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Altura
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
617 Broadway E(between Mercer St & Roy St)
Seattle, WA 98102
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill
(206) 402-6749
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
67 reviews for Altura
Review Highlights
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"Chef Nathan has big huge truffles (black and white) that..." In 2 reviews -
"Next] Parsnip Gnocchi, wild boar ragu." In 2 reviews
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"To start] Cauliflower Soup (courtesy of the chef); amazing." In 2 reviews
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Bernadette N.
Burbank, CA
5/22/2012
OH. MY. GOSH. Was this place for real?
We had a pre fixed menu due to our large party, and the chef picked out the menu for us. It's been over a month since I've been here and my mouth is watering NOW as I recall the food here.
Started off with an oxtail ragu. WOW. I could have eaten that as my dinner, but I moved on as an entree to (and now I wish I had written this review sooner) .. this pork dish that sat on greens and topped with a quail egg. Dinner got even better.
Then - dessert. A trifecta of rich, delectable and delicious sugar that was not too heavy or overwhelming, and the three items complimented the other. It's strange - I don't do lemony desserts - heck I don't do dessert at all, but this was worth it. Roman hot chocolate - you must. The intention was to take a bite of each and put the rest aside, but I finished the entire thing, as did everyone else at my table.
5 stars. The company was great, the service was superb, and the food - hands down the best dinner I have had this year so far. The best part? Proportions were just enough to satiate without over indulging (although if you were to, this is THE place to do it) or overwhelming the tummy. All the sin, none of the guilt. LOVE. -
Review from Nina N.
5/24/2012
I hate to do this, but seriously? it was so not memorable. the service was on point, but the food was not even at the level that I wish it were on, and it was uber expensive too. Mostly since we wanted to try everything. I would say that even if it were cheap, it still wasn't up to the level that I had been waiting for.
Sorry, I have had much better...... I would recommend the blind pig bistro if you want that foodie fix. now that place was out of this world good -
Review from Ellen C.
4/29/2012
I'd been meaning to go to Altura since it opened, and I wasn't disappointed.
I waited until my grandmother and aunt came to town, since we've historically gone to New York to do Prix Fixe menus together.
We opted to go with the Chef's Tasting, which is similar to the five course tasting, but you don't pick at of your dishes (they do ask for any restrictions/allergies ahead of time). We left it entirely in their capable hands. I'd definitely recommend it if you're considering going with the five course meal with wine.
Before I get into the details of the meal, I want to also recommend the chef's bar. It was fantastic to watch how the cooking went- Nathan Lockwood was precise, but calm. There was very little extraneous talking between chefs (which surprised me) and it was neat to see which things were pre-chopped, and how the construction went. If you have 1-3 people, I'd recommend it. It'd get much more challenging with more. We ended up sitting there because no tables were left by the time I made the reservation, but I was glad that's what we did!
Anyway, back to the food...
I started out with the spring salad with speck- given the menu, I doubt I would have picked a salad, so I'm really happy they picked it for me. The dressing was perfect, and I loved the inclusion of asparagus. My aunt had the crudo, and I'm forgetting what my grandma had, but both were also delicious. I think my big takeaway there was that I really should consider going for some of the "simpler" foods at fancy restaurants. A perfect version of a classic is fantastic.
Second, I had the wild boar gnocchi. I was beyond thrilled- it wasn't on the menu, although boar fettucini and gnocchi were independently. I love both of those things though, and it really might have been my favorite dish of the night. My aunt had the risotto (which she liked, despite not usually being a risotto person) and my grandma had the squid ink tagliatelle.
Third, we all had the salmon. It was great salmon, but probably the least creative of the courses. Not too much to say there.
Fourth, I had the rabbit. As anyone who knows me in real life knows, I love rabbits (I've had a stuffed one since I was born). As much as it was emotionally challenging - I'll eat lamb or veal with far fewer qualms - it was worth it. The rabbit was prepared three different ways. My grandma had the duck. Blanking on what my aunt had (I need to write these sooner!)
We finished off with the cheese plate. There were three cheeses, and I actually liked all of them. My favorite was the one on the far left, then the second, then the third (the mildest of the three).
The wine pairings were also really great. A nice variety, and there wasn't a pairing I didn't like all night :) -
Review from Morgan R.
Seattle, WA
4/15/2012
A locavore menu tasting of spring and artfully done
Our first experience there was superb - way above expectation. Less Italian and more Northwest locavore cuisine, we had a fabulous experience. We had the fixed price menu, and it was fabulous. Everything was in season and the flavor pairings were amazing.
From grilled calamari with pasta and a hint of chile, to the spring salad, to the pork shank - everything was tasty, tastefully arranged, and oh so good.
We had a hard time getting a reservation, but the wait was definitely worth it. -
Review from Joel R.
5/11/2012
Altura opened to a lot of fanfare, and I came to dinner one recent weeknight wondering if there are as good as advertised. In short, I would say so. While our meal (prix fixe) was certainly expensive, our food was certainly worth the asking price. I never imagined that I'd like tripe, but I did, so there you have it. The menu is very meat (and offal) heavy, so this food is not for everyone. What vegetables there are on the menu are fresh and seasonal, which is frankly a must for any decent restaurant operating in the northwest. The atmosphere is a little casual for such an expensive restaurant, but it works. The service follows from the atmosphere: cheerful, friendly, laid-back. Our servers were very forthcoming about portion sizes and quite helpful generally. Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant tremendously and will be back.
