Family Feast: Altura

Christmas Dinner at Altura

After so many years of Christmas surprises, presents and delicious meals, my brother and I decided to turn the tables and treat our parents to a nice meal. Altura has been named "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation and has appeared in countless reviews and articles for its locally sourced, open-kitchen concept. Its affordable wine pairing option also made it the perfect choice for a fun family outing post-Christmas. I think we found a new fav in Seattle!

Amuse Bouche: Fermented potatoes with arugula/pesto puree, house-cured ham, Japanese parsley, Italian olives

First course: Foie Gras seared and chilled

First Course: Wagyu beef crudo 

Course 1: Spicy grilled octopus

Course 2: Gnocchi with lamb and wagyu beef ragu

Course 2: Wild Boar Tajarin

Course 2: Pappardelle with spicy ragu of braised tripe and oxtail

Course 3: Wagyu steak with toasted farro and hedgehog mushrooms

Course 3: Cod with crispy potato and melted leeks

Course 3: Venison with pomegranate and brussels sprouts

Course 4: Bourbon caramel semifreddo

Course 4: Meyer lemon in velo

Roman chocolate affogato with personalized menu to take home!

One of the more unique aspects of this restaurant is the ability to really customize your dining experience. There is only the option of a tasting menu, but after the three course minimum, you can actually add additional courses for $11 each. Aside from one entree, you can choose how you want the rest of your courses to be allocated (i.e., two pasta courses, no dessert course, three appetizer courses, etc). We opted for a more traditional four course meal with one from each category, which I found to be a good balance. Also got the wine pairing which was a great deal at around four glasses for $48! We'll hopefully be returning for future special occasions, can't wait to see what they have on the menu next time around.

All photography in this post thanks to Jeremy Tang!