After a typical weekday afternoon of ushering both kids in from school, I slipped back into homework-nazi mode, only to realize I'd failed to remove frozen chicken from our industrial sized freezer. Grilling and veggies at home? No! Alas, an undeniable pull to a new restaurant on Bainbridge Island called Penelope's. Just opened a week but boasting home cooked Italian dishes, we left the confines of our home with open minds and hungry bellies.
What do real estate experts and wannabes always say? Location, Location, Location! Penelope's is easy to find from the ferry terminal ~ take a left on Winslow Way, a right on Madison Avenue and a left into the Pavilion where the movie theater and other local businesses are located. Penelope's is nestled in between Chinese and Mexican eateries on the 1st floor.
Upon entering Penelope's I quickly embraced the deeply muted lights, dark colored tables, richly painted red walls and racks of wine perfectly assembled near an open and buzzing kitchen. Discreet touches including multi-colored mosaic candleholders and reddish-yellow glass blown hanging lamps left me nodding approval. Penelope's had succeeded in supplying an exceptional first impression. One of the first groups to arrive, our party of four was greeted by a young gal who quickly ushered us to an oversized back table, in what I would consider a lackluster area. Bummer! Unfortunately the up front moody ambience was not duplicated in the rear. Although we love our sporadic sunlight in the Pacific Northwest, dark window treatments and air vent coverings would be a lovely touch and might soften this portion of the restaurant, lending to the overall atmosphere. Feeling a bit misplaced, we then requested an intimate booth nearer the front, closer to the kitchen. Better and now a bit more "Accalorato!"
Presented with easy to read menu's by our Italian word dropping server, Pat, my incredibly handsome date and I opted for two glasses of Chianti. Reasonably priced and suitably paired with our Antipasto, this signified the beginning of our Italian meal. The plate included cured meats (prosciutto, ham & salami), various cheeses (provolone & gouda) and delicious spreads (spoonfuls of goat cheese, pesto and bruschetta). More please! By far my favorite part of the meal and affordable, at under $10.00. We opted to pair the Antipasto with an order of perfectly baked breadsticks and lemon garlic butter ($3) which was an ideal compliment and a hit with the kids.
To my surprise and always an added bonus, the Proprietor and Head Chef, Will Lawrence Grant stopped by to welcome us to Penelope's (named after his wife and Co-Proprietor) and answered menu questions. He did a fantastic job of explaining his ingredients for bolognese and puttanesca (among other dishes) and then told us a story of cooking gouda mac and cheese for all the neighborhood kids. Gotta like a man who makes scratch smokey mac!
After Chef Will left us in favor of the bustling kitchen, Server Pat reappeared to take our entree orders. By this time the joint was really filling up and staff a scurrying! The 10 year old was first to place her order ~ a dependable Spaghetti and Meatballs as offered on the kids menu. For convenience all children's items are affordable at $5.00 a plate and aim to please a finicky demographic. Their selection includes pizza, lasagne and other pastas. Fortunately the 10 year old seemed satisfied and after I snuck a taste of the zesty meatball, could see why. Very flavorful and tasty!
Next up was the 12 year old who has made a habit of forgoing any interest in the kids menu or crayons and orders with the adults. His choice, the Veal Marsala ($15) with Risotto. Unfortunately the Veal was hitless with the 12 year old and everyone else at our table. Expecting something tender and flavorful this plate was near impossible to stomach and ended up in our napkins. Server Pat was overloaded with tables and hardly nodded acknowledgment when we revealed the dish was less than substandard. The Risotto on the other hand was flavorful and a success, but not enough to save or compliment the young calf.
That handsome date I mentioned? Well his hunger was up next. Contemplating for a moment the family style portion ($15) he opted instead for the individual mass of Baked Pasta ($9) with the addition of Italian Sausage ($3). Good to know a majority of Penelope's pasta dishes come in a larger size, always ideal for sharing with several. Typically a critic (unless it's Asian influenced) I could tell Mr. Handsome had an adequate first bite. After stealing my own off his plate, I savored the hint of ricotta, parmesan and sausage infused marina. All in all a dependable presentation.
My turn! After shuffling between two or three pasta dishes, I finally decided on an individual plate of Puttanesca ($8), also known as "whores pasta." The name of this dish originated in Naples after the local women of easy virtue. Hmmm! "Puttanesca" translates in Italian to "pasta, the way a whore would make it." I think it has something to do with the smell ~ I'm just saying. I found this dish robustly flavored with capers, anchovies and red chili but the portion of sauce was inadequate to please my bowl full of rigatoni. More sauce would've easily given this dish a B+ to an A-.
The icing on the cake wasn't quite dessert. Our bellies were so full from wine, appetizers and entrees we instead opted for the comedy of Server Pat. He was most happy to deliver our final bill (yes, the veal was part of the ticket) while uttering Italian words or quips, such as "Excellente" and "Here is some light reading for you!" We eventually paid and scattered, putting our Italian meal to bed.
Pros: Atmosphere & Decor, Open Kitchen, Service, Antipasto, Kids Menu
Cons: Not enough quality control out of the kitchen or by Server
Suggestions: Add a few barstools so patrons can enjoy wine & app's while peeking into a VERY cool kitchen
Penelope's ~ 403 Madison Ave., Bainbridge Island, WA (1st floor at the Pavilion)