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Review from Vanessa A.
Seattle, WA
3/29/2012
Not just a restaurant... an experience. I took my partner there for his bday and it was unforgettable. Ron was our server and he was just fantastic. Attentive, interested, knowledgable without being snooty, which is always a fear for me at fancy pants places like this.
$49 gets you three dishes of your choice. $37 more if you want to pair wine as well. The lamb gnocchi was excellent. SO flavorful. The pork was to die for, my favorite dish. The halibut was a very generous portion and yummy. I loved that they brought us a few little items from the kitchen including this mascarpone whipped chocolate gelato dessert that I will NEVER forget. Holy cow it was good. The chocolate cake was also delicious. We sat at the bar to watch the chefs do their amazing work. The presentation was just so beautiful and they were friendly with guests who had questions about the food. We had such a great time. Be sure to leave plenty of time to really enjoy the experience.
Can't wait to find another reason for some special occasion dining.Listed in: Best of Capitol Hill
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Review from Chris H.
Seattle, WA
4/6/2012
Happy birthday to me! My partner decided to take me here for my birthday dinner last evening, and I am so glad he did. The menu, delicious. The wines, superb. One of the best experiences of dining I've had in Seattle.
At first the prix fixe menu might be quite startling to your some American diners, but considering what you get for that dollar, it is very worth it. Everything on the menu looked absolutely delicious but I knew I could not afford the 20 course meal of EVERYTHING that was there, so I decided to go with the four course meal with wine pairings. I just knew I had to have the duck as my entree though, however i decided to leave it up to the server to make some choice for the other courses that would make for a great meal. I have found the chef and server will NEVER steer you wrong if you leave the choices in their capable hands. I ended up with the carpaccio to start, followed by the risotto. Duck of course and ending the the most delicious velo dessert. All paired with most excellent wines.
If I had only one nit to pick, I would have liked the skin on my duck a bit more crispy, but could that just be the difference between Italian technique and French technique? Overall 100% score on this though, and knowing that the menu changes frequently, you can be assured I will keep watching the menu and returning when something delicious catches my eye. -
Review from Stephen H.
Bellevue, WA
3/17/2012
Our first experience was a bit hit and miss, but the hits merited a five star rating. Some of the dishes were surprisingly unremarkable, and we even sent back some badly overcooked chicken (and were amused to see the chefs in the open kitchen dissecting it). Having said that, the best dishes were amongst the finest food we've had in Seattle, and on par with the best food we've had anywhere, Michelin-starred restaurants included. Highly recommended.
Update: Our second visit was like the best of the first visit, without any of the previous disappointments. We'll have to go here a few more times before we're absolutely sure, but right now we're both thinking this is our new favorite Seattle-area restaurant. Delicious. -
Review from Elizabeth V.
Bellevue, WA
3/23/2012
Altura Italian Ristorante & Trattoria is a worldly starred in fashion on stylish platters in season changes weekly for differences! Not just a house of Pasta it's handmade fancier recipes in designs to flavored themes! Products from selections into various seafoods, meats, and cold-cuts or cheeses all combine with vegetables in seasons! Wines from everywhere and were various kinds in selections not to expensive but not without after drinks either ! Decorations artisty also like a any museum.
Wait staff have total knowledge onto everything as well at prix-fix menus in courses on three or to five at amounts. -
Review from Fiona J.
Seattle, WA
5/17/2012
If I could give Altura another star, I would. My husband and I went there last night for our anniversary, and it did not disappoint. We went ahead and ordered the chef's choice with wine pairings. This is not an inexpensive restaurant, but well worth it. We are fortunate, as we can walk to this wonderful place. The service is also exceptional. They brought different things for us each course, so we got to try many things. I started with an asparagus and green garlic soup-fabulous. Jim's tuna crudo was also delicious. This was followed by a spring pea risotto for me, and a squid ink pasta with baby octopus for Jim, both just lovely. Then I had amazing potato gnocchi with lamb and beef ragout, Jim had the pappardelle with oxtail and tripe. This was the first tripe that I actually enjoyed! Jim had the a perfectly cooked snake river rib eye next, and I had the most incredible pork shank imaginable, from one of my favorite farms, "Tails and Trotters". We picked dessert, Jim had the truffle cake, and I had the cheese plate, which was served with Columbia City walnut crostini!. They wrote "Happy 25th Anniversary Jim and Fiona" on the rim of the plate. The wines Ron paired with the food were all perfect. This meal went on for hours, service impeccable, we never felt rushed, and were never waiting for what was next. We did bring a "human bag" home, there was just so much delicious food. For us we have found our special occasion restaurant. Fortunately we have birthdays to celebrate before our next anniversary, so we don't have to wait a year!
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Review from Calvin Y.
2/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
"SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD."
I don't know how else to describe Altura -- whatever I can possibly say it would just be understated as Altura is far beyond the dichotomous good and bad. Altura is just sooooo good!
Altura does a 3, 4, or 5 course meal for $49, 59, and $69 respectively. I got the 3 course meal starting with a pasta course, entree, and dessert.
For the pasta -- I got the braised oxtail and tripe pappardelle pasta. The chewiness of the thick linguine matched with the tender tripe and the flavors of oxtail is pure delight.
