In the back corner of Café Pirouette stands Dalouny Daranouvong, the creperie’s lone owner and chef. It is within this small kitchen space where the chef crafts together her savory French inspired omelets, sandwiches and crepes. Here, the sweet and buttery aroma casts an entrancing smell that waifs throughout the entire restaurant.

Six years ago, Daranouvong’s expectations for a successful creperie resided in nothing more than her willingness to take a risk and embark on an adventure within the restaurant industry. Up to that point, her cooking credential experiences were compiled from years of being an eldest sibling, a wife, and a mother, having cooked plenty of family meals.

Café Pirouette’s menu is a testimony to Daranouvong’s creative taste palette, a talent she has acquired since the age of 12. As the oldest of her siblings, she undertook the responsibility of preparing family meals. Growing up in Laos, this was a common understanding and practice amongst households, and Daranouvong would continue shouldering this responsibility until her late teens. It wasn’t until the military unrest along the Vietnam-Cambodian border in the 70’s that would eventually force her and her family to flee Laos for safety.

As a refugee in America, it would not be long before she would find herself uprooted once again from Kansas to Germany, this time with her military husband and two children. Her nomadic lifestyle, however, allowed her to experience many different cuisines, one European dish in particular quickly became a traditional weekend treat for the Daranouvong’s: crepes.

After Germany, the Daranouvong relocated to Seattle with the help of her sister and brother- in- law. Daranouvong wanted to start her own creperie business, so she purchased what used to be a teahouse in a corner of Old Bellevue. After weeks of renovation, they transformed the teahouse into a quaint Parisian getaway, equipped with cheerful daffodil colored walls and charming porcelain tea sets, seemingly ready to open for business.

However, one major problem remained.

“I loved crepes,” Daranouvong said, “I just didn’t know how to make it.”

Not quick to be dissuaded, Daranouvong knew better than to fear the unknown so long as she trusted her passion. She was introduced to a renowned Seattle French chef who befriended her and taught her the basics of crepe making.

These lessons would manifest themselves into the reasons as to why many locals return weekly to Pirouette.

Edwin and Polly Lasetter, regulars who have been coming to Pirouette for over two years, rave about the food. Edwin’s own favorite is the Brie and lingonberry crepe, saying, “I like the combination, it’s always good. I don’t think we’ve ever had anything that we don’t like here.”

Trusting her instincts and judgment on what ingredients would best compliment another is perhaps what makes the dishes at Pirouette so delectable.

“I like to play around with food…keeping it fresh and simple,” Daranouvong said of her cooking style.

With handpicked ingredients, including daily fresh baked goods provided by her sibling’s local bakery, Daranouvong’s informal history with food has helped guided the success of her formal experience at Pirouette.

Café Pirouette
14 102nd Ave. N.E. # 3, Bellevue, WA 98004 (425) 637-9988

Editor’s note:

Having been a community journalist in the area for a few years, I have begun to appreciate every unique story in our town. From the heartwarming story of a local baker to the glorious past of an army general, these are the stories that motivate me to get up in morning and dig deeper into the picture.

“Behind the Scenes” is a biweekly column that features bite size stories you may overlook from your daily routine.  --- Jocelyn Chui