Altura Restaurant to Open October 5, 2011

Chef Nathan Lockwood Crafts Seasonal Italian Cuisine at New Capitol Hill Dining Room

Seattle, Wash.—(September 27, 2011)—Chef Nathan Lockwood and Business Manager Rebecca Lockwood are excited to announce the opening of Altura, a seasonal Italian restaurant that celebrates the bounty of the Northwest through the traditions of classic Italian cuisine. The Lockwoods are thrilled to be joined by certified sommelier Guy Kugel, who spent most of the last decade as manager and wine director at Flying Fish. A welcome addition to the burgeoning dining scene at the north end of Broadway, Altura—meaning ‘hill’ in Italian—offers a refined dining experience in a rustic-elegant setting on Capitol Hill.

Chef Lockwood most recently led evening dining operations at The Ruins, the private supper club on Lower Queen Anne. In previous years he worked closely with celebrated Chef Hubert Keller at Fleur de Lys and held the position of Chef de Cuisine under Suzette Gresham at San Francisco’s Acquerello when the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. 

Lockwood also earned glowing reviews for his work at Fork in San Anselmo, California and Jory in the Willamette Valley. His parents and two sisters also make Seattle their home.

“Nathan and I fell in love over food,” said Rebecca Lockwood. “We met at the Broadway Dicks in 2004 when I was a law student at UW, and to open Altura just a few blocks away is a wonderful homecoming. We are so excited to be a part of the vibrant Capitol Hill restaurant scene.”

Driven by seasonality and local availability, the weekly changing menu showcases artistically presented Italian fare and draws inspiration from the Northwest. Most produce, meat, seafood and foraged items will be sourced from Pike Place Market vendors, specialty Italian purveyors, and the sizable vegetable and herb garden the Lockwoods tend at their North Seattle home.

Scheduled to open October 5^th, Altura (www.alturarestaurant.com; 617 Broadway E.) has been carved out of a former retail space in a nearly century-old building. Old World refinement and Northwest craft and materials ground Altura’s décor and mirror the culinary philosophy. Reclaimed wood, 18^th- and 19th-century European antique furnishings, original fir structural beams and an exposed brick chimney are watched over from the mezzanine by an angel rescued from a French chapel bombed during World War II.

The host stand and wine cabinetry were designed and crafted by Chef Lockwood himself out of wood salvaged from the former Jade Pagoda restaurant building across the street—now home to neighbor Bako. The ‘Chef’s Table’ is a massive carved oak piece that accommodates 6 to 10 guests and oak church pews are repurposed as banquette seating.

The restaurant’s menu will typically include bold dishes like handmade Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with Abruzzese lamb-and-beef ragu and Lockwood’s signature ‘Steak for Two,’ accompanied by crispy herb-fried potatoes, balanced by lighter fare, such as Yellow Tail Tuna Crudo and Grilled Escarole Salad with lemon, anchovy and duck egg. Altura encourages its guests to celebrate dining in the Italian style by providing a ‘3–4–5’ coursed dinner format, whereby the guest chooses three, four, or five courses from the five menu sections. Guests are also welcome to dine à la carte. Vegan and vegetarian options are available based on daily market selections.

See a complete sample menu here.

3 COURSES $49    ̴ 2 PAIRED WINES $27

4 COURSES $59    ̴ 3 PAIRED WINES $37

5 COURSES $69    ̴ 4 PAIRED WINES $47

Altura’s wine offerings are presented as a soulful counterpart to the handcrafted fare. “We believe that wine should be enjoyable, enhancing and easy,” said Guy Kugel.  “Value is at the heart of the list and guests are encouraged to relax and explore.” Altura’s list highlights Old World selections and the best offerings from local producers, placing focus on food-worthy wines from small producers in a range of styles.

Seating 39 guests in total, including 10 each at the open-kitchen dining counter and chef’s table, Altura will offer dinner service Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. When not reserved, the chef’s table is available for communal dining.

Reservations may be made by phone, and soon at Altura’s website or on OpenTable.com.

Follow Altura Online:
http://www.alturarestaurant.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Altura-Restaurant/123161951102840

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APPETIZER

GRILLED OCTOPUS
BUTTER BEAN PURÉE, CUCUMBER, MINT

BURRATA CHEESE
FRIED CUBANELLE PEPPERS, SEL GRIS, GRILLED PUGLIESE

YELLOW TAIL TUNA CRUDO
SWEET PEPPER, ALICI, SALSA VERDE, SALSA TONNO

GOLDEN JUBILEE TOMATO SOUP
CHERRY TOMATO, OPAL BASIL, LIGURIAN OLIVE OIL

GRILLED ESCAROLE SALAD
LEMON, ANCHOVY, DUCK EGG, CRISPY BREADCRUMBS
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PASTA

BUCCATINI
FRIED GARLIC AND PARSLEY, CUORE DI TONNO

PECORINO RAVIOLI
SUNGOLD TOMATO, CALABRIAN CHILI, GARLIC CONFIT

YUKON GOLD POTATO GNOCCHI
ABRUZZESE RAGU OF LAMB AND WHIDBEY ISLAND BEEF

TAGLIATELLE
SEA URCHIN, DUNGENESS CRAB, TARRAGON, LIME

AGNOLOTTI
SQUAB AND PHEASANT, MADEIRA JUS, CRISPY SAGE
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ENTREE

RIBEYE STEAK, CUT FOR TWO
HERB FRIED POTATOES, ROMANO BEANS, ANCHOVY BUTTER
7   – supplemental per person

PANCETTA WRAPPED PACIFIC SCALLOPS
LATE SUMMER SHELLING BEANS, TROMBONCINO, BLOSSOM

ROASTED MAD HATCHER CHICKEN
FARRO, ROASTED GRAPES, WILTED ARUGULA, FRIED PINE NUTS

TRIO OF ANDERSON RANCH LAMB
LOIN, SHOULDER, RIBS, EGGPLANT INVOLTINI, NEPITELLA MINT

COLUMBIA RIVER STEELHEAD
SMOKED BELLY, SWEET CORN, SHRIMP AND CRAB FRITTI
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CHEESE

ARTISANAL AND FARMSTEAD CHEESE SELECTION
PRESENTED WITH SEASONAL ACCOMPANIMENT AND FRUIT

BELTRAME, VERDUZZO FRIULANO 2005 –13

DESSERT

BOURBON CARAMEL SEMIFREDDO
HAZELNUT PRALINE, CHOCOLATE FONDUE, VANILLA TUILE

ACCORDINI, RECIOTO DELLA VALPOLICELLA 2006 –18

VANILLA-RUM PANNA COTTA
GOLDEN RASPBERRIES, BLACK PEPPER HONEY, NEPITELLA

REISLING SPATLESE “ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN” DR. LOOSEN,
MOSEL, GERMANY 2009 -13

PEACH AND PLUM CROSTATA
ALMOND STREUSEL, SPICED CARAMEL, MASCARPONE

MOSCATO D’ASTI, “LA CALIERA”, BORGO MARAGLIANO,
PIEDMONT, ITALY, 2009 -7

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE
SALTED CARAMEL, CRUSHED AMARETTI, PRALINE CREAM
VIN SANTO DEL CARMIGNANO, AMBRA, TUSCANY, ITALY 2003 -13