Nestled in Post Alley, The Pink Door is a hidden gem in Seattle’s dining scene — literally. It doesn’t have a sign and can be hard to find unless you know exactly where you’re going.

It’s tightly-packed with limited seating, but the ambience is incredible. It looks like a 19th-century Parisian restaurant; it’s dimly lit, and each table has its own pewter candlestick with a wax-dripped candle. Even the walls are adorned with twinkling Christmas lights.

On one wall hangs a painting of a jester. A trapeze swing hangs from the ceiling, but not just as artwork: A trapeze artist performs weekly as part of the scheduled entertainment, said Peter Kingsley, our waiter.

“The candle-lit atmosphere is almost carnival-like,” said patron Lani Jacobsen.

Part of The Pink Door’s appeal is its weekly entertainment schedule; cabaret is its specialty, as well as the Saturday night burlesque show in the lounge that is known to draw crowds. On Friday nights, an accordion duo performs in the bar. The performers add liveliness to the atmosphere. The restaurant is typically filled with a 30- to 40-something crowd sipping martinis and wine.

“[The Pink Door] is not aimed towards young children,” said patron and UW student Niki Kahle. “I wouldn’t go there with kids.”

Everything on the one-page menu looked appealing.

“The menu, mostly Italian, included fresh and well-sauced pastas, a wonderful whole, baked fish and mussels fresh and popping with flavor,” Jacobsen said.

I settled on The Pink Door Caesar salad to start with, and my friend ordered a dozen oysters to share. The homemade Caesar dressing was delicious. For my main course, I ordered the squid ink spaghetti, which is literally spaghetti colored black with squid’s ink in a spicy tomato sauce with an assortment of seafood, including clams, mussels and shrimp. The veal parmigiana, gnocci with pesto sauce and cioppino seafood stew were other appealing choices. The timing between the appetizers and entrees was perfect. Not too soon to feel rushed, but not too long to become impatient. The seafood tasted fresh and flavorful.

Portions were just right — not too small to feel cheated, but not so oversized to require a take home box.

Unfortunately, for the price of the meal, you’d almost want one. For dessert, I ordered a pot of Earl Grey tea and the house tiramisu. The Pink Door’s tiramisu is to die for — decadent and rich, yet so tasty. My friend ordered the crème brulee trio, which comes with chocolate hazelnut, cointreau (orange liqueur) and banana; each tasted amazing.

Also open for lunch, the restaurant caters to couples and small groups.

“It’s more adult-like,” Kahle said. “I would go there for dinner with friends or family members that are older.”

In the summer, the restaurant has an outdoor patio with a prime view of Elliot Bay — which patrons say is packed in the warmer months.

“It has a Seattle-type atmosphere and a nice view,” Kahle said, who visited the restaurant with several relatives.

While the bill was expensive — with wine and tip, our combined tab came to around $200 — the ambience made it well worth it. The Pink Door combined both dining and entertainment under one roof, which made for an enjoyable evening.

When eating there during the summer, customers not only get market-fresh food, but also “a spectacular sunset over Puget Sound for dessert,” Jacobsen said.

Reach reporter Katie Paff at features@dailyuw.com.