Marjorie's earthy sensuality and worldly menu channel the passion of owner Donna Moodie, seated here in her Belltown bistro's magical courtyard.

RESTAURANT TRENDS come and go, restaurant fashions wax and wane, but that bastion of casual comfort-the neighborhood bistro-lives on. Not to say that our neighborhood bistros are immune to fashionable trends: witness small-plates menus and tabletop salt cellars, artisan cheese plates and ambient music, heirloom-tomato salads and heirloom-tomato-colored walls.

Composing a comprehensive bistro lineup posed problems for this bistro-loving critic. After all, what, exactly, is a bistro? I was pleased to note that while discussing the subject, the venerable Oxford Companion to Food hems and haws as much as I do. In the world according to Oxford, the word "bistro" is described as "elastic in its meaning but always refers to an establishment where one can have something to eat, as well as drinks." Thanks. That helps! Further, it states that "such an establishment would normally be small, and its menu would be likely to include simple dishes, perhaps of rustic character and not expensive."

Miss Marjorie's Steel Drum Plantain Chips with grilled pineapple guacamole, a menu mainstay and popular happy-hour snack at Marjorie, go down easy with a lime-infused cocktail.

As if trying to get my head around that very broad definition wasn't difficult enough, I faced the troublesome task of whittling the many down to the memorable, taking Greater Seattle's vast geography into consideration.

Which raised such conundrums as: Does a restaurant whose roots are obviously Italian belong on a list of bistros? (Yes, says me.) If an Italian restaurant can be a contender, why not include a Japanese bistro? (Had I done so, you'd certainly be reading about Yamashiro Sushi Bistro in Shoreline.) Is the presence of an owner-operator an imperative? (No, but the best bistros tend to have one, or two, on hand.) And, if there's no roasted chicken on the menu, could it possibly be a bistro? (Having sprouted pinfeathers in my efforts to find out, I'm forced to cluck: "Yes, but such venues are few and far between.")

Then there was the toughest call of all: Leaving out the obvious. How dare I ignore such fabulous French-accented classics as Café Campagne, Le Pichet, Maximilien and Madison Park Café? And what of such Northwest-inspired favorites as Place Pigalle, Queen City Grill and Restaurant Zöe?

Cheap eats at happy hour and a prix-fixe steal of a meal are among the many draws for Kimberly Angell, right, and Emily Jansen at Marjorie.

What I chose to do instead was venture beyond the best-known, well-trodden and oft-touted, hoping to acquaint you with a variety of newcomers, with well-established places I hadn't visited 'til now and with some beloved bistros where my writerly attention was long overdue.

So I present to you a list that represents both my personal taste and the satisfied nods of those discerning and very fortunate neighbors who've come to call these bistros their own.

Talk about your favorites Join nancy Leson at noon Wednesday for a live conversation about everyone's favorite dining places: neighborhood bistros. · Send her your questions

•  BELLTOWN Marjorie | 2332 Second Ave., Seattle; 206-441-9842 www.trenchtownrocks.com After a spiritual makeover, the former Lush Life was re-imagined as Marjorie, where world-eats hold sway, happy hour is an invitation to cheap excess and a three-course $25 prix-fixe is an evening standard. Secreted away off a magical Belltown courtyard, Marjorie's Lonely Planet vibe, earthy sensuality and oft-changing menu channels the passion of owner (and talented pastry chef) Donna Moodie. Her inviting bar and lounge segue into a sliver of a room where lush, jewel-toned raw silk adds vibrant color while ambient music enhances the mod-yet-mystic mood. From India (chicken tikka) to North Africa (merguez and maftoul), the Caribbean (plantain chips with pineapple-stoked guacamole) to the American South (chicken and waffles, complete with collards), the menu provides an international tasting tour of comfort foods. Marco's Supperclub | 2510 First Ave., Seattle; 206-441-7801 Belltown is Bistro Central, but few of its upmarket enclaves offer the funky neighborhood appeal of Marco Rulff's eponymous "Supperclub." With its mismatched tableware and kitschy salt and pepper shakers, globally inspired menu and attentive service, this delicious decade-old dive gives us license to be laid back — with a classic cocktail in one hand and a fistful of fried sage leaves (the signature snack) in the other. Laughter rings off the low ceiling and smoke wafts from the lengthy bar while drinkers and diners raise their voices over jazz