The Black Cat: A Fancy Feast
The Chicken Gouda Pesto, French Onion Soup, and Fish and Chips from The Black Cat in Bellingham
The Black Cat in Bellingham is a staple. A true must if you have friends who are visiting for the weekend and want to enjoy a classic bistro menu and embrace a timelessly sophisticated tavern overlooking the water and Historic Fairhaven.
Located on the third floor of the Sycamore Building on 1200 Harris Ave STE 310, Bellingham, WA 98225, is a restaurant waiting to impress.
You might spot The Black Cat Lantern or the “Le Chat Noir” sign adorned against the brick building, but never connect it to the bistro unless you know. Which I discovered when my educated-artist friend pointed out with wisdom, “Why is Théophile Steinlen’s artwork on this building?” — Huh? Turns out that little black cat I took for granted as a part of the architecture in Fairhaven is actually a well-known poster-turned-art-piece if you study French Art Nouveau.
So from the outside, it’s already this intriguing discovery— But then you walk into the Sycamore Building which houses The Black Cat and it’s like being transported in time.
Like I said earlier, the restaurant is on the third floor, for my readers with accessible needs, I know there is an elevator on the main floor to get you where you need to go, but I can’t say much else is going to be easy to navigate due to the layout and historic nature of the building. I’d love to hear more experiences in that regard. But for now, let’s continue on —
When you enter the Sycamore Building, massive wood staircases loom over you, a fountain in the center sings its song and this rugged green carpet welcomes you as you march to your destination. Doors line the interior opening to art galleries, tattoo parlors, and a variety of other businesses. Which is lovely, because often when you head to the Black Cat, there is most likely going to be a wait time to be seated. So cruise around and explore the history which is featured on the walls through photos or pop into a gallery while you wait.
The wait has always been worth it for us and reasonably short too. The Black Cat or Le Chat Noir is this wonderful gathering spot for locals and visitors to enjoy drinks and great food. Even more, this restaurant holds a special place in my heart for two reasons.
The North Facing Windows (It was cloudy, so no pictures of the Water windows for now, whamp wha!)
The Bar at The Black Cat in Bellingham
One, Chef and I took my parents here when they visited and it felt like a “real” restaurant experience. I think we were there for two+ hours but it went by so fast. We spent the whole time talking. We had appetizers, entrees, specialty drinks, dessert. The staff never hurried us up — though I haven’t run into that experience anywhere in Bellingham. It just felt so easy to relax there. My mom still talks about the French Onion Soup.
Two, I think because of that fond memory (and my mom’s recollection of how tasty the food was) we actually ended up choosing The Black Cat as our restaurant to gather at after Chef and I got married! We had a reservation for a group of thirteen of us and The Black Cat happily sat us in the afternoon in this wonderful private space in the back and we enjoyed great food, greater company, and it was just wonderful. Booking a Private or Large Party at the Black Cat was extremely easy, we just did it online, and the food was all served at the same time and we all had a great time.
All that said, Chef and I still love to go on random days. The Black Cat’s Dinner Menu, Lunch Menu, and Brunch Menu are each unique plus their Late Night Menu (every night from 9PM to close) and Happy Hour (Mon - Thurs 2PM - 5PM) are also such treats.
This is a restaurant Chef and I actually try different things at regularly. This past visit, I tried the Gouda Pesto Chicken and OOOH BOY, it was so good I was thinking about it the next day. It was two chicken breasts (I really only needed one, I had to share!), gouda, pesto, cream, parmesan, tomato, with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and balsamic brussels. The potatoes and brussels were so, so good. Chef got the Fish and Chips, two beer battered cod or halibut with coleslaw, fries, and house-made tartar sauce.
We also spoiled ourselves because we had gotten a gift card so we also ordered the French Onion Soup (oven-broiled, beef broth, caramelized onion, crostini, gruyere, green onion) and we also ordered dessert at the end, Crème Brûlée from Kelly’s Casual Catering in Ferndale. I can’t resist crème brûlée okay?
Everything was delicious. The richness of Gouda Pesto made each bite taste fresh and the chicken was seasoned and salted properly, it wasn’t just a vehicle for the sauce. The potatoes and brussels also stood their ground within the dish, great textures to divvy up the meal. The Black Cat is a more expensive restaurant then we’d jump to regularly, but really, the portions are reasonable so, if you are on a college-budget, sharing a plate will fill you up and not break the bank. Chef’s fish and chips were equally as well-made. The fish was tasted fresh it wasn’t gamey or chewy. The sauce and fries are also so fun to enjoy and share.
There is a quality and tradition to The Black Cat you can feel and explains why it has stuck around since 1987, even as owners change and renovations take place, there is a consistent level of care and quality with each transition and upgrade.
Take Your friends to The Black Cat and feast on everythingI think the best course of action is to get a group together, order whatever you want, and share around. The restaurant has nearly 2,000 Google Reviews, so you can’t go wrong with closing your eyes and pointing at anything on the menu.
The staff is friendly, the space is atmospheric andyou’ll get to enjoy their wonderful dining experience. The views no matter the weather or the time of day are so delightful and really cool to share with locals and visitors alike. While I can’t personally speak to their drink menu, I know many folks who enjoy visiting the bar at The Black Cat. Not to mention, each time you visit there could be something seasonal or new on the menu so it’s always worth a quick look whenever you are in Fairhaven.
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