I ordered the Tails and Trotters Pork Shank as my entree. The Pork Shank is curled up into a discus-like shape. To quote, Altura, they call this the "best pork hockey puck you'll ever eat." The fat and pork melts in your mouth!
I finished my meal off with the Chocolate and Mint Panna Cotta which was jiggly and chocolately -- a perfect finish for a perfect dinner.
While I do not think that I could afford to eat the 3 course meal regularly here at Altura, I wouldn't mind coming in for the a la cart --- as they do offer it as an option.
Similar to the food, the service was remarkable -- the server was able to share stories that helped connect us to the food. His recommendations were extremely helpful when navigating through the menu and figuring out whether or not to do a pre-fixe menu or their course offerings.
I highly recommend making reservations at least a week in advance if you want to schedule a dinner. I made reservations a week in advance via Open Table and still only managed to get a table for Friday night at 9:30 as Saturday and Sunday were all booked up!Listed in: CAPITOL Hill, Impress Your Date
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Review from Chris B.
4/17/2012
Super gracious staff treated us to complimentary sparkling wine because our table wasn't ready. It was totally worth the wait...despite the hour and that we were her last table of the night our server was knowledgable, helpful and friendly. The food was outstanding, too.
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Review from Austin W.
Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
4/22/2012
First of all, Thank you Nathan Lockwood for leaving San Francisco and coming to Seattle. Altura is pushing the Seattle culinary seen in a very good direction. Tho the price is a bit higher then most places, the food was superior to any restaurant in area and is more then worth it. My girlfriend and I went in for my birthday, I had the Tasting menu. we were there for over 4 hours and had at least 9 courses. Our server, Seth, was very knowledgeable and helpful guiding us thru the menu but his expertise of wine was parallel to any Sommelier Ive seen. He (Seth) severely improved our time and created a true dining experience that we will remember, thank you.
In addition, the atmosphere was perfect, it wasn't the cleshay dark dining room that you would see at most restaurant to mask the dirt. There wasn't the classic piano music that's boring and has been over abused for years. The staff was helpful, but not snobby and the Chef was polite. He talked with us for a bit and asked us about the food, even though the restaurant was full. We never felt rushed, and it never seemed like we (or anyone) was a burden to the busy staff.
In conclusion, if you would like to out to a nice diner steer away the Toms, Ethans, and Jasons. Sorry, your food is good but not this good. If you go to one fine dining restaurant in Seattle it should come here because you wont be disappointed. -
Review from Dana R.
2/18/2012
I'm so glad that Chef Nathan Lockwood's family is in Seattle and that we were able to lure him away from San Francisco's Aquerello! Every course was fantastic; the service was exquisite; the decor and feel of the space is cozy, yet refined and inviting.
Last night's dinner was hands-down the best Italian meal I've had in Seattle; sorry Spinasse and Cafe Lago (our two other favorites).
It started with a shot of limoncello, orange juice and soda water, then continued with a cicchetti (an amuse bouche) of a perfectly toasted thin quarter slice of homemade Tuscan-loaf style bread, with a flavorful, creamy white cheese (similar to Humboldt Fog goat cheese) with a mixture of spring onion and stinging nettle and topped with a fried mint leaf -- one (or two) bites of beautiful texture and flavor.
I started with the Winter salad in red. Individual leaves of red endive, very thin slices of crimson star pear, thinly sliced prosciutto rosso, 6-8 brunoise of pickled persimmon and 10 or so pomegranate seeds artfully arranged on a rectangular white plate and served with the perfect amount of balsamic reduction. I left the red beets off. Beautiful dish, packed with finesse and flavor.
My husband's beef carpaccio (which was more like a tartare) was outstanding. It comes with a parmesan fondue crouton (a perfected toasted block of bread with a parmesan cream sauce in the middle), halved black olives (not the kind from a can ...), fresh white anchovies (again, not the kind from a can or jar ...), and arugula. The beef is very finely chopped, making it clean, fresh and tender and is topped with an over medium quail egg. Mixing the different elements of the dish together makes the perfect bite. The dish was beautifully presented as well.
My husband and I then shared potato gnocchi with spicy Abruzzese style lamb and Kobe beef ragu -and parmesan shavings - my god, the ragu is perfectly rich and spicy, but still delicate ... I wanted to lick the bowl but they cleared it too quickly (the busser told me that many people have commented on wanting to lick the bowl). The gnocchi is pillowy and had good texture (not quite as delicate as the gnocchi at Hearth in New York, but a completely different type of dish). Simply outstanding.
Next, I had the best Ling cod I've eaten -- a thick piece (may be about 2.5 inches thick), perfectly cooked to medium-rare with a beautiful brown and crispy crust and served on a bed of melted leeks, sea urchin foam, and Meyer lemon and topped with with a delightfully crisp, yet light, mandolin julienned Yukon Gold potato frizzle. The fish was flaky, the leeks bright and oniony, the sea urchin foam added a rich saltiness, the Meyer lemon balanced the richness of the foam and leeks, and the crispy potatoes provided an interesting and flavorful textural element. yum.
