Finding Italian

di mare puttanesca with freshly grated parmesan

I used to think I didn't like Italian food. It turns out I just hadn't found a good Italian restaurant outside of chain restaurants.

I went to Bucatini in Edmonds with some friends for a nice ladies' Friday night dinner.

I got the di mare puttanesca, the most expensive special on their large chalkboard menu. I got it not because it was costly, but because it sounded technical. I wanted to try something with a lot of complexity. I also am a fan of squid ink. Although I've tried Capriciossa's squid-ink pasta dish—all black with flavor and opacity, Bucatini incorporates squid-ink pasta in puttanesca sauce. Their di mare puttanesca is cooked with peppers seared on the skillet, then loaded with an assortment of seafood. When our server brought me this dish, all I could see was a pile of seafood! The beautiful lobster tail in the center was almost ornamental.

I paired the puttanesca with a glass of cabernet.

The ratio of seafood to pasta noodles is a good thing. Portion size is large. Several of my bites were either from a bit of scallop, fish, an olive, octopus, shrimp, mussel, another olive, and saving the best for last: lobster tail.

I really had to dig in deep with my fork to find the squid-ink pasta, which is flavorful on its own. :)

I had to get a takeout box, as there was so much I couldn't finish. And I'm happy because now I have the next lunch and dinner taken care of.

If you're in the Seattle area or plan to visit, I highly recommend Bucatini in Edmonds for locally owned authentic Italian. It was a nice touch to see the chef greet patrons at the door and make sure they were comfortable. Bucatini has grown noticeably since it first opened a few years ago, they use quality ingredients which they aren't at all stingy with, and staff are attentive. Our water glasses were being refilled even after we settled our bill and continued to catch up. My friends liked their food, too (Linda got the gnocchi special, while Laura ordered the Da Chicken hero). I enjoy seeing new developments each time I visit.

squid-ink pasta, al dente