Chef Mike Sierra adds some final touches to his grilled vegetables on his iron griddle at Tokyo Steakhouse in downtown Bellevue.

BY CELESTE GRACEY

It took Tokyo Steakhouse owner Bryan Joo seven years to break into the Bellevue market, but he did it with the patience he learned as a Korean immigrant working on a produce farm to support his family.

He now owns Bellevue’s only teppanyaki restaurant, where guests sit around iron griddles to watch chefs prepare their meals.

At one table, Chef Mike Sierra juggles a meat fork, before spinning an egg on a spatula. He builds a volcano from an onion, and its flames shoot up into the vent hood, painting his face in orange light.

His hands are always tapping, and his lips always chanting through jokes and rhythms that keep his guests engaged.

His work is both about the show and the food.

While the goal is to keep customers drawn in, for Sierra, who has been a teppanyaki chef for five years, it’s all about the food. He has to use high-quality, fresh ingredients, otherwise customers would notice. Seasoned primarily with soy and sake, the food is as simple as teriyaki.

Choose a meat, owner Joo likes shrimp and medium-rare steak ($17 for lunch, $28 for dinner), and chefs conjure up fried rice, grilled zucchini and bean sprouts. Dinners also come with a prawn appetizer and salad.

Although the fare is simple, Tokyo is far from bland. It serves Asian-styled steak sauce, they call A-1, alongside sauce for the shrimp, which they comically coined A-2.

While Tokyo’s teppanyaki grills add the most to the Bellevue restaurant scene, it also touts its sushi menu, 118 varieties.

Its grand bar, which stretches most of one wall in the 9,000 square foot space, is made entirely of Plexiglas filled with LED colored lights. LEDs light everything from the edges of the teppanyaki tables to bubbling water features scattered throughout the space.

Depending on Joo’s mood or the season, the colors change. This modern look is completed by neon-colored bar stools that surround Plexiglas tables, which are also filled with the lights.

Joo decided to make the add a Bellevue location after customers from his Federal Way restaurant continued to ask him to come to the Eastside.

He first attempted to find a spot at Lincoln Tower in 2005, but he was up against too many large chain restaurants, he said. “The market was hot.”

He waited until last year, when he struck a deal with Wallace Properties at one of the Elements towers. Tokyo is the second restaurant to open in the towers. Lunchbox Laboratory moved in next door in February.

Joo’s patience through finding the new location came from his parents, who taught him good things come to those who wait.

When he immigrated with his family at age 13, they asked him to take a job at a produce farm to help pay the bills. Until his early 20s, all of his paychecks went to his parents.

It didn’t all disappear into bills though. His parents saved enough that when he wanted his first car, they were able to outright pay for it. For him, it was the reward of his patience.

After high school he took a job as a dishwasher at a teppanyaki restaurant and worked his way up to chef. He cooked for 16 years, before opening Tokyo in Federal Way.

Now and then he still takes over the griddle for fun. “It’s in my blood.”

Owners Bradley Dickinson (left) and Mikel Rogers have created a style Rogers calls “regional American.”

BY CELESTE GRACEY

Downtown Bellevue’s newest restaurant wants to bring a little age and rusticity to a city built from glass and steel.

With tables made from reclaimed barn timber and stressed leather chairs, Koral promises a casual atmosphere and upscale menu that tips a hat to nerds who prefer jackets with zippers.

With gaudy candelabras and nostalgic black-and-white photos, it’s like the antique-collecting stepsister of the owner’s first restaurant, Pearl, which is as elegant as its namesake.

Chef Bradley Dickinson and partner Mikel Rogers, the minds behind both, hope people catch on to Koral’s lower menu prices and all-American feel.

Bruised doors reclaimed from Portland High School wrap around half the bar. Their authenticity is confirmed with old room numbers left on their windows.

Nautical-themed lanterns and candles provide the only light in the otherwise dark and moody space.

