What the word dinette brings to mind first is childhood, memories of pretending to be cooking.
In the case of Dinette in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, this is no child's play.
This eaterie serves comfort food with a European flair 5 nights a week.
Twice a month their Sunday Supper takes a page out of the Supper Club trend with a menu served at a communal table to 30 something diners.
Here's the most recent dinner menu they share:
Toast
Thick & Chewy
Frittata thin-sliced egg crepes tossed with white truffle oil & frisee $5.
Roasted Zucchini caramelized onions & goat cheese $5.
Creamy Gorgonzola toasted walnuts & balsamic syrup $6.
Rapini Pesto Beecher’s sharp cheddar, mama Lil’s peppers $5.
Fig & Anchovy Spread La Quercia Proscuitto $6.
Croque Monsieur smoked pork, béchamel, Gruyere $5.
Thin & Crisp
Chicken Liver Mousse Tuscan-style with spicy pickled peppers $7
Country Pâté grain mustard, cornichon $7.5
Peperonata smoked sardine, Feta cheese $7.5
Herb Egg Salad oliveta, white anchovies $7.
Snacks & Salads
Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates balsamic syrup $6.
Tapas Plate cocktail snack of marinated olives, spiced nuts & Manchego cheese $6.
Wild Arugula Salad green beans, fried almonds, Mission figs & Bleu d’ Auvergne cheese $11.
Butter Lettuce radish, lemon cucumber, Parmesan & lemony crème fraiche dressing $9.
Sweet Corn Cakes green onions, herbs & Beecher’s sharp cheddar. Topped with cherry tomatoes $9.
Entrees
Chicken Thighs free range thighs with panzanella salad of wine soaked apricots, radicchio, toasted pecans,
curly endive & red wine vinaigrette $17.
Trofie Pasta Chanterelle mushrooms, French lentil Ragoût, crispy bread crumbs & white truffle oil $17.
Crespelle buckwheat crepes filled with braised pork, m ascarpone cheese & roasted peppers baked in a spicy tomato sauce
with Fontina béchamel $17.
Alaskan Halibut pan-roasted over a spicy, curried corn chowder topped with tomato jam $22.
Ricotta Gnocchi tomatoes, homemade Italian-style sausage, fresh basil & Parmesan $18./lg $34
Smoked Pork Chop over soupy Corona beans with radish, kale & pickled rhubarb $18.
I also gave a quick glance to the Wine List, not a run of the mill effort with a variety of choices from Rhone and Albarino to Greece and Alto Adige.
Wine prices are kept sensible (most under $40) by sticking to vintages 2007 to 2009.