Café Lolo, the Capitol Hill neighborhood restaurant that changes its menu with the seasons
This Capitol Hill location specializes in local grains, which are featured in dishes like rye focaccia and fresh pasta.
Café Lolo embodies all the virtues of a good neighborhood restaurant: comforting food, locally sourced ingredients combined with ingenuity, and a fresh, welcoming atmosphere. The dining room is bright and decorated with Renaissance-inspired murals that aren't garish. Take-out meals and local beers are available for purchase. The owners, Leah Engel, Alex Halmi, and Brett Bankson, are present, cooking in the kitchen and chatting with customers.
The menu changes with the seasons, so it's difficult to recommend a specific dish. The intensely tangy, fluffy sourdough rye focaccia is a classic and costs $5 at dinner. At lunchtime, it's a key ingredient in sandwiches like the $13 Egg and Vegetable, with Ferndale Reserve cheese, pickled onions, vegetables, and scrambled eggs.
The smoked salmon rillettes achieve a perfect balance of creaminess and saltiness, thanks to a remoulade sauce with capers. Thin slices of purple daikon radish add freshness and a touch of bitterness. The dish of baby bok choy and sauteed mushrooms features a miso and hazelnut dressing with a smoky note, and is topped with a sprinkle of fried Jerusalem artichoke hearts.
The fresh pasta is made with milled red wheat, whose unique character shines through in the vegetarian cappanelle with zucchini and onion sauce. Parmesan cheese is paired with nigella peppers, and with locally sourced grains, any pasta on the menu is worth trying.
The wine list is worth checking out and features more options from Oregon and Europe, with just one glass from Washington. There are also local beers and bottles in the fridge to take away. The non-alcoholic infusions are made with seasonal ingredients, such as a fizzy and floral strawberry and rhubarb soda.
The dessert menu also changes with the season. Highlights include a semolina tart with olive oil and macerated ripe strawberries, with a buttery crust and tender crumb, and a scoop of rhubarb sorbet, light, sweet, and with a touch of acidity.
