too, but that’s fine). Livbud also literally represents the offspring of Heavy owners Larry & Tabitha Kurofsky: Olivia & Ethan (Liv + Bud). And they are in the biz. Olivia leads the front of house at her namesake and Ethan is making his family proud cooking in New York at a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Walking into the space is a feast for the eyes. There are benches covered in fabric resembling a southwest wool rug. Ceramic terra cotta light fixtures dangle near the giant windows looking out onto the street and Lake Union beyond. Walls of unique blue tile and brick caught my glance. There’s a large corner of low, cozy couches with delightful pillows just begging for a ladies group happy hour (yes, I’m projecting). Above those are intriguing domed lights made from Mycelium (mushroom roots – mushrooms are a big theme throughout).
It took me a bit to realize that the kitchen is right there out in the open. It was somewhat quiet, though a number of people were at work creating. Something about it makes it homey, though the space is expansive enough to fit a lot of people. Reminds me of an all-day diner.
But, I’m teasing you. You’re here for the food! The menu is a veritable smorgasbord of vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian creations for morning, noon and night. The ingredient combinations are so thoughtful and intriguing, you won’t miss the land animals, I promise. And allergies? Or, intolerances? Livbud naturally leans away from allergens and provides many diet-friendly options.
I started with the Wild Rice soup. It was an odd choice for a warm, summery day, but it did not disappoint. It was light and soothing. A tad spicy. Probably from the carrot-turmeric puree. A light crunch came on top from what appeared to be toasted wild rice. The word nourishing kept coming to mind.
Speaking of nourishing, I couldn’t decide between the juices and smoothies so I opted for a 2oz “elixir“. The “Balance” has turmeric, ginger, aloe, peppercorn, lemon, honey, apple cider vinegar, ashwagandha, and chia. Might as well call it “health in a glass”. It was delicious. Spicy, a little crunch from the chia. Just the perfect amount. I’m a sipper, but I understand some shoot it.
Then, I had the chance to meet chef Sarah Hughes, the conductor of this beautiful symphony. Chef Sarah cooked at Purple Seattle for the last 5 years. But, the creation of the Livbud menu is a culmination of her experiences. Before joining the restaurant group, Sarah was a buyer for a specialty grocery store, focused on gluten-free and allergen-free products. There, she discovered a whole new world of ingredients and these became a key part of her work as a chef and her love of “functional food”. When asked if she leans toward any food diet, she answered that the quality of ingredients is most important to her. She reads and experiments extensively. Weekly tastings occurred with the team from December until opening.
But, back to the food. I opted to sample Chef Sarah’s favorite dish, the Greens & Cowpeas, which just that day had Collard greens swapped in to replace another ingredient now out of season. A delightful, warm hash of greens, cowpeas (which remind me of black-eyed peas) and yams. A bright orange sauce at the side of the bowl was a pecan romesco which I could have enjoyed by the spoonful (and I don’t even like red peppers!).
Livbud offers a variety of toasts and I sampled the Tomato Conserva & Hempseed which has a creamy (dairy free!) hempseed spread topped with red and gold cherry tomatoes and fresh shredded basil. Once again, not a huge tomato fan and I was falling over with the extraordinary flavor combination.
My favorite dish was the Roasted Sunchokes which included whipped sheep’s feta, Mediterranean spices, fresh oregano, lemon, and roasted garlic. When I say lemon, it was round slices of scorched lemon which were tangy and felt a little dangerous to eat. When I say garlic, it was beautiful whole cloves of roasted garlic that paired perfectly with the sunchokes and feta. I could have eaten that dish all day.
There is so much more, from the beer-broth Hopped Manilla Clams (to die for!) to the Elderberry & Matcha cake (warm and scrumptious). There are things that I can’t wait to try like the tap kombucha or one of the cocktails with ingredients like turmeric liqueur or porcini mushroom!
The great thing is that Livbud is open all day (till 10pm! hello, late night dining) 6 days a week so there is plenty of time to try all the goods. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
