(duparandcompany.com) – Redmond
How I heard of this place: My friend Wambui recommended it to me nearly six months ago and I make it a point to go back as often as possible!
Type of cuisine: Pacific Northwest cuisine, internationally inspired.
Ambiance: The restaurant is beautifully done in colorful, yet tasteful decor including three large pictures of pomegranates on one wall. The dining area is large, consists of tables for two and tables for ten (which can be shared by two or more parties). It’s very comfortable and cozy, the staff attentive, friendly, accommodating and quick (specifically the busser). The wood-fire oven and large windows to the catering space make for an intimate settings where you feel like there are no secrets. Perfect for a date, a Sunday brunch with family (reservations only accepted for parties of six or more) or a lunch out with a work colleague. It really is the place to go for any occasion!
What I ordered: We had 10 people in our party, with five others joining us at the restaurant for dinner prior to seeing Kooza at Marymoor Park. In our party of ten, several couldn’t turn away from the Thomas Kemper Root Beer on tap, and two ordered coffee – one drip and one cappuccino. Two couples ordered the Sharper mac & cheese gratin as a starter. I couldn’t resist the beet carpaccio and lamb’s lettuce salad with Point Reyes blue cheese crumbles, toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of orange oil. For dinner, at our table, there was one Pom corned beef reuben ($11) on house rye bread with red kraut, gruyere and thousand island dressing, with a side of crispy chips and pickle. Another ordered the tomato soup with a grilled white cheddar cheese sandwich ($10) prepared on Jim’s ciabatta on the side. A third ordered the herbed gnocchi bolognaise ($16) with mini Italian sausage meatballs and shaved pecorino. Another opted for the Painted Hills beef burger ($13) on house onion roll with bacon mayo, white cheddar, house (shoestring) fries, fixins and red cabbage slaw. In our party, one ordered the chicken pot pie ($18) with mushrooms and peas, topped with a cheddar chive biscuit and served with a small Pom house salad, and another ordered the hearty veggie shepherd’s pie ($16) made with young carrots, leeks, mushrooms and early peas, topped with chive Yukon gold mashers. Four of us went for the famous Pom firebreads. At the table, two of us ordered the roasted apple, smoked bacon and cheddar with caramelized onions and garlic ($12 each), one opted for the arugula, prosciutto and pecorino with roasted garlic, truffle oil and French sea salt ($11) and one went for the only vegetarian option, roasted Grandview mushrooms with baby spinach, blistered cherry tomatoes and creamy garlic sauce ($10). Of the ten of us, only five ordered dessert, and three were on the same train of thought with the pura vida ($6) – Costa Rican caramel ice cream with Central American espresso and a coconut crunch cookie. One ordered the dulce de leche bread pudding with cajeta and spiced whipped cream ($6) and the last ordered an earl grey chocolate truffle torte ($7), which surprised us all when it was presented: a dark chocolate truffle infused with earl grey tea, and layered with thin almond pastry, resembling a terrine more than a truffle.
What I loved: I was most impressed by the earl grey truffle torte because of it’s very different, but beautiful presentation, the richness of the dark chocolate and the light crunch of the almond pastry layers. The yellow beats paired with toasted pine nuts and lamb’s lettuce was lightly dressed and dusted with fresh grated black pepper which added a sweet and peppery flavor to open up my appetite for the entree. Everyone who tried the roasted apple, smoken bacon and cheddar firebread agreed that it was a seamless combination of flavors that blended together surprisingly seamlessly.
Why I loved it: I am always impressed with everything about the Bistro – from decor, to mood, to food. The food completely fresh and made to order, the decor vibrant but simple and the staff friendly and accommodating.
Cost: Low to average for a dinner-sized entree ($8-$13 for firebreads; $16-$31 for fish, meat and vegetarian entrees)