Cafe Lago

[MsRamsey]

Thanks for clarifying. I think you'll really like Cafe Lago's pizza given your love of that type of pizza. I'm also very interested in trying Tutta Bella, as you mentioned. Perhaps we should put a dinner together there?

Edited March 24, 2004 by MsRamsey (log)

[elswinger]

I thought Tutta Bella was very good, but it is also very small and not suited for large parties, unless you convinced the owners to rent out the whole place for a night. Do you (or anyone else) know of any other wood-fire pizza places in Seattle? I understand that both Palamino and Tulio switched to gas, so I think that leaves Tutta Bella, Cafe Lago, Pazzo's, and La Vita E' Bella (Tutta Bella and Palamino the only ones I've tried).

[ScorchedPalate]

I'm also very interested in trying Tutta Bella, as you mentioned. Perhaps we should put a dinner together there?

Wood-fired pizza field trip? Oh yeah!

[tsquare]

Do you (or anyone else) know of any other wood-fire pizza places in Seattle?  I understand that both Palamino and Tulio switched to gas, so I think that leaves Tutta Bella, Cafe Lago, Pazzo's, and La Vita E' Bella (Tutta Bella and Palamino the only ones I've tried).

Fish Club at the waterfront Marriott has an oven I think is wood fired, but not sure if they are making pizza. They only had flatbread when I went, but I think they are making Todd English's signature fig, procuitto, gorgonzola pizzas now.

Brasa has a wood fired oven, their flavors are limited and atypical.

GRAPE PIZZA, GOAT’S CHEESE, CABRALES, WALNUTS 10.

PIZZA, ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE, CHORIZO, GREEN OLIVES 11

(on the bar menu - remember these are half priced 5-7 pm with beverage purchase.)

Il Fornaio has pretty good pizza and a wood fired oven. All things considered. Good to remember mid afternoon on the weekend if you are downtown and nothing is open.

[tsquare]

The things I do for egullet.

Finally tried La Vita e Bella for pizza. (Oops, hijacking the thread to one for pizza in general.) That was one fine pizza. Nicely crisp and slightly charred crust, lightly topped with tomato sauce, marcapone, proscuitto do parma, parmesean, and after cooking, fresh argula. The nuttiness of the argula added a wonderful depth to the flavors. Cold for breakfast - not as good, but still better than any I've had in a long time.

Long wine list, lots by the glass. Someone else can comment on the quality, I'm not knowlegeable enough.

Very Italian. Very sweet service. I liked seeing the older woman stretching the dough and making the pizzas, entertaining the young boy (either the son of staff or a customer being entertained while the parents got a little break...)

[MsRamsey]

Cafe Lago also has a pizza topped with fresh arugula. Haven't tried it yet, but it looks great.

[olivina]

Yes we do have an arugula and prosciutto pizza made with fontina cheese, no red sauce. I first had it in Florence at a pizzeria called Bar Yellow across the street from the Bargello. Cute, huh?

[ScorchedPalate]

This one is overdue, but I kept thinking Cam would do it for me :)

Yet another trip -- it's becoming a weekly thing for us -- to Lago last Sunday night. We started with a pair of caesar salads; I wish the house salad was better, as there are times when I want salad but not caesar. Finally had the pizza -- Cam ordered the sausage pizza, and it was gorgeous, crisp, and perfect, and easily enough to share. I had the special: fettuccine with tiny meatballs in marinara. Most of the time I don't like meatballs with wider pastas, but in this case they were so fluffy and petite that they didn't overwhelm. We shared a slice of tiramisu for dessert, which I loved but Cam thought was a little too cheesy. (He has a strange aversion to sweet cheese, so cheese danish, cheesecake, cannoli, etc. are all off limits). But this, too, was light and tasty, not heavy.

