For over a quarter of a century, I have had the good fortune of serving the (Space Needle’s) Sky City Restaurant’s all-time best-selling menu item.

Tens of thousands of delighted diners, young and old, from near and far, have become mesmerized instantly by this original 1960’s Seattle World’s Fair Space Needle ice cream sundae! This simple concoction is the lone survivor of our original early 1960’s menu. Simply stated(!), this top-seller arrives at one’s table as if smoking- with the use of the simple cooling agent, carbon dioxide (or dry ice; commonly seen in a punchbowl at a grade school Halloween party). With the use of local, gourmet ice creams combined with domestic and imported syrups and coulis, fresh, sliced fruit and a unique serving dish, something so simple is transformed into a magical, show-stopping, attention-getting, steaming, floating, billowing, hovering, crown jewel of our dining room…..
The Lunar Orbiter!

Once this dessert hits the stage at your table, you and your guests become part of the show, as envious on-lookers eagerly inquire about the cloud-like, space-aged dish and how they too can experience such a creation.

I take a lot of pride in being the courier of this amazing edible attraction. I ensure critical timing and placement of the dish, lifting it high above the center of the table and following with a true vertical landing, which if done with precision, will create a perfect “smoke” ring or plume, if you will, somewhat similar to an atomic explosion in reverse!

Talk about in-house advertising!!!

Rumor has it that the Space Needle stopped serving the Lunar Orbiter sometime back in the late sixties/ early seventies. After researching my personal collection of vintage Space Needle menus, interviewing senior employees, and searching online, I am unable to confirm or deny this temporary lapse of reason!

Another rumor has it that a past CEO conducted an employee- only contest to recreate this nostalgic dessert. The contest never really made it off the ground (no pun intended)!

That being said, this fact I can confirm:
As long as I am alive and spinning, I will continue to deliver this futuristic blast from the past to any and all who venture high into the sky to feast upon our fantastic cuisine and absorb our breathtaking views of our magnificent city and beyond! The Lunar Orbiter will remain the highlight of our Sky City Restaurant dessert menu along with many of our other sweet options for years to come!

See you in the sky,

Your Anonymous Sky City Waiter

On a recent abnormal winter day, a couple chef friends of mine and I met up early to embark on a quest for the elusive winter steelhead. Many people before us have assimilated this quest to Snipe hunting (a fool’s errand sending inexperienced hunters on a “wild goose” type chase). Keeping this in mind, we were off to the Snoqualmie river at the mouth of Tokul creek, right below the falls. The weather was perfect, filtered sunshine, unseasonably warm weather, and a break from the rain. We set off from my home in Issaquah for the short drive east. I filled a small cooler with sandwich’s, brats and Rainier beer. A thermos of coffee and a flask of the newly released year 2000 Knob Creek, quintessential nectar for a day of fishing with the guys. Upon arrival, it’s sort of a show and tell of all the new tackle and gear purchased to wrangle the phantom beast. Armed with different colored jigs, bobbers and cured eggs from last seasons salmon catch, we set off to stake our ground for the day.

Both at home and in the restaurant, I have always relied on winter Steelhead as a means for fresh, wild, fish in the dead of winter. Once the fall salmon seasons come to an end, it usually isn’t until May when the Alaskan salmon runs commence. Steelhead are a member of the salmonid family, such as salmon and trout. The difference between salmon and steelhead however, is Steelhead rejuvenate after spawning and return to the briny Pacific. On a menu, it can be treated like salmon or trout; I prefer to prepare it with ingredients that would be found in the flora that surrounds us here in the Northwest. Simply cedar plank roasted, or grilled with cedar fronds, wild Hedgehog mushrooms and mountain huckleberry coulis, the possibilities are endless. I’ve sourced Steelhead from experienced anglers on the Columbia basin to the die hards of the Olympic peninsula. Whether wild or hatchery raised, it’s showing up in more and more stores as a fresh alternative to frozen wild salmon or a replacement for the farm raised Atlantic species that litters the coolers around our area.

Unfortunately for my buddies and I, this particular January day, our only “catch” was a midwinter sunburn, a slight buzz, and a memory to last us until next time.

Jeff Maxfield, Executive Chef

Now that the holidays are over and 2009 has come to an end, we want to start the decade out with something new. The Space Needle and SkyCity restaurant will be posting a blog about the food, wine, people and experiences that surround us in our daily lives.

We hope you will join us!