Cascina Spinasse
This casual, yet impeccably run restaurant is in the hip Capitol Hill district of Seattle and specializes in northern Italian (specifically Piedmont) cuisine. All the pasta is made in house, and in addition to offering individual plates, they give you the option to try the entire menu served family style. My recommendation is to come with plenty of friends and select that latter.
Mushroom Ravioli
On this occasion, my wife, Traci, had flown in for a few days while I was working and we spent a relaxing evening with plenty of food and two great bottles. All the courses were terrific, and we left more than satisfied.
The wines included a brilliant, young and backward 2010 Domenico Clerico Ciabot Mentin and an elegant 2008 Haut Bailly. I’ve always loved the wines from Clerico and the 2010 Ciabot Mentin Ginestra was youthful, with beautiful fruit and ripe tannin. It was a joy to drink. I know the modus operandi (i.e. MO) in the US is to squirrel these away, but don’t discount the pleasure Nebbiolo can provide in its youth.
The 2008 Haut Bailly was singing, and this is an unquestionably underrated vintage in the market today. The 2008 is a quintessential Pessac-Leognan and offers beautiful fruit, lots of earth, graphite and minerality, medium to full-bodied richness and a great finish. Both bottles were decanted, and this was singing from the first sip to the last.
Cascina Spinasse: Casual Elegance
I’ve spent numerous evening at this tiny, bistro styled restaurant, and hope to have many more.
Cascina Spinasse, 1531 14th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122 Tel + 1 206 251 7673
Food:
Course 1: Asparagi con maionesse (Asparagus with bagnet vert maionesse, bread crumb and spring onion)
Course 2: Funghi di ostriche con salsa di ostriche (Marinated king oyster mushroom with controne chickpeas, fennel and Shigoku oyster emulsion)
Course 3: Agnello tonnato (chilled and thinly sliced roasted lamb loin with salsa tonnata, capers, anchovy and parsley)
Course 4: Tajarin al Ragù o Burro e Salvia (Egg pasta with ragù)