Before I even start up here, I need to apologize. Because the photos accompanying this post are terrible. They don’t come close to doing justice to the phenomenal Whole 30-approved meal I had at Branzino the other night. If you live within 30 miles of Seattle – or even if you don’t – forget whatever it is that you had planned for dinner tonight and go there instead. The food is delicious. The prices are amazing. The staff is top-notch. It’s a really lovely place.
I went into work on Saturday night expecting to pace around for approximately eight hours before going home exhausted and unmotivated to do anything but sleep in my clothes. When my boss came up to me at 6:30pm and told me in no uncertain terms to “get the heck out of here,” I allowed myself 1.5 minutes of confusion before following his advice with no questions asked. I left work at 6:30pm on a Saturday evening. This is absolutely unheard of. I had no idea what to do with myself. I didn’t have the keys to my apartment, so going home was off the table. All my friends were at work or with their husbands. I wandered around in the Seattle sunshine for a little bit before deciding that I deserved a treat – and Branzino had just enough room at the bar to squeeze me in.
I’ve been a major fan of this restaurant since it opened. It’s an Italian grill serving up house-made pasta, delicious pizza, fresh seafood and some dangerous desserts. I have been eager to put it to the Paleo test since switching over… and I’m thrilled to say that it passes the test with flying colors. I’ve all but crossed off Italian restaurants off my list of restaurant choices (along with Chinese places, whomp) and am so happy to welcome Branzino back into my life. Naturally, I had to steer clear of the tempting pasta and sauté dishes, along with the cheese platter that use to melt my heart. Instead, I opted for grilled octopus, which was served on a bed of chickpeas (that I ignored). On the side, I ordered a melon, prosciutto and arugula salad that earns the honor of “most perfect summer salad” I have ever had. I was so enamored of everything that I forgot to take photos when the food was served… so this is what you get. Terrible photos of half-eaten and kind of weird-looking food. You’re just going to have to trust me here – this was good. I can’t wait to go back.
