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Discover Downtown:
A Spotlight On Downtown’s Culinary Community
The restaurant scene has blossomed in downtown Bellevue with 120 restaurants to choose from, representing cuisine from around the world. An innovative new Japanese restaurant, a well-established intimate bistro and a landmark Indian eatery are all helping to build downtown’s reputation as the place to dine.
Flo Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar
 Raw fish. The words alone can intimidate less-experienced sushi eaters. Steve Mooko, owner of the recently opened Flo, understands the apprehension associated with this type of cuisine and the Sushi Bar. For that reason, Mooko encourages everyone to sit at the Sushi Bar in order to take a closer look and feel more comfortable with a new dining experience.
For those new to sushi, Mooko and Sushi Chef Wayne Taniguchi suggest ebi (shrimp), maguro (tuna), or any of the rolls, including asparagus, shrimp and smoked salmon. To aid in ordering, the menu indicates which dishes use raw products. In addition to sushi Flo features dishes such as Bird Nest Shrimp Tempura, shoestring potatoes wrapped around deep-fried shrimp, or Crispy Salmon Steak, crusted with curry infused rice kernels and served with wasabi cream sauce. For lunch, a traditional Japanese bento box and a lunch combo are offered. Flo also designates itself as a Sake Bar, primarily offering "Junmai" or naturally fermented alcohol sake (no-alcohol additives). In order to help their customers find the perfect sake to fit their tastebuds, Flo has a "Sake Sampler" of premium sakes.
If it weren’t for the persistence of Mooko’s wife Jia, Flo might have never opened. While Mooko was busy with real estate development and finance in Hawaii, Jia had aspirations of opening a restaurant, taking several jobs in the restaurant field to gain experience. Finally, she convinced her husband to take the risk of developing and opening their own restaurant. After an extensive search, downtown Bellevue was selected because of its potential growth in the years to come.
The restaurant is located at 1188 106th Ave NE on the street level of the Palazzo II building. Open for lunch, Monday thru Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and for dinner, Monday thru Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Two-hour parking is available in the Palazzo Parking Garage in the visitor’s section as well as ample street parking. Call 425-453-4005 for more information.
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Bis on Main
 As owner of Bis on Main, Joe Vilardi has come a long way since his days as a pot washer for a catering company in Detroit at age 14. His restaurant was an instant hit when it opened in September of 1998 to a population of Eastsiders underserved for fine dining. According to Vilardi, 80 percent of Bis on Main’s customers are regulars who claim they have never had a bad meal there. He attributes this to the restaurant’s theory of sticking to the basics while focusing on the quality of the ingredients and preparation.
Chef Christopher Peterson agrees, especially in light of recent menu changes to reflect summer flavors. Peterson emphasizes the freshness of the menu items, whose delicate textures and tastes require a lighter approach rather than the "braising" of typical winter dishes. The chef recommends the grilled pork chop with succotash in a light herb cream sauce, or the rabbit served with a ragout of tomatoes and summer beans. Of course you can still find the Bis on Main classics on the menu that have kept many returning for years, including Caesar Salad and crab cakes.
Persuading Peterson or Vilardi to assign a specific character to their cuisine is a difficult task. Vilardi believes it resides somewhere in between European, Continental and New American. For Peterson the matter is more personal, "I love European food, but it’s important for American food culture to become something. I want to be faithful to upholding what tradition we do have and building on it."
Bis on Main is located at 10213 Main Street in downtown Bellevue. Open for lunch, Monday thru Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and for dinner, Monday thru Saturday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Bis on Main also offers catering, private parties and winemaker dinners. Visit www.bisonmain.com or call 425-455-2033 for details.
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Chutney's
 Possibly the only thing as inviting as the aroma emanating from the front door of Chutney’s is owner Bill Khanna’s welcoming smile. Considered by some to be the father of Indian cuisine in the Puget Sound area, Khanna opened four restaurants in Seattle before bringing his hospitality and memorable dishes to downtown Bellevue in 2000. Khanna explains that Chutney’s does not offer pure, ethnic Indian cooking, but a fusion approach, incorporating foods native to Washington, resulting in lighter and healthier dishes, one reason many prefer to dine at Chutney’s.
In the kitchen, Chef Alex brings his own diverse background to the dishes. Born in India and trained in Greece, Chef Alex has been preparing food for 22 years and has been with Khanna since his arrival in Seattle. Among his creations are curried mussels, saffron lamb medallions, and freshly baked naan bread prepared with unique spices and ingredients. Khanna recommends the Chicken Tikka Masala, tandoor baked in a tomato cream sauce, and the spinach with cubed farmers cheese. The lunch buffet is also especially popular among the Eastsiders who fill the dining room each day, feasting on an array of dishes which change daily.
Chutney’s is located at 938 110th Ave. in downtown Bellevue. Open for lunch, Monday thru Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner is served Sunday thru Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10:30 p.m. Chutney’s delivers and also offers take-out and catering. Visit www.chutneys.com or call 425-467-0867 for details.
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To find out more about these companies’ downtown properties, visit our Downtown Directory.
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