standards — and their forks over ethnic-influenced dishes including a Spanish-accented "tapas platter," Southeast Asian-styled green curry tuna and the always irresistible Jamaican jerk chicken. Nightly crowds attest to Marco's success, and a brief weekday lunch menu provides an excuse to join the club by day. •  QUEEN ANNE Crow Restaurant and Bar | 823 5th Ave. N., Seattle; 206-283-8800 Crow debuted this past summer when chefs Craig Serbousek and Jesse Thomas transformed a Lower Queen Anne warehouse into this spacious bistro and bar. Artful lighting, elegant ironwork and exposed brick add to the visual allure. The menu, though brief, generates much excitement thanks to the talent in the open kitchen, which borrows from the Mediterranean ideal, making good use of seasonal and local ingredients combined to gorgeous — and delicious — effect. How so? Pan-roasted chicken arrives swaddled in prosciutto, with green beans fresh (in season) from the chef's garden; Grand Central's bread might be grilled and tossed with arugula and tomatoes, and Salumi's salami proves sublime in a selection of cured meats kissed with quality olive oil. Add to that some savvy bartenders mixing superb cocktails, plus knowledgeable servers who treat customers like old friends, and you've got an instant hangout. Sapphire | 1625 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle; 206-281-1931 Last year's sale of Sapphire went largely unnoticed, with chef and former co-owner Lene Rede remaining in the kitchen. But since Rede's recent departure, the menu (which continues to bow to Spain, North Africa and other Mediterranean locales) is under new management. Chef Christopher Steinbock is a Seattleite who made waves in San Francisco's very big culinary pond. Here at Sapphire, his prettily presented and scrumptiously sauced fare makes him a hot-young-chef-to-watch. Expect to be wowed by everything from a daily-changing chef's platter to a simple romaine salad to a seductive rack of lamb chops to a luscious lineup of desserts. At this jewel on Queen Anne's crown you'll find the mod-Moroccan motif a visual come-on, the servers as swift as they are sexy, the bar and cocktails a strong attraction and Sunday brunch a weekend option. Note: Come prepared for a dramatic din and less-than-comfortable seating (hard booths, tight deuces). •  CAPITOL HILL Lark | 926 12th Ave., Seattle; 206-323-5275 John Sundstrom, long known for his stellar work at Dahlia Lounge, relinquished his high-profile post as executive chef at Earth & Ocean, took the leap and opened Lark. A scant year later, he deserves credit for redefining the Seattle bistro experience. Visually understated, this rustic-yet-romantic retreat is a clever Capitol Hill construct that toes the line between a neighborhood hottie and a downtown haute-y. The lengthy, small-plates menu ranges from homey (root vegetable cassoulet, braised short ribs) to exotic (wild boar confit, raw tuna with sea urchin). It woos dining-out devotees who flock here for beautifully crafted dishes starring artisan products handled with loving care. Sundstrom's wife, JM Enos, and their business partner, Kelly Ronan, lead a smart staff, customizing meals, suggesting wines and otherwise helping the uninitiated chart their course(s). 1200 Bistro & Lounge | 1200 E. Pike St., Seattle; 206-320-1200 www.1200bistro.com Three years ago, Kenny Carlson, Jim Deitchler and Keith Moergeli turned a Capitol Hill diner into a chic little restaurant and bar. Today that address draws a very urban and very urbane clientele happy to snub the local club scene and the Hill's many ethnic-eats haunts. Here, they might hang at the bar or a table in the lounge, sipping cocktails served in stylish stemware and forking into salads and steak frites. Or they might settle into the seductively lit brick-red dining room for an evening of stunning seasonal cuisine and a wonderful world of wine, served, if they're lucky, by one of the best waiters in town (though other staffers could lose the 'tude). Uneven in its infancy, the kitchen has been taken over — and patrons since won over — by chef Chet Wallenstein. A maestro with steaks, poultry, chops, pastas and seafood, he's helped make 1200 a bistro standout worth seeking out. •  MADRONA Dulces Latin Bistro | 1430 34th Ave., Seattle; 206-322-5453 www.dulceslatinbistro.com Chef Julie Guerrero takes a moment to chat with a guest at Dulces Latin Bistro in Madrona. Her husband, Carlos Kainz, is the hospitable host and curator of their astonishing, 1,300-label wine list. Dulces flaunts two bars, a private cigar room, a 1,300-label, award-winning wine list and a baby grand piano. But don't let that fool you into thinking this neighborhood bistro with the fiery