Kim Tomlinson of Burrata Bistro and Paella Bar

Burrata Bistro and Paella Bar, a downtown Poulsbo icon, has been a North Kitsap foodie destination for almost two decades. The warm and inviting interior is now accompanied by a covered and heated, four-season outdoor area behind the building. Owners Kim Tomlinson and Alfonso Valvez offer their take on earthy, house-made Italian fare and memorable Spanish tapas and paella. Bartender and wine director Milo Goodrich pairs the menu with well-selected wines and amazing artisan cocktails. We visited with Tomlinson to ask about her career and the business.

What brought you to this restaurant?

About 16 years ago, this was a pizza and ice cream parlor, so I bought that, did the interior and got it going. I had a paper sign in the window saying “Burrata Bistro, Opening Soon.” People walked by saying, “Burrito Bistro, oh, a new Mexican restaurant!” and I thought, “Oh, dear, am I doing the right thing?” But I just went with my heart. I thought, I’ve lived here over for 45 years, I’m going make what I know how to cook.

So, Italian was your passion?

Yes, old-fashioned kind of cooking, braises and things like that. At first, we just served beer and wine and when the landlord offered us the space next door, we took it, building out a dish prep area and walk-in fridge for both sides, and added a bar. I knew not to expand the Italian space because that doesn’t always work in this industry, so I said let’s do Spanish tapas and paella in the other side of the restaurant. Before COVID-19, each side had its own menu, no switching between, but after the pandemic, we said what the heck, offer the entire menu on both sides.

Paella is a challenge to prepare correctly!

Yes, what we do is pre-prepare the rice, not all the way cooked. Then, when an order is taken, we finish it with the seafood and sausage in a sauté pan, then into the oven. When we couldn’t source just the right sausage, we started making it here. Guests tell us that it’s as good as any they have had in Spain.

Did you cook professionally before this?

I’m totally self-taught and I started when I was 10 years old using a hand-cranked pasta machine, making fettuccine. I made wedding cakes for a while and then I had a catering business in Seattle. After that, I worked in the front of the house at the Queen City Grill in Seattle waiting tables for 16 years. It was then that I said, “Let’s open a restaurant!” I told Alfonso, “OK, I’ll be in the kitchen, and you’ll be waiting tables.” And now we have 30 employees.

What is the restaurant’s inspiration?

Old-style, classic Italian braises and pastas and things like that. Everything here is done from scratch. The sauce is custom to each dish; the pastas are made here. If you order the lasagna, the sauce, the pasta and the sausage was made here. Your lasagna is made when you order it. The Bolognese is a three-hour cook, and the lamb shank and osso buco are five-hour braises. And much of the bread is made in house. I start at 5 a.m.

Tell us about the wine and cocktail selections.

The wine is mostly Spanish and from Washington or California. We price them very reasonably. Our younger customers are really into cocktails, so we fresh-squeeze all our juice and make all the mixes for cocktails when they’re ordered.

Outside of the pandemic, what’s been your biggest challenge?

It’s getting everything working together, getting the right staff. Staff is the biggest part of this industry, and ours is strong. I have people who have been here for 14 years.

Have you had a struggle with staffing, like so many restaurants?

Almost all of our staff are still here from before COVID because we stayed open. Four to five days a week, we did takeout, and we offered take-out margarita kits to make at home. We asked the team for ideas on how to make it, to stay open. We had the sidewalk dining with ropes, then covered pods. We still have the covered and heated outdoor seating for 30 in the back that we added.

Do you still have guests from when you opened 16 years ago?

Yes, some couples who met here and married, they come back now with their teenagers. In fact, one daughter who was a young child is now one of our hostesses.

What are your favorite dishes?

For me, the roasted half chicken, boned and stuffed with rosemary mascarpone, seared and served on polenta and the lamb shank. For Alfonso, the Cubano sandwich with slow-braised pork mojo and ham on Macrina bakery bread — he says it’s “unbelievable.” For Milo, the beef tenderloin on crostini or sea-bass skewers with salsa verde. The most popular is the goat cheese stuffed dates, bacon wrapped with balsamic reduction.

Walk us through a recipe.

The baked oysters are prepared like escargot. I bought these beautiful escargot cups, we put the oysters in them and then we make a butter with sautéed bacon and shallots, then add cognac and cook that down and add parsley, lemon juice and smoked paprika, then top with a little bit of bread crumbs. So yummy!

Do you use any food delivery services?

No, you just don’t know what happens to the food from here to the home. We still offer some dishes to go.

What are your hours?

We are open Wednesday and Thursday 3-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 1-9 and Sunday 1-8.