With all the culinary action at the Pike/Pine corridor of Capitol Hill, it’s nice to see a base of restaurants developing at the north end of Broadway. The latest to open is Altura, where Nathan Lockwood serves up seasonal Italian cuisine.
Counter seating enables diners to watch preparation of the dishes (there’s also a chef’s table in addition to the regular tables), and while you can order a la carte (you’ll have to ask about such pricing, as it’s not on the menu), most people opt for three, four, or five-course tasting menus at $49, $59, or $69, respectively.
A tasting menu can easily turn into an extravagant feast. My meal (see gallery of photos) included a chance to try all five pasta dishes. Each one was fantastic, boasting unique flavors. In fact, I was pleased with my entire meal, from the tomato water amuse bouche to the bourbon caramel semifreddo for dessert. My favorite dish of the night was the gnocchi, as I savored the richness of the Abruzzese ragu of lamb and beef.
With a mission to incorporate locally foraged and grown ingredients, including some from his own garden, Lockwood impressed me with an assortment of herbs and peppers—some spicy—in many of his dishes. Be sure to budget time for your multi-course meal (preparations are complex…some might say slightly fussy), and be ready for delicious food that’s sometimes bold and surely satisfying.