Koral opened in the former location of Twisted Cork, and is connected to the Hyatt Regency Bellevue’s new lobby. Dickinson and Rogers have been considering the space since 2010, when Twisted Cork’s remodel failed to bring in new faces.

The pair did away with oversized booths, which could seat about eight, and introduced smaller tables interspersed between three large ones. Everything that can be touched was replaced. They also lowered the floors in part of the restaurant.

Also new are two private dining spaces, anticipating that the hotel would come with some demand for business dinners.

The restaurant won’t contribute to the hotel’s services, but it does expect about 70 percent of its initial business will come from its guests.

Dickinson and Rogers left Schwartz Brothers Restaurants in Seattle to open The Pearl in 2007. Their menu redefined Bellevue’s happy hour scene.

It also helped bring a local balance to The Bellevue Collection’s numerous national chain restaurants. They had considered opening a spot in Kirkland, but liked being able to walk between the two. This is their second restaurant just off the coveted Bellevue Way strip.

Small plates: Tuna Crudo (left) and Roasted Garlic Chicken

Like Pearl, Koral’s happy hour offers half off the bar menu. However, the restaurant’s main menu pulls away from traditional Pacific Northwest dishes to a style Rogers calls “regional American” – thick cut lamb chops ($24), bleu cheese meatloaf ($18) and Honolulu poke ($12).

The garlic chicken ($9), made with a porcini rub, is herby and comes with enough whole roasted cloves to have one in each bite.

Arugula, tossed in a tart vinaigrette, balances the sweet roasted beet salad ($8).

The playfulness of the restaurant shines through the chocolate mousse for two ($10). Presented in a clay mixing bowl like brownie batter, the thick pudding is rightfully served with spatulas.

Part of Roger’s motivation behind the restaurant came when he asked his wife if she’d like to have a family dinner at The Pearl. She exclaimed that she couldn’t with the kids.

Koral provides a place where families can enjoy a nice dinner with their children, he said. “It is more accessible.”

By Celeste Gracey | Photos by Chad Coleman

Seattle’s king of hamburgers has stretched its legs across Lake Washington to Bellevue’s booming restaurant scene.

Lunchbox Laboratory, an unapologetic homage to America’s favorite comfort food, is now flipping patties at the Elements building on 112th.

The move fills a gap in the city’s restaurant landscape, where the closest match in quality can only be found at high-end steakhouses. Lunchbox also joins a list of Seattle restaurants that have planted roots on the Eastside.

“Bellevue is on fire,” says owner John Schmidt, who carried the air of a businessman. “Finding a table after 5 p.m. is difficult in this city.”

The genius behind the hipster burger joint, which serves cocktails mixed with Tang and Kool-Aid, came from the late Scott Simpson.

His unexpected death came last spring, a few months after he formed a partnership with Schmidt’s restaurant group. In one year, the entrepreneur turned a $400,000 Ballard business into a $2 million affair in South Lake Union.

Lunchbox burgers are so tall, the first bite threatens to dislocate your jaw. Most of their Kobe beef patties are topped with six slices of honey-cured bacon. While it doesn’t taste greasy, it’s still enough fat to run a biodiesel car.

The Burger of the Gods ($12.99) with candied balsamic onions and bleu cheese crumbles is perhaps the most interesting combination on the menu. It’s a favorite of Phillip Twiss, the Bellevue chef, who said it reminds him the most of its inventor, Simpson.

The duck in the Dork burger ($14.99), a mix of duck and pork, shines through its toppings. It was named among the top five burgers in the country on the TV show “America’s Best Bites.”

On repeat visits, don’t let instant favorites shy you away from classics. The Hothead ($14.49), topped with a jalapeño dressing that’s guaranteed to make you cry, leaves a burn that is ideally swept away with an orange creamsicle milkshake.

The Mac Du Jour (macaroni and cheese of the day) is swimming in so much creamy cheese you don’t know whether to eat it or rub it on your thighs.

As if their hand-dipped milkshakes, cold and creamy, couldn’t be any better, they offer to mix in a shot of liquor for $3.50. The sandwiches come with a choice of fried starches, including tater tots or sweet potato fries.

