Walla Walla has been waiting and it’s finally arrived; Chef Maximilien Petty’s The Kinglet Restaurant has opened in the former Whitehouse Crawford space. If you don’t know, Max and his wife Jennifer are the owners of the very esteemed Eden Hill and very popular Big Max Burger Co. in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. When he texted me last year to say he was thinking of opening a restaurant in Walla Walla, I was surprised (and absolutely delighted)! I’ve been a big fan of Max’s Seattle spots for years and have been counting down the days until the opening, which was February 25th.
The interior of The Kinglet is absolutely beautiful with exposed brick, high ceilings, and a show-stopping chef’s counter. I never had the pleasure of visiting the beloved aforementioned Whitehouse Crawford, but I’ve been told by many The Kinglet pays homage to the historic space. There is also a chic cement bar and trendy lounge area, both of which are reserved for walk-ins (so you may be able to squeeze in for a cocktail or early supper without a reservation).
The dishes are (of course) just as beautiful as the space here. The thoughtful, creative nature of the menu is like nothing else in the Walla Walla Valley. The menu changes (at least a bit) each day, and will go through big seasonal menu changes throughout the year.
Left: Black Cod Mousse; Right: Roasted Beet Salad
The menu is composed of canapés, small plates, and entrées and features a thoughtful and innovative cocktail list. In the near future, grand tasting dinners with 12 – 15 courses will be offered at the chef’s counter on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Kinglet uses vertical farming in their kitchen to grow greens for the restaurant.
You can thank Chef Courtney Chrisman for the superb desserts here. They’re playful yet refined (and sinfully delicious). We ordered almost everything on the dessert menu when we visited for the soft opening.
The Kinglet’s Sweets menu is composed of a Bites (left) and Desserts section.
I highly recommend booking the chef’s counter for your special occasion dinners (already mentally booking this for my birthday in September).
The Kinglet is open Thursday to Monday at 4:30pm. Make your reservation here. (A $25/person service deposit is charged at the time of the reservation, and applied to your bill at the end of your meal.)
Wonderful piece about this extraordinary restaurant. We had the pleasure of dining here a few weekends ago and were duly impressed with every portion of our experience. I have dietary restrictions due to food allergies, and the chefs went out of their way to accommodate me. Our server was delightful and made our entire evening flawless. We will definitely return.
Thanks so much for reading and your comments, Justine. So glad to hear you enjoyed the Kinglet, it is a special place!