At Seattle’s Hotel Sorrento, Dessert Is Hauntingly Good

There’s a ghost story that goes along with a memorable final course created by Stella’s executive chef, Carolynn Spence.

A quick history lesson

The striking Hotel Sorrento on Seattle’s First Hill first welcomed guests in 1909, its handsome Italianate-style brick facade a welcome beacon to travelers heading north during the Klondike Gold Rush.

That old-fashioned charm remains on display throughout the seven-story, independently owned and operated destination. The two wings surrounding a courtyard were originally designed to showcase water views, though downtown skyscrapers have since obstructed those sweeping vistas.

These days, the hotel is a popular wedding venue and a staycation favorite, but when it first debuted, there were full-time residents.

With those historic chops comes the inevitable question: Are there ghosts roaming the halls? Well, yes. A famous figure at that.

Do you know Alice B. Toklas?

The writer might be best known as the lifelong companion of legendary Gertrude Stein, but her legacy also includes a lasting high point. She’s credited with inventing the pot brownie.

Long before she was famous, Toklas and her family lived in Seattle. Some say their home was located on the spot where the Sorrento was later built. Guests and employees of the hotel claim to have seen her wandering the fourth floor in a white gown, perhaps playing the piano in the penthouse. A local NPR station ran a feature in 2015 under the headline: Ghost of Alice B. Toklas Still Alive and Well at Hotel Sorrento.

Her spirit celebrated around Halloween by the hotel during an annual dinner inspired by recipes from the cookbook she wrote. There’s a new tribute to Toklas on the restaurant’s dessert list and it’s truly hauntingly good.

Welcome to Stella

This dining room was recently rebranded, the former Dunbar Room becoming Stella. Its menu remains an ode to Italian traditions, but there’s plenty of fresh Pacific Northwest ingredients. A lovely Dungeness crab-stuffed artichoke appetizer is a shining example of how that crossover mission is accomplished. Perfectly seared scallops perched atop house-made potato ravioli is another triumph.

But before diving into dinner, guests should consider a cocktail from the intriguing list put together by beverage director, Travis Sanders. The lineup includes some of the most thoughtful and thoroughly tasty zero-proof drinks I’ve tasted. The non-alc trend is definitely here to stay and the Song Sparrow Spritz shows how far the movement has come. It’s a refreshing sipper that combines the Campari-esque Lyres Italian Orange, Salcombe NLL Gin and Fever Tree grapefruit soda, so pretty served in a coupe.

Save room for something sweet

While the chef has put together an impressive collection of dishes on the savory side, her pastries make a strong case for the “eat dessert first” way of being.

Spence is a seasoned pro, who was on the opening team in 2004 at the now-shuttered Spotted Pig. She later made the move to the West Coast, garnering acclaim at Chateau Marmont. Before Stella, Spence oversaw the culinary program at Shaker and Spear in the Kimpton Palladian Hotel in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.

When Spence moved to Stella in June 2021, she became fascinated by the Alice B. Toklas ghost stories associated with the Sorrento and it shows on the latest dessert menu. The “Ode to Toklas” Chocolate Pot de Creme is a spectacular rendition of that classic creation, but it’s the accompanying hemp cookie that makes it extra special.

The biscotti-like texture is driven by nuts, dates and hemp, making for a crispy, satisfying compliment to the ultra-rich chocolate pot de creme. OK, hemp is the benign, THC-free cousin of cannabis. So, this Toklas tribute isn’t about tripping. Yet, it’s got the power to persuade you to finish every last spoonful.

Later, in my comfortable room, I listened intently for sounds of spirits wandering the hallway. Hearing nothing, I fell asleep and had the sweetest dreams.

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