The Bellevue location’s straight lines present a much cleaner theme than the original Seattle restaurant. Backlit displays illuminate vintage-style lunchboxes. Primary colors and tall windows that look out onto a patio keep the space upbeat.

It’s going to be up to the wait staff to add the same edge written all over the menu. An ad on Craigslist encouraged tattooed and pierced waiters to help bring that last piece of character.

With the Bellevue location open, Schmidt now has eyes on Woodinville. “We really want to go from city to city.”

The trick is going to be maintaining the high-quality food while the business grows, Twiss says.

Twiss, who worked closely with Simpson from the time when Laboratory opened, recalled a time when the founder of Red Robin dined at the original restaurant. Thanking Simpson, he said he wished the Robin could have maintained the same quality as it expanded.

Simpson’s vision was simple. It was to balance the art and science of American comfort food, Twiss says, then after a pause, “comfort food, there’s something to it.”

Lunchbox Laboratory:

989 112th Ave. N.E., Bellevue

425-505-2676

lunchboxlaboratory.com

@Lunchbox_Lab

Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily

For more mouthwatering photos, visit our Facebook page (and “like” us while you’re at it).

Story and Photos by Celeste Gracey

The man stepped into the little chocolate shop with a greater interest in addressing the shopkeeper than sorting through which of the 40 bonbon flavors to take home.

The tradition has been a bright spot in his recent weeks, which have been spent working through his mother’s death. Brenda Archuletta, owner of Amoré Chocolates on Main Streeet in Bellevue, encouraged him warmly, before stacking his hand-dipped favorites on a scale.

He lingered until there was little excuse to stay, smiled and made his way back onto the street.

Amoré is teaching people how to make chocolates personal again, not just for the customers who find Archuletta’s shop, but for gift-givers who are looking for something more than typical assortments from grocery store shelves.

Scanning piles of Pomegranate, Guinness and Rum chocolates ($2.50 each), Archuletta counted the varieties she had for sale for the day, 38. By allowing customers to handpick chocolates, each piece becomes a thoughtful decision.

In her shop of unexpected concoctions, such as a Margarita bonbon with tart lime and a hint of tequila, it’s easy to be a playful giver, she said. “It’s more personal than a packaged good.”

White-framed windows give passersby a view into the kitchen, where one of the two dippers swirls chocolate with bare fingers atop a granite counter. Two tall glass cases take up about as much of the shop as the small floor for customers to stand.

“The first one is on the house,” is the typical greeting. The freebee encourages customers to try new varieties, and invites the occasional child in for a visit.

Amoré tries to sell its chocolates within a week of making them, as opposed to similar shops that will keep them for a few months. The crisp outer shell breaks into creamy chocolate centers.

The soft and stringy caramels are made in-house, dipped and topped in a variety of flavors. Try them straight, without the chocolate covering. The shop also has a number of vegan truffles made with coconut milk.

For those picking out chocolates for a loved one, Archuletta has a few tips – know if they like dark or milk, if there are any allergies and most importantly, dislikes. Knowing what your loved one dislikes is more important than knowing what they love.

Archuletta opened Amoré about eight years ago, when her husband encouraged her to start her own business. They had two friends who had experience in truffle making, and were interested in working for her.

More familiar with baking superb cookies than chocolate, it was a learning process, but it’s since been a test in creativity.

So far the shop has come up with about 80 different varieties of chocolates, many the result of customer requests.

“I never would have thought that I was this creative,” says Archuletta.

Amoré Chocolates is located at 10149 1/2 Main St., Bellevue. 425-453-4553,

amorechocolatesonmain.com. Hours vary, open by 10 a.m.

By Celeste Gracey

John Howie fans have cause to throw a dinner party this month, and it has nothing to do with successful weight-loss resolutions.

At least not if you’re a fan of Seastar Restaurant’s lobster mac and cheese.

Howie, Seastar chef and owner of a namesake steakhouse in Bellevue, published his first cookbook this winter, “Passion & Palate” ($42).