Cafe Lago has become a favorite for us because of its consistency, something that's sadly lacking in many local restuarants. It's also welcoming and pleasant -- we had a seat where we could watch Carla throwing pizza dough, which was fun. It also wears many hats: I could imagine going there as a treat for out-of-town guests, a family dinner when you just don't want to cook, or even a casual after-work supper. It's a little bit cozy (borderline miraculous, considering its size and volume) and very neighborly. I'm happy that we live close enough to become regulars.

~A

<edited for a typo>

Edited April 2, 2004 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[kieran]

Hard to believe, but in my two and a half years in Seattle, all in Capitol Hill, I hadn't gotten around to trying Cafe Lago until tonight. It's been on our to-try list for some time, and we were finally wooed in by the Dinner at Eight promotion going on right now.

Short version: we were very happy, and plan to go back to sample other things from the menu.

Long version: to start we shared the blue cheese salad and the roasted eggplant. We really enjoyed both of these and felt that the roasted eggplant was especially tasty. The blue cheese dressing was really delicious, but I would have liked it if the salad had been more evenly tossed. The dressing was really concentrated in one location and there were several leaves without any dressing at all. After some tossing at the table, however, it was really very good.

For the main course we shared a Neopolitan pizza and the pappardelle. The pizza was good but the pasta was better. The pizza made me long for the pizza at Otto in NYC. The pasta dish had me totally satisfied with the dish itself. It was well sauced with exquisitely cooked ingredients and the pasta was perfectly al dente.

For dessert we shared the truffle cake and the cheesecake, both of which were good but not as good as the preceding courses.

We'll definitely be returning, and often.

[malarkey]

Yes we do have an arugula and prosciutto pizza made with fontina cheese, no red sauce. I first had it in Florence at a pizzeria called Bar Yellow across the street from the Bargello. Cute, huh?

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I've had it and it is FABULOUS. It's the best pizza I've had at Lago. ...maybe it should be a regular menu addition

[ScorchedPalate]

I've had it and it is FABULOUS. It's the best pizza I've had at Lago.  ...maybe it should be a regular menu addition 

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We had it last night. (Actually Cam had it, and I shared a slice.) It's such a gorgeous pizza, even the vegetarians at our table were drooling. I'll still vote for the salciccia as my favorite Lago pizza, but the Bianca is a very close second.

Luckily, it's such a frequent special that it almost is a regular menu item.

~Anita

[tsquare]

Nice feature on the famous Lasagna in today's PI.

with recipe and pictures

Nice home stove!

[olivina]

Nice feature on the famous Lasagna in today's PI.

with recipe and pictures

Nice home stove!

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Thanks tsquare. I made a lot of pizzas to pay for that stove!

Carla

[pupcart]

After having enjoyed many a delightful dinner at Cafe Lago with my significant other, I took my adult daughter there a few weeks ago. She fell madly in love with the lasagna, treasuring each and every bite, savoring each moment and every taste and sensation. She slowly ate half of the generous portion served to her, knowing she would want to extend the experience a bit longer. She reported back that it was just as delicious the next day.

So, knowing how crazy she was about Cafe Lago's lasagna, and how much she likes to cook, and how ambitious she is in her little studio apt kitchen, I was very surprised and delighted to see the recipe in today's P.I. I immediately emailed it to my daughter, and this is what she emailed back to me:

'Mumsie,

I think this is just one of those things that you have to, well, order. Because I'm sure after about 20 hours of ingredient shopping, expensive equipment shopping, cooking, cleaning, cooking, cleaning, baking, serving, and a little more post-dinner clean-up, it still wouldn't be as good as they have it at the restaurant. Cafe Lago it is. We'll have to take Brian there some time, that lasagna is truly an experience.'

I couldn't agree more, except for the "expensive equipment" comment. She is a college student, and for her a pasta roller, food mill and a 9X15 pyrex pan would be completely out of her budget. For me, the patience required to get the pasta to the see-through stage would blow my mind.

