Saltoro’s eclectic menu makes it easy to sample, share

Published 4:33 pm Thursday, April 30, 2009

Cozy? Check. Comfort food? Check. Affordable? Check. Friendly? Double check.

Saltoro in north Seattle is all of the above along with a few surprises: a sheltered deck for summer dining, a short list of pizza offerings and a fresh sheet with catches of the day, although they apparently couldn’t catch a pheasant the day we were there (they caught jumbo prawns instead).

The unassuming building, snugged on a corner lot in the Broadview neighborhood south of Shoreline, has a real “regulars” feel, sort of clubby, with wooden booths, tables in front of the fireplace, a wine cellar nook with a library ladder, and an L-shaped bar pretty much dominating the main area.

The eclectic menu, divided into small and large plates, makes it easy to sample and share some of the tempting offerings, order a complete dinner or make up your own combination.

I waffled between the hazelnut crusted halibut in brandy cream sauce and the bacon vinaigrette pork chop with sweet potato spears on the large plate menu.

But when push came to shove it in my mouth, I couldn’t pass up the butternut squash raviolis with garlic sage cream sauce and mushrooms on the small plate list.

As I presumed, it was a generous and savory plateful. The sauce was delicately seasoned and not so rich that it overwhelmed the mild squash filling. I added a small Saltoro salad with blue cheese chunks — not just crumbles — almonds and a honey shallot vinaigrette, to complete my meal.

One of my friends chose Saltoro’s signature sea salt roasted chicken. The boned and butterflied chicken breast, juicy and succulent, earns its place as the most popular item on the menu. The entree on the large plate list was accompanied by asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes with a delicious puddle of rosemary jus.

The other hungry soul at our table chose a large plate of spinach fettuccine with spicy chicken sausage and a side of Saltoro’s garlic mashed potatoes, which he doggy-bagged home in its entirety. The fettuccine, he said, was delicious, but he regretted not noticing that it also came as a half order, as do all their pasta dishes.

We all agreed we’d order more wisely (read less) next time to save room for one of the fabulous desserts, which included a rich dark chocolate pots de creme, a triple berry cobbler and a honey custard pine nut tart.

And now I have to admit to my friends that I snuck back a second time, in the name of research, to order a pizzetta (8-inch size) to go. I tried the Roma tomato, spinach, Gruyere and roasted garlic cream pizza. It was crisply thin-crusted with the cheese-to-vegetable toppings in perfect proportion.

On the wine side, Saltorro offers 20 bottle selections at $20 each, and special pours by the glass. They also have a goodly list of beers on tap and bottled, as well as fancy waters, lemonades and iced tea.

The place was buzzingly busy for a Thursday night, but service wasn’t rushed. Our friendly and informative waiter told us that owner Greg Beckley opened Saltoro about six years ago, and it’s much like its sister ship down the street, Bick’s Broadview Grill.

They’re two good Seattle choices to know about when heading south on I-5. You can get off the freeway at 145th and hop over to Greenwood before hitting the Northgate traffic crunch.

Sally Birks: 425-339-3209; birks@heraldnet.com.

Restaurant reviewers arrive unannounced and The Herald pays for their meal.