A 10-year itch satisfied, the book is a compilation of his eclectic obsession with gourmet food, he says.

It’s also a response to the daily requests he gets for recipes from guests, and it certainly catalogs his most popular creations.

The focus of the book is simple, what John Howie likes to eat best.

Seafood is his specialty, and the book’s gem is found in its fish section. The value isn’t in the ingredients list, which can be long where salsas and relishes are concerned, but it’s in his precise instructions for cooking fish.

His master recipe, Parmigiano-crusted Halibut, guides cooks through the precise methods for breading and frying to perfection. At Seastar, the fish is filleted thin and flash-seared, so it spends little time on the grill.

“The key is don’t overcook your fish,” he says. “You can always go back and add a little more heat.”

At times the ingredient lists, which include black truffles and quail eggs, can be intimidating, but he attempts to set the reader at ease with a glossary of the rarest ingredients and how to find them.

To make sure his recipe translates from a busy restaurant kitchen to a home kitchen, Howie assembled a team of about 350 testers.

Admittedly, most of the recipes in the book, including a whole section on ceviche and a recipe for ancho chili-rubbed salmon with a sweet chili hollandaise, are meant to challenge the average cook. But he also included a few simple recipes aimed to replace Taco Tuesday, including his Texas-style chili, made with pineapple juice.

He also brings readers back to the basics with several pages dedicated to homemade soup stocks and salad dressings.

A short autobiography recalls the tragic death of his father at a young age and how he ended up in foster care for a few weeks while his mother battled an alcohol addiction.

The rest of the story recalls how the self-taught chef learned from experience and succeeded through hard work.

By Nat Levy | Courtesy Photos

The temperature’s dropping, the sun’s going down earlier and the Christmas lights are peaking out. You know what that means, hot drinks season has come. Whether you’re huddling around a fire, or trying to just get through your office Christmas party, a good hot drink cures all. Here are a few of our faves, including recipes.

Hot Apple Pie

Apple cider in and of itself is iconic of the holidays. Add booze and even more sweet taste, and you’ve got a picture of perfection. To make this drink, boil a gallon of apple cider, and add cloves and an orange cut into quarters. Add 2 oz. of Tuaca, a brandy-based Italian liqueur. Fill the rest of your cup with the hot cider and toss in a Cinnamon stick or two. Top with whipped cream and dust with ground cinnamon.

Butter Baby

Who doesn’t love getting cozy by the fire and warming up with a nice hot chocolate? Now you can add a little pop to this classic drink. Drop an ounce of butterscotch schnapps into a coffee mug, and fill it with hot chocolate, homemade preferred. Next just top it off with some whip cream and sprinkle a few chocolate flakes on top.

Southern Egg Nog

This family classic varies not only from region to region, but from house to house. Heat milk in a saucepan over boiling water, but do not boil. Beat three eggs and one cup sugar well. Pour hot milk slowly over the egg mixture (will curdle if mixed too fast). Put back in saucepan and cook over hot water for a few minutes. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of vanilla and quarter teaspoons of cinnamon and nutmeg then beat occasionally while cooling. Drop in a shot or two of rum, brandy or bourbon as the mixture cools.

Hot buttered rum

This favorite is a challenging yet rewarding adventure. Bring two cups of water, half a stick of butter, a quarter-cup of brown sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum.

By Celeste Gracey | Photos by Chad Coleman

Admit it – the only time of year most people bake is during the holiday season. It’s usually an old-family-favorite recipe that no one else seems to make just right.

A few years ago, I dug out my mom’s Russian Tea Cake recipe and proudly brought the holiday cookies to a party. When I arrived, there was such a calamity of different family recipes, I hardly had room between the candy cane brownies and hand-twisted cookies to set down my plate.

It made me wonder, if every family in my circle of friends had wildly different holiday treats, how different must other countries be? So I studied popular recipes from around the world and picked a few favorites to share.