walls and Latin inclinations is another fancy-pants destination dining spot. Truth? Dulces straddles both worlds: a testament to host Carlos Kainz and chef Julie Guerrero, who've spent a decade making things right at their Madrona dinner house. Sure, you can spend a fortune on French Bordeaux, filet mignon and stinky stogies (note: the Cigar Room is sealed away in back), but those in the know know that most entrees are available in half-portions at reduced prices. They're happy to take Carlos' suggestion for a modest-priced Spanish rioja or Mexican cabernet — Latin-accented wines that complement such menu standards as chorizo-stuffed red-pepper ravioli with cilantro-tomatillo cream sauce, chilies-spiced prawns à la Diabla, and paella Valenciana. St. Clouds | 1131 34th Ave., Seattle; 206-726-1522 www.stclouds.com In John Irving's literary world, St. Clouds restaurant is "a place where the orphans come to find a sense of home and family." In our world, St. Clouds is a place where we can come to find the best kind of bistro imaginable. One where families find an open-arm welcome, solo diners find friends at the kitchen counter, Metro drivers pull over for a bowl of soup and everyone is certain to find something they're hankering for (weekend breakfasts include Imperial Mix-up, a rise 'n' shiner's rice-dish royale). Treat yourself to "Home for Dinner" favorites like herb-roasted chicken and succulent, slow-roasted ribs with cornbread and collards. Or "Out for Dinner" delights including a Frenchified flank steak or harissa-sportin' hoppin' John masala, a Subcontinental rendition of the Southern-food favorite. Those in search of adult pursuits will find excellent cocktails, fine wine and live jazz in the softly lit bar and lounge where a late-night menu is available. •  MADISON VALLEY Voilà! | 2805 E. Madison St., Seattle; 206-322-5460 Now at home in Madison Valley, chef Laurent Gabrel, former owner of Queen Anne's late Figaro Bistro, has dug in his very French heels. Hewing to the French-bistro tradition, he delights neighbors with modestly priced classics offered at lunch and dinner. With petite bar, a dozen cafe tables, Dijon-yellow walls and oversized French posters, Voilà! tenders an invitation to relax and enjoy. Do so over an aperitif, spreading roughly textured pâte de campagne on rustic bread before sampling a superb crème brûlée. Order a carafe of vin rouge, then bask in the rich, wintry braise of boeuf bourguignon or bacon-scented coq au vin. Trust your lust and indulge in a blue-cheese-sauced bowl of fresh mussels, best eaten with a side of sinfully delicious frites. •  COLUMBIA CITY La Medusa | 4857 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle; 206-723-2192 Every neighborhood has its red-gravy Italian joint, but few are lucky enough to have the likes of La Medusa, where "Sicilian Soul Food" has gotten a new lease on life under new owner (and longtime La Medusa sous chef) Julie Andres. Sharing kitchen duties with the talented Earl Hook (late of Café Juanita), Andres offers an expanded, inspired, monthly-changing menu and some truly knocked-out dishes. Bring the kids and try not to finish their marinara-sauced "kid's spaghetti" while you polish off your baccala bigne (saltcod fritters) and polpettine agnello in melanzana (eggplant-wrapped meatballs light and luscious with lamb); handmade pappardelle (among other primi piatti); seasonal seafoods; steaks, chops and primo-ingredient-topped thin-crusted pizzas. With an Italian-heavy wine list priced to sell, there's no need to BYOB, though if you care to, a reasonable $10 corkage fee is charged. •  RAVENNA Pair | 5501 30th Ave. N.E., Seattle; 206-526-7655 Pickled shallots, crispy capers and housemade crème fraîche garnish smoked-salmon toasts at Pair, open since May in the Ravenna District. Poised on a Ravenna corner, Pair embraces a French farmhouse aesthetic with its rustic pine furnishings, beamed ceilings, hardwood floors and Oriental carpets. Owners Felix and Sarah Penn have poured charm, creativity and know-how into their delicious new bistro, whose spacious dining room is under Sarah's divine direction and fills nightly with casually well-dressed neighbors drawn by Chef Felix's small-plates menu and friendly, attentive service. That menu is an invitation to sample elegant, simply prepared dishes such as herb-scented chicken, fresh fish prettily baked in parchment, beef brisket laved with horseradish cream, and a luxurious Fontina-laced mac 'n' cheese. Enhanced by an eight-seat wine bar and "community" trestle table, Pair is also a premier spot to dine alone in good company. •  BALLARD Dandelion | 5809 24th Ave. N.W., Seattle; 206-706-8088 www.dandelionfood.com When spring last sprung, Dandelion