SEAReview
photo credit: Suzi Pratt
Il Corvo
This spot is Permanently Closed.
Certain things in life are just better if you’re first in line. Going to the DMV, riding Space Mountain, running to the bar’s restroom after three cuba libres, or buying anything at H&M. Why are there always so many people at H&M?
Il Corvo is the weekday-only, lunch-only pasta place where you’ll want to be first in line too. It’s the place you skip breakfast to prepare for. It’s also the place you commit to showing up to at 10:30am when they open at 11, even when it’s raining and you definitely don’t have an umbrella because you’d look like a tourist if you weren’t soaking wet and miserable. Most importantly, Il Corvo is the place where others posted up the block will glare at you with a spiteful envy that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. They should have known that the early bird gets the pappardelle.
The rules of Il Corvo are simple: you show up early (or prepare yourself to wait in line), you get inside, you continue waiting in line until you reach the counter, at which point you order some focaccia, one of each excellent pasta on the daily-rotating menu (for a screaming deal: about nine bucks a bowl), plus the kale salad if you struggle with guilt issues, maybe some wine, and definitely a biscotti (or three) for afterwards. Only after all that do you get to select your table. That’s where generally showing up first is key. You don’t want to get all the way to the register and realize there’s nowhere to sit and have to wait for the family of four who clearly finished ten minutes ago and keeps repeating, “Oh wow, that was just SO good!” to get the hint and GTFO.
Il Corvo runs a well-olive-oiled machine. The incredible pastas are different every day, they come out in under five minutes (all with heaps of parm on top), and the accompanying vibe is kind of like your Italian grandmother’s house: very minimal and old-school and you’re not quite sure why there are six rolling pins anchored to the wall, but you’re really just there to eat.
If you aren’t claustrophobic and don’t mind casually lunching while the hangry crowd snakes around next to you, you’re going to love it here. If your office happens to be nearby, Il Corvo is perfect for your workday lunch break. Or go ahead and just take a day off, and use it to impress just about anyone (out-of-town or local) with possibly the best pasta in Seattle. Either way, loosen your belt and clear your calendar from 10:30 to noon.