The Alaska troll-caught King salmon my husband had was also perfectly cooked. It comes with skin on -- so beware if you're a little skittery of fishy flavor, but once set aside the fishiness abates. The fish sits on a bed of sunchoke puree and is garnished with brussels sprout leaves, rainbow carrots, sunchoke, and is topped with a smattering of baby beet greens. He loved it.
I finished with the chocolate-mint panna cotta -- served in a whimsical white bowl and topped with shaved chocolate, white meringue shards, fresh mint and an Italian (Roman style) warm chocolate sauce (on the side). I don't eat entire desserts ... I ate this entire dessert. Again, artfully presented and prepared with complimentary flavors and textures. The panna cotta texture was perfectly silky and had only enough gelatin to keep it from breaking - lovely.
My husband's chocolate truffle cake with blood orange caramel, giandiuja (hazelnut/chocolate), praline cream was outstanding. He particularly liked the candied blood orange rinds. Another beautifully balanced and presented dish.
Everything was fresh, fresh, fresh, and simple, yet perfectly prepared and presented.
Our server, Seth, was outstanding. The overall service is of the very highest caliber ... attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, yet not intrusive or pretentious. They fold your napkin when you temporally leave the table ... a service feature you typically find in white tablecloth establishments, yet Altura is much more casual in appearance and atmosphere.
At the end of the meal we (and others) had the opportunity to meet Chef Nathan. After lauding him with praise for our meal, we told him that next time (which means next week), we will sit at the chef's counter (literally 12 or more seats right in front of the entire kitchen) to "keep an eye on" him. He responded jovially "so you can tell me what I'm doing wrong" ... that would be nothing, nothing wrong. -
Review from Kimanh M.
Seattle, WA
2/18/2012 7 photos
Sure, this place won my heart with their absolutely delicious and artfully presented dishes, but what really left me in awe was their mastery of textures. Every bite was so intelligently balanced; I had to resist the urge to blurt out my adulation and interpretations of the dish like a judge on Iron Chef!
The taste and textures of the duck agnolotti yielded the "perfect bite" by layering pasta filled with crispy duck confit (sealed like ravioli) in a light, black truffle butter broth, topped with thin shavings of black truffle and flash-fried sage leaves. The crispness of the confit and fried sage burst through the smoothness of the pasta and sliced truffles, with the light, yet savory broth bringing it all together. Silky, savory and smooth!
I heart Altura! -
Review from Steve M.
Seattle, WA
3/11/2012
Altura serves up high quality Italian fare in an intimate (almost verging on cramped) Capital Hill environment. Sit at the bar, and you'll be entertained watching Chef Nathan keep the calm kitchen running smoothly and get to see every step of your food being prepared.
The menu here is very accessible and is not very fussy. The grilled octopus preparation was a popular seller, and was flavorful with the slight kick of pepper. Ours was particularly rubbery, though. The sweetbread preparation was quite good. Stinging nettle ravioli was a nice Northwest touch, though we found the potato gnocci more to our liking. And the pork tenderloin wrapped in speck was divine.
The mix and match ordering concept (pay for 3, 4 or 5 courses, and pick whatever you like) was refreshing and liberating. And the wine recommendation we were given paired nicely with everything. Certainly, not a cheap date night, but a very good meal does not come free. -
Review from David D.
Kirkland, WA
2/27/2012
We made a reservation for our Anniversary for 9PM thinking it would be a safe bet for getting a decent table. From the reviews we had read, the food sounded great but the place sounded small and noisy. We arrived on time and were told very niucely "sorry we are overbooked, and we can't seat you till close to 10PM." FYI, the restaurant closes at 10.. The restaurant really is small and there is no waiting area. They use the bar as part of the eating area. So... we left and started looking for some place to find a drink. We ended up going across the street where not only did we get great service, and a wonderful quiet table but an incredible meal. By the time we got a call to "come baclk" we were enjoy our cocktails and eat succulent shrimp, an incredible mango salad and the most amazing dumplings.
Maybe the food is great at Altura. But with so many good restaurants in the city, to be treated so poorly does not bode well. It seems Seattle people will forgive poor service if the food is different or great. Seems Altura is going that route. I wil lake my business where it is appreciate and I am respected. -
Review from Amy Z.
Seattle, WA
1/9/2012
One of the better meals I've had in Seattle. You can order items a la carte, or go with one of their course setups where prices are fixed according to the number of courses. Their menu is extremely flexible and you can pick and choose any item from any category - for instance, if I picked a 3 course meal, I could pick 3 very large, filling entrees, or a more traditional appetizer, entree, desert setup.
I had the chance to sit at the bar and make friends with a couple of the line cooks - their servers and sommelier (Guy Kugel from Flying Fish) were all very hospitable.
Amazing food + great service + cozy atmosphere (almost looks like it used to be an old coffee shop?). I'm a big fan. -
Review from Andrew M.
1/10/2012
The first time I went to Altura a month ago, the only thing I knew about it was the name, as o'girl had put it on my calendar (I would forget my own name if I could not consult my Outlook calendar). So my expectations were nonexistent.
First of all, we were sat at the counter. Which normally would not be my preference. But in this case, if you are eating with 2, I HIGHLY recommend sitting there. The counter is literally like sitting in the kitchen. You don't just watch the preparation of the food, but you can literally talk the entire time with the absurdly talented chef and team. These guys are about as unpretentious as it comes, which is shocking, because they are the absolute real deal, and anyone who disagrees (with all due respect) has no idea what they are talking about.
