Café Juanita

Reserve

Café Juanita Review

There are so many ways for a pricey "destination restaurant" to go overboard, making itself nothing more than a special-occasion spectacle, but Café Juanita manages to get everything just right. This Kirkland space is refined without being too design-y or too posh, and the food—much of which has a northern Italian influence—is also perfectly balanced: you won't find needlessly flashy fusion cooking or heavy sauces that obliterate subtle flavors. Chef Holly Smith (who won the "Best Chef Northwest" award from James Beard in 2008, among many other accolades) is a seasoned and elegant pro. One bite of the tender saddle of Oregon lamb with baby artichokes, fava beans, and lemon emulsion and you'll be sold. The daily fish specials are also worth the plunge, especially when the menu's featuring whole fish. Desserts are positively blissful, such as vanilla-bean panna cotta with honey and bittersweet chocolate torta with cherry-vinegar sauce and mint gelato. To top it all off, the restaurant has an excellent wine list.