Anniversary Dinner #2
For our second anniversary dinner, far from our “known quantity” Bay Area restaurants, my husband selected Cafe Juanita in Kirkland, Washington. Set on a side road with a non-descript exterior, the restaurant has a cozy interior with just enough light to see your companions and meal. Service was professional but not overly formal, and dress was business casual.

Overall the dishes were a study in contrasts, with textures and flavors working
together in a superb melange. Here is the menu I selected:

Grilled Octopus with Fennel, Chickpeas and Green Sauce
Long thin pieces of octopus grilled to an almost crispy texture contrasted well
with neutral chickpeas. The spicy fennel was yet another contrast and the green
sauce served mainly as a backdrop with olive oil dominating.

Arugula, Grilled Nectarine and Fennel with Pinenuts, and Shaved Cured Foie Gras
Strong, fresh arugula sat in the middle covered generously with thin, buttery
foie gras slices. The grilled nectarine was surprisingly not very sweet, but a nice
match for the other flavors. The fennel and pinenuts added additional layers of
flavor, but the scrumptious foie gras ruled over all.

Rabbit Braised in Arneis with Pancetta, Chickpea Crepe and Arugula
The rabbit was presented both on the bone and in small boneless pieces, effectively
creating two different meats. The dark meat was of course the more flavorful, with
a salty pancetta flavor outside. The chickpea crepe was large, folded into crisp
quarters. Again, spicy arugula provided the right contrast.

Valhrona Chocolate Truffle Cake with Fresh Mint Gelato, Espresso Sauce and Sara’s Thin Mint
The cake was a small warm circle, gooey on the inside. The cold gelato scoop on top was
a perfect match as it melted onto its dark chocolately pedestal. A surrounding ring of espresso sauce
was perhaps too sweet and gooey, but for a dessert that may be a silly complaint. The
slice of thin mint was a crystalline green layer of minty sugar sandwiched between a
dark chocolate coating.