Bennett's Pure Food Bistro

You live on the eastside and are meeting friends from Seattle for dinner after work.  They're food snobs but you don't want to cross the I-90 Bridge into Seattle during rush hour.

Bennett’s Pure Bistro on Mercer Island

Why go: Discover what food tastes like without additives or artificial flavors
Service: Informal but knowledgeable
Forewarning: Reservations advised; crowded tables; noisy

Until now, Mercer Island— the affluent floating suburb on Lake Washington— was better known for its celebrity residents than its dining options. But with the opening of Bennett's Pure Food Bistro last year, city Mercer Island finally has a chic, high-quality restaurant with a unique culinary philosophy that is attracting diners throughout Seattle.

Above the bar, a vibrant contemporary mural with a bucolic farm theme gives homage to the restaurant's admirable commitment to serving “pure” food. Bennett's mission is to offer local, organic, seasonal food that is all natural and additive free. You won’t find artificial preservatives, colors or sweeteners, flavor enhancers, hydrogenated oils or processed foods. What this means is that food at Bennett's is incredibly fresh, remarkably flavorful and thoughtfully prepared. This is not health food or vegetarian fare—it's just a reminder of how real food is supposed to taste.

The awkward entry through a small take-out deli doesn't reflect Bennett's polished interior or sophisticated but casual cuisine. Located on the first level of a recently built high-end apartment complex, Bennett's has the ambiance of a small San Francisco style cafe; Dark wooden tables and chairs are jammed together (ask for one of the spacious booths), while large windows with an uninspired view of a strip mall open to a sidewalk patio on warm days. At night the lighting is romantic, although the decibel level discourages quiet conversation.

Bennett's is the vision of Mercer Island resident Kurt Beecher Dammeier, who is also the force behind Pasta Co and Beecher's Handmade Cheese. This may explain why cheese seems to be a prevalent ingredient on the enticing but pricey menu.(Bennett's may be a local haunt, but it's important to remember that this isn't a typical neighborhood.)

The menu offers a range of complete entrees, as well as bistro-style starters that are ideal for a quick meal with a glass of wine. Skip the butter lettuce salad with its bland tomato vinaigrette in favor of a generous Caesar made from long fingers of crisp romaine and topped with aged Fontina cheese, croutons and fried capers. Add a bowl of creamy tomato soup with a kiss of roasted garlic, and you have the perfect light meal.

Cost (dinner menu):
Starters: $4.50–13.00
Entrees: $13–28
Brunch:  $8–15 (weekends only)

Open:  Daily (lunch, dinner and take-out deli; weekend brunch)