seating – Middle and Main Streets, Washington, VA 22747
With the rooms at The Inn at Little Washington a basic breakfast is included. They also offer a la carte selections for an additional charge or you can chose a package that includes those selections too. The basic breakfast includes a flight of seasonal juices, yougurt, fruit and granola, breads and coffee of tea. Cocktails are available for an extra charge as are special coffee drinks. Overall, breakfast was dull but if it comes with your room you might as well. That said I wouldn’t advise paying for the extra selections as they weren’t that tasty. Continue reading →
exterior – Middle and Main Streets, Washington, VA 22747
We were at The Inn at Little Washington in April 2021 (you can read that by clicking here). They have finished the construction of their casual restaurant across the street and we also went there this trip – Patty O’s – and they’re now working on numerous other projects which we found out about on the facilities tour that is offered when you stay there. A new employee parking lot was under active construction as was a pool and a spa/wellness building that’s coming after that, complete with acupuncture! On the tour we also got to feed some of the animals that live on site but they are not ever featured on the menu. Chickens, goats, sheep, llamas and geese that parade through the streets with their keeper. On the food side they are planning new areas for seating including wine cellar dinners. However all this didn’t keep their third Michelin star when the newest ratings were announced- they dropped to 2-stars despite Chef/Owner Patrick O’Connell being ever present on property. It’s worth a visit just to see the heavily decorated place and the food is good. Each diner has the choice of 3 tasting menus equally priced with optional wine pairings. I like that only supplement option was a cheese course and that the tasting moves along at a good pace. Hope you’ll let me know what you think if you go. Continue reading →
building – 389 Main Street, Washington, VA., 22747
Patty O’s Cafe and Bakery was under construction when we were last at the Inn on Little Washington in 2021. Built in a former gas station building, it was named for the Inn’s Chef Patrick O’Connell’s nickname ‘Patty O’. It offers visitors an option to the Michelin style fine dining of the Inn by offering lunch and dinner daily except for Wed when they close at 4. The cafe has two interior rooms, one housing the large bar with seating and the other closely set tables, and there is an outdoor patio. It is also connected to the bakery which supplies its and the main restaurant’s bread. The rooms are filled with decorations and art with a beamed ceiling and windows to the street. Service was efficient and willing to make recommendations. It aims for a more casual atmosphere which it achieves with bills coming in little metal boots , a menu of American classics and a large free parking lot out back. Thinking it was mid-week and we didn’t really need a reservation, but we did anyway and that was the right call. The place was packed with tables turning over. Walk-ins were seated at the bar. The food was mixed but the place serves a real need for those in the area. If nothing else, just go for the pecan ice cream with caramel sauce. Continue reading →
building – 101 Provence View Lane, Sequim, WA 98382
Nourish is a farm-to-table place open for dinner Thurs – Sun. They operate a dedicated gluten-free kitchen with house made dishes using local ingredients. They offer both indoor and outdoor dining with parking on both sides of the building. The menu changes weekly and is a 3-course fixed price with several choices for each course. The wine list was better than most and they also offer cocktails and beer. The indoor space had carpet on the floor with metal and unstained wood for the walls with lots of windows. The metal tables were unclothed, the ceiling was open and there was a large amount of space overall. The food was really good with clean straightfoward flavors. I love the idea that the menu changes that frequently, it would make me go often if I lived nearby. Service was super friendly, efficient and helpful. Hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think. Continue reading →
Dupuis’ Restaurant was a large place that was established in 1920 by Joe Dupuis as a tavern with beer, wine and a dance floor. He pumped gas out front (which is the entrance today). He started serving food so he could sober up customers who had imbibed too much During its 100+ year history it has gone through a number of owners with Toni Rieger taking charge in 1998. Through the years the various owners have loved to collect things and many have remained with the restaurant so take time to appreciate all the nostalgic and quirky things. The booths and bar were in the oldest section which had the original furnishings. Now a wrap-around porch area is being added or maybe it started when Covid was upon us. Famous people have visited the place like Barbra Streisand and husband Brolin as well as Tommy Lee Jones and Princess Margaretha of Belgium. The many rooms are different with the entrance room wood covered with lots of knicknacks. The room we dined in had a fire place, curtains covered the windows, tables were covered with white cloths and chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Music was in the background, carpet was on the floor and it was lovely to be able to chat with my husband and hear his response. The food was quite good and I would put this place on your list to visit when you are in the area. Continue reading →
Frankie rode the cart – 115 E Railroad Ave, Port Angeles, WA 98362
