Looking for secluded date-night dining or a unique brunch menu? Try this Tacoma bistro

The turquoise fleur de lis, painted on an otherwise nondescript stone wall, intimates what awaits those who have, wisely, reserved a table for brunch at this petite bistro near downtown Tacoma.

On weekends, you must make a reservation at least a few days before your planned visit, and even then the time slots dwindle to first seatings at 9 a.m. or the last, after 2 p.m. Fortunately, weekday brunch exists.

Shortly after sitting in a wicker chair — one that sinks so that you settle in, quite literally — you feel compelled to order both an espresso and a bourbon Bloody Mary with a made-to-order bacon strip in tow. Or perhaps you fancy a ginger mimosa, one of nine varieties at Le Sel Bistro, a self-described French-style restaurant that, in two years under new ownership, has earned its reputation as a hidden gem.

Rondee Sands took over in the summer of 2019 what was then called Sel. She changed the name, refocused the menu on French classics, lightly revamped the interior and, notably, added radiant heat and a cover to the back deck overlooking Commencement Bay.

The buildings on this stretch of St. Helens Ave. between downtown and the Stadium District abut one another. You can’t see the patio from the street, which makes it feel all the more special when discovered after a short walk through the tight interior.

Whereas Sel only served a daytime menu — omelettes and sandwiches, mostly — Le Sel offers contemporary brunch favorites like avocado toast, here served with smoked salmon, hollandaise and a poached egg, and a decadent burger adorned with triple-cream brie, bacon jam and aioli.

The menu graciously fits on a single page.

Other semi-handhelds, served with a lovely little side salad of mixed greens topped with a shave of watermelon radish and the intrigue of candied hazelnuts, include a French dip with gruyère and a croque madame, the classic knife-and-fork bistro sandwich with ham and béchamel on thick, sturdy brioche. Choose among five styles of benedicts, with upgraded meats — pork belly, smoked salmon, filet mignon; three omelettes, such as one filled with locally sourced Adam’s Mushrooms, a farmers market mainstay; and two styles of French toast, with either sliced bananas or apples, enveloped in a caramel syrup that manages to satisfy your sweet tooth without overdoing it. With four hearty halves in every order, it’s a sensible dish to share.

Thoughtful touches assist Le Sel’s efforts to stand out from the standard brunch experience. Coffee is not drip but French press, delivered to your table, and tea not a cup with a bag but a pot of loose-leaf. In addition to the Bourbon Bloody, dabble in a Maria with tequila or a Caesar with Clamato, a more common sight in micheladas.

On a recent weekday visit, two young ladies opted to share a bottle of prosecco, while another sipped on one of a handful of brunch cocktails.

The “garden patio,” boasting a view of the port below, is an ideal place for a quiet rendezvous, and no doubt caters to small groups of friends looking to live that rosé-all-day life. By night, the candlelit setting transforms into a quintessential date-night destination.

Word-of-mouth has benefited the restaurant since the relaunch, said Sands, originally from Bellevue and Issaquah who has worked in the industry since she was a teenager, including several years in wine and spirits distribution. Previously, she operated a family-oriented Italian American place in North Bend and stumbled upon Sel while also working in real estate.

“I just thought, ‘I can run this place,’” she said in July. “I just saw way more potential.”

Her ambition was to create a sophisticated but comfortable restaurant — “classy,” she explained, “but I want people to feel like it’s their living room.”

From one of the velvet dining room chairs, when you order a cocktail at dinner, your server will stir at a small bar in sight (though there is no bar seating due to the nature of the space). I appreciated the simplicity of the cocktail menu, focused on classics like a Boulevardier and, for summer, a Paper Plane with bourbon, Aperol, amaro and fresh lemon juice.

Le Sel’s brunch is well-known at this point, but dinner provides an opportunity for more honed French cooking. Recently hired chef Nathan Gerard has plans to further that mission with an eye toward seasonality, pulling from a few years in downtown Seattle and 15 in Las Vegas.

In July, a special appetizer of roasted rainbow carrots, glazed with spiced honey and orange, arrived on a spread of creamy herbed goat cheese. It’s now on the menu, one that is as short and classic as that of any bistro worth its sel: steak au poivre, filet with bordelaise, lamb chops in port, roasted chicken with cous cous, a nod to the essential North African influence on modern French cuisine. The server recommended the risotto, which we enjoyed with broccolini and seared Alaskan halibut.

In a world full of “shareables,” composed entrées are somehow a revelation, and without asking, the kitchen split ours — as well as the side salad and a bowl of soup — into two. My only wish is that this thoughtful gesture, and the overall sweet demeanor of every staffer, was matched with delivering on those minor details that move a dining experience from pleasant to memorable.

I don’t blame anyone for missing the highest note here and there, as understaffing and troublemaking patrons continue to swirl along with the nagging pandemic, but clunky plate removal — before I could snag that last delicious carrot! — didn’t jibe with the price point. Sure, brunch is breezy, but $19 French toast necessitates extra care.

It is, however, very pleasant on that patio.

LE SEL BISTRO

▪ 229 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1015, leselbistro.com

▪ Wednesday-Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-9 p.m.

▪ Details: daily brunch with multiple styles of benedicts and mimosas, $60 for two plates, coffee and a cocktail; classic bistro fare at dinner, with curated cocktails and wine, $100+ for two courses and two cocktails

▪ Reservations recommended, credit card required to book

This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM.