D.O.C., recently opened at 5519 NE 30th Ave, extended an invitation to media types for a preview dinner this week. Unfortunately I was unable to attend. However, our enthusiastic unpaid arts intern was kind enough to go along. Here's what she had to say about the event:

Yesterday, I got real lucky. Since Patrick, our beloved food editor, was double booked, I had the fortune of attending a media dinner at chef Micah Camden's newest restaurant, DOC [Camden is the brains behind the venture, Greg Perrault will be in the kitchen - PAC]. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, a food quality assurance label in Italy. I was treated to a free seven course meal in the company of smart, friendly foodies—one of whom looked exactly like Tina Fey. They told me all about the legs of wine and all the fancy places in town that unfortunately, I won't be able to afford for another ten years. They even had a brief discussion on molecular gastronomy, which I was sort of familiar with due to an unhealthy obsession with Marcel from Top Chef.

Anyway, D.O.C. is worth peeking into, if only to see unique way they set up the restaurant. The space they're working with is very small (it can only seat about 22 to 24 patrons at a time) and may have been a vegan shoe store or something in the past. They made the most of the space, setting up the kitchen at the entrance, so diners have to walk through the tiny kitchen/dishwashing area to enter the dining area. It worried me a little bit though. I can totally see some drunk person tripping and falling on the stove, or a disgruntled busboy spraying someone with scalding hot water. The dining space itself is homey yet elegant (think Northwest sleek, not Danish sleek) with its black chandeliers and gingham curtains.

The food was tiny, pretty, and cerebral. I'm sure the wine pairings were smart (since everyone at the table told me so. I only drink it at Passover Seder and I'm not even Jewish). Patrick will have more intelligent things to say about the place when he reviews it in a month or two. All I have to say is that I hope he gets overbooked again soon, so I can score some more free meals.

Yes. Never underestimate the power of a free meal on an unpaid intern. Powerful stuff. At any rate, I do look forward to checking the place out. Look for it in Last Supper.