Out to Eat: Virgil's Cafe

Ian Andersen of Hyde Park and Heather Listermann of Taylor Mill at Virgil's Café in Bellevue. (Credit: David Sorcher)

In little neighborhoods where small-town charm is embraced, you find those places that help create a grand sense of Americana. There's the family-run pharmacy, the local hardware store and a couple of little boutiques. And sometimes, if you're lucky, you might stumble across a restaurant you'll enjoy for years to come - a place like Virgil's Café in Bellevue.

VINTAGE COMFORT

While the restaurant has a quaint, small-town feel, the upscale fixtures prove the restaurant is far from your run-of-the-mill neighborhood eatery. The rich, dark wood found throughout the restaurant is a nice compliment to the interior furnishings, many which have been salvaged from other places, giving Virgil's a vintage vibe. And a "Dante's Inferno" decor, starting with the "hell"-inspired artwork near the kitchen and bar space, changes to "purgatory" and finishes with "heaven" in the dining area.

The real treat, however, awaits on your plate.

PERSONAL PIZZAZZ

Virgil's menu is a study in compare/contrast, much like its interior. While owner/executive chef Matthew Buschle prefers to use local ingredients in homemade recipes (such as the potato chips) as much as possible, the menu features an international flair.

My friend had no trouble finding a glass of wine to enjoy, choosing Firesteed Pinot Noir Oregon ($7). Opting for a non-alcoholic beverage, I had a cola ($1.25). I would mention the name, but our server couldn't tell me what it was; he only knew it tastes like Coke, it has pure cane sugar as opposed to corn syrup, and it is reportedly popular in Mexican restaurants.

Our meal, however, was not shrouded in secrecy. The roasted bell pepper and cheddar empanadas ($5), one of three appetizers available, was a delicious start to our meal. My friend raved about how fresh the seafood was in her sizable shrimp Creole with cheddar cheese grits and fried shoestring sweet potato ($14).

I was even more enthusiastic about my Thai pepper and pistachio crusted pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and vegetable ($16). The dish, which came with asparagus when I ordered it and was served with cashews instead of pistachios due to recent salmonella concerns, was exemplary in amount, presentation and most importantly, taste. If you enjoy tenderloin but would like to try it with an ever-so-subtle twist, this comes highly recommended.

Unfortunately, we were too full to try one of the evening's featured desserts (sweet potato crème brûlée with candied walnuts and pineapple/raisin bread pudding with whipped cream and bourbon caramel). However, we left fully satisfied.