n style=”color: #00ccff;”>Think Tasty is searching for the best restaurants from coast to coast, beginning with the Pacific Alaska region of America.  (This region includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.)  After reviewing suggested restaurants, we have created a list of ten restaurants from which you can choose.  After ten days of voting, we will announce which restaurant is deemed the best in the Pacific Alaska region.

1. The Narrows, McCall, Idaho
The Narrows — a fine-dining establishment operated by Shore Lodge resort in McCall, Idaho — boasts floor-to-ceiling views of beautiful Payette Lake and the Gem State’s central mountains. The Narrows offers equally compelling fare with a menu that focuses on fresh, seasonal, local and regional ingredients. “The menus are changing weekly, if not daily,” says Executive Chef Eric Gruber, who graduated from Scottsdale Culinary Institute with honors and has worked at several 4-star, 4-diamond restaurants. “They’re like living, breathing entities. We talk to purveyors throughout the Northwest to find out what’s available and then we build our menus around that.”

2. H50 Bistro, Portland, Oregon
H50 Bistro is a fresh and fun restaurant located at Hotel Fifty in downtown Portland, Ore. Executive Chef Nick Yanes creates contemporary cuisine with a focus on flavors and textures using the freshest ingredients, many of which are locally and/or organically grown. Guests can dine on classic fare from the Steak House menu or seasonal selections from the Chef’s menu, including Roasted Greek Branzino with toasted couscous, saffron tzatziki and smoked tomato jam, and the 24-Hour Beef Short Ribs served with smoked white grits and a dark cherry and chocolate reduction.

3. The Landing, Reedsport, Oregon
The Landing is a surf and turf restaurant; it is built from an old science ship’s wheel house and sits on top of the dock out over the Umpqua river. Two items you must try are the Steak Au Gratin, and Barbara’s Cheese Bread. The Steak Au Gratin is a New York Strip wrapped in bacon, seasonings, onions and COVERED with cheese. The Steak Au Gratin by itself is a meal, let alone any sides. Barbara’s Cheese Bread is a sourdough loaf cut in half lengthwise, toasted, and covered with Barbara’s special mixture of cheese. This appetizer is a cheese lover’s dream with loads of melty cheese and just the right mixture of flavor and so much cheese, it melts down the individual slices.

4. Terrace Kitchen, Lake Oswego, Oregon
Terrace Kitchen is not simply a restaurant, it is a social mecca where foodie acolytes go for cooking classes, wine tastings, educational seminars, book signings, poetry readings, music, art shows, afternoon tea, fashion shows, lectures, socials and culinary tours. In addition to executive chef roles in several acclaimed kitchens, Fernando Divina, with wife Marlene, is author of the James Beard award-winning cookbook focusing of Food of the Americas. Terrace Kitchen’s cuisine has been said to “…open the mind to the culinary wisdom and ingenuity of the Native peoples of the Americas, while opening up an enticing world of new flavors, ancient and indigenous.”

5. Allium, Eastsound, Washington
What makes Allium special is that: The menu will focus on ingredients sourced from local island farms and the Puget Sound. Chef Lisa Nakamura hails from The Herbfarm and The French Laundry. The deck and space are spectacular, with sweeping views of Orcas Island. Though the restaurant will be casual, carrying on the tradition and warmth of the previous owner (Christina Orchid) is fundamental to Lisa Nakamuras ideals. Half of the adventure lies in the travel to the ferry.

6. Anchovies & Olives, Seattle, Washington
At Ethan Stowell Restaurants they are about keeping it simple, using fresh ingredients and allowing the food to do the talking.  Anchovies & Olives is not your average Northwest seafood restaurant. It’s an Italian-inspired seafood and pasta joint where fish and shellfish are sourced from near and far to bring diners the most unique flavors and highest quality products available.  According to GQ, it’s one of the ten best restaurants in America (2010).

7. Bookwalter Winery & Bistro, Richland, Washington
An experience unlike any other, Bookwalter Winery is close to town yet miles away from ordinary. Relax and enjoy fine wines, carefully selected farm cheeses and artisan bread in an uncomplicated yet seductive décor. We select the best regional and seasonal foods to compliment our wines and your evening. Join us under the stars this summer, for a warm and memorable experience. Come soon, our garden wants to see you!

8. John Howie Steak, Bellevue, Washington
Chef/restaurateur John Howie has opened the definitive NW steak house, serving 28 and 42 day custom-aged USDA Prime steak from Omaha, Nebraska; American Wagyu “Kobe style” beef from Snake River Farms; and true Japanese “A5” 100% Waygu beef from Kagashima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. Also featured on the menu is fresh seasonal fish, seafood and chops. Chef Howie uses mesquite coal and apple wood grills to bring out the best flavors.

9. Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, Bellevue, Washington
Seastar has an amazing menu that includes a wide variety of freshly prepared seafood, great steaks, poultry,and pastas. As you would expect, they also have raw bar items, which include fresh oysters, sushi, sashimi, ceviche, poke, chilled prawns, and crab. Seastar is an award winning restaurant having earned many titles, including Best Seafood Restaurant, Washington Wine Grand Award, and The Best of Western Washington, among many others.

10. Tulio Ristorante, Seattle, Washington
Chef Walter Pisano started this restaurant almost 20 years ago-named after his father-it’s a warm, cozy inviting place with rustic Italian fare made with seasonal Pacific Northwest ingredients.You can dine for any reason-whether it’s celebrating an event or bringing the family in for dinner or just having a plate of pasta and a glass of wine at the bar. Chef Walter has a few signature dishes-one being his sweet potato gnocchi that is a very well known Seattle staple-years ago he tried to take it off the menu and the people almost rioted.

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Note: Our polling software edits votes that appear to be fraudulent and from the same computer and/or IP.  Think Tasty reserves the right to not count votes it deems to be fraudulent.

Voting will close at 5:00 pm EDT on Thursday, May 27th, and the winner will be announced on Friday, May 28th.