Welly’s Real Fruit Ice Cream was brought to Washington State by Lillie and Jacob from New Zealand, where she learned the art of combining a scoop of ice cream with real fruit. Starting with a trailer in July 2021 they have now opened a storefront in the Port Angeles Wharf since June 2022. Welly comes from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand where she worked for 3 months. They combine ice cream from Lopez Island Creamery with local fruits from Washington farms. They had 4 single berry flavors or a mixed berry to blend with Sweet Cream ice cream or many flavors of ice cream if you didn’t want the blend. They have a machine at the counter where they place the dip of ice cream and the frozen berries of your choice. A corkscrew like mixer blends it in a funnel container that squeezes the end result out the bottom. One problem I saw with that was the mixer does not get washed in between so all mixes have a bit of the mixed berry effect. However some did come out much darker. We chose strawberry which came out fairly light in color. It is a smooth lightly flavored product that is fun and worth a try. There’s a video that tells it all. Continue reading →
Kokopelli Grill is owned by Texans Chef Michael and Candy McQuay who opened it in Dec. 2009. He produces a Southwest style cuisine using local seafoods, steaks and produce for this, the more upscale side of their two places. (The other half is Hook & Line Pub nextdoor, serving lots of fish and chips.) It’s a large 2-story place with the entry room having a high ceiling, some booths along the walls and a staircase at the back wall. Upstairs the two rooms had lower ceilings and bare wood tables and chairs with a bar counter in one of them. A couple lucky tables had a view of the harbor in the bar room but most had a view of the downtown street. Music was throughout and older wood made up the floors. A television screen was behind the bar but it was muted. The place felt jumbled and service matched the feel, but in the server’s defense he was new. However apologies can only work on one snafu, after several it starts to affect your experience. We had to wait a good 20 minutes for our drink order to be taken. When we ordered I asked to please not bring it all out at once but sure enough our salads came before the raw oyster and then the entreé came before I even had a forkful of salad. Rolls never appeared. The food was probably better than I write it up but it was such a mess it was hard to look beyond. Continue reading →
Outpost Sandwiches is open weekdays in downtown Tacoma and offers a variety of sandwiches, salads and also pizza but only on Fridays. It’s a hole in the wall place that’s underground near the courthouse. Parking is on the street as you can find it. Once you enter you’ll find the menu on a large sign and a window to order. Some wooden benches and tables are in front if you want to eat inside with as many eating there as taking orders to go. Music was in the background and the folks at the window will give you a code if you want to use the bathroom down the hall. It was quite busy but if you find yourself in town and need a quick snack I highly recommend the chicken melt and fresh baked cookies. Continue reading →
The restaurant at the Inn at Langley was one of the reasons we traveled to Whidbey Island, besides also wanting to escape the Texas heat. Chef Matt Costello started the restaurant in 1989 and now also is co-owner of the Inn. However his cooking duties have been passed to a fellow named Landon and the tasting menu we looked forward to has been dumbed down to a 5-course menu, one of which is your roll. Chef was in house and called it a “transition time”. They also serve an a la carte menu but it is mostly bar snacks now. Thank goodness we found another place to eat one of the 2 nights we hoped to eat there. That said, the breakfast included with your stay at the Inn was very nice and a good assortment of options. The place itself is wonderful and I heartily endorse it as a place to stay but caution you against reserving dinner there until they finish the “transition.” We left hungry and dis-satisfied even though we had a delicious bottle of champagne with the meal and they took off some for the over-cooked salmon. Continue reading →
Savory was opened in 2021 by Ron Rois and Stefen Bosworth. They serve a menu inspired by their family, friends and travel from Tuesday to Saturday 4 – 9pm. The restaurant takes no reservations but you can drop by or call ahead and they will give you a waiting list time estimate. From that they call you and you have 15 minutes to show up or your table is passed on. We simply ate earlier in the day and got in the line by the door that formed at 4:00pm. It’s a small place with some patio tables available but they were able to expand seating when they acquired a space at the front of the building. The desire was to make the diner feel like they’ve entered someone’s home and it does just that with the big stuffed chairs and surrounding art pieces. Service was friendly and you could see partially into the kitchen from our table. It was good but not great.
Set-Up
Frankie shared the restaurant’s details
added room
main dining room interior
interior
patio
Chef in kitchen
menu
beverages
dessert menu
wine front
wine back
Frankie and the table candle
Food
We started the meal with Greens, a mix of greens topped with crumbled goat cheese, roasted sunflower seed and diced tomato and tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. You can substitute Rogue Creamery Caveman Blue cheese for an additional $4 and we took that option. The fresh greens were nicely dressed and the cheese was flavorful. A classic done well.
