Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, WA - a deliciously delectable dining experience
For those who are local to the Seattle, WA area here is a review of the renowned Cafe Juanita. My wife and I spent our 5th Anniversary enjoying a night out (sans kids) of fine dining at the Eastside chef owned restaurant.
There is no dress code, as it is Seattle, but I would advise something a bit more than casual is appropriate. We arrived and had our car valet parked for $8, there is on-street parking around the area but keep in mind the restaurant is surrounded by numerous apartments and townhomes so parking is limited. We decided, being our anniversary and all, we would splurge, plus believe it or not it was raining when we arrived, lol.
We were promptly seated at a lovely corner booth/table, having previously booked several months earlier. When I reserved the table, I noted it was our anniversary so I believe they very graciously accomodated us. The view outside is of a stream and many apartment patios and decks, but of course you are not there for the view. The restaurant itself is an open kitchen contemporary design and was very comfortable and not too loud, creating a wonderful ambiance. We were greeted with our choice of sparkling water, but we just went with the normal (tap) option. The wine list is vast and you could literally spend 20 minutes or more just selecting a bottle. The selection of wines by the glass is a bit limited, but I suppose that is by design as most patrons seemed to be enjoying bottles.
There were two choices for dinner, either we could select to have a tasting (various courses selected by the chef for $135 per person along with pairing wine selections $75 per person) or ala carte from the dinner menu. Being our first time at Cafe Juanita we decided to select our own path through the menu. The restaurant boasts decadent selections celebrating Northern Italian cuisine. From Foie Gras to Octopus drizzled with bone marrow to Rabbit and A5 Wagyu selections as a main course, you will be amazed at the eclectic menu. My wife and I are very adventurous when it comes to trying new foods so we started with the Octopus, smoked bone marrow, chickpea, salsa verde -$18, which they were happy to split.
The Octopus was extremely tender but the main flavor came from the salsa verde, we could only described as earthy organic. We just had cocktails to pair with this starter.
We moved onto the Foie gras, Asian pear, candied ginger, thyme, cacao nibs $28. Having never tried Foie gras, we very much enjoyed the crisp sear on top and the very sweet candied ginger. Per our waiter, a very nice young man with great knowledge of the menu, we paired this with a sweet Muscato wine. The combination of the Asian pear and sweet ginger was excellent.
For our main courses, I selected the Rabbit, Arneis braised, pancetta, carrot crema, porcini, herbs $36 (apparently Cafe Juanita's staple and I could see why) while my wife went with the A5 Miyazaki Kuroge Wagyu, daily preparation $95. The Wagyu was incredible, it was almost like it was drizzled with just the right amount of beef fat to give it a tender, delectable flavor. The Rabbit (you must try the Rabbit), was very rich with a medium gravy and perfectly prepared pancetta. The waiter brought us some bread to finish off the gravy and I was so impressed I said I would eat a flip flop dipped in the gravy (I'm sure the chef doesn't call it a gravy but this is the best way I could describe it). It was extremely filling but (my only criticism) a bit salty. She paired her Wagyu with a Barolo and my Rabbit was accompanied by a very sold Nebbiolo.
Being our anniversary we selected the Dark chocolate pave, hazelnut daquoise, marsala zabaglione, espresso gelato $13 for dessert. The kitchen also graciously prepared an Anniversary dessert for us as well, I don't exactly know what it was but was a sorbet with pistachio. I enjoyed the Dark chocolate dessert much better as the complimentary dessert was a bit too nutty for my taste.
Overall: a wonderful experience in dining. The staff was very knowledgeable and attentive. The design is clean, modern and inviting. The dress is a bit above casual and most were there for occassions so I wouldn't wear just jeans and a t-shirt. I didn't see one child and I suppose it would be difficult to see an entree, or even dessert for that matter, which would please that very discerning (chicken nugget and macaroni) palate.
Pros: wonderful culinary experience, open kitchen and contemporary design lends to an extremely comfortable atmosphere, perfectly prepared courses from start to finish.
Cons: not for children, very expensive, if you are not adventurous I would suggest checking the menu online before reserving a table at the proverbially capacity filled restaurant.