Try mixing your recipes up a bit this season, or perhaps just make a couple more. After all, my mom isn’t Russian, but somewhere along the line her experiment became my tradition.

Brigadeiros

Portugal and Brazil

Named for a famous 1940’s Brigadier General named Eduardo Gomes, who loved chocolate, these are a South American-type truffle that are popular at most celebrations. Like many Brazilian desserts, this one uses sweetened condensed milk, giving the center a soft carmelly inside. While they’re traditionally rolled in chocolate sprinkles, try substituting for coconut or something festive.

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

4 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate sprinkles

Little paper or tin liners for serving

Preparation

Heat the sweetened condensed milk in a heavy pan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 10-15 minutes, keeping the mixture barely at a boil, so it doesn’t burn. When the mixture becomes thick and begins to pull away from the pan, pull it off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.

Slide the mixture into a bowl, but don’t leave the residue on the bottom of the pan. Chill for about 20-30 minutes. Then with buttered hands, roll 1-inch balls in your palm, and then roll them into the chocolate sprinkles, covering the gooey chocolate completely. Place them in the liners, and store them in a refrigerator until serving.

Linzer Schnitten

Germany

These beautiful German tortes are cut into cookie bars, making a perfect celebration food to share. Red jam looks like stained glass windows beneath lattice work and the fruit balances with spicy dough. Making them is similar to rolling out pie crust. It may be more work than a drop cookie, but they’re sure to impress guests.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon powdered cloves

1 t finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

A jar of your favorite jam

For the glaze

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

Make sure the butter is soft, but not melted. Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixer, then add the eggs.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet and incorporate barely. Making sure only to use the yellow part of the rind, add it and the lemon and mix until it’s all incorporated.

Preparation

Pull the dough from the mixer and knead it into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

On a lightly-floured board, split the dough in half. Roll one half into a ball, and working slowly with a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly until it’s about 1/2 inch thick. Try to form a square by cutting off the round edges and reincorporating the dough.

Spread the jam thickly across the top of the dough.

Roll out the second ball, making it longer. Using a knife cut thin strips for a lattice top.

Spacing the strips about 1/2-inch apart, lay them on top of the jam in each direction.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly brown on top.

Beat together the egg and sugar, and quickly drizzle the mixture on top while the baked dough is still hot.

BY CELESTE GRACEY | Photos by Ryan Dearth

It’s not about the bird, it’s what you stuff it with.

Skip the cardboard boxes of pre-seasoned bread cubes, and try making the Thanksgiving favorite from scratch this year.

Thanksgiving is about the sides, at least for Chef Carol Dearth, from the Bellevue-based cooking school, Sizzleworks. She offered a few recipes and several tips.

For those who swear by stuffing cooked inside the turkey, make sure it gets to 160 degrees or it could make your guests ill.

Often by the time the stuffing is done, the bird has been overcooked, so Dearth makes her stuffing in a casserole dish instead. It also makes the dressing fluffier with a crispy top.

For those who like the pressed dense stuffing that comes from inside the turkey’s juicy bosom, that texture can be replicated in a casserole dish by mixing in a raw egg before baking.
To keep the bird flavorful, stuff it with onion, herbs or a lemon that has been pierced with a meat fork. Rub the inside cavity with pepper and salt. Just don’t eat any of the seasonings, unless they get to 160 degrees.

Most stuffings are made with either rice or bread as a base. The South tends to like using corn bread too, Dearth says.

It’s Thanksgiving, so splurge a little on a fresh artisan loaf of bread. Cut the loaf into cubes and let them dry over night on a cookie sheet or use an oven to speed up the process.
The stock is also an important ingredient. Making it from scratch is easy and virtually free. Just use the giblets the turkey comes with.

Vegetarians seeking to celebrate can easily fill a squash with the stuffing as a substitute to a turkey. Try a small pumpkin or a colorful acorn squash.

Dearth plans to post several more Thanksgiving recipes on her blog, www.thesizzleworks.com/blog.