bloomed, and Ballard is better for it. Small and crowded, easy on the eye (though hard on the ears) this vibrant cafe offers a weekly changing litany of small plates, hand-crafted cheeses and substantial entrees that depend largely on organic produce, wild seafood and naturally raised meats and poultry. Owner Carol Nockold builds superb salads and homey desserts in her compact kitchen, working alongside chef Jason Tenesch who dances gracefully from stove to grill, steaming mussels, flipping steaks and chops, showering his dishes with love and attention. Partner Connie Palmore welcomes guests with a wide smile and a menu whose highlights might include an impossibly moist chicken roasted to order, cornmeal-crusted halibut with creamy polenta and silky pan-seared scallops playing ring-around-the-risotto. Market Street Grill | 1744 N.W. Market St., Seattle; 206-789-6766 The Ballard dining scene continues to flourish, with great new restaurants, bars and cafes opening monthly. In its midst — and quieter than it deserves to be — sits Market Street Grill, which put Ballard on the neighborhood-bistro map when it opened in 2000. The return late last year of original chef Frank Springmann, whose work shined so brightly at the outset, gave owners John and Kendell Sillers reason to rejoice, and rightfully so. A recent visit found John behind the bar, Kendell waiting tables and Frank in the kitchen while a handful of regulars enjoyed the fruits of their labor: classic cocktails, convivial service and such dishes as smoked rock-shrimp spring rolls, pan-seared scallops with herbed gnocchi, and pan-roasted poussin — the burnished baby chicken swimming in a shallot jus. •  GREENWOOD Saltoro | 14051 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle; 206-365-6025 Sieb and Cary Jurriaans, parents of Saltoro chef Sieb Jurriaans, visit with friends on the restaurant's deck. While the food accents are heavily Mediterranean here, the decor is strictly Americana. Here where Seattle prepares to make its segue into Shoreline lies Saltoro, Greg Beckley's other neighborhood bistro. His first, the popular Bick's Broadview Grill, is only minutes away, and both offer excellent service paired with inviting eats. Though Saltoro's name nods to the prosciutto maker of Parma and chef Sieb Jurriaans' menu sails from one Mediterranean port to another, the décor — heavy on the handsome burnished wood floors and furnishings — is pure Americana. Dine at a bar well-stocked with single-malt scotches, a multitude of beer taps, 18 (bottled) wines for $18 and a couple of dozen by-the-glass pours. Or come with the kids, who can munch on pizzettas while you invest your appetite elsewhere: on, say, a harissa-fueled lamb burger, steak frites, a Spanish seafood platter or sea-salt roast chicken. •  WEST SEATTLE Café Zaffarano | 2329 California Ave. S.W., Seattle; 206-937-6098 This admirable new addition to the Admiral District bears the sophisticated stamp of Peter Lamb, founding father of Seattle's venerable Il Bistro and Queen City Grill — among the city's best-loved first-generation Seattle bistros. Exuding warmth, literally and figuratively, its focal point is an imposing wood-fueled oven, and its bar and dining room are under the constant care of managing partner (and West Seattle resident) Vito Montanarelli. Chef Vince Camarda's Italian-leaning menu is enhanced by a handful of hefty steaks and an array of seasonal seafood and braised meats. Soft lighting and well-constructed cocktails will seduce the date-night crowd, which can woo over an antipasto plate and clams linguine in the sleek little bar, at counter seats poised along a cantilevered corner of the open kitchen or cloistered in a high-backed booth. Kids have their own menu, complete with pizza and pasta, making this a family affair with flair. Ovio Bistro Eclectica | 3247 California Ave. S.W., Seattle; 206-935-1774 West Seattle's tiny Ovio Bistro will celebrate its success by moving to larger quarters nearby after the first of the year. Seattle restaurant vets Shing and Ellie Chin left Market Street Grill to their former partners and went looking for another neighborhood spot to call their own. They found it in West Seattle, where their swift makeover of the popular Les Tamales was a quick hit, thanks to Shing's prowess with the cocktail shaker (brandished at his cozy bar), their carefully culled serving staff (led by Ellie) and chef Eddie Montoya's ever-creative menu "eclectica." Though purists may grouse that the menu may be a bit too eclectic, its dishes gussied up with an overabundance of ingredients, few will carp about the chef's imaginative take on fresh finfish, his signature five-spice duck breast or the fanciful fruit