Dishin': Creme Brulee at Fresh Bistro

We should have seen it coming.

The folks at Fresh Bistro, the new West Seattle restaurant from Herban Feast, throw fresh into all that they prepare. We took our fresh lemon and vanilla bean-infused Gin & Yang (get it?) drink to our dining room table, where Chef Dalis Chea sent a bunch of plates enhanced by fruits and vegetables, including shiso-crusted honey pecan prawns with green mango slaw, and oxtail bourguignon with baby carrots, parsnip puree, frizzled chervil, and carrot chips. If we couldn't already guess, the spinach flan beneath a green olive and pecorino-crusted halibut should have been the telltale sign that dessert might have a twist as well.

And it did. Pastry Chef Maya Barber Kurose's dessert was unmistakably creme brulee, but we did a double-take when we saw that it was topped with tomato, basil, and some balsamic vinegar. A salad dessert? Dessert salad? Either way, it worked for us--as we don't always want our desserts too sweet. Others might. Fresh Bistro is touting itself as serving internationally inspired, locally sourced bistro cuisine. Expect a tossed salad of ingredients in any of their menu selections.