Dish after dish was stunningly good. I was pretty blown away. But I chose to wait on reviewing it until after one more visit, because I thought maybe my judgment was being blurred by the wine, and the experience of watching and chatting with the team.
We decided to go back with my brother/wife-in-law for a blow out New Year's Eve dinner. It was a set menu (which is not normal - it is coursed out, but you can choose how many courses and chose options for each course) of 6 courses. We did the wine pairings as well.
The food was stunning. Simple as that. As good as I've had, and I've had some pretty spectacular stuff in my eating career. We started with a kampachi crudo, with blood oranges and olives. It was perfectly balanced and an excellent start. Next came a homemade agnolotti stuffed with rabbit, in a very light and balanced broth which was very nice. Despite how many courses we had to go, I couldn't help but sop the broth up with bread.
Next came the cotechino dish with lentils. To say it was a stunner was an understatement. It was beyond delicious. Prepared to perfection (just don't ask all of what goes into their cotechino - because one member of our table almost wouldn't try it once she knew). The next course was a decadent pheasant with foie gras dish. Again, it was just amazing. At this point, they were hitting everything out of the park, and due to the amount of wine consumed (they just kept refilling), I was literally stuffed. The entree was a fantastic beef tenderloin, prepared in a simple presentation that really worked after the richness of the previous dishes. I honestly could not finish it though, as I was near bursting at the seems. Of course I did somehow stuff some of the dessert cake into my fat face, so I guess I wasn't that full.
The wine pairings were generally spot on, though I didn't love one. But I'm being REALLY nit-picky here, and should probably delete this sentence.
Overall, fantastic. One of the best meals I've had since moving back from San Francisco, and reminded me very much of SF overall. These guys have real skill, and you can't help but pull for them. I have little doubt they are going to do big things. Cheers fellas, I'll be back in soon! -
Review from Heather N.
Seattle, WA
1/18/2012
I admit I don't go to a lot of fancy restaurants with courses and wine pairings; however, I will after my experience at Altura.
We sat right at the bar, so we kind of get to see "how the sausage is made" so to speak. Kitchen dynamics & chef's interacting, so that was pretty fun. Not sure how much they like it, but we did!
We did 4 courses and were stuffed at the end. Wine pairings were so cool--again, I'll admit I have almost nothing to compare this experience--and it made the meal. I absolutely loved every single bite (well, except for the sea urchin on top of the cod, but maybe that is an acquired taste!) -
Review from Jaimisa G.
Seattle, WA
4/7/2012
Finally had the chance to go to Altura and enjoy a wonderful meal at the chef's table! The nettle gnudi is a MUST and was the highlight of the meal. The parsnip gnocchi and the beef carpaccio were also raved about by the entire group. Our server Seth was knowledgeable and really welcoming, as was the entire staff including chef/owner Nathan Lockwood. Will definitely be going back again and highly recommend!!
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Review from Anne C.
Seattle, WA
4/2/2012
My husband and I dined at Altura on a Wednesday night and had a fantastic experience. I opted for the 3 course option, and my husband went with 4 (although we happily shared the dessert).
For me, the highlights of the meal were an amazing light and delicious agnolotti with asparagus puree, caramelized onions served three ways with my chicken saltimbocca (the puree was inspired - so flavorful, it tasted fantastic with everything else on my plate!). Finally, the dessert included a mascarpone gelato with dehydrated strawberries. It all tasted a bit like a strawberry short cake. It was amazing. A week later, I'm still thinking about that tart and tasty ice cream with crunchy strawberries...
I highly recommend Altura! -
Review from Nicole D.
Emeryville, CA
4/12/2012
Dining at Altura is like being in Heaven. Each dish is a masterful combination of exciting, delicious, and complex flavors. The beef carpaccio was creamy, smoky and tart. The risotto with prosciutto and peas was as fine as the risotto at a Michelin starred restaurant in Milan. The spiciness of the wild boar ragu was complimented by the sweetness of the parsnip gnocchi. The ribeye cap was the best beef I've ever had.
And I will never forget the texture of the luscious panna cotta -perfection!
The staff were all knowledgable, warm and attentive. The setting was also warm and soothing in terms of lighting, sound, and decor. I highly recommend Altura and can't wait to go back myself! -
Review from Jamie J.
If you're the kind of person who keeps a list of restaurants that have yet to be tried, move this one right up to the top. What an amazing addition to Capitol Hill. The big dogs better move over, because we have a new chef in town!
A couple tips:
1. Sit at the bar to watch the chefs work their magic - much like Harvest Vine - this elevates the dining experience and you actually get to know the chefs.
2. Don't rush. Leave a good block of your evening to really enjoy this experience and to get to know the lovely people who are guiding you along.
Now the food...
Everyone in my party ordered the 3 course dinner. You can pick 3 dishes of your choosing from whatever section; you can pick 3 desserts if you want (I did think about it for a second). The Chef presented a separate truffle menu that was hard to pass up, so each of us ordered the truffle pasta dish that came topped with a serious load of shaved white truffle. I think I died in my chair.
[To start] Cauliflower Soup (courtesy of the chef); amazing. Just give me the pot!
[Next] Parsnip Gnocchi, wild boar ragu. Hello. Welcome to the big time. A must try.
