13 Dec Radici

by Courtney Crockett

As a local I have eaten at Radici many times since its June 2013 opening, though had not yet had the pleasure of meeting the owner. Rudy La Valle had been the quiet force behind his restaurant’s fresh Italian menu until he recently shared with me details about his successful history as Seattle restaurateur.

Rudy La Valle, owner Radici

Background– Rudy originates from British Columbia making a stop in Los Angeles before coming to Seattle. He began his food and restaurant career while in LA during the boom years of the late 1970’s – early 80’s working with industry legends like Wolfgang Puck. A life change and a new family to care for brought Rudy to Seattle where he first used his knowledge and experience in management at highly popular Seattle establishments Wild Ginger and Cafe Juanita.

Then, in 1988 he opened his own restaurant, Rialto Pasta Bar and Grill in Green Lake which focused on fresh and accessible Italian cuisine. Rialto was much loved by its neighborhood and served its loyal customers for some 10 years before re-locating to Fremont in 2009. Rialto made itself at home with local support for another 3 years before Rudy changed direction. In 2013 Rudy decided to come to Pioneer Square with a menu focused on his family heritage deriving from the Calabria region of Italy.

Pioneer Square– Rudy was initially reticent about Pioneer Square for his new restaurant venture. He took a chance on the Second Ave S location, a former restaurant that had been sitting empty for 6 months but had a fully equipped kitchen. Local business, b9 architects originally located around the corner from Radici, was contracted to help create the industrial style using white tile and polished wood. To reinforce the family theme, daughter Cassandra contributed to design and ancestral family photos align the walls. The end result is both a modern and relaxed environment.

Menu- Come for Dinner! Radici is now open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. The reasonably priced menu features Rudy’s signature red sauce aka Rudy’s Red Sauce which is a comforting all-day-on-the-stove-top Italian mama recipe made with meatballs, sausages and pork ribs. Pastas are made fresh daily with vegetarian and gluten free pasta options available. Great well-priced Italian wines within the $20 range are staple.

Radici also has a new Happy Hour menu. Rudy highly recommends the Ravioli Carbonara. A single fresh pasta sheet filled with a whole raw egg, ricotta and spinach. Proscuitto and parmesan to top.

Lunch menu and specials change every week. Seasonal menu changes are additionally offered. For more information visit radiciseattle.com.