Queso y Vino's Gaudi Dinner! Save Room for Paella...

Okay, this picture exemplifies everything I love about my new business... For years I've looked to hook people up with new food & wine discoveries, & now through my Queso y Vino dinners, I also have the pleasure of bringing incredible people together & showing off the talents of some of my favorite Seattle chefs. Ole!

Some friends begin as strangers at the beginning of the evening, but by the end of a few rounds of bunelos de bacalao (sinful salt cod fritters) & Manzanilla sherry, I daresay that everyone seems like kindred spirits.

My last Queso y Vino dinner took place at Gaudi, which is actually where the wine dinners began back when I was at Spanish Table. My old boss didn't like my idea of hosting private events, but people raved about what a wonderful evening they had & each preceding dinner would sell out even faster...

When I left Spanish Table last spring, I spoke with Jo & Joan Luna, owners of Gaudi, and they were more than happy to continue pairing up together. Thank goodness, because I don't think I could live without Joan's heavenly airy shrimp croquetas (who knew fried food could seem so light?) & his over-the-top papas bravas covered in a divinely creamy blanket of garlicky goodness. I swear this man is the master of these two dishes--his croquetas beat the pants off any version I've ever had. As usual, Joan kept the tapas coming until everyone cried uncle...

My husband, Ken, & I have come to feel at home in this old world-style taberna near Ravenna, and it's fun to have a chance to get behind the bar for a night. We circle the restaurant, looking for empty glasses, pouring wine & telling stories, and once in a while we sneak off into the kitchen to grab a hot fritter with guilty grins on our faces.

It's fun to watch the Lunas work together, & even funnier to think that when they lived in Barcelona they owned a restaurant that served American grub, like gumbo. In fact, Joan shocked the owners of the (now-defunct) Wellington in Columbia City by auditioning for a position as their chef when he first arrived in Seattle. "What does a Spaniard know about cooking soul food?!" they chuckled. But he got the job...

So ironically, when they moved here, they set their sights on opening a Spanish restaurant. Personally, I am glad that Joan decided to dish up his paella rather than brew batches of jambalaya because Seattle needed a homespun Spanish restaurant that serves classic unfussy dishes, & I applaud the Lunas for the simple fact that I feel like I'm in Spain when I eat there. It's good solid food, made with love, & a lot of hard work. In fact, when do these two ever take a break???

While all the guests are gathering up their coats & paying their checks, Joan actually makes an entire second meal for us & the restaurant staff which is served Spanish-style at about 11 pm. From the first time we sat down together like this, I felt that I had become initiated into a new family, & now it is the moment I look forward to all night. Happy customers & a job well done celebrated over a table of fine food. What more could one ask? Like I said, I'm really digging my new business. 

It's called doing what I love.

If you would like to come to one of the upcoming Queso y Vino dinners, sign up for my newsletter by emailing me, Catherine Reynolds, at quesoyvino@gmail.com

Would love to have you join us next time!

Gaudi Spanish Restaurant
3410 NE 55th Street Seattle WA 98105 206.527-3400

Comments

[Ms. G]

Hey Honey the words just make us hungry for you, for food, for love... oh yeah and wine.

So in keeping with the moving finger that writes - give us a heads up? Okay?

Love love love your writes... Ms.G

[ms. proust]

So good to see you this weekend even if it was a bit frenetic. Haven't had a chance to write up our adventures on Orcas because Queso y Vino has a liquor permit as of Monday!!! I'm off to the races...

Wanna buy some port?

Love,
C

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