It’s been nearly a year since reporting on one of the first dinners at the VUDE: Velvet Underground Dining Experience. Owner Jon Staenberg calls VUDE “a theater for the Hand of God wines” that he’s producing in Argentina, and his love of food inspires him to bring top chefs to cook in the VUDE kitchen for members of the private dinner club located in South Lake Union.
I was lucky enough to be invited to a preview dinner of Aragona, the new restaurant by Jason Stratton and Carrie Mashaney (soon to be on Top Chef) of Spinasse and Artusi fame. The restaurant is named after Aragon, a kingdom which united with Castile in 1479 to form modern Spain, and is now known as a region in the northeastern part of the country. Its cuisine inspired Stratton so much during recent travels that he’ll be trading pasta for rice when the restaurant opens early fall at First and Union in the former Thoa’s space.
Aragona’s concept is unique to Seattle, and if the preview dinner was any indication, the quality will be what you’d expect from the Spinasse team. What’s in store: escabeches, Catalan fish stews (the black cod suquet was one of my favorite dishes of the dinner), Ibérico pork, and both wet and dry rice dishes. You’ll want to be sure to leave room for xuxos, which up the ante on churros with the addition of a cream filling.
See the slideshow above for a look inside the VUDE and a sneak peek at the food from Aragona.