sauces that add seasonality and spark to beef, lamb and pork. While the bistro is planning another move early next year, fear not, it will be nearby, in the Alaska Junction — chef, menu and vibe intact. •  EASTLAKE Serafina | 2043 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle; 206-323-0807 www.serafinaseattle.com For more than a dozen years, for more than a dozen reasons, Seattle sensualists have continued to seek out this soulful Eastlake haunt. They elbow their way into the bar, vie for a seat in the close-quartered dining room (or under big red umbrellas out in the Euro-styled courtyard) and consider the many ways in which chef John Neumark, on board for the past four years, has made his own mark on owner Susan Kaufman's Italian bistro. Neumark's rustic interpretations of Italy's regional foods, untiring creativity, solid use of seasonal ingredients and superior wine sense have done much to move this Eastlake favorite onto the list of Seattle's best Italian restaurants. Business-folk and romanticists know Serafina as a lunchtime showstopper, the musically inclined enjoy its reputation as a neighborhood jazz venue, and lazy Sundays bring out the brunch crowd. •  FREMONT Persimmon | 4256 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle; 206-632-0760 Sneak a peek at Persimmon and find that small is beautiful. A half-dozen tables and a handful of counter seats are all she wrote: "She" being owner Sara Moot, who spent a decade making friends and influencing diners at Le Gourmand in Ballard. Sharing kitchen and dining-room duties with best pal and business-partner Tim Larson, Moot plies her trade with grace, warmth and the help of a small, welcoming staff. In the compact kitchen, familiar foodstuffs (niçoise salad, braised chicken, beautifully crafted panini, crepes and omelets) are prepared with loving care and a French-by-Northwest sensibility. Mood music, autumnal colors and eye-catching artwork help make this Fremont yearling — formerly a daytime-only affair, now open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch — a must-stop on the food-find circuit. •  GREEN LAKE Eva Restaurant and Wine Bar | 2227 N. 56th St., Seattle; 206-633-3538 Casual and comfortable, Eva Restaurant and Wine Bar attracts Green Lake-area neighbors and destination diners who count on chef/owner Amy McCray to dazzle without pretension. At Eva, the menu revels in seasonality and steals freely from an international repertoire, offering "firsts" like this cherry tomato horiatiki salad with chilled tomato bisque. At Eva, gorgeous ingredients never had it so good, and it's not only the neighbors who know it: Destination diners can count on chef Amy McCray to dazzle without pretension. Her flavor-intensive menu, in combination with husband/host James Hondros' wine smarts, make their little Green Lake-area gem one of Seattle's best-restaurant bets. In her open kitchen, McCray relies heavily on organics, revels in seasonality and steals freely from an international repertoire. Hondros is adept at pairing food and wine, and relishes time spent in the adjoining wine bar (where cocktails are on offer). The short, weekly changing menu of "firsts" "in betweens" and "seconds" is an honest value. Signature sensations include Cabrales flan, sherry-braised Oregon rabbit and a sweet tooth's dreamy dessert trio, courtesy of longtime dessert diva JoAnna Cruz. Mona's Bistro & Lounge | 6421 Latona Ave. N.E., Seattle; 206-526-1188 It's been nearly 10 years since Mona's opened as an arty little Green Lake cafe, run, in a very hands-on fashion, by New York-expats Tito Class and Annette Serrano. Shortly thereafter the couple annexed the space next door, creating a lusty little bar and lounge where cocktails and tapas ruled. This year the pair knocked down the wall between the adjoining rooms, enlarged and repositioned their bar, set tables around it, built a loge-styled spot perfect for a large party and reopened as a 21-and-over venue. Mona's — the grown-up version — is well-run, even when the owners are in absentia, relying on their Latin world view to influence its brief menu. Appetizers/tapas might include delicate empanadas, carne asada and garlicky gambas al ajillo, while a half-dozen entrees (meat, seafood, poultry, a vegetarian option) roam the Mediterranean and look to Asia for inspiration. •  PHINNEY RIDGE Stumbling Goat Bistro | 6722 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle; 206-784-3535 Proprietress Erin Fetridge and her small, cohesive crew tend to guests at Stumbling Goat Bistro, a Phinney Ridge favorite. A tempting bowl of blueberry tarragon sherbet is served up with pine-nut brittle. Chef Matt Dillon, left, puts the final touches on dinner at Stumbling Goat