Bizzarro Italian Cafe 1307 N. 46th Street, Seattle (206) 632-7277 www.bizzarroitaliancafe.com
Owners: Jodi-Paul Wooster and Andrew Bray Featured on the hit show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Bizzarro Italian Cafe is a culinary gem you should make a point to visit. With a name like Bizzarro, the restaurant is definitely unique. Located in downtown Wallingford, inside a brick building with multicolor doors and windows, patrons are immediately greeted by bicycles hanging from the ceiling, striking artwork adorning the fire-engine red walls, piano playing, checkered tablecloths, and a lot of comedic restaurant moments. That’s because Jodi-Paul Wooster, who co-owns the restaurant with Andrew Bray, comes from an acting, theatrical, and circus background. The owners (who happen to be former servers at Bizzarro), along with their accomplished chefs, also have a real knack for serving some of the best Italian food around, and that’s no laughing matter. Relying on the freshness of locally and organic sourced ingredients, Bizzarro believes in offering high-quality in-season foods. The result is extraordinary dishes like the creamy pumpkin ravioli, the cheesy and meaty lasagna, and the perfectly tender elk shoulder and organic lamb shank. Without question, the restaurant’s most popular dish, featured here, is its signature clam linguine. The dish begins with crispy house-made pancetta that has been soaked in salt for seven days. Added to the pan are hints of garlic, white wine, and roasted jalapeños. Add some local Manila clams and fresh-made linguine, and the end result is an amazing primordial meal for Washingtonians. Enjoy!
72 Seattle Chef’s Table
03_SeattleCT_64-87_v55.indd 72
3/26/12 4:51 PM