Restaurant Review: Altura

Soaring reviews appeared a scant couple of months after ALTURA opened on Seattles Capitol Hill last October. Early hype gives me pause; living up to panting accolades is always challenging, particularly for a kitchen thats still getting its footing. My doubts multiplied when my party was whisked to a corner table and stranded for 20 minutes during one visit. Service bounced back remarkably well that night, proving impressively informed on the intricacies of the menu, suggesting smart wine pairings (and with high by-the-glass markups, thats a good thing). Altura is not a place to drop by for a casual night out. Best to dine here when the purse strings are loose or the occasion calls for a splurge; the restaurants three-course tasting menu is $49. But the food? Mostly marvelous. The prettiest, most precise plates wear the kind of food one tastes rather than simply eats, food that begs ones full attention: silken house-made pappardelle with tender oxtail, sensational lamb rack with tender baby herbs. Then, too, slightly overcooked ling cod teeters to the table on a tower of softened leeks; albacore crudo barely withstands the one-two punch of salty olives and lively blood oranges. The place has a formality about it thats disarming, a departure for a city tirelessly hungry for shared plates and affordability. Heres hoping theres room for both. Dinner TuesdaySaturday. 617 Broadway E; 206.402.6749; alturarestaurant.com.