Your peripatetic diner is home from a lovely 3-course prix fixe dinner at the Olive & Grape, hosted by Paola, who's always indulgent when I try out my ancient bit of French or slightly better Italian on her. The first course was a salad of baby spinach and spring greens with walnuts, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, and a fig vinaigrette. It was huge, where I had been expecting a small plate. (Shades of the rosticceria in Roma where Gerry and I thought to have a light lunch but ate so much that, by the end of all the courses, we could barely waddle to the station for the train back to Frascati.)
Second course was a Turkish lamb stew, Sultan's Delight, which I learned too late had cinnamon in it (one thing I must avoid), but it was delicious over polenta. The authentic version was over pureed eggplant, but eggplant and I aren't good friends. It was so good that I ate it all. Oops, rosticceria time.
Third course was their creme brulee, very good if not quite the perfect texture. Usually theirs is like panna cotta, and this was a bit looser, but still just what I wanted.
I let her choose my wines, which turned out well. She gave me a Malbec first and then, when I had drained that halfway through the lamb, brought me a Tempranillo. I staggered home, pretty much, but the block is well lit, so I was fiiiiiine. And happy.
She had on unusual music. At lunchtime, it tends to be a mix of Greek, Italian, and Turkish pop, but this was old American stuff mostly. Oh, please, stay by me, Diana. Fun for an old girl who remembers them all.
I love that place.
Olive & Grape on Greenwood, Dine Around Seattle menu
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