Since buying a house in Bellevue, while it's being renovated, I've had many occasions to be in the area, with people to eat with. I'd heard nice things about this place, and thought I'd give it a try.
We walked in the front door, and we were the only people there. The decor is...well...adorable. Antique mirrors and chachki line the walls, lots of old wood, and at the moment, there was a ladder in the back of the room. We wondered if they were open, and a man appeared for a brief second, and then he was gone. I went to the counter, and a woman, the Thai owner, came out of the kitchen and said we could sit anywhere. We started to sit at a very cute little table in the window nook next to the door, and were warned that if people came in and out of the door, it could get cold, so we moved to the other side of the door window which was more recessed and sat at a tall table.
We looked over the menu, which seemed pretty staple, but the prices seemed a tad higher than they needed to be. The server was the hubby owner, a very all-American dad type, who greeted us with the little Thai prayer pose and bow, which frankly, looked kind of silly coming from an all-American dad type. He did it several times through the evening. If he were Asian, then it wouldn't seem so odd...
We both decided on the pad thai, and he took our order, and off to the kitchen he went. He'd left two glasses of water at the table, which was good because he didn't ask if we'd wanted anything else to drink.
One other couple came in while we waited, and sat at the 'cold' table. My friend and I had a nice long chat until the food came.
The plates arrived, and were the big fancy bistroid white plates, square and angled - with not a lot of food placed upon them. It looked more like a quick lunch portion that a dinner portion.
The pad thai was good. Nothing spectacular, but not bad at all. It is just a basic pad thai. They certainly could have thrown on another spoonful or two for the price tag.
After the meal my friend asked for the ginger tea, and sipped it slowly, saying it kind of had a spice 'burn' to it.
She really enjoyed her meal, saying it was perfect, but she's a tiny little thing who doesn't eat much. But as a guy, I really didn't want to leave a meal to look for a meal.
The atmosphere is truly charming and comfortable, but a little 'cold'. It was kind of like sitting in the side room of an old library. Shhhhhhhhh! Pleasant, but it didn't have any kind of spark. The food is good, but there's not much of it, and you're paying kind of hefty bistroid prices for it, in an area that has no need for a bistroid, or the prices that go with it.
As I've stated multiple times in other reviews...I don't care what your 'atmosphere' levels are set at. I don't go out to eat 'atmosphere'...I go to eat FOOD. Never has an 'atmosphere' made me keep coming back. But a good portion of food at a fair price will every time.
Considering the other options in and around Bellevue, I can't say I would never return, but I would have to have a serious craving that couldn't be satisfied with a short drive elsewhere. I really do think this place could be a bigger hit if they just weren't so skimpy on the portions. I wouldn't mind the price tag so much if I were actually sated.
If you're the uppity foodie type, this might be right up your alley. But if you like FOOD...well...enjoy...but pack a light lunch for the drive home.