Palace Kitchen   

Tom Douglas fans know you go to Etta's for comfort, Dahlia Lounge for swank, Lola's for Greek and Palace Kitchen for continental chic. Formerly named one of Gourmet Magazine's Top 50 U.S. restaurants and arguably Seattle's finest destination for late-night dining, here it's all about the appies ... and maybe the desserts. Though the menu changes daily, lots of folks nonetheless choose to make a meal of several starters, like olive poppers, barbecued spare ribs, grilled chicken wings, Dungeness crab and avocado panna cotta, a selection of cheeses, roasted clams, and raw oysters on the half shell. All sorts of meaty, fishy delights are prepared on the apple wood grill, including the Palace Burger Royale. After an hour or so of leisurely nibbling you'll probably have reserved room for triple coconut cream pie, a Douglas signature, but word to the wise: share instead of tackling this rich behemoth on your own. Many patrons cluster convivially around the U-shaped bar in the middle of the tall, dimly lit room, the big, open kitchen behind it a hive of activity. Intimacy is harder to come by, unless you opt for a small window table near the big chicken. Yes, the big chicken.