Where have I been? What am I up to? What’s happened to me? Where are the restaurant reviews? Those are probably some of the questions that inquiring minds have been asking about my disappearance. Well, the long answer short is “changes”. The holidays last year brought about a hiatus from restaurant reviews but my planned return in January was interrupted by a condo purchase. Yes, I am the proud owner of my own domicile on Capitol Hill. But that wasn’t to be the only change. Shortly after closing on my new home, I was laid-off from my job. That was a little bit less of a surprise but still a wrench in my ointment; mixaphorically speaking. Less than a week after being told to hit the street by my ex-employer I was able to secure gainful employment with a firm that was within walking distance of my new home. With all that crises and stress cleansed from system I felt emptiness. An emptiness that could only be filled with food; what better way to fill that space then by including it in a review. So as I strolled around my new neighborhood today I remembered a new restaurant opening I’d heard about back around New Year’s Day - Volunteer Park Cafe & Marketplace.

While a bit more of a walk than I expected from my home near Denny and Olive, it was enough to get the blood flowing and really stoke the appetite. Once at the cafe I was reminded of the Fremont location of Essential Baking Company. Open and airy with cramped crew quarters behind the counter. The counter itself made up of a cash register and the pastry case; behind which was the Panini grill and chef’s work station. A line had formed before I arrived but was quickly dispersed by the quick order taking of the staff. Once I had my order placed I sought out somewhere to sit. While seating was plentiful the choice spots on the banquettes near the windows were at a premium. I instead had to opt for a more public spot in the middle of the dining area. While my order was quick to be taken, it took a while for my food to come up once it was done. If you are looking for a quick meal stick with a salad or something from the pastry case. But soon my name was called and grabbed my two plates. I told you I had a void to fill.

My first plate was a Roast Beef and Caramelized Onion Panini ($7.95). The large slices of peasant bread were pressed thin and crunchy with golden brown grill marks. Inside, the sandwich was packed with extremely thin slices of tender roast beef. My first bite was filled with beefy juiciness and gooey Gorgonzola cheese. Salty and meaty the sandwich had an undertone of brininess from an olive tapenade that spiked the filling of my Panini. In addition to meat, cheese and olives the sandwich as made more complex with the addition of caramelized onions sweetened by slow cooking in sherry. For a simple Panini sandwich there was a lot going on between these two slices of bread.

The second part of my lunch was a Phyllo Mushroom Tart ($6.95) and like its sandwich compatriot it was complex in its make-up. At first I was a little concerned with the pile of greens that obscured most of the tart. I ordered a savory pastry of mushrooms and here I have something in front of me that resembles a bowl of salad. Though I would later come to appreciate the fresh, wild complement of these well dressed greens, I rather would have preferred having half as much served to me. The mushrooms themselves, once I’d excavated them, were somewhat unremarkable. Shitake and, perhaps, cremini mushrooms they’d been cooked with various herbs and were quite substantial and meaty but not cooked near long enough to break them down into the intensely flavor morsels they could be. No, most of the flavor came from the combination of the warm, fresh chevre, caramelized onions and buttery, yet like and crispy phyllo. This foundation proved to be very rich and almost too much but, as I mentioned above, there was the lovely green arugula salad. With their fresh-picked, wild countenance lightening the overall experience of the tart I welcomed each forkful, dotted with onion, cheese and mushroom.

Is the Volunteer Park Cafe & Marketplace a destination restaurant? In my opinion, no. I say this because I feel that you can get similar quality and menu items at many cafes around the Seattle area. I will, however, recommend that if you are out for a sunny (or even cloudy) stroll in Volunteer Park that you take a short side trip to the cafe to imbibe in a soda, coffee, tea or even a beer or wine along with a little something to nosh from their menu.

Looking back on my past few reviews I seem to have taken an easier road in reviewing sandwiches and quick lunchtime fare. While lunch is an important meal my hope is to bring you all more reviews; especially dinner reviews. So with so much behind me I look forward to spending more quality time eating out and at the keyboard of my computer.