Baguettes and more at Kirkland's French Bakery

The French Bakery is exactly what its generic name means — except this new Kirkland boulangerie/patisserie serves North Italian coffee. Proud Frenchman and owner Frederic Courteau hates to admit it but says the Italians make better coffee. He has gourmet coffee beans flown from Bologna every week to serve with the baguettes and croissants.

The 40-year-old Bellevue resident, who grew up along the French Rivera, was baffled that the Eastside, with all its worldly residents and tech workers, didn't have more French bakeries. So he opened one last month, across from the new Heathman Hotel.

The menu: A selection of cakes, fruit tarts, quiches, salads, turnovers, baguette sandwiches, and sweet and savory croissants — both traditional and with Courteau's own twist, such as a croissant stuffed with spinach and feta. The portions are generous, and most items are $4 or under.

What to write home about: The best bet is the ham-and-cheese baguette. The crunchy dough's sweetness balances nicely with the salty ham.

Also good were the apple and marionberry turnovers, as well as the almond croissant. The double French chocolate brownie was a meal in itself. It was much richer and creamier than any brownie I've tasted in recent memory, thanks to a large dose of butter (but would you have expected anything less from a French bakery?). The cream cheese added a pleasant, moist texture.

What to skip: The croissant stuffed with ham and cheese was neither buttery nor flaky.

The setting: The bakery looks spiffy and clean but lacks nuanced touches. With its display cases of tea and coffee beans for sale, and its large blackboard of coffee specials, the bakery looks like a Starbucks. Great service, though.

Summing up: The bill for five sweet and savory croissants, two turnovers, two fruit tarts and a slice of cake came to $30.37 with tax. That's 10 items, enough to feed five people. It's underpriced compared with other local bakeries.

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com