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Review content:
My husband and I were lucky enough to be taken to Cafe Pirouette by one of our friends as a welcome home treat. We had never heard of this tiny restaurant, tucked in a back street in Old Bellevue, but we'll be sure to extol its virtues to anyone who listens going forward.
Cafe Pirouette mainly specializes in crepes--they offer lunch during the week, but serve dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant itself could probably only seat fifteen couples or so--it is very small, but there is candlelight, and if you're lucky, you can secure a table allowing you a view outside one of the two front windows (though there's not a lot to see, it's still fun).
Warm, fresh bread starts things off--there is also a lovely wine list, and a very reasonable corkage charge if you want to bring your own wine. We began with Caesar salads (though our friend had the chicken vegetable soup and thoroughly enjoyed it)--they were light, and tangy, without being overwhelming, and included fresh homemade croûtons.
We continued with the filet mignon, which elicited a great deal of discussion: golden raisins, which included a faint taste of maple, then augmented by additionally complex tastes. None of us were sure, initially, about the maple and the raisins, but were were more than pleasantly surprised at how they complemented the flavor of the exceptionally tender beef. Garlic mashed potatoes, light, fluffy, but not overwhelming, complemented the beef.
My husband finished his meal with a slice of chocolate Grand Marnier cake, which he enthusiastically enjoyed. He's not much of a chocolate fan, but he knows good quality chocolate as well as desserts, and his eyes half-close the past few days when he thinks about it. I tried the Chocolate Hazelnut Banana crepes--these were absolutely fantastic. If the savory crepes Cafe Pirouette serves at lunch meet this level of deliciousness, you're in for a treat.
Prices are extremely reasonable--perhaps even a little "cheap" for food of the quality we enjoyed. Portions, in this day of expanding waistlines and ridiculous, oversized garnishes, are perfectly-sized. There's limited parking in front of the restaurant, but plenty within close walking distance. There is no bar, and no waiting area, so you may want to make reservations if at all possible--and Cafe Pirouette is probably best for families with older children, or couples looking for a nice night out at a local restaurant. Give Cafe Pirouette a try!
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