For dinner I found myself back in Wallingford. While I’ve covered quite a few Wallingford restaurants recently and have wanted to visit other parts of town; there are two reasons why I decided on dining in this neighborhood again so soon. One was because of a restaurant that I had noticed opened just last week. And two, well, I was feeling particularly drained of energy at the end of my Thursday workday. So as a light drizzle fell from the sky I arrived at The Golden Olive on 45th Street.

The Golden Olive celebrated their grand opening on July 5th. While there are other Mediterranean eateries in the area I had high hopes that a newly opened restaurant would have something exciting to offer. Unfortunately that was not to be the case. Once inside the restaurant, having taken a few moments to review the menu, it struck me that the offerings were much the same as most Greek restaurants. Greek burgers, gyros, souvlaki, Greek salad and Italian pasta dishes given a Greek spin. Rather disappointing for someone who was expecting a bit more but I made a selection and waited for it to arrive.

The service was quick and I was promptly served my order of Mediterranean Shrimp Scampi ($12.99). More like Mediterranean shrimp spaghetti my dinner arrived as fettuccini noodles covered in a fresh tasting tomato sauce dotted with medium-sized shrimp and sliced mushrooms. The shrimp were fine, though a tad overcooked but the mushrooms were totally bland and tasted like they came from a can. The fettuccini was cooked al dente and was helped by a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The cheese melted and mixed with some of the pasta water still clinging to the noodles to make something of an Alfredo sauce. All of this was piled with tangy, briny feta cheese crumbles on top. In my opinion it was the addition of the feta, along with the parmesan, that helped to keep this dish out of blandsville.

It’s a shame that The Golden Olive choose the route of bland, cookie-cutter Greek food for its menu. In a neighborhood with two other Mediterranean restaurants one would think you’d open a Greek restaurant with flair to help it stand-out. As it stands my prediction is that The Golden Olive will sink into the background with the other mediocre Seattle Greek eateries.

I’m not sure if I still live in Washington or if I’ve somehow teleported myself to much warmer climes. With the weather as hot as it has been the past couple of days one would think that I’d find a nice air conditioned spot for a review. Someplace that offered a cool salad or similar refreshingly light fare. Instead I chose meat and rice in a small, open-air restaurant that has their grill mere feet from where I was sitting. Hey, I never said I had good ideas, just that I had ideas. Truth be told I was actually in the mood for food that would coincide with the weather. If I had to be hot, at least let me dream that I’m somewhere exotic, someplace other than Wallingford. Well, the atmosphere didn’t do much for transporting me but the food at Palmyra helped in making me feel as though I were dining at some Mediterranean eatery.

The fans were spinning for all their worth as I walked through the door at Palmyra. The waitress was deeply engrossed in a paper, or passed out from heat exhaustion, which one I’m not quite sure, and had to be informed of my arrival. But once the announcement was out of the way I was told to take my pick of seats and she was by my side to serve me immediately. Near the door is where I chose to sit, hoping to catch something of a breeze (I won’t keep you in suspense, it never materialized). With a glass of ice water in one hand and the menu in another I felt it wise to skip the preliminary appetizer and just dive into the entree. Once my order was placed I found it would not be a long wait until food began arriving at the table.

I made my selection from the combination section of the menu opting for the Combination Kabob plate ($15.95). As part of the combination I had my choice of soup or salad. Not being completely unwise I chose cool, crisp lettuce over the hot liquid that is soup. And I was rewarded for my selection. The salad that arrived was comprised of Romaine lettuce liberally dressed in a tangy, lemony vinaigrette dressing that was spiked with minced, fresh oregano and mint. It was a refreshing change from standard issue dressings that most house salads come clad in. My only frustration was with the tiny plate that it was served on. I did my best but for naught as bits of lettuce flipped and flopped off the plate and onto the table top. As I wrested my way through half the salad the main event arrived, the meat. Okay, so it was more than just meat. The combination kabob plate also stars hummus, rice and (A rather large) pile of raw onion. But my main focus were the three meats that lounged placidly on a bed of yellow-ish rice; kafta, lamb and chicken. The kafta was a small, oblong patty of beef spiked with oregano and spices and grilled quickly keeping it moist and flavorful. Sprinkled on top was a combination of spices that I believe included chili powder but know for a fact had clove. The sweet spiciness of the clove gave a unique flavor to the beefy patty. Next in line were char grilled bits of lamb. A crunchy, grill-marked outer crust surrounded a juicy, tender exterior. Very simply prepared these morsels of lamb needed little else. Last but not least were tenderloins of chicken breast that had spent a bit of time on the grill grates themselves. Finished with a garlic-y, lemon-y sauce the mild chicken meat took on a nice tang. While the meat was the main attraction the rice wasn’t half bad itself. Soft, tender and very buttery I found myself shoveling forkful after forkful into my mouth. The hummus on the other hand was odd and tasted slightly sour. I avoided anything more than the initial mouthful. The same goes for the provided pita bread. Tasting more like white bread and having the consistency of month old Silly Putty I quickly moved the basket of flat bread to the other side of the table to think about what it had done. No, this dish should very well have been just the meat and potatoes, er, rice.