CLASSIC BREAD STUFFING
3 tbsp olive oil
1 – 2-pound loaf of good quality sourdough bread. Cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds of Italian sweet or hot sausage, casing removed (optional)
2 cups chopped onions, medium dice
4 stalks celery, medium dice
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp poultry seasoning, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano and basil
Fresh ground pepper and kosher salt to taste
1 1/2 cup chicken stock heated + about 1 cup extra for moistening stuffing before baking

Direction
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place bread cubes on two ungreased baking sheets. Bake until cubes are dry but not hard, turning occasionally.
Heat olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add sausage and cook through, breaking up with the back of the fork. Cook until pink is gone. Add onions, celery, garlic, poultry seasoning (add dry seasoning here, or fresh herbs with the stock) and 1/2 teaspoon salt; saute until onions and celery are soft. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes. Toss to blend, add fresh herbs if using, and then add stock; season with salt and pepper.
To bake separately, generously butter a 13×9 inch-baking dish. Add enough extra stock to stuffing to moisten. Transfer stuffing to baking dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer. Serves 12.
CRAB STUFFING
1 cup melted butter (1 stick)
2-4 teaspoons pesto
4 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 pound cooked crab (optional)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
6 tablespoons lemon juice
dash Tabasco
1/2 cup vegetable stock
Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Stir pesto into the melted butter; set aside.
Combine bread crumbs, onion, crab, peppers, parsley, mustard, Worchestershire sauce, lemon juice and Tabasco. Drizzle stock over top, toss to combine. Then drizzle butter/pesto mixture over and fold in. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serves 6-8.

WILD RICE STUFFING WITH PEARS, CRANBERRIES AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS
2 cups vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup wild rice blend
2 tablespoons butter
2 fresh ripe pears, cut into dice
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 small rib celery, finely diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
large pinch of salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons minced chives

Directions
In medium saucepan, bring stock to boil. Add rice blend; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is fully cooked, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn rice into medium heat-proof bowl; fluff with fork.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pears and toss to coat with the butter. Cook slowly, until the pears begin to brown. Add hazelnuts, toss and stir, toasting them until they become fragrant and nutty. Then add shallots, celery, thyme and salt; saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat and fold into rice, with the cranberries and chives. Keep warm until serving time, or cool and use as stuffing for fowl. Garnish with additional minced chives.

Makes about 3 cups stuffing.

BY CELESTE GRACEY | PHOTOS BY CHAD COLEMAN

Perhaps my favorite time to visit downtown Bellevue isn’t with the flashy mini skirts and shiny shoes that flood the sidewalks on a Friday night.

It’s the next morning, when the wave of Eastsiders has receded, and bankers and techies are at home catching up on sleep.

Saturday morning is the one time during the week, where the only people left are West Bellevue residents. They creep down from their condo towers, obviously disheveled from partying, or they walk to town with their families, claiming their favorite spots.

Breakfast in Bellevue is my favorite, because as a West Bellevue resident, it’s the one time I can look to the surrounding tables and know with some certainty that they are, in fact, my neighbors.

This guide is more about where to find breakfast in downtown Bellevue, aside from hotels and Starbucks, than it is about what’s the absolute best.

Every few months a restaurant adds breakfast, and another removes it. Some places might be a surprise to some. My favorite place is better known for its whisky than its waffles. I decided to leave out a few Asian places, which serve clever rice bowls topped with eggs, and Mexican, simply because I haven’t the space to share this new discovery. This guide is also by no means comprehensive. Every few months a restaurant adds breakfast, and another takes it away. I’m always on the hunt for a new place.

Lot No. 3
A hipster whisky bar by night, Lot. No. 3 has comfort food that surprises, even for breakfast.
In the morning, its tall draperies are drawn back to reveal deep leather sofas, perfect for reading and sipping on perhaps the best black coffee in town.

While the menu is short, it changes seasonally.

Its Eggs Benedict (pictured) varieties change the most, but the dish is a favorite. The hollandaise has a tart lemon finish, and the eggs are poached perfectly, leaving a thick yolk to drizzle down the muffin.

