Piatti, University Village

A couple years ago a girlfriend of mine shared with me one of her favorite pastimes. She said, "Do you want to know what I love to do? I love to eat an early dinner at that Italian restaurant in University Village. You know that one on the corner right across from the Gap?"

"Piatti?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, "Piatti! It's so good. I love to go there for an early dinner and a glass of wine and then walk around University Village afterward. The whole event makes me feel like I'm in Italy strolling around a piazza. I just love it."

I must admit that my friend's passion for this restaurant and its surroundings surprised me a bit (she really did use the word "love" at least four times while talking about it), because Piatti is a chain based in California, and University Village is a shopping mall, not an Italian piazza.

The thing is though, my friend is absolutely right. Piatti is so good. While the restaurant does have eleven siblings across the country who possess the same logo and "rustic Italian" concept, head chef Felix Acosta is allowed to take liberties, interpreting the entrees in his own way. Acosta has been a well-known chef in Seattle for years at restaurants such as The Dahlia Lounge and Marco's Supperclub. Local ingredients appear on the menu regularly, and although the selections change seasonally, some of my favorites have been summer's mixed greens and berry salad with grilled Alaskan salmon and autumn's wild mushroom ravioli. The resturant's signature olive oil and balsamic vinegar dipping sauce is delicious. It's loaded with herbs and garlic and served with soft bread.

I have never eaten dessert at Piatti, but instead have taken to following my friend's lead of walking along the paths of University Village before enjoying a sweet treat. I ate a late lunch at Piatti last week. It was one of Seatte's first warm spring days. After the meal I worked my way over to Fran's for chocolate truffles and then to Ravenna Gardens. As I stood there among the boxes of fresh rosemary and lavender, I imagined myself at an open-air market in Provence choosing herbs to plant in the garden of my country farmhouse.

Piatti Seattle
2695 NE Village Lane
(206) 524-9088