Matt's in the Market is one of the most amazing restaurants in Seattle. With a total of four tables and several bar seats, it is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed restaurants in the city. With one chef and a limited staff, it is able to produce some of the most amazing food in the region. Some have said that Matt's is the ultimate Seattle food experience.

Matt's specialty is seafood, as is only natural for a restaurant that overlooks the Pike Place fish market where employees put on a show by throwing the fish around to each other. Matt's does not throw the fish; instead it is carefully prepared with every detail attended to so that you get the freshest food with the fullest possible range of flavors.

The menu usually consists of four entrées, and changes seasonally. Other choices are available besides fish-- the Spring 2006 dinner menu includes beef short ribs and wild mushroom mac-n-cheese.

While I was standing at the bar waiting for a place to sit I witnessed the chef preparing all four entrées as well as various salads and desserts. I can say that all the food looked equally appealing, and I wish I had been able to try more than one item. You probably cannot go wrong with anything you order.

My order was Halibut with Kalamata Olives, Harissa & Potato Fennel Gratin. While the name is a mouth full, the food provided many mouthfulls of delicious flavors. The halibut was as fresh as you would expect to find in Pike Place Market (Matt's is in one of the buildings owned by the market). The sauce used was light yet piquant. The halibut was placed on top of a type of broccoli that I had not eaten before-- the chef explained it to me but I am still not sure how to describe it (except that it was good). Flavor-wise I probably liked the potato even more than the fish-- this was one of the best potato creations ever.

Several desserts are available, and the one I had was excellent. I do not think Matt's puts out a bad morsel of food.

The space next to Matt's is being remodeled, and effective August 2006 will give the restaurant more space. Hopefully at that time more patrons will give Matt's a try. I have confidence in the management that they will not compromise the food quality when the restaurant expands.

Another aspect of Matt's that I keep seeing in the reviews is how reasonable the cost is. Although dinner is pretty pricey, it really is low for a top-tier restaurant. Lunch is even more of a bargain, although I can only imagine how crowded the restaurant gets.