The pork belly version is a fun alternative to canadian bacon rounds. The salty meat is crisp on the outside and pulls apart in the middle.

Pumpkin pancakes are slated to replace their lemon-ricotta pancakes (pictured) this October, but if the lemon flapjacks are any indication of flavor, they’re worth a try.

If you order the malted waffles, take a moment to consider the taste of the flour. Its boxes hold little bits of fleur de sel, which balance the sweetness of real maple syrup. Don’t forget to order a side of candied bacon, which they serve as an appetizer at night.

The only downside to Lot No. 3 is consistency. My first order of home fries were cold and stiff, a crime never since repeated. My pancakes have been both massive blobs and round little circles.

Gilbert’s on Main
A well-known bagel deli, Gilbert’s is a rightful staple for the Main Street neighborhood.

Marked by white adirondack chairs and true sidewalk dining, don’t let its curious sandwich combinations pull you away from the breakfast board.

Gluten lovers can find satisfaction in their bagels, which are soft and airy. They come toasted with cream cheese and jam. Arrive early to ensure your choice.

A favorite is the pesto, which comes with a whole slice of tomato baked on top.

Omelets and scrambles, which are at least twice the size they promise, are filled and mixed to the max with goodies.

The trick is to show up on a weekday, where “one” egg omelets and scrambles are only $5. They come with a fresh bagel.
The lox and cream cheese, a classic deli selection, is a good way to treat yourself. Ask, and they’ll top your bagels with just about anything.

The only downside is their scrambles have turned out a bit dry, so stick to the ones with cheese.

Chace’s Pancake Corral
Kind waiters with just the right amount of sass and endless cups of coffee served in old-fashioned brown mugs are probably the finest attributes to Chace’s.

Nestled between the biggest West Bellevue neighborhoods, this neighborhood hangout is perhaps the only American breakfast joint in West Bellevue.

Pictures of the owner’s family are mounted on the walls alongside University of Washington memorabilia and a random wood parrot.
Their potato pancakes are legendary. Don’t shy away from the sour cream and applesauce on the side. They make much better partners than maple syrup.

Kids might enjoy the pigs in a blanket. Sausage links wrapped up in pancakes, ensure the flavors mix.

While most items on the menu satisfy breakfast cravings, very few items sing. They’re also priced on the high side, especially for the portion sizes.

What makes Chace’s isn’t the pancakes, it’s the people.

Paddy Coyne’s
Like most Irish food, breakfast at Paddy Coyne’s dominates with meat and potatoes.

Rashers, a thick form of Irish bacon, and bangers, big breakfast sausages, stay true to their Irish roots. Try pairing them with red potatoes and eggs, and skip the plates.

For the inordinately hungry, the Irish Breakfast, a plate loaded with about eight different things, is also a tribute to culture. The baked beans and broiled tomato are unusual for an American breakfast, but fitting.

The soda bread is sweet and dense like pound cake, and served with orange marmalade butter.

A favorite is the corn beef hash. The corned beef is chopped so finely its hard to see the potatoes, but top that goodness with fried eggs and a generous scoop of hollandaise, and it’s indisputably the epitome of satisfying breakfast food.

While the breakfast burrito is tasty, don’t waste the meal on something others can do better.

Piroutte Cafe
Hidden in an ally off Main Street, Piroutte Cafe offers French favorites for an American breakfast.

Once a tea house five years ago, delicate China tea cups still line a cabinet by the espresso machine. The cafe is bright and filled with European nick-nacks.

The fruit crepes are a warm welcome on a cool morning. When possible, try to order what fruit is in season, as all the fillers are made from scratch.

Most of the crepes are thicker than a true Frenchman might like, but being heavier they can hold more goodies.

The Piroutte Crepe, a namesake, is loaded with veggies. However, it’s under seasoned. I would have enjoyed some fresh herbs or garlic.
Simple is better for the omelets, try the ham and swiss. The eggs are both firm and moist, and the cheese is gooey.