[Truffle Dish] You must order something with truffle. Chef Nathan has big huge truffles (black and white) that are just waiting to be used. Ask him to smell them. He will graciously allow to take a couple wiffs.
[Main] I ordered the roasted chicken which was to die for. Best chicken I've ever had; no joke - slightly genius. I also tried the scallops which were delicious.
[Dessert] We ordered all but one of the desserts on the menu and they were all so good! I have to say my favorite was the salted caramel chocolate goodness/cake.
Overall, the food was amazing. But I really loved the very cool and welcoming attitudes of the chefs and staff; it's casual and the food, and accompanying experience, are what count. At one point, the hostess was behind the bar rolling out little gnocchi - darling. The chefs were creating our food from start to finish right before our eyes; you can't get a more personal experience. All of the chefs were so friendly. Chef Nathan is a very cool dude who is more than willing to answer your questions and let you taste the random bits floating around the kitchen. To add, the wine pairings were superb and the knowledge of the staff, stunning.
Spinasse was my favorite restaurant in Seattle... until last night. Altura totally swept me off my feet.
[insert heavenly sounding, eye-opening, music here]
Check out what Eater had to say:
http://seattle.eater.c...Listed in: You Fancy, huh?, Obsession: Salted Caramel
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Review from John J.
11/28/2011
The food here was amazing, as everyone else is conveying. The chicken entrée was playful and delicious, and has made me conclude that chicken skin is indeed better than anything else in the world.
Because my girlfriend and I blazed through the gnocchi so fast, the kitchen gave us free butternut ravioli -- hard to beat that sort of service. The kitchen also accommodated our off-menu order of herbed potatoes after seeing the chef make some for the steak dishes.
The highlight for me -- a guy who loves to cook at home -- was the open kitchen. Maybe I haven't been looking, but this is the most open kitchen I've seen. We sat at the bar and watched the team throw things into a dutch oven full of oil, carve and sear duck breast, and otherwise make delicious food. It made me want to cook at home that night after running to a restaurant supply store. That's a huge compliment to Altura. -
Review from Philip S.
Seattle, WA
11/28/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Foodies take note. Altura is the real deal. Our experience at Altura this Saturday was the best we've had in the 3 years we've lived in Seattle. The food is nothing short of outstanding.
Altura does the course pairing price fix thing. Dinners can do 3 combinations, 4. 5 at a fixed price point. The menu is updated every Tuesday with the freshest of local ingredients and is currently divided into 3 sections: appetizer choices (about 5), pasta choices (about 5), and main entree (about 5). The portions are balanced for an ideal 3 course pairing that essentially equates to an entree and appetizer at your average fine dining establishment. All of the choices on the menu, regardless of the section, were fascinating, unique, and mouth watering.
I chose a califlower soup with charred brocolli, then the parsnip gnochi with wild boar ragout, and finally the wagyu beef with fried rice balls. The soup was outstanding. Things really picked up when the gnochi arrived though. Holy cow folks! The gnochi was tender flavorful and the wild boar complimented it perfectly. Then the beef arrived and wow again. Perfectly grilled with just the right char. My wife had a nice salad to start with apples, hazelnut, and gorgonzola. She skipped the second course and went right to the man dish....she chose the scallops. Again total score. They were prepared with parsnip mash and fennel for perfect sweet and savory combination.
All the while we sat at the counter and watched the masterful chef Lockwood artfully prepare every dish with care. So much effort went into the perfect pairing of elements and presentation of each dish. It really added to the fun of the night. The chef was even kind enough to give us a taste of the duck dish on the menu which was out of this world and, again, the best I've had in Seattle. He also gave both my wife and I a taste of the proscuito wrapped sturgeon that was very unique in presentation and taste.
Altura also has a large wine selection, a small but, interesting beer selection, and a small spirit selection. I'd love to see them try their hand at cocktails down the road.
All in all chefs of Seattle be very scared. Totally outstanding! -
Review from Ryan B.
Seattle, WA
1/22/2012
I don't go to the trouble of writing reviews unless something is really special and worth mentioning which is why I am writing a quick review of Altura. I took my wife for her birthday last night and it was totally...exceptionally...fantastic. Our expectations were reasonably high as we love to eat out and have had some great experiences to compare to (Crush, Lark, Canlis, Spinasse, Book Bindery, Mistral, etc.) -- so Altura had a high bar to meet and they knocked it out of the park.
We did the 5 course dinner and wine pairing and ended up taking most of the 5th course home (the ribeye for two...having for lunch today- Yum!) becuase even though the plates are small -- after 4 of them + the wine, we were pretty much spent (figuratively and literally).
The food was incredible but not over-engineered and complicated. You didn't feel like you were eating art and the ingredients were so fresh and allowed to be the stars without over saucing and seasoning everything out of recognition.
The environment was lively and the staff was excellent (knowledgeable, down-to-earth, attentive w/o being ridiculous). And they paced the dinner and wine prefectly which is one of my biggest peeves if they get it wrong.
I could go on but you get the point. Go. Make sure you do the wine pairing or you'll be missing out on something really special. You'll love it. -
Review from Amy Y.
Sammamish, WA
3/1/2012
My husband and I have been to many fine dining restaurants in Seattle - Spinasse, Cafe Juanita, Lola, Rover's, Herbfarm, Barking Frog, Canlis, Dahlia. We went to Altura last night. We agree that it's the best meal in Seattle.
