Skillet’s Nick Novello Will Seek Guest Input At Upcoming Two Lambs & A Pig Pop-in

So, two lambs and a pig walk into the Capitol Hill Skillet... After that, it's all chef Nick Novello's (formerly of Toulouse Petit and Local 360) whimsy, and what he hopes will be a very fresh dining experience at his Two Lambs & A Pig pop-in on Tuesday, May 12.

First, the food: Starting at 7 p.m., the Skillet on the Hill will present a playful four-course menu diverging from the restaurant's usual fare. $50 gets you cured, braised lamb cheeks; smoked, braised lamb belly; bone-in short ribs; and a black-and-white, soda-counter shake with vanilla ice cream, seltzer, chocolate sauce, and candied chicarron. Reservations must be made in advance, and quickly—at last count there were just 18 seats left. The regular Skillet menu will be available throughout the rest of the restaurant.

Now, the experience: "The name of the event tells the story of the proteins and shows the fun we're going to have," Novello says. The chef came on at Skillet in 2013 and aims for this event to help Seattle diners snap out of what he deems our recent slump.

"If you're okay with, 'Hi, may I take your order,' you should sit this one out," Novello says. "We're going to start little by little attacking the boringness of the American dining experience. I want guest input at any given moment. I want you to think, 'What do I really want right now, at this moment?' and I will bring all those suggestions into creation for the next [pop-in] and so on. I'm being serious: If it's a kitten in your lap to pet for one stroke, tell me about it; if it's a hug, tell me, I want to know ... I want to make you truly feel loved and happy."

What more could a diner want? Book a seat through Dyne.