Bistro, where he takes advantage of all that's seasonal and local, wooing fans with a main menu that rotates weekly. Behind this double storefront, past heavy velvet drapes that keep the good mood in and the wind and rain out, fans of this "Phinney find" make themselves at home. They greet proprietress Erin Fetridge and her cohesive crew, taking their seats at well-spaced tables in the dramatic, low-lit main dining area or in the cozy adjoining alcove beyond. Stopping here for an hour — or an evening — they find what they need: relaxation, friendly service and good food. Though founding chef and former co-owner Craig Serbousek has moved on (see Crow review), he's left the Goat's kitchen in the capable hands of Matt Dillon, whose short menu changes weekly, takes advantage of all that's seasonal and local and offers excitement in the form of gonzo garnishes (poached plums, sautéed melon, fennel pollen), a rotating roster of well-prepared mains (grilled quail, braised lamb), and daily desserts (pray for chocolate crepes). •  LAURELHURST Union Bay Café | 3515 N.E. 45th St., Seattle; 206-527-8364 It's been 18 years since Mark Manley introduced us to Union Bay Café and eight years since he moved his petite Laurelhurst dinner house a few doors north to bigger, fussier digs. Other chefs and restaurants have come and gone in this north-of-the-U neighborhood, but Manley remains a welcome constant, his double dining rooms an art-filled oasis of deliciousness. For that — and for a menu that featured seasonal organic products and interesting game dishes long before doing so was de rigeur — we thank him. These days, the chef's Italian roots are more heavily reflected in his menu, which might include cannelloni cacciatore and braised Oregon rabbit alla Calabrese, best enjoyed with something from a carefully crafted, reasonably priced wine list. •  MAGNOLIA Szmania's | 3321 W. McGraw St., Seattle; 206-284-7305 www.szmanias.com When it opened in 1990, this fine-food-focused Magnolia Village spot became a popular destination dining place for fans of Ludger Szmania, a strapping German whose reputation as a first-rate hotel chef preceded him. Back then, highfalutin' chefs weren't hot to open restaurants in their own 'hoods, but Szmania helped pave the way for today's neighborhood restaurant trend. Fourteen years, two remodels and a second venue later (Ludger and his wife, Julie, also own Jäger in Kirkland), Szmania's is far less fussy but no less inviting having morphed into a casual bistro whose menu is as colorful as its new interior décor. In this swish of a room, neighbors relax along the windows, in the bar or fronting the exhibition kitchen, partaking from a menu complete with old favorites (jagerschnitzel, a crème brûlée trio, "lighter-sized" entree options). Welcome changes include menu items listed with wine or cocktail suggestions, the latter an intriguing list of creatively crafted hooch. Lunch is now a year-round option. •  BELLEVUE Bis on Main | 10213 Main St., Bellevue; 425-455-2033 www.bisonmain.com At Bis on Main, an elegant gallery-like setting in old Bellevue, gorgeous dishes and a smart wine list appeal to a well-heeled neighborhood clientele at lunch and dinner. There's a stylish, agreeable charm to Old Bellevue — one that flies in the face of the corporate commerce surrounding it. This is also true of Bis on Main, where restaurateur Joe Vilardi has given us the gift of creative food, beautifully prepared. His "Bis" — a small, gallery-like space whose putty-colored walls wear bold artwork and whose tables are dressed in crisp linen — leans in the fine-dining direction. And while gorgeous dishes appeal to a well-heeled neighborhood clientele, the mood at lunch and dinner is sunny rather than stuffy as patrons dine on glorious grilled prawns, fat 'n' happy Dungeness crabcakes, crispy garlic chicken and a ciabatta-wrapped burger. You'll often find Vilardi on hand greeting guests who've come to appreciate his efficient staff, well-crafted wine list and a kitchen better than ever under chef Christopher Peterson's direction. •  KIRKLAND Lynn's Bistro | 214 Central Way, Kirkland; 425-889-2808 Chef My Linh Tran has quietly made a name for herself in Kirkland. Born in Vietnam to Chinese parents, she long ago adopted the Northwest as her home and more recently adopted the American version of her name for this serene little bistro. A very visible presence in her open kitchen, "Lynn" is a one-woman tour de force whose style draws heavily from the classic French culinary canon. Her sea-green dining room with its soft-jazz soundtrack has a ladies-who-lunch appeal, but whoever deigns to dine — at lunch, brunch or dinner — will be treated to comfy meals in a comfortable