SEATTLE — Want to indulge in a Parisian treat without booking a trip to France?
Panterelli offers an authentic experience in the heart of West Seattle’s Alaska Junction.
It’s the only choux-pastry dedicated patisserie in America, operated by a chef who grew up eating the delicacies.
"I was born in France, south of France, Marseilles,” said chef/owner Jacques Nawar. “I moved to Seattle 13 years ago."
Choux (it rhymes with “shoe”) is a pastry dough with no chemical raising agent, dating back to the 1500's.
"Choux technically means cabbage. It looks like cabbage. It has some ridges when it's cooked," Nawar said.
Crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside, it's ideal for filling with sweet creams. Nawar and his staff make every pâte à choux and éclair from scratch, and bake small batches throughout the day to keep the pastry case stocked.
“(This is my) second time today, within the past hour I would say,” laughed customer Nicole Antonio-Ferriman. "The pâte à choux has a really good texture and the fillings are so creamy, you can tell it was made fresh and from scratch. And for me, that's the quality I'll pay for."
The pastries are filled and topped with classic flavors like chocolate, vanilla and pistachio – but Nawar also likes to experiment with less-traditional flavors in flavors like white chocolate and passion fruit.
He also invented a crossover pastry you have to taste to believe.
"Croissant and choux, it's a combination – a ‘croichoux,’” he said.
There is also an espresso bar serving Illy coffee and outdoor seating. Nawar said he hopes his customers feel welcome and satisfied.
"A lot of times I see people close their eyes, like they're savoring - or they keep eating and looking at their food,” he said. “It's a reflection of happiness, it's like a mirror. You see people happy after you provide something for them, and it gets back to you."
Panterelli is open Tuesday – Sunday from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. It’s located at 4210 SW Alaska Street.
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