Nestled in the lower area Between Pikes Market and the Piers, this little shop makes homemade and authentic Italian pasta. I got the opportunity from one of my chefs to walk down and go see how the pasta was made and try some out. Our group ordered three dishes of pasta and got the full experience of the restaurant. The question from others is, is it worth going to? From the beautiful location, a unique twist to Italian food, flavorful dishes and simple presentations, Il Corvo presented a surprising delight.
Most people my now know too much about this restaurant do to the fact that it is brand new and in an interesting location. Il Corvo shares its space with Procopio Gelateria, an Italian gelato shop located between lower Pikes Market and the piers. Due to this, the whole atmosphere has a rich feel of Italy with its small patio seating and limited space inside. This adds a more authentic and different experience that you might not get anywhere else. Il Corvo has limited opened hours on Monday thru Friday, aimed to provide lunch to people.
The number one reason this restaurant stands out is the menu itself. Each menu item is prepared by hand and the menu changes every day. To add even more freshness, they make each item from local ingredients from pikes, which highly inspires the menu. The owner and chef, Mike Easton, told me that every item is special because it uses different and seasonal ingredients. He takes great pride in providing some of the most unique and fresh pasta that Seattle has to offer. Every morning he wakes up, goes to pikes to find ingredients, then spends the rest of the morning hand making pasta. This makes his menu limited to three to four items a day and makes sure all of his dishes are under ten dollars.
The most important part about going to eat here is, of course, how the food tastes. When my group got to the restaurant, we ordered all three dishes offered. This included: marinated olives, parpardelle with tomatoes and asparagus, roasted eggplant Ravilolini, and gnocchi with blue cheese sauce. The marinated olives were the appetizer which also got a side of bread to dip into the oil which the olives are marinated in. Up next was all of the pasta; simply served on plates with just the right amount. The parpardelle was a thick noodle served with diced tomato, asparagus, squash and onion. The flavor blend of this was had an amazingly light but flavorful appeal that was the taste of summer. The ravilolini had a bold, rich flavor that filled you up fast but made you want to buy more. This dish was topped with fresh parmesan and a light tomato sauce which added a great texture. The last dish, the gnocchi, was by far the most unique. The spongy feel of the boil potato soaked up the flavors of the blue cheese. It was one of the most unusual yet satisfying pasta I have had up to this date.
Overall, this restaurant is a pasta and foodie lovers paradise. It offers a great range of flavors, types of pasta and a great experience. If you have some money and you are getting hungry in the Pike area, I would highly suggest going and trying out Il Corvo. It is a great excuse to go out and try something new, unique and fresh.
