Shelter from the Storm & a Bottle of Tuscan Cabernet. Or a Bloody Mary.

MusI am writing this because I need a place to record the delicious details of the last lunch I ate at Matt’s in the Market.  This restaurant redefines comfort food for me- and comfort is what you need when you’re out running around a city like Seattle, getting drenched by the perpetually chilly rain and fighting traffic while trying to keep on top of a day full of appointments.  Regardless, Matt’s in the Market is a little bit of home away from home, especially when you begin your meal with a superlative Bloody Mary.

Deviled Eggs. Just order these.  Perfectly silky egg yolk filling topped with imaginative and hyper-local ingredients.  Eggs are the perfect vehicle for anything.

Pork Belly Banh Mi.  Honestly I ordered this the first time I ate at Matt’s and I would have ordered it every time consecutively if I weren’t convinced I have an intrinsic need to taste everything on this menu.

The freshest mussels and clams, studded with chorizo and peppers.  This broth is heaven on a cold rainy day.  Buttery croutons.  Fresh cilantro.  I can’t go on without drooling on my keyboard.

What goes better with comfort food than Tolaini’s Valdisanti?  Not much.  This rich, voluptuous Cabernet-based red is a veritable gateway drug to Italian wine.  Bring it to Thanksgiving dinner and surprise your Napa Cabernet-loving friend with how much they love it.  This is training wheels for Italian wine newbies.  Grippy, ashy notes laden with that typical pencil lead of Chianti’s terroir.  There is a ton of black fruit- plums, blackberries, blueberries- all lit up by a brilliant streak of acidity.

If you’re going to hole yourself up on a stormy day in Seattle, Matt’s in the Market is the perfect hide-out, especially when you have a bottle of Valdisanti to keep you warm.