Greens Salad
Bread was a Baguette with garlic and parmesan spread that is ordered separately. The baguette was from Seabiscuit Bakery and served warm with a good crisp to the crust. The spread was nicely softened with a bit of salt on the top.
bread and butter
opened
Short Ribs were braised boneless beef short ribs intensely flavored with the house blend of Chinese five spice blend (including anise, Szechuan peppercorn and cinnamon), tamarind, fresh garlic, ginger and date molasses along with a broth of aromatic vegetables. They are served over sour cream mashed potatoes which includes butter, heavy cream, sour cream and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. The tender meat chunks were served with a reduction of the braising juices. The recipe for these was inspired by a sticky ribs dish from Korea. I found the meat to have more the texture of pot roast than a short rib cut but either way it was tasty.
Short ribs
closer
For dessert we tried the Hello Dollies whose recipe was inspired by Ron’s mom who sent a tin of them every holiday season. Known by many names like ‘magic cookie bars’ or ‘coconut dream bars’ they are a classic of the 1960’s American south. They are made with layers of graham cracker, chocolate, butterscotch and shredded coconut that are melded together with butter and then cut into squares. They came 4 bars to an order and were dense, buttery and sweet. Call these very nice.
Hello Dollies
from the side
The Chocolate Stout Cake was a rich chocolate cake made with chocolate stout and drizzled with bittersweet chocolate and cognac glaze. The drizzle on the cake was very light and between the 2 desserts, the bars were much better. This one being based on cocoa which did not satisfy my chocolate craving but it did have a nice light texture.
building – 14096 WA-525, Langley, WA 98260 (soon to move)
Ikaika Bistro was in the American Foreign Legion building when we visited but you’re in luck because they’ll be in a new location by the time you read this. Stephanie and Chris Balora own the place that serves Polynesian cuisine among other dishes. Opening in Sept. of 2022, Chris named the place Ikaika which means “strong” or “warrior” in his native Hawaiian language. It’s a 2-person operation with Stephanie taking your order and busing tables while Chris does the cooking. They’ve had good success which is why in Sept 2023 they are going to move their restaurant to a food truck in downtown Langley where they’ll have indoor and outdoor seating and be near a coffee shop, which is good as they serve breakfast and lunch. So I won’t describe the AFL building, just include a couple photos, but the move will create a major improvement in the ambiance. The couple are the nicest people and easily make conversation with guests filling them in our their journey to get to this spot. The food was novel, generous and tasty and I hope you’ll give it a try if you are in the area. Continue reading →
The Orchard Kitchen was the most farm-to-table place I’ve eaten. The summer dining tasting menu was served behind a barn, housing the kitchen, in between the planted fields that have served as farms since 1914. Chef Vincent Nattress and his wife Tyla own Ebb Tide produce, the farm that surrounded us and produces much of what is served there. They offer one seating at communal tables Thursday through Saturday with an ever-changing menu, depending on what is fresh and available. In the winter they move indoors and also offer cooking classes. Chef Vincent is from Whidbey Island and he and his wife returned there buying this 5-acre farm after operating another restaurant elsewhere and wanting to get back more to basics. Chef starts off the evening with an explanation of what’s to come and acknowledges that the menu is just as new to him as the diners. They offer wine pairings to go with the menu but also have wines by the bottle and glass but no liquor. As the evening went on and people relaxed our table came alive with conversation and bonding over fun food. It helps that they have great weather that can support outdoor dining but regardless it was a wonderful experience filled with fine food and new friends. Go if you can, it’s magical. Continue reading →
Owner Jim Goodall opened Langley Kitchen in November 2020 after running a restaurant in Seattle. He thought Langley needed more baked goods, especially cookies and set up shop there during the pandemic. He was ready for portable food with the inside having no tables just the kitchen and items for sale. You line up and order at the counter, then they call your name out a back window where there is a lovely patio to eat on. The metal tables are surrounded by red Japanese maple trees with overhead heaters for when needed. They offer a variety of salads, baked goods and sandwiches for both breakfast and lunch. Their logo features an owl with a quiver holding a spoon and fork, rather than arrows. We tried 2 of their sandwiches a bar cookie and it was all delicious. This place should be on your list if you’re on Whidbey Island. Continue reading →
exterior – 221 Second Street # 9A, Langley, WA 98260
Ultra House opened in 2018