I ate at Mario Batali's Babbo in NYC before. Altura is as good as Babbo. I have had pasta in Tuscany (Montepulciano). Altura's pappardelle is just as good.
Food taste, creativity, presentation - flawless
service - attentive and not obstrusive
deco and ambience - wonderful
We both had 5-course option, so we tried 10 dishes in total. Every dish was amazing.
What we had:
- Apps: cold smoked kampachi and crispy veal sweetbreads - flavorful and perfectly seasoned
- Pastas: pappardelle with braised tripe and oxtail, potato gnocchi in lamb and kobe beef ragu - very small portion but huge on flavors. We couldn't have enough of them, esp the pappardelle. To die for.
- Entrees: neah bay skate king, potato crusted petrale sole, and tails and trotters pork shank
- Cheese plate
- Deserts: chocolate truffle cake, tangerine in "velo" - tangerine is so light and refreshing, unlike any desert I had before. Truffle cake very well done. It puts many famous desert shops to shame.
The waiter looks like a Canali model, same sideswept haircut, geek chic black rimmed glasses, slim cut suit, and angular face. Our waitress also has cool specs. Everyone on the service staff looked too cool for school.
Only complaint - slow food prep. Our dinner took 2 hours and we boxed the cheese plate. If we had 3 hours to chill, it'd be perfect. I would probably sit at the counter and watch them cook for 3 hours next time. -
Review from B. J.
AMBIENCE - A (cool and relaxed )
SERVICE - A (server made recommendation when dishes should come out)
FOOD - A (I like like delicious artful food)
PRICE - A (like the 3 - 5 plate options/pricing - you can order anything!)
Sat at the bar and fun watching food being cooked and prep.
Presented with an Aperitif .
Presented with a comped. leek custard w/ mushrooms and macro greens?
I chose the 3 dish options where I could order literally anything and not stuck to a starter/entree / dessert.
I could have had 3 entrees!
My date and chose -
-Squab and Pheasant agnolotti with Chantrelle and blk truffle mushroom.
- Tagliatelle pasta with sea urchin and dungeness crab with tarragon lime.
- Fennel pollen dusted scallop with potato parsnip purée with grilled fennel and treviso (radicchio) - one of my first bites of a scallop was overcooked and I was worried that whole dish was ruined, but thank goodness the other scallops were more al dente.
-Anderson ranch lamb - Loin, Shoulder, Rib with olives artichokes greens.
-Roots chicory salad
-Panne Cotta
Nice wine selections.
I hear the chef used to work at the "Ruins" - another favorite old haunt of mine... good luck to ya' in your new personal endeavor!
I can't wait to go back... and wonderful great restaurant addition for the neighborhood.
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD! -
Review from Mary W.
Seattle, WA
3/9/2012
Worth months of eating at home just to go here for dinner. The most careful, elegant, earthy deliciousness ever. LOVE.
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Review from Lisa L.
Seattle, WA
3/25/2012
Food was great. Service was one of the worst we've ever experienced.
We had a dinner reservation for two at 8:45pm and upon arrival was told that it would be a 20 minute wait max....It turned into a 45 minute wait.
When we asked when we would be seated, the hostess was defensive. There was not a single apology or anything from the wait staff for the wait.
They rushed us through dinner as well. We ordered the Chef's Tasting menu and before we were even done with dessert, they dropped off the check.
Oh yeah, the food was good. But with service that terrible, our night was ruined. From the other reviews, our experience doesn't seem to be an anomaly.
I wouldn't come here on any occasion of importance as you might find your night ruined as well. -
Review from Anton Z.
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great, inventive food with a hint of genius. We went for the pre fixe meal, and staggered our courses so that we'd get to try each of the various options.
Service was friendly and outgoing, but seemed almost stifling (we had someone come by every couple seconds to refill our water). Though it took a while to get menus, the staff was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable when we had questions.
Food was outstanding - the salad was light and flavorful while the pasta was fresh and had deep flavors. I enjoyed the cheese plate for our last course, which had a nice selection of different cheese and accompaniment.
Our only concern (in addition to the service) was the pacing of the courses - we had choices that seemed to be very spread out, while others seemed to have food come in really short intervals. This might just be growing pains, and certainly the food was worth the wait. -
Review from Patrick Q.
Seattle, WA
2/13/2012
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Seattle. After going there for the first one, I returned the second night with another set of friends.
I would highly recommend the wild boar ragu, parsnip gnocchi, and the wagyu coulotte steak - absolutely divine. Counter seating is great, too - you are literally in the kitchen. -
Review from Jai S.
Seattle, WA
2/11/2012
After 20 years on Capitol Hill, we move to West Seattle and came back to Broadway for our first date night after our new baby. Clam and precise. Food was the real deal. Service was very inviting. Thank you.
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Review from Putbory T.
