Dinner at the Harvest Vine

Tonight I had the pleasure of dining at the Harvest Vine in Madison Park.  It's a small, jewel of a place tucked into the leafy green Seattle neighborhood.  They serve Basque style tapas and even though I've never been to Spain the ambiance and the food take me there-which happens to be way cheaper than a plane ticket.  The restaurant has two levels and I love the quaint and narrow staircase leading downstairs to a more intimate dining room with a nice wine cellar along the wall.  I absolutely love the flavors of the dishes.  They use a lot of garlic and fresh produce which really enhances the food.  We sat upstairs and the late August sun was to my back, which in Seattle is something of a pleasurable thing. It's an open concept kitchen so you can see the chefs in action, preparing each dish.  If you desire you can sit at the counter for a closer look. 

                                       My husband started off with a glass of red wine. 

        Everyone is presented with bread and a Pinxto, which is a Spanish starter to wet the appetite.  It was so flavorful and reminded me of Gazpacho. 

                   The Pimientos de Padrons- Green Peppers covered in sea salt.  I loved these!

 The Vegidarte Cheese which is ash rubbed goat cheese with cherry preserves.  I'll admit it- I have a weakness for goat cheese.  Add some fruit preserves and it makes my knees weak.  The bread went so well with this, I simply couldn't get enough! 

 The Ensalada Lando- Heirloom tomatoes.  The olive oil was delicious, especially with some bread dipped into it.  The garlic really enhanced the dish and it tasted fresh and summery.

 The Piquillos Rellenos de Brandada- salt cod and potato mousse stuffed Piquillo peppers.  I loved this dish, too.  The texture of the cod was pureed and reminded me of the richness of crab meat.

 Foie de Pato- cured duck with melons.  It was the perfect amount of salty and blended well with the sweetness of the melon. 

                                                            The staircase leading downstairs.