An accidental lunch that was absolutely delicious.

Hi everyone!

I had an exquisite lunch at this Mediterranean restaurant called Ciudad. We weren't supposed to go there, but we wound up getting a bit lost and then looked for something nearby and found this abosolutely gem of a restaurant. It was one of my favorite meals in Seattle and some of the highlights included Crispy Falafel, Seared Hallumi, Harris Roasted Carrots and the House Pickles!

Now let's get started on this food adventure!

The falafel was a total win! Crispy and crunchy on the outside, but once you took a bite, it was soft and packed with so much flavor. There was hummus that went with it, and oh my gosh, it was like a match made in heaven. So creamy and it was a perfect pair and every bite was delicious. It came with the charred carrots and veggies on the side that added the right balance of char and smoke and fresh crunch. But then there was also a mysterious white sauce that wasn't hummus but was a game-changer! It had this tangy, slightly acidic kick that just woke up all the flavors on the plate. Whatever it was, it was so good! Can you tell that I liked that I liked it.

Rating: 9.5/10 - SOO flavourful with all those sauces. Every falafel should be this good.

The dishes were all coming one at a time and the next thing we had was the Halloumi. It came with a corn salad that was bursting with flavor thanks to all the seasoning and sauces added to it. Each bite was delicious with the corn’s natural sweetness shining through. The halloumi was also great in that it was seared well, so had that rubbery and squeeky texture of halloumi. But I have to admit, while both of these these were delivious, I didn’t understand why they chose to pair the halloumi with the corn salad. They were both good, but they felt a bit out of place.

Rating: 7.5/10 - Great items, but a weird pairing.

The Harrisa Roasted Carrots were beautifully charred with a delightful crispiness that made each bite a treat. The seasoning was spot on, giving the carrots just the right amount of flavor without overpowering their natural sweetness. We had a hint of these with other dishes, but I was so happy we order them separately as well, because they had this mysterious green sauce underneath that was a bit spicy, but totally delicious! It added this unexpected fiery kick to the carrots. It was a little too spicy for me to have a lot, but a small taste was yummy. It also had a crunchy topping sprinkled over the carrots which added a nice nutty texture that tied the whole dish together. The mix of flavours and spices was delicious and exciting, but the spice was a bit much for me!

Rating: 7.5/10 - Loved it, but I tried not to have to much of the mysterious green sauce even though it was tasty.

I love pickles, so we had to try the pickled vegetables and they were a standout! Sharp, tangy acidity that instantly hit your taste buds in the best way. Every bite brought a brilliant kick of flavor, perfectly balancing the richness of the other components on the plate. The pickled radishes were especially vibrant. They were the perfect little bursts of brightness and they were my favorite!

Rating: 8/10 - Sound simple, but don't miss them. Delicious, crunchy and acidic!

As a protein we had the prawns. We had to try something from the grill. It's really funny actually, when you walk into the restaurant you walk into this little room that looks like it only has a to go counter, but that is just the entry, and that is where they cook all the grilled meats. Honestly, I don't think the prawns were the best choice. I mean they were delicious and I love the combination of flavours and herbs and they were amazing. But the smell of the other meats when we walked out made me wish we had tried more. I think I need to go back for the rest.

Rating: 8/10 - The grill was a lovely combination of smoke and deliciousness.

But one of the other surprises was the service which was so friendly, helpful, and incredibly welcoming. From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel right at home. They were attentive without being overbearing, happy to answer any questions about the menu, and quick to accommodate any requests. It felt like they genuinely cared about making our experience special, which added an extra layer of warmth to an already great meal.

I can't recommend Cuidad enough. If you haven't been, you should check it out.

https://www.ciudadseattle.com/

Stay tuned for more, ‘cause I’m gonna dig in and give you the full scoop on a bunch of other exquisite and exciting different restaurants soon!

And I have a trip to Mexico coming up so lots of updates from there.