It took a friend and I a little longer than it should have to find Cucina De-Ra, because apparently as soon as you graduate college you become an idiot and can’t locate street intersections. As soon as we located De Ra we realized it had a prime location spot, right next to the new Olympic Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle. We arrived on an early Tuesday night, so we didn’t expect the place to be full, but we also didn’t expect it to be empty (I blamed it on the fact that the sun was finally out). I was also surprised there wasn’t people after we left, considering how good the food was.
The menu is a mix of Spanish and Italian recipes, or “Spanalian” as I nicknamed it during our dinner. Although owner Jim Malevitsis, who is extremely nice, describes it more as “updated Italian food.” Since the restaurant is located in the Heart of Belltown, of course there is a bar, which has a very good and affordable selection of wine. We ordered some Pinot Grigio, since we neither know what kind of wine would be good with what and when you are in your early twenties, all wines, no matter the price or year, tastes good.
After eating more bread than all of the Italian population and a bowl of clams (delicious), we received our 8-hour braised lamb in chianti reduction and a risotto with prawns and saffron. The food reminded me of my time in Italy and actually made me want to hop on a scooter and ride around saying “Ciao”. Stereotypes aside, I can go on about how good the food was, but I will just let some pictures do the talking for me. It wasn’t “out of this world”, but it definitely satisfied us in a good way.
For Dessert, we ordered a Panna Cotta Bread Pudding Topped with Crème Anglaise. It sounds fancy, but that did not stop me from swallowing it whole. Bread pudding is my favorite dessert, taking me back to my childhood in Mexico, and it seems like a rare find in restaurants these days. Also, everyone I am sure gets the Tiramisu so I decided to go a different route. It paid off.
I would write more about Cucina De-Ra, but I don’t want to. Just get off your lazy ass and go try a new restaurant and take advantage of the good weather Seattle has been having. Overall, our experience at Cucina De-Ra was good. It may be a bit pricey for some folks, but it is a good bet for the lunch crowd, especially on a weekend after walking around the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Hours: Open 7 Days A Week
Lunch Monday - Friday 11:30-3:00
Dinner Sunday - Thursday 5:00-10:00
Friday - Saturday 5:00-11:00
Happy Hour Monday - Friday 4:00-6:30
Phone: 206.728.9600 Fax: 206.728.9605
2801 Western Avenue, Suite E Seattle WA 98121
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