Seattle, WA
2/17/2012
Boyfriend made late valentines day reservations here for a surprise dinner, got us two seats at the Chef's counter. Great experience watching the kitchen in action. We each had the four course with wine pairings. The eight courses we had were: albacore crudo, veal sweetbreads, beef carpaccio with boquerones, gnocchi with spicy lamb and kobe beef ragu, pappardelle with braised tripe and oxtail, pork shank, lobster fricassee, and tangerine in velo for dessert. My favorites were the pappardelle (the tripe was reminiscent of the tripe I had at a tripe cart in a Florentine marketplace in Italy); the beef carpaccio (so rich, fresh, delicious); the Pork Shank (melt in your mouth goodness); and the Gnocchi with spicy ragu. The service was spectacular (Thanks Ron for your knowledgeable tips on the wine and food). The atmosphere was not stuffy at all, we interacted with the chefs on the other side of the counter throughout the night and it made the experience that much more fun.
The price tag: A little bit under $300 for two, worth it for a special occasion. -
Review from Jason M.
2/14/2012
Oh man, this place is great. Perfect level of service - attentive, but not stifling. It was incredibly crowded, even at 9:00pm on a weeknight. I highly recommend reservations, and not having a large party.
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Review from A. B.
Seattle, WA
12/17/2011
I'm pretty surprised with the great reviews here. we went in a group of 4 based on the raves on Yelp but for me it was a 3.5 stars. we had a loooong wait inspite of having a reservation, though the staff was very apologetic & 'i think' gave us free champagne to make up. so service was overall very good. food was mixed - some things were AOK, such as the Kampachi crudo, though it had great flavors, the fish was overdone or the rabbit main dish that my friends ordered which had come highly recommended by the server. meanwhile the kobe beef appetizer & the parsnip gnocchi were as good as promised.
given it was a really expensive tab by Seattle standards, i'm not sure i'd go back - at that price i expect everything to be perfect. period.Listed in: Why Bother
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Review from Perugia N.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2011
This is not an Italian restaurant in its pure definition. I would call it an international restaurant with original dishes that carry an Italian influence.
The menu set up is odd as it asks you to order not the traditional appetizer, primo and then secondo, but 3 or 4 dishes served at once tapas-style. You can choose to order in the traditional style however, but you must state whether you want the dish to be appetizer portion or entree portion. A bit complicated, really.
I ordered the Cauliflower soup which was flavorful and smooth with its velvety veloute texture. If you are vegetarian, the chef can create a veggie version of most dishes on the menu for you on the fly, depending on what ingredients he has in the kitchen, a very nice touch. For the main course, I ordered a Rabbit Agnolotti, which came delicate and balanced in a bit of broth and ragu. This is very unusual but it was delicious.
The service was friendly, energetic, attentive. Our wine was off so we returned it. The waiter took it back with apologies. Perhaps the one thing that I will criticize about this restaurant is the rather small portion of its 'main courses' for the price charged. You would have to ask for a larger portion, or the 'entree portion', for which the price would be higher.
Do not come here expecting traditional Italian. The food is good, but it is inspired by Italian cooking and traditions. Expect twists and innovation, and you will be pleasantly surprised. -
Review from Alan N.
Brooklyn, NY
3/5/2012
OVER PRICED and not worth the money!!!
I'm not sure why all the rave reviews on here. The food was just ok. Nothing game changing. First of all it is crazy expensive. Let me start by saying that the menu limited to only 3 course, 4 course, or 5 course. NO a la carte ordering which is uber pretentious, especially for Seattle on Broadway and no fair warning of this until you sit down. The atmosphere is overly lit, small, room with cheesy decor of some hideous angel from a European chapel. ??? Why...it makes no sense. The place seems to be lacking an identity.
For two of us, we each had the 3 course meal and a very, very delicious $40 bottle of red wine and the bill with tip was a whopping $170. OVERPRICED with the portions being small and nothing to write home about. The presentation was average not "artfully presented" as some reviews stated. Seattle is often noted for in the Forbes most OVERPRICED city and this is a prime example.
My first course was the Veal sweetbreads. They were fairly good but I would hardly call them "crispy" as noted on the menu. My dinner companion had the Albacore and Bresaola Salad. The Albacore wasn't fresh, a bit fishy, and all in all the dish was quite bland.
For the second course I had the Beet Green Gnudi. This was the best dish of my 3 courses. The Gnudi was light and doughy in a delicious rabbit ragu. My friend had Nettle Ravioli is was fine. Nothing too exciting by that dish in the first place.
As for our third course I had the Skate Wing. I LOVE SKATE WING. It's rare to see it on the menu and I was very, very excited about this dish. However, it was a big disappointment. Skate wing is supposed to be delicate and light this however was dense and oily with a heavy batter that did nothing but destroy the fish. My friend had the fillet of beef which was cooked well and accompanied by scalloped potatoes which were the third best thing of the dinner. However, the beef was a bit cold. :(
All in all this restaurant is no where near close to deserving the James Beard award for #1 restaurant in Seattle, let alone in the country!?!? Very disappointing and at those prices. I gave it two stars because the server was very knowledgable and attentive. The service was the only thing that I found above par about this experience. -
Review from Ben M.
King, WA
4/12/2012
We went last night for our anniversary dinner and did four courses each, plus one wine pairing. Great service and great food, properly prepared and artistically presented. Meal kept getting better and then the desserts (we had the Chocolate Mint Panna Cotta and the Chocolate Truffle Cake w/rosemary) were quitely simply among the best I have ever had. We enjoyed sitting at the counter and watching the food being prepared. The chef and line cooks exuded this calm professionalism... very interesting to study their techniques. Altura is on top of its game....
