Last month, I had the opportunity to dine at two sister restaurants, Crow and Betty, within weeks of one another. These two places are owned by Craig Serbousek and Jesse Thomas, who opened Crow several years ago and last year launched Betty, both in the Queen Anne area.

As a result, Crow and Betty share a lot of common ground such as a bistro-style menu, a diverse list of old and new world wines, and very attentive service, all provided at moderate prices. The environments at both places are open and well designed, with plenty of bar and chef counter space to enjoy your meal if you prefer not to be seated at a table. I really liked the energy and ambiance of both restaurants.

At Betty, I had a leg of duck in a confit-style preparation with homemade sausage on a bed of pea vines and a risotto cake. This was an absolutely fantastic dish, with the duck, sausage, pea vines, risotto cake and sauce combining to create magic in the mouth. I paired the duck with a glass of Wallace Brook Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. This wine was very good with the duck, prompting me to have a second glass.

At Crow, we started with a bottle of 2005 Novelty Hill Semillon paired with grilled asparagus with prosciutto, parmesan and balsamic and a mediterranean platter with grilled pita, dipping sauces & feta cheese. These appetizers were the highlight of my meal, for I really enjoyed the fresh asparagus, while the med platter offered an incredible medley of tastes. Unfortunately, I think the Novelty Hill '05 semillon was on its way down, as it just no longer seemed like the fresh, young white wine it might have been years before.

For the main course, I ordered the pan roasted chicken wrapped in prosciutto with green beans. Based on our server's recommendation, we chose a bottle of Belle Pente 2006 Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir, which ended up being a wonderful wine to follow the struggling semillon. In fact, the Belle Pente pinot ended up trumping my overcooked chicken, which when combined with the flavorless, rubbery green beans, didn't make for a memorable dish. I should have sent it back, but with the wine so enjoyable, I let the whole matter slide.

Overall, I would definitely return to either Crow or Betty, for both offer a great environment with a diverse menu of food and wines to enjoy.