Cheap Date at Andaluca

Hubby and I went to Anadaluca for dinner last week as part of Seattle Restaurant Week. Over one hundred restaurants in the Greater Seattle area offered a 3-course dinner menu for $28 with some even offering a 3-course lunch for $15. I entered a contest during the promotion and won two $50 gift certificates; one to Andaluca at the Mayflower Hotel and the other to 50 North. I was a little disappointed to find out that they just randomly sent me 2 gift certificates instead of one that I can use at any participating restaurants.  But free is free.  I can't complain, right?

Andaluca offers Mediterranean-style cuisine and is known for their assortment of small plates or pintxos. We don't venture to Downtown much unless we have out of town guests or meeting up for a night out with some friends. We were seated right away when we arrived at Andaluca 15 minutes before our reservation. The restaurant atmosphere was quiet and relaxed at first but it gradually grew busy halfway into dinner service.

For the appetizer, we had a Tuscan tomato bread soup with basil crème fraiche and tiny croutons ($6) and a Pear Salad with mixed organic greens, stilton cheese, hazelnuts and balsamic vinaigrette ($9).  These were very basic.

We had the choice of 3 pintxos for the entrées. I had the Roasted Mushroom & Chevre Risotto ($9), Moruno Chicken Skewer with marcona almonds & saffron aioli ($7), and Mini Crab Tower with avocado, palm hearts, and gazpacho salsa ($8). They were pretty good except for the crab dish which was way too salty. Hubs had the Beef Tenderloin Skewer with baby red potato and pears ($15), Potato Croquette with yukon gold potato, sour cream, idiazabal cheese, and panko ($5), and the Lamb Dolmas with basmati rice, dill, pine nuts, and lemon aioli.

For dessert, hubby had the Petit Liquid Chocolate Cake with hazelnut gelato, and espresso syrup ($7) and I got the Cabrales Cheesecake with apricot fig jelly, red wine & honey reduction, graham cracker hazelnut crust and hazelnut tuile ($7). Yuck, turns out I'm not a big fan of cabrales cheese.

The entire check could have easily totaled over $70 but we ended up paying $20 after the discount, plus taxes and tips.  I likey!