Altura - February 12, 2019 | the Wandering Hedonist

A savory beet sponge cake from the Stuzzichini flight

It’s a tough call but I think Altura is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. This was my fourth time back and every meal has been exceptional. Chef Nathan Lockwood opened this cozy spot at the end of Broadway on Capitol Hill in 2011. You’ll see Nathan nominated for Best Chef, Best Fine Dining Restaurant, Best New Restaurant, Restaurant of the Year, but somehow this place keeps flying under the radar of my foodie friends. Which is fine by me because I enjoy being able to get a table.

For the food alone, Altura tops my list. Precise attention to detail without being fussy or tortured. Delicious. Creative approaches to local ingredients. This easy comfortable genius. A willingness to try new things, to avoid the ruts of past laurels. This procession of moans and “Fuck this is good”s. But that’s just the start. It’s all of the small things that I appreciate. The pottery by Akiko. The choice of knife. The small wooden serving blocks. The eclectic environment, the artfully assembled hodge-podge of chairs and benches and tables, the clever use of space, the magical odds and ends on the walls, cloth towels in the bathroom. A great soundtrack. And the atmosphere. A very calm and welcoming vibe. The cooks often bring their own dishes to your table woven seamlessly with the server and the somm. A genuine happiness. A love for what they’re doing. I always feel at home at Altura. Free from artifice and pretense. Even though the dishes can be quite refined.

I consider an epic meal like this a symphony. A procession of notes and movements that weave together an experience. With every dish there is a balance and harmony. It’s rare to have such a meal without a single note out of place. Maybe I’m just lucky but every time I go here my experience has been perfect. And leave not only full and satisfied, but happy. I guess that’s what it boils down to, this place makes me happy.

Stuzzichini

Stuzzichini is Italian for appetizer, snack, nibble, or finger food. The meal begins with a flight of amuse-bouche style bites in quick succession. These have been different every time I’ve come.

Fennel and walnut panna cotta, lobster knuckle, caviar

Beet sponge cake, maitake mushroom, white truffle snow

Grassfed beef crudo, parmesan fondutta, quail egg yolk

Smoke sturgeon frittelle, steelhead roe, cultured cream

Savory cannoli, local sea urchin, parsley root, pine

Fennel cured lardo, watermelon radish; Buckwheat crostata, stinging nettle, guinciale; Red wine cured bresaola, house vinegar, purple potato

Fermented potato, black butter, bottarga mugine

Mortadella smoked in a duck’s neck, duck fat focaccia

Celebration of winter shellfish

Oyster and Ramp, clam and caper leaf, mussel and pancetta, crab and chili

Buccino nero

Cartoccio (not pictured)

Darrel’s bread, wild onion butter with preserved Sorrento lemon

Satsuma and sea buckthorn sorbetto

Sea breeze farm guinea hen

Sausage stuffed leg, braised wing, fennel, cabbage

Brodo

Infused with winter herbs and pine branches

Bourbon caramel semifreddo

Affogato (not pictured)

Mascarpone gelato, amaro Montenegro
Aerated hot chocolate
Baba au rhum
Grappa soaked luxardo cherries

Birthday extras!

Grappa soaked cake with candied orange peel.

The sommelier slipped me an extra glass of grappa and the birthday plate came with a candle.

Coffee and port

I saw this at the bar and had to have a glass. A 1937 Kopke colheita. This port has been aging in the barrel for over 80 years.

Inside the restaurant

One of the reasons Altura is my favorite Seattle restaurant is its cozy and casual atmosphere. I always feel at home here. You are served courses by the chef who constructed them. And I never find myself worrying about fancy restaurant protocol. Great food, friendly faces, creative attention to detail.