setting. Start with smoked salmon, breaded goat cheese salad or an excellent French onion soup wafting with pungent Gruyère. Consider a velvety veal stew; grilled salmon scented with Cointreau; or chicken in a world of guises (sautéed and sauced; stuffed in a savory crepe or tossed in a couscous salad), then relax over coffee and crème brûlée. •  ISSAQUAH Fins Bistro | 301 Front St. N., Issaquah; 425-392-0109 www.finsbistro.com Care to recall the small-town flavor of old Issaquah? Take a seat at this dramatic little bistro whose north wall opens onto the lobby of the Village Theatre. This seafood-centric production, serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, takes its cue not from stage-management next door but from the warm-hearted Megji family. The Megjis seem to know half their customers by name and make it a point to turn strangers into friends while lending a hand to their sweet, stalwart staffers. As its name suggests, much of the menu relies on seafood (finned or otherwise), but steaks, chops, chicken and even meatloaf round out the playbill. The daily fresh sheet makes the lengthy menu even lengthier, causing difficulty choosing among a classic preparation of pan-sautéed sole with mushrooms, house specialties like macadamia nut-crusted halibut with Thai-styled peanut sauce and specials like Fins' Northwest-accented seafood curry. •  EDMONDS Olives Gourmet Café & Wine Bar | 107 5th Ave. N., Edmonds; 425-771-5757 www.olivesgourmet.com The metamorphosis of Olives began in 2002 when owners Strom Peterson (the resident cheesemonger) and Michael Young (a talented chef late of San Francisco's four-star Aqua) opened a specialty food shop-cum takeout deli in the heart of this ferry-stop city. It soon became clear that patrons were more interested in the earthy soups, seasonal salads and swell sandwiches available to go than in fancy packaged foodstuffs on the shelves. So this summer, after a brief closure and swift redo, Olives reopened as a casual, full-service, neighborhood bistro, boasting burnt-umber walls and handsome woodwork, a clutch of tables and a wide, 12-seat bar — perfect for sipping some 25 wines-by-the-glass. An extensive list of soups, salads and sandwiches is available day or night, and takeout is still an option. Come evenings, these are bolstered by a seasonally influenced menu of tapas-like "small-plates" — fine food, beautifully presented. On weekends, "large plates" join the roster, with elegant entrees like chorizo-crusted halibut and prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin. •  RENTON Jubilante | 305 Burnett Ave. S., Renton; 425-226-1544 www.jubilante-restaurant.com Renton's favorite bistro is more than just that: It's also a bakery, bar and jazz club open for lunch, dinner and evening entertainment. This deep sweep of a room, with its open kitchen, counter seats, happy hour and live jazz (most nights), appeals to Renton residents looking for a "downtown" dining scene right here in their own downtown. Owners Caesar Cabrera and Tess Guerzon-Cabrera took over last year and recently recruited chef Jacques Fougere to put his French signature on Jubilante's "World's Fare." Judging from his warm ginger crème brûlée tart and classic duck confit, as well as his willingness to dip into the global pantry to produce Filipino favorites (lumpia, beef inihaw), Indian-accented osso buco and Japanese-influenced seafoods (wasabi-spiced salmon, panko-draped fish 'n chips), he's the right man for the job. •  BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Cafe Nola | 101 Winslow Way E., Bainbridge Island; 206-842-3822 www.cafenola.com Island life got that much better when chef Kevin Warren transformed this Winslow bakery and café into an accommodating little bistro. Five years later, Café Nola is as appealing to locals as it is to day-trippers intent on treating themselves to a global fusion of bistro fare at lunch, brunch and dinner. On an early fall evening happy patrons ignored the autumn chill, taking to the patio to sample the chef's monthly "wine picks," a pepper-dusted steak salad with pommes frites or a Balinese vegetable curry. Inside, basking in the glow of candlelight and camaraderie, others made themselves at home in the small, seductive bar, sipping negronis while snacking from a teepee of kahlua pig skewers and a plateful of butter-bean bruschetta. Linen-draped tables and a bank of skinny booths lead to a small rear dining room where one might make a light meal of island greens or salve a bigger appetite with crisp joints of pan-fried buttermilk chicken or a rousing seafood gumbo.

Nancy Leson is The Seattle Times restaurant critic. Jacqueline Koch is a writer and photographer living on Whidbey Island.