So, for us, Cafe Lago will continue to work their magic. Trying to make their lasagna at home would be something akin to attending a Chihuly exhibit and thinking I could go home and whip up one of the creations...just don't have those kind of skills....years of experience...sense of "feel".

[ScorchedPalate]

Cam said it best:

"It reminds me of what Tom Douglas said about not being afraid to publish his Triple Coconut Cream Pie recipe: 'Once people see what goes into it, they won't mind paying seven bucks for it.'"

He's totally right; Now I feel like $17 is a steal for that lasagna!

Funny thing is that I hadn't had it in a while, until we went to Lago on Monday night. It was as good as I remember, but the best part was having the leftovers for breakfast on Tuesday -- it made me happy all day. (I actually told my officemate: "I can't get over how something as simple as having cold lasagna for breakfast can alter my mood.") So then to see the story in the paper yesterday was doubly fun.

For those of you who read the news online, the article was featured above the banner on the front page of the PI (complete with a picture of Jordi) so I'm sure we're not the only ones who noticed. Carla, I hope your staff is prepared for the onslaught of lasagne orders!

It's nice to see good folks getting the media love.

~Anita

[bbqer]

I've really enjoyed the food at Cafe Lago both times I've been there. One suggestion, though, for the wine. You have a nice selection, Jordi and Carla, but why not offer some half-bottles as well.

Haven't tried the lasagna yet. That will be my next treat there, I think.

BTW, the gnocchi was heavenly. Now if only I could pronounce it properly.

[olivina]

BTW, the gnocchi was heavenly. Now if only I could pronounce it properly. 

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Knee-oh-key. except say it really fast, like you are saying neokey. except give the "n" a slightly longer naselly sound. like nnn and the "key" is less emphasized. and make it sound happy. so do i make myself clear?

I'll ask Jordi about 1/2 bottles.

Thanks to all for the nice compliments!

Carla

[Abra]

Do I want to go to Cafe Lago? Here's the deal. Next month my stepson is graduating from college, and asked to be taken out to an Italian restaurant. It'll be him and girlfriend, both foodies, and a friend-girl of his of unknown food sophistication, my vegetarian (adult) son, my mother-in-law who is definitely not a foodie, but can tell the difference between cheese crackers and cheese ravioli, and us parents. Really a mixed bag, and a big enough group to make cost somewhat of an issue.

I've scoured the forum and come to the conclusion that Lampreia, Troiani, and La Spiga are probably not it, for one reason or another, mostly involving cost and consistency. And I'd like to avoid Il Fornaio, just because a chain, however interesting, is not really cool enough for this occasion.

Would you take this bunch to Lago? Somewhere else? Why is Seattle so weak on Italian? Well, that last bit is mostly rhetorical.

[LaurieA-B]

I think either Cafe Lago or Osteria La Spiga would be great for this group. I'm sure someone who's been to Lago more recently than me will speak up for it. La Spiga has delicious food for both the adventurous and non-adventurous, prices are reasonable, and they have tables that will seat seven.

[little ms foodie]

Too funny! Friends and I just went to Lago last night.

We had the antipasta plate and the Salumi plate- yum!!

Shared the pizza with goat cheese and carmelized onions and the famous lasagne. Wow that lasagne is so light and airy! I loved it.

Very nice bottle of Borolo, well priced.

Service was great! Very nice, upbeat fun atmosphere. We will definately be back to try more things on the menu now that we have tasted the well known items. The crust on that pizza was exactly how I like it!!!

I would think this or Serafina would be a fun spot for the grad party.

[Abra]

Oh, Serafina. Another place to add to the list, and maybe a bit more mother-in-lawish, in a good way. I think I'll send the links to Lago, Serafina, and La Spiga to the grad and let him choose. Thanks for the feedback, Laurie and Wendy.

If he picks one of the others, Shel and I will definitely try Lago ourselves at the first opportunity. And I'm going to make that lasagne at home. The grad himself rolls out a lovely pasta, and the rest of it looks like just my kind of thing to do on a rainy weekend day.

