6015 Phinney Ave. N
Seattle, WA 98103
206-297-3300
http://www.freshfloursseattle.com/

I had driven by Fresh Flours quite a few times intending to go in, and finally had the right opportunity last week to pick up a quick lunch for my daughter and myself. I was a little worried as the fresh case of pastries was running low, and the selection was a bit smaller than I had hoped. They were out of most of the panini’s and only a few muffins remained. At first I took this as a bad sign, only later realizing that the case was probably full earlier in the day (I was there at around 3:00), and the food is so good, people actually come in and eat it all.

I ended up selecting a quiche (individual style, flavored with ham and green chile) and a tuna melt… and then my eyes laid themselves upon this verdant green muffin tucked away in beautiful paper and a little boat of a tart. They were so beautiful, I added one of each to my order.

The muffin was Green Tea with Azuki beans, and it’s moist crumb was full of incredibly complex sweet and nutty and woody flavors. It’s a fascinating marriage of western pastry with traditional Japanese flavors… which is a trademark of Fresh Flours bakery.

The sweet potato tart was a much simpler experience. Almost marizipan-like, the tart had a subtle sweetness that is rounded out with an almost buttery potato finish.

The quiche and panini were more traditionally western pastries, and both were delicious. The tuna melt panini, heated to a perfect crispness, was much bigger than I had expected, and was plenty for two people to share (if indulging in some of the other goodies). And, unlike so many tuna melts out there, actually tasted of fresh, light tuna salad instead of gobs of mayo, oil and cheese.

And, then there was the quiche. Oh my lord, was that good quiche. The pastry crust was light and flakey, and somehow the filling was almost silky smooth. The savory ham and chile blended together deliciously, not spicy but very flavorful.

Fresh Flours uses Victrola’s coffee for their espresso drinks, which looked good although I was just there for lunch.

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