Our cappuccinos came out like lattes, but they tasted good nonetheless.

The major drawback to Piroutte is the wait. On a busy day, the tables don’t fill up, but there is still a 45 minute wait for food.

Still, for those patient enough to sip on tea, it’s a pleasant place to wait.

Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill will raise money for Bellevue LifeSpring with its annual Chile Fest Sept. 6-25.

Chile Fest is an annual celebration that pays tribute to the harvest of the chilies in Hatch, New Mexico. During this time, Z’Tejas offers a special menu. With the sale of each entree, Z’Tejas donates $1 to Bellevue LifeSpring, formerly Overlake Service League.

Bellevue LifeSpring promotes stability, self-sufficiency and independence for those in need in the Bellevue community through programs and services that feed, clothe, shelter and educate. Volunteers will be at Z’Tejas Sept. 6 to answer questions about the cause.

The special Chile Fest menu includes:

Two appetizers:

- Chile and Onion Rings: Hatch New Mexico Chile rings and fresh onion straws dipped in buttermilk and seasoned flour, flash-fried, topped with queso fresco and served with prickly pear chipotle BBQ sauce and ranch dressing ($7.99)

- Prickly Pear Glazed Meatballs*: Beef and chorizo meatballs smothered in a prickly pear chipotle BBQ sauce, served with crispy Hatch New Mexico Chile and fresh onion rings ($10.99) *Dinner menu only

Four dinner entrees:

- Chicken Tinga Rellenos:  Smoked chicken marinated in tinga sauce, stuffed into Hatch New Mexico Chiles, flash-fried, topped with chipotle sour cream and queso fresco, in a green chile sauce, served with nopalitos salad ($12.99)

- Ancho Trout:  Ancho bacon panko crusted ruby trout, topped with a mesclun mix salad, avocados, onions, tomatoes and queso fresco in an apricot dressing and green chile aioli  ($17.99)

-Jambalaya Farfalle:  Bay scallops, smoked chicken, andouille and pesto marinated shrimp in creole sauce with farfalle pasta, peas, ancho chiles, topped with queso fresco ($18.99)

- Green Chile Carne Guisada:  Chile beef guisada, mixed with red and yellow peppers and Hatch New Mexico Chiles in a green chile sauce, topped with cilantro and queso fresco, served in a cast iron skillet with hot flour tortillas ($ 13.99)

Four lunch entrees:

- Chile Chicken Salad: Chile glazed chicken atop a mesclun mix with tomatoes, red onions, avocados, pickled Hatch New Mexico Chiles and chipotle peppers, tossed in an apricot dressing, topped with queso fresco ($12.99)

- Chicken Tinga Rellenos:  Smoked chicken marinated in tinga sauce, stuffed into Hatch New Mexico Chiles, flash-fried, topped with chipotle sour cream and queso fresco, in a green chile sauce served with nopalitos salad ($11.99)

- Jambalaya Farfalle:  Bay scallops, smoked chicken, andouille and pesto marinated shrimp in creole sauce with farfalle pasta, peas, ancho chiles, topped with queso fresco ($16.99)

- Corona Pork Enchiladas: Pork braised in Corona beer and Jack cheese, topped with green chile sauce, queso fresco and chipotle purée, served with sweet corn rice and borracho beans ($10.99)

Two drink specials:

- Dobel Diamond Smash:  Maestro Dobel Tequila, Herradura Agave Nectar and muddled lemon and mint leaves ($8.50)

- Guacamole Margarita:  Hornitos Reposado, avocado, fresh lime juice, jalapeño mint syrup with an onion salt rim and garnished with salsa fresco ($8.50)

Dessert:

- Sweet Ancho Cake:  Shredded sweet potato, ancho chile, rum soaked raisins, and walnuts layered with green chile custard and topped with jalapeño mint cream cheese frosting ($6.25)

Z’Tejas is located in the lodge on the third level of Bellevue Square; (425) 467-5911; www.ztejas.com.