My friend Jenny and I have a long standing tradition of going on a ‘not a date’ once a month or so when our schedule allows to catch up and pick a restaurant on the never-ending list of awesome spots on the city that we haven’t tried yet. It’s a win-win, and we rarely have a bad meal.

Tonight we made a stop at Olympic Provisions, at their NW location. It’s touted as rustic European-inspired fare. You know I’m all about that. I wish I would have taken photos. I really should start carrying my camera around more. I eat way too much good stuff on a regular basis. I started with a glass of Cantine Tintero Rosso from…you guessed it…Italy. You guys, I’m hooked. I can’t be stopped. This was a beautiful blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. It was by far one of the best reds by the glass I’ve had from a restaurant. Most places usually head toward a Chianti or a Sangiovese, which aren’t bad, but I definitely prefer any of the others. We split a bunch of things because that’s what we do. So glad that our tastes are similar.

Italian Board – Salami Cacciatore, Finocchiona, Nola, Sopressata, with mortadella, Riobiola tre latti, giardinera pickle Spinach, bacon vinaigrette, strawberries, blue cheese Ribeye, creamed new potatoes, onions and greens, gremolata

It was unreal how good all this stuff was. I couldn’t find fault in anything, except maybe ordering too much as usual. That’s not their fault. It’s mine. They make their own salami, and that Italian board was to die for. I could eat meat, cheese, and pickles all day. No problem.

And avocado hummus. I could eat that all day, too [Awesome transition for the win!].

This was a last minute ‘lets-bring-something-tasty-to-a-dinner-gathering-that-isn’t-a-bottle-of-wine-even-though-that’s-coming-too.’ It was pretty much devoured, which always makes me feel good.

Easy. Healthy. Hummus. I’m into it.

Inspiration: A Cozy Kitchen

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas [garbanzo beans], drained and rinsed

2 avocados

2 garlic cloves

1 lemon, zest and juice

2 tablespoons tahini

salt

olive oil

paprika

Preparation

Place garlic cloves, chickpeas, lemon zest, lemon juice, and tahini in a food processor. Blend until smooth. I had to add a little bit of olive oil to get it going. Add avocados. Salt to taste. Spoon into serving dish. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with chips, crackers, veggies. Try not to spill an entire box of toothpicks on the ground. They’re not as fun to pick up as you’d think.