Transitional dining on Ballard Avenue

Volterra

5411 Ballard Avenue

789-5100

Dinner: Monday - Thursday 5 - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday 5 - 11 p.m., Sunday 5 - 9 p.m.

Brunch: Saturday - Sunday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Bar: Monday - Thursday 4:30 p.m.- 12 a.m., Friday - Saturday 4:30 p.m. - 1 a.m.

By Patricia Devine and Jim Anderson

Ballard Avenue can be an odd place these days, with its vast, even bizarre mix of consumers with hugely divergent ideas of what constitutes a good time. It's probably been like that for 100 years, but the new pressures being put on the area create a strange brew.

Sitting on the patio of the two-year old Volterra offers a case in point, with grizzled veterans of the nearby old-school booze halls tromping by, looking in on the fenced off seating area as if to say, "well my my, looks like we got us some real fancy diners."

Volterra is a shiny and stylish makeover of the old Ballard Ave fixture Burk's Cafe, and it's a visually pleasing place to be sure. Dark wood and soft lighting make the entry space and bar feel cozy and warm, while the main seating area sparkles with light. The outdoor seating area, which used to cry out for improvement in its unused and empty role with Burk's, has been transformed with planters and greenery. The fence seems a little off-putting. Is it keeping us in or them out? And the metal mesh table could use a table cloth, to avoid crumbs and anything spilled landing on one's legs. But dining al fresco is always nice.

Volterra's stylish black clad servers, evoking memories of Saturday Night Live's "Sprockets" skits, glide through the space, moving things along at a sometimes hurried pace. We had been seated and with menus for just a few moments, and were anticipating getting a drink order in as we set up to peruse the menu. When our server asked "have we decided" (meaning our food order), we wondered if he knew that we had just arrived.

But they like to keep things moving here, although we struggled to understand the sometimes odd non-sequiturs thrown at us by our waiter throughout the evening. For example, one of our two appetizer plates had already been cleared, and the second was empty. Neither of us was holding any silverware, yet the server seemed to be admonishing us when he said "I'll need to clean some of this away so I can bring your entr/e." The entr/e didn't show up for another 15 minutes, but I guess he wanted to plan ahead. It felt like an assembly line. We prefer the mechanics of eating out to run a little more smoothly.

The idea of Volterra is charming. It's named after a town in Tuscany where the owners were married, and Tuscany is the menu theme. The wine list is notable and the bartenders are skilled. The fresh sheet - including cocktails, wine, appetizers, and entrees - is a welcome treat and features regional ingredients and tempting in-season specials.

Volterra made a big splash when they first opened to rave reviews, but a professional attitude is missing (except among the exceptional bus-boys). Diners are rushed, plates are cleared prematurely; wine glasses are left empty. It's a puzzling, not a relaxing experience, and the reason to go to a high-end place like this is, in part, to relax. I think if the owners could have the experience of eating in their restaurant incognito, they would want to change things.

The appetizer of seared sea scallops, adorned by saut/ed wild mushrooms and buttery fava beans ($14), offered complexity of flavor. The Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with toasted walnuts and asiago cheese ($8) showcased paper thin sliced beets, delivering a fresh take on this now-classic bistro salad.

The focaccia bread served with all meals is seasoned with herbed salt, nicely clinging to the nutty and green house olive oil. The lamb steak entr/e ($22), while moderately tough, showcased beautiful grilling technique and a smoky and tastefully charred exterior.

The sturgeon special ($23), served atop a bed or artichoke ragout with a huckleberry-pineapple-sage sauce, delivered a light, summery and buoyant medley of flavors respectful of the mild fish flavor.

If you live in Ballard (and know all the secret Ballardite-only parking places) it's worth going to Volterra for a plate of pasta ($14-$18) and one of their good wines by the glass, or for drinks and appetizers at the bar, which we've enjoyed before. But for a special or destination dining occasion, your money and time may better be spent elsewhere.

Patricia Devine and Jim Anderson are long time Ballard residents, and have been writing about politics, music, art and food since 1980. They can be reached via bnteditor@robinsonnews.com