It took this review in the Seattle Weekly to finally get down there... It's hidden, very nicely, at the corner of "Bellevue, Bellevue, Bellevue", which is pretty much northwestern-most part of the Hill.
We arrived at about 7:30pm last night with no reservation. (I'm not sure if reservations are available, actually.) With a 40 minute wait ahead of us, we were quickly ushered to the bar where we tried their Lady Sidecar (very good) and another mixed drink concoction... I can't remember the name. Midnight something... also very good.
The wait time couldn't have been as long as predicted. Before long we were seated, very luckily, in the back section near their large window overlooking Queen Anne, the lake and the Space Needle. I was super impressed with the atmosphere... The restaurant is a converted neighborhood grocery market. Now it's flush with deep, rich hues of red and prussian blue. Warm lighting.
With three people in our party we went for two large plates and two small plates, including:
- (Small) Fava bean hummas with pita slices
- (Small) Seared tuna with an olive topping
- (Large) Chicken tagine with cous cous (We had to look this up on a cell phone before ordering. I heard the table next to us asking what "tagine" meant as well.)
- (Large) Paella
I was also impressed with the chicken tagine... I don't usually like chicken, as it's typically hidden under a layer of seasoning. This dish, however, had a kind of light flavor that was slightly sweet.
I'm looking forward to going back. They had a schedule of jazz trios coming in on Saturdays throughout December. And they are having a New Year's Eve dinner with a special menu that would be very tempting if I weren't already hosting a party of my own.
