bigger isn't always better (hunger, fremont)

Just a few months ago, Hunger re-located to the former Dad Watson's space at 36th and Fremont Ave N. I was a fan of the former (and apparently haunted) neighborhood location up the hill, so I was excited to give the new Hunger a try despite mixed reviews (both good and bad).

Hunger: 3601 Fremont Ave. N

Hunger's new home is much bigger and offers at least twice as much seating, including a bigger bar and outdoor tables. The layout of the space is similar to when it was occupied by Dad Watson's, with the bar and table areas essentially the same, but spruced up with new décor. The high ceilings and big windows create a bright and open space -- something that should be appealing but instead leaves me longing for the past: a cozy table in a darkened, intimate dining room. The new Hunger now feels too big, especially when less than half the tables are filled for dinner service on a Saturday evening.

Inside the too-spacious Hunger.

As noted by other reviewers, the Spanish/Mediterranean-influenced menu has undergone some changes since the move. Unfortunately, offering more options and attempting more creative dishes have resulted in poor execution overall. We started with Hunger's version of a caprese salad: a beautiful arrangement of housemade mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, balsamic gelee, olive oil dust, sea salt, and basil. Sounds impressive, right? Only it wasn't. The mozzarella was rubbery and bland, and the tomatoes were still firm and lacked the summery sweet, juiciness of heirloom tomatoes. The balsamic gelee had the right amount of acidity and sweetness but the gelatinous cubes were strange and difficult to incorporate with each forkful, and the olive oil dust was oddly powdery on the tongue. Perhaps Hunger should reconsider their attempts at molecular gastronomy.

Housemade mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes with balsamic gelee,
olive oil dust, sea salt, and basil.

I wanted to try the fries and tomatada, so we had an in-between course before our main course. And it's a good thing we did -- these were the only two dishes of the evening that I actually enjoyed. The fries were thin and nicely crisped, topped with a sprinkle of shaved manchego cheese and served with a slightly spicy harissa ketchup and curry aioli. The tomatada consisted of an egg softly baked in a saffron tomato sauce with melted manchego. It was accompanied by slices of grilled bread for dipping. Both the fries and tomatada were piping hot, full of flavor, and a welcome change from failed tomato mozzarella salad.

Moroccan spiced fries with harissa ketchup and curry aioli.

Tomatada: soft baked egg in a saffron tomato sauce.

On this visit to the new Hunger, I was most excited about the paella. I was also happy to see that the paella no longer required a minimum of two people -- no more convincing someone else to order it with me! It arrived looking as tasty as ever, but on first bite, I knew it wasn't the same. The top layer of rice was crunchy in an undercooked sort of way, and the rest of the rice was a soupy mess. There were too many peppers, in my opinion, giving it an overwhelmingly sweet taste. The mussels and clams were bland, the cubes of chicken were dry, and I'm not sure that I found any substantial chunks of andouille or chorizo despite my search efforts. I will say that the two shrimp hidden underneath the pile of greens were lovely -- salty, peppery, and not overcooked. I devoured these immediately.

Paella with shellfish, chicken, peppers, andouille and chorizo (maybe?),
and saffron rice.

The second main dish is barely worth mentioning. It was the house pasta of the day: gnocchi with mushrooms in a spiced tomato sauce. Despite having a decent overall flavor, the gnocchi was dense and chewy.

Gnocchi with mushrooms and a spiced tomato sauce.

In the end, we left with overly full but unsatisfied stomachs. Oh, and we also paid more than twice the value for a bottle of Mark Ryan "Vincent" off of Hunger's still limited wine list. I'm not impressed.

hhf says: Hunger is definitely suffering from some growing pains. The "old" food was great... perhaps they should stick to the familiar and work out their new dishes behind the scenes. However, my previous affection for Hunger won't let me write it off entirely -- maybe it's the perfect spot for afternoon fries and a cocktail/beer? (note: the inside is air conditioned, and there is also a shady outdoor patio).

Prada braided bow platform wedges.

Shoes: Prada braided bow platform wedges with ankle straps. A fun sandal for these warm Seattle days.