So having a big meal of meat and rice was not the best idea on a hot day. I would have loved to have tried a bit of dessert or maybe one of Palmyra’s appetizers but I was already breathing heavy from the heat. While Seattle may not have many hot days; when they do, look for someplace that has air conditioning. That would exclude Palmyra but only on the hot days. For the other three-hundred sixty-two days each year you should plan for some of them to be dinner (Or lunch) at this quaint little Mediterranean restaurant.

Sometimes I get lucky. Sure, I do my research. Check online for reviews, pictures and menus describing a restaurants offerings. Review maps on what the best route will be, where there is likely to be parking. I make sure all my ducks are in a row so that I can focus my time on the food. Often times, like so many carefully placed dominoes, my plans will tumble, one after the other until I have a horrible dining experience. But again, sometimes, I get lucky. Tonight I made plans to visit Brasa in Belltown. And it was a lucky night.

I crossed the threshold of Brasa into its cavernous dining area. From the outside it appeared to be no more than a fairly ample eatery but I was quite surprised to learn that it could hold upwards of 190 people. Many of the tables and booths were set-up to accommodate large parties of five or more but I was shown to a banquette table built for two, though I was the only one. Service was a little sluggish to get started but fortunately I was in no rush. Be prepared to take your time at this Mediterranean inspired restaurant as you can be assured the same from the staff. Though once I had tucked into my dinner I was glad that the kitchen had taken the time with my food.

It was the Beef Tenderloin ($25.00) that I lucked out upon. An inch and a half thick cut of meat, it was seared to a beautiful mahogany on the outside yet still possessed a warm, pink interior. From the first bite I was hit with the essence of the wood-fired grill upon which my steak was cooked. Typically I am used to this kind of woody flavor only from barbeque but I was almost overpowered by the thick taste of oak. A very bold flavor that, surprisingly, didn’t take away from the beefy flavor of the tenderloin. This was perched atop a mound of creamy, buttery potatoes. On the menu they are called “potato puree” but you can call them whipped. But don’t let that fool you these were not standard issue. Starchy and smooth most people would be hard pressed to duplicate these results at home. As a compliment the potatoes were skirted by a mélange of fava beans and shallots. Cooked until almost tender the fava beans still held a snap but not so much as to detract. A nice counterpoint was the mushroom demi glace that they sat in. Large bits of chopped mushroom, tasting heavily of sage, floated in a purplish-brown sauce reduction that expertly coated everything it came in contact with from beans to potato to steak.

Before tonight I was somewhat wary of Brasa before today I find that I had little to concern myself with. Presented the task of preparing a simple steak they went several steps beyond by invoking in me an experience. What was this experience? While I ate I kept thinking to myself, “What does this remind me of?” As I polished off the last bite of tenderloin it hit me - camping. True, it would be upscale camping but nonetheless, a meal straight off a campfire. With the oak-y smoke kissed steak, the al dente beans and the woody morel mushrooms I could think of little else than sitting in sun-dappled woods with a wonderful meal. Of course be forewarned if you decide to follow my trail and try this dinner for yourself (Which you should). If you are adverse to bold flavors this may not be the meal for you.

One drawback to reviewing restaurants is that, eventually, I’m bound to have cause to write a bad review. So it was with my visit to The Capitol Club.

To begin with, my presence wasn’t even acknowledged for the first five minutes I was in the restaurant. Once some finally came out from the back they seemed astonished by the fact that I was actually patronizing their establishment. Once seated it took nearly as long to get my drink and dinner order placed. I’m usually lenient when it comes to service, especially early in the evening but I was getting definite “don’t be here” vibes. What makes the service up to this point especially bad is that, aside from a woman who was picking up a to go order, I was the only person in the restaurant portion. When the time came to pay my bill, my server’s doppelganger showed up. While I still had food on my plate and a half glass of wine I was being asked, “Are you finished with your plate?” My jaw nearly dropped. When I was done eating my server was back at my elbow in a heartbeat. Nearly as fast as she whisked away my dishes she was back with the check. Where was all this energy when I was hungry and wanted food? So, in summary, service was very poor.

As for the food, it wasn’t a knockout but also wasn’t the worst I’ve ever eaten. I opted for the Lamb Shank ($19.00) and got exactly what I ordered. This was bone-in eating for sure. Not to say I’m squeamish about such things. After all I am the person who’s favorite meal was a whole fish with the head still on. But my hopes for the meal were one of less anatomy and more presentation. No matter, the meat fell off the bone quite readily. Lamb has a reputation for being “gamey” tasting if not prepared well. I’ve had both good and bad lamb, mine at The Capitol Club fell somewhere in the middle. Not overly gamey but stringy and overly fatty. It required a lot of help from the sauce on the plate. The sauce was the star to the dish. A spicy, rich Merlot sauce, I tasted hints of cinnamon, garlic, pepper and, I believe, cardamom. I soaked everything in it; bread, lamb, escarole, tomatoes and eggplant. It was these last two items that I felt the plate could have used a little more of. While slightly overdone they still retained a good bit of flavor and I found myself focusing on eating all of them I could find.

Had it not been for all the lamb mucking about on the plate I’d probably give the food a nod for the vegetarians out there. But as it stands the so-so lamb makes it an okay dish for carnivores. One thing is for sure; get your food to go.