[tsquare]

I was there last week as well. I'd forgotten how white the place is - and hard surfaced. Might be a problem if it was busy or you are in a big group.

I had a nice glass of red, a serviceable salad (the blue cheese version) and a sausage pizza. I liked the fresh tomato sauce and the sausage, but the crust really flopped in the center. The edges were just right, but the dough tasted a little flat to me - as in lacking salt? They didn't have the rice cake that was on the main menu but not on the dessert menu. (Carla - that bummed me out, as I had planned for it.)

That said, I watched with envy as the next table shared the antipasto, lasagne, and a couple of desserts.

[reesek]

Abra,

I don't think i'd recommend la spiga for a vegetarian diner given that even the bread is made with lard. serafina is more MIL appropriate - i agree, and there are tons and tons of menu choices.

that said - i prefer the food at lago. and i too lament the dearth of good, simple, bistro italian.

has anyone been to la medusa since lisa becklund and sherri serino sold it to their sous? they used to take reservations for 6+ and the space is definitely cozier than lago. and lago provided much of the inspiration for medusa.

[olivina]

I was there last week as well. I'd forgotten how white the place is - and hard surfaced. Might be a problem if it was busy or you are in a big group.

I had a nice glass of red, a serviceable salad (the blue cheese version) and a sausage pizza. I liked the fresh tomato sauce and the sausage, but the crust really flopped in the center. The edges were just right, but the dough tasted a little flat to me - as in lacking salt? They didn't have the rice cake that was on the main menu but not on the dessert menu. (Carla - that bummed me out, as I had planned for it.)

That said, I watched with envy as the next table shared the antipasto, lasagne, and a couple of desserts.

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Tsquare, sorry about the rice pudding cake, we are giving it a rest for a while and just plain forgot to take it off the main menu. It did make a guest appearance last night and was especially moist and perfect. If you call me the morning before you plan to come in, I can have one made for that night.

[pupcart]

I know I have posted about Cafe Lago before (shortly after their lasagne recipe was published in the P.I.), but after a longish absence (for us) my beloved and I dined there tonight, I just have to say that even though I claim to be a heathen, when I eat at Cafe Lago I have to seriously question the fact that I don't believe in a god of some sort. Maybe that's what Amy Tan meant when she referred to the Kitchen God?

Why did we go to Cafe Lago tonight? My beloved just had major surgery, the kind of surgery that takes all day to perform and keeps you decked for about 6 weeks afterwards. After his surgery, as they wheeled him into his hospital room and transferred him into his bed, I anxiously asked him if there was anything I could get him. He said yes, actually, the antipasto misto platter from Cafe Lago. I am not making that up. His doctor was very amused, most of his surgery patients don't want to even think about food. But, that's all he wanted.

Well, fast forward two weeks plus one day from the day of his surgery. First big outing. Where did we go? Duh. Tonight we had the long awaited antipasto misto. How on earth can human beings make the eggplant TASTE like that? Or the mozzarella? Or the dang heavenly beet, the roasted garlic, the little parsley coated goat cheese ball, the sharp cheese, the roasted peppers, the caponata, the toasted crostini smeared with olive paste....and, and, and!! Oh, frabjous day, with that to eat, any and all blues disappear.

And THEN we had the fat, fat, fat, plumper than plump little butternut squash raviolis and the heavenly lasagne. Oh, jeez. I was ready to sign up for the next obnoxious little "Life is Good" bumper sticker.

Service was completely fabulous. Attentive, but not overly so. Of course, they were not terribly busy on a weekday night, but even so, service was excellent. My only wish would have been for a better selection of reds by the glass. I am not much of a drinker, and beloved is off of alcohol for a while yet, and the reds by the glass were quite limited.

For anyone who has not indulged in Cafe Lago...'tis time!

Jane