Tavolata

Dining dilemma: You want to impress East Coast friends who think Seattle's a backwater. 

Seattle.Net Solution: Tavolata

 
Quick and Easy
Why go? Italian bistro with great food and attitude
Highlights: Pasta, lemon donuts
Service: Polished and casual
You might not know: Full menu served until midnight. Go early or late to avoid waiting.
Forewarning: Reservations only for parties of six or more.

With its shadowy lighting and rough cement walls, entering the narrow, candle-lit Tavolata is like walking into a stage set for an avant-garde play. This is an Italian bistro with urban attitude. You'll be hit with a din of noise—Tavolata may win for the loudest restaurant in Seattle—but welcomed by a gracious hostess standing behind a large, stone podium. Because Tavolata only accepts reservations for groups of six or more, timing is everything. Your best bet is to go early or arrive late, but even there may be a wait.  

Despite its minimalist atmosphere, Tavolata has a vibrant, convivial buzz. True to its namesake, a massive tavolata (communal table) runs down the middle of the rectangular restaurant, creating a gathering place for both large groups and small dining parties. If you’d rather not share a table you can wait for Tavolata's other seating options: romantic two-person booths with pew-like seating or the larger tables opposite these.  

You might initially choose Tavolata for the ambiance, but you'll leave raving about the food. Chef Ethan Stowell, who also runs the upscale Union and the newer How to Cook a Wolf, elevates rustic Italian cooking to new heights. The limited menu changes daily, offering a handful of first courses, a dozen pastas, and about three entrees. Descriptions are minimal so ordering can be a challenge. Luckily, the wait staff, dressed in black shirts, jeans and white aprons, can help put together a perfect meal. Designed to be shared, dishes are presented in white bowls or on platters with minimal garnish.

Pastas are the soul of Tavolata's kitchen. Entirely handmade, they range from Tavolata's signature gnocchi with mozzarella, tomato and reggiano to a remarkable pennette, slender tubular noodles served tossed in herb-scented oil with a generous portion of moist shredded duck and pancetta. Macaroni-shaped garganelli noodles featured a combination of squid, capers and olives in a light but complex tomato sauce.  

Of the entrees, the enormous and flavorful two-pound ribeye ($55) is best for sharing. The delicious branzino (seabass) stuffed with lemon slices and thyme ($29) was perfectly grilled, but hardly large enough to share. Tavolata also features a reasonably priced, all-Italian wine list. Servers can help you find a paring for your meal.     

For a perfect ending, order Tavolata's exquisite, lemon-scented donuts holes. Dusted with sugar, these crispy balls are light as clouds. Chocolate aficionados should hope that the dense, chocolate mousse-like cake with a scoop of dense, dark chocolate gelato is on the menu. If you're wont to linger after a meal, ask your server about the extensive selection of high-octane grappa, colorless Italian brandy distilled from the skins and seed left in the wine press.

Cost (dinner menu): 
First courses: $9-$13, Pastas: $14-17, Entrees: $29-$55