Cascina Spinasse photo credit: Lindsay Borden
I’ve been craving really good food lately. Maybe it’s the fact that Season 11 of Top Chef recently started and when the episodes end I’m salivating. But I’ve also just wanted to go to some of my favorite places around Seattle to relive some great dishes. I wrote a similar post a while back about places in Seattle Dan and I had yet to try, but this is about some tried favorites. Some of our most admired restaurants.
Four Perfect Date Night Restaurants in Seattle
Anchovies & Olives
If you order one thing on the menu order the escolar crudo. I’ve never tasted anything that has made me swoon unless I was cracked out on hunger. I was already plenty full when this beauty graced my mouth and I could have eaten another full plate of it. The menu is divided up into four sections, crudos (all yummy, raw seafood dishes with interesting and delicious garnishes/sauces), apps (tasty and typical Ethan Stowell standards), pasta (Ethan’s specialty and something that always satisfies), and entrées. Everything we’ve had here is tasty but we’d go back specifically for the escolar!
Spinasse
Dan took me here for my birthday and whenever I think of a romantic atmosphere I think of Spinasse. Hardwood floors and wood chairs, dim lighting and candles, mismatched antique silverware, large wine glasses, and a small vase of garden roses. The food here is a little less rustic than what you’d find elsewhere – it’s an intimate Italian restaurant serving subtle, refined northern Italian food. If you love pasta then come here because the quality is perfect. We shared a simple egg pasta with ragu and I’ve never tasted such delicate, lovely pasta.
Harvest Vine
We need to go back to this place soon! Dan has been to the Harvest Vine three or four times and he’s a definitely a fan. I’ve only been the one time but it was a great experience. Spanish wine and olive oil (why is Spanish olive oil so addictive?) are enough for a restaurant to capture my attention but Harvest Vine is also a tapas restaurant, which is right up our alley. We eat tapas style (as in sharing apps and small plates and not ordering entrées) everywhere we go, and this place is perfect for exploring that habit. From Spanish classics to grilled octopus and Serrano ham to braised rabbit and duck confit, every plate is perfect for two people to share a couple bites and then move on to the next tasty dish.
Nishino
I think we’ve eaten here 50 times. This is our go-to classy sushi spot. Nishino is sorta hidden away in Madison Park, it’s a little bit off the beaten path and feels like a neighborhood restaurant, with a very friendly and familiar staff. But oh man is it good. The kinoko tofu, a mushroom soup with fried tofu, is amazing. It is my no.1 craved food when I don’t feel so great – instant comfort in a bowl. And of course the sushi is fantastic. This is not a sushi place featuring a bunch of crazy rolls, all deep-fried and smothered in sauce, this is old school sushi, leaning on the quality of the product vs. the creativity of the recipe to bring customers back. The food is simple and fresh.
