Last weekend Isabell and I made a trip up to Seattle to see some of our friends. On Sunday night we had a rendezvous of the powers that be for Tavola Rosso for a dinner at Olivar, a Spanish-French fusion restaurant on Capitol Hill. This particular dinner was significant, as it was a mini-celebration of sorts of both of our wonderful wives expecting child number one. This was also occasion for me and Sean to celebrate since we were actually going to share a bottle of wine - something that is a rarity now that our drinking partners are with child. This might also be a good time to issue a small apology to our readers for a slower pace of new posts - now you know why!

Olivar is follwing in the footsteps of many in the Seatle food scene by offering small plates and large plates. included the likes of grilled pork belly, gnocchi with truffle oil and chantrelle mushrooms, seared scallops, roasted rabbit, and some churros with chocolate and a fruit tart with flaky bread crust for dessert. The wine of choice was a nice, big red from Spain, Barahonda (reviewed by Sean here). A nice close to the evening was a visit with the executive chef Philippe Thomelin - a Frenchman who learned his culinary trade in Spain. WIth much of Seattle’s nuveau-tapas scene devoted to Northwest fare, a trip to Olivar to experience its Franco-Spanish cuisine is a definitely worthwhile.

Cheers to new places - and for our families, new beginnings!

A night at Olivar