On Dining: Vios Cafe extends its dinner hours

Some wishes do come true. Starting this week, Vios Cafe and Marketplace, Thomas Soukakos' friendly Greek eatery and market on the corner of 19th Avenue East and Aloha Street, will stay open until 8:30 p.m.

To make the early evening hours at Vios (pronounced VEE-ose) even more special, Soukakos has added a prix-fixe family-style dinner. The multicourse meal features a daily-changing menu highlighting different regions of Greece. Everything will be served on platters, to share, with one set price ranging from $19-$28 per person, not including tax or gratuity. Reservations are required: phone 206-329-3236.

For those who prefer to graze Greek-style, Soukakos also will offer a second menu of mezze-style fare. This a la carte menu will list shareable smaller dishes, priced $5-$9, such as marinated olives, cheeses, pita dips, salads and other prepared fare similar to what is sold in Vios' deli case.

Finally, rather than offering a wine list, Vios will allow guests to bring or buy a bottle of wine to accompany their meal. A $10 corkage fee will be added to the bill.

Frank, my intrepid dining accomplice, like me, loves the food at Vios. "It's fresh and good and simple," he has said, many times. "And it goes down well." If Frank had his druthers we'd eat Vios' cucumber-crisp Greek salad ($5/$7), grilled chicken souvlaki ($5.75) and delicious trio sampler of dips ($7.50) weekly, if not daily.

Certifiable

It's true. Sterling Cafe (2614 N.E. 55th St.; 206-522-3011) is the first Washington restaurant to be certified organic by the state Department of Agriculture. Congratulations to chef/owner Donald O. Wilson, who joins the likes of Charlie's Produce, Full Circle Farm, Madison Market and PCC Natural Markets. Certification is not necessarily required for retailers to offer organic items, but demonstrates their commitment.

What does it take for a restaurant to become certified organic? In short: time, money and paperwork. The application process takes 90 to 120 days, and that doesn't include the extensive preparation needed for the application.

The initial fee is $300, with additional fees required when gross revenues exceed $50,000. Significant documentation must accompany the application, including a list of all organic products used and an "organic system plan," describing -- among other things -- how products are verified to be organic, who handles the products and what kind of pest management is used in the restaurant.

The applicant also must allow on-site inspections, retain records for five years and update its organic system plan each year.

What does Sterling Cafe's new organic certification mean to you, the customer? Peace of mind -- or as close to peace of mind as any bureaucratic credential can provide -- that this restaurant does indeed properly purchase, store, prepare and serve organic ingredients.

Sterling Cafe hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday-Wednesday.

To get your certified organic appetite in gear, visit www.sterlingcafe.net and peruse its sample menus. I did and found the idea of a certified organic BLT on Essential Bakery bread ($8) or slice of lemon meringue pie ($6) certifiably tempting.

P-I restaurant critic Penelope Corcoran can be reached at 206-448-8391 or penelopecorcoran@seattlepi.com.

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