The 1200 Bistro in Seattle, Washington used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. My friend Ian was a line cook there and the head chef was an intense crazy bastard who demanded perfection out of every meal. The result was incredibly good meals. My favorite item on the menu was the blue cheese burger. The blue cheese burger was made from fine ground steak and cooked perfectly to order (I usually would get medium rare), covered in great melted blue cheese and the rest of the toppings were made of only the best and freshest ingredients. On the side was a pile of freshly cooked, perfectly seasoned frites and two different dips. Eating at the 1200 Bistro was mouth watering, mind-blowing and an almost sexual experience.
Fletcher and I went there last night for the first time since Ian and the old head chef left and were replaced by the new crew. We thought that they would have left the burger alone, since it was a staple of the menu and not too difficult to make. Boy, were we ever wrong. The burger at 1200 Bistro now is a sad shadow of it’s former self. It’s reminds me of Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks player, and how he went from NFL MVP the season before he got his contract extension to giant slacker after he got his money. Fletcher and I ordered the blue cheese burger medium rare and it came out well done. The meat was alright, but not nearly the same quantity or quality it used to be. Every ingredient in the burger was swapped out with something cheaper and less tasty. The quality is subpar. Ian would have never stood for such shit. I am never going back. I spent $16 for a burger and a beer and walked away very unsatisfied. The 1200 Bistro is now crossed off my list of places to eat in Seattle and I recommend that everyone else do the same.