RR - Tavolata : Italian Food : Belltown

I created a list of restaurants I'd like to try in Seattle that I continually add to because I find comfort going to the same restaurants all the time because they are my staples, like El Camino in Fremont, and I need to branch out and try all of the great spots Seattle has to offer.

I live on the top of Queen Anne, so when How to Cook a Wolf opened a few months ago we went to check-out what the commotion was about; I mean a crowd of people every night (it's open 5-10pm daily). Needless to say after trying it I was not disappointed. How to Cook a Wolf's rustic vibe and quality ingredients leaves you with an amazing experience and a full belly at the end of the night. It is definitely not a place offering a ton of vegetarian fare, but if you love quality meat and pastas it is to die for! Chad claims it is his favorite restaurant in Seattle, which is why we wanted to try its sister Tavolata!

This weekend we finally crossed off Tavolata in Belltown. While Tavolata had a lot of the same appeal of the rustic environment as its sister restaurant the seating was different. We did make reservations, but were still placed in a long table next to strangers in the center of the restaurant, rather than the duo-side tables (which I would have preferred) lining the walls. If we had been in a group the long table would have been ideal, but on a date it wasn't. Besides the dislike for the table the food was just as good as How to Cook a Wolf, but offered other surprises!

Our menu:
Wine: Pinot Noir
To Start: Olives, Oysters, and Prosciutto di Parma
Main: Potato Gnocchi
Dessert: Warm Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ice Cream

Everything was great minus one-item. The oysters were deliciously displayed (in shell sitting over a bed of ice), but the lime sauce they were served with was too overpowering and really didn't showcase how fresh the oysters seemed to be. I do need to touch briefly on the olives; both restaurants serve the fresh olive bowl and while I have always been a fan of olives these are the freshest, best olives I have ever had and could not recommend a dish any higher!

Hope you enjoy Tavolata and comment to let others know what you think!

Now...which restaurant to cross off next....