insiderseattle
Platform to Focus on Innovation While Celebrating Hard Rock’s Legendary Dining Experience
Hard Rock Cafe Seattle has been named one of Hard Rock International’s first Test Kitchen locations. The Seattle cafe is one of just 12 restaurants selected to showcase Hard Rock’s commitment to fresh ingredients, hand-crafted, regionally-inspired menu items and responsibly-sourced ingredients at each cafe. Hard Rock Cafe Seattle was selected out of 175 Hard Rock locations around the world, based on the regions’ unique culinary offerings, local flavors and flare.
Hard Rock’s Test Kitchen highlights a handpicked group of cafes acting as the front line for Hard Rock Cafe’s menu evolution. The Test Kitchen program reinforces the brand’s commitment to featuring authentic American cuisine on Hard Rock Cafe menus around the world. In addition, Test Kitchen cafe menus will highlight local enhancements, focusing on new hand-crafted items inspired by each cafe’s geographical region.
“A big congratulations to Hard Rock Cafe Seattle on their selection into the Test Kitchen program. With this initiative, the Seattle cafe will certainly expand the quality Hard Rock dining experience,” said Darryl Mickler, Senior Director Culinary Research and Development at Hard Rock International. “The new program rollout is designed to incubate new menu innovations for our cafes worldwide and further enables us to explore new locally-inspired and responsibly-sourced offerings.”
Hard Rock Cafe Seattle’s Test Kitchen menu will launch July 17, 2017, and will feature locally-inspired dishes, including:
- JAVA LAVA LOCAL LEGENDARY® BURGER – An espresso-rubbed Certified Angus Beef burger topped with house-made jalapeno lava sauce, crispy java onions, melted cheddar cheese, thick-cut smoked bacon, fresh crisp lettuce and vine-ripened tomato, garnished with a crispy fried jalapeno
- SALMON CHOWDER – Made in-house with fresh salmon, thick-cut smoked bacon and Yukon Gold potatoes, served in a toasted sourdough bowl
- BEECHER’S® FRIED CHEESE CURDS – Tempura fried Beecher’s® Handmade Cheese curds, served with minted sour cream
- FISH & CHIPS – Beer battered Alaskan cod fried golden brown, served with fries, a citrus spiked tartar sauce and coleslaw
- FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY – Sourced from Pike Place Market, the local fresh catch is served with a seasonal side and farm fresh vegetables
Through the Test Kitchen program, Hard Rock will identify vendors that source in a responsible and sustainable way and ensure that environmental and social impacts are taken into consideration during the sourcing process. Hard Rock Cafe supports local vendors in each market, including seafood purchased direct from Pikes Market and used for our Salmon Chowder. Other local businesses including Macrina Bakery and Beecher’s Cheese have partnered with Hard Rock Cafe Seattle to supply responsibly-sourced items for the new menu innovation.
“As a downtown neighbor to Beecher’s, Hard Rock is in a perfect location to tap into the delicious offerings of Seattle producers,” said Kurt Beecher Dammeier, Founder of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese. “And we’re excited to be selected as one of those producers on their menu.”
In addition, Hard Rock Cafe Seattle has partnered with Woodinville Whiskey, Georgetown Brewery Company, Mac & Jack’s Brewery and Redhook Brewery for guests to explore beer and cocktail options crafted in their own backyard.
“We’re honored Woodinville Whiskey is the first local spirit Hard Rock has served here in Western Washington,” said Woodinville Whiskey Co. Distiller and Co-Owner Orlin Sorensen. “Our teams are having some fun collaborating on two barrel aging projects, infused with Hard Rock’s signature rock vibe, our whiskey that’s made with pure Cascade mountain water and our grains grown at the Omlin Family farm in Quincy. Our area offers an ideal aging environment, making this the perfect place to craft our whiskey. Hard Rock is barrel aging an old fashioned with our Woodinville Straight 100 percent Rye whiskey.”
For more information on Hard Rock International and its Test Kitchen rollout, please visit www.HardRock.com.