04 Dec Friday Feature: Al Boccalino

Did you know that Seattle has a Little Italy?

They do, and they even have a slogan: “Where the food is authentic and you are always at home.”

We went and tried one of the Little Italy restaurants last week: Al Boccalino. Located at 1 Yesler (right next to the viaduct), this restaurant will eventually have a great connection to the waterfront.  We found the restaurant address, but because their entryway is so dark (and no blinking neon “OPEN” sign), we weren’t sure if they were open. But sure enough, there were a few other people in the restaurant and we were quickly seated.

The atmosphere in the restaurant is cozy –decorated masks and canvas paintings hang on brick walls, the lighting is dim, with candles on every table. And contrary to many restaurants in the city – even when there are a lot of people seated, it’s still relatively quiet. We had to laugh at first, because of the odd music playing in the restaurant — I think it started with a little rap, and then some Frank Sinatra, and then another oldies. Not sure what Sirius radio station that is, but they should definitely find an Italian one.

As we waited for our food, we tried some “parmesan crackers”, which I personally didn’t like; they were crumbly and had no real taste. Angela, one of owners, stopped by our table to chat a little bit about the restaurant’s history and about Little Italy. Al Boccalino has been open since 1989, and she and Luigi own 3 other Italian restaurants in the city. She hopes that more Italian stores will come down to the area to help it grow larger; perhaps a nice Italian bakery. She said that one of their struggles in the neighborhood is getting the other retailers to work together; she said that they couldn’t all agree on setting holiday hours for the neighborhood.

And now to the most important part: the food. As appetizers, our table started with bruschetta, a pear and gorgonzola salad, and a tomato and mozzarella dish, which were all just the right sizes and the right mix of flavors. For the main course, both the husband and I decided to try the Italian spaghetti and meatballs. We couldn’t pass it up after she described them as “delicious Sicilian meatballs, mixed with raisins and pine nuts.” And believe me, the meatballs were perfect – just a little bit of sweetness from the raisins, mixed with the texture of the pine nuts. Some online reviews of the restaurant suggest the portion sizes are too small, but I think that they are just right.

Other suggestions of what to try: the seafood risotto, the lasagna, and the cheesecake

A suggestion of what not to try: the crab ravioli; one guest tried it, but felt that it tasted more canned than fresh. Then again, she’s from Seattle – and when it comes to seafood, Seattleites can be rather picky.

Prices run from $8 for lunch size to $12 and $15 plates for the dinner size. Although a little pricey, the atmosphere was great and we received great service. According to an online food site, “diners in the know come Sunday-Thursday to indulge in the five-course dinner-for-two offerings.”

Lunch: Monday – Friday 11:30am to 2:30pm
Dinner: Monday – Saturday 5pm to 10pm
1 Yesler Way
Seattle, WA 98104
Ph: 206.622.7688

Website Link

[Friday Feature is new– I plan on doing a feature of a business every week (retail, food, etc). We don’t let the business know we are reviewing them until we’re leaving. If you have any suggestions of a place to try, let me know]