Le Rêve Bakery & Café: A sweet spot in Queen Anne

There are some things that seem like sure bets. One of them is opening a charming French bakery/cafe in the heart of Queen Anne.

Co-owners Andrea Nakata and Sharon Fillingim opened Le Rêve Bakery and Café about four months ago, in a cozy spot next door to Queen Anne Books. And they enlisted some of the best bakers in town: cake master Honor Amourall and bread baker Jason Gere.

Sweet stuffs are the stars here, but locals are also dropping in for lunch and breakfast, espresso drinks and tea. (Note: This is not a place to diet, so don't torture yourself. And it's pricier than a standard bakery — understandably.)

The menu: The savory menu is petite: half a dozen baguette and croissant sandwiches ($5.75-$6.75), and daily soup, salad, mini-pizza, quiche and other specials ($3.25-$5.50). But the pastry case! It's a phantasmagoria of tarts, puffs, cakes, macaroons, brioche, eclairs and other sinful treats that don't stint on the butter, eggs and cream.

What to write home about: The soups are delish, especially a recent peppery, creamy ginger-carrot bisque ($3.25/cup, $5.95/bowl); and the croque monsieur sandwich ($5.95) — with ham, Gruyère and a spot of Dijon mustard on a fresh, crunchy mini-baguette — is a simple pleasure.

The divine chocolate croissant ($3.75)? With the exquisite little melted slab of dark French chocolate tucked within? It's dreamy (befitting the cafe name — "rêve" is French for dream).

What to skip: A macaroni, ham and cheese dish, with a heavy cream sauce that's just too rich.

The setting: Simple, pleasant but cramped at lunch peak time. Counter service only.

Summing up: Two croque monsieurs, a cup of ginger-carrot soup, a house salad ($4.95) and two fruit tarts ($3.95) came to $35.69, with tax and tip.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com

Sarah Mullins has left the bakery. Le Reve Bakery & Cafe serves beer and wine.