THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Avenue One

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Avenue One Restaurant Review:

Just beyond the etched-glass front doors, a curved, copper-topped bar introduces the handsome main dining room where a soaring ceiling fringed with ornate moldings crowns peach-tinted, wainscoted walls lit with the buttery glow of vintage French fixtures. The mural depicting a typical, Parisian-style street scene---in which local Seattle landmarks pop up incongruously, delights us. Way in the back, beyond the kitchen, is the tiny Fireside Room, which by day allows an above-the-rooftops view of Elliott Bay. A youthful, stylish coterie of regulars populates the bar, especially for Tuesday jazz nights, lured by well-constructed cocktails or Cognac. In fine weather tables on the sidewalk beckon. The menu doesn’t stray far from French bistro fare, though Asian touches are not impossible to find, as is coriander-crusted salmon. We favor the savory and subtle onion soup, sautéed sweetbreads and pancetta on a bed of frisée and endive, the rich, bisque-like coquilles St. Jacques, and the full-flavored rib steak with pommes frites. The extensive wine list is heavily French and pricey. For dessert, we always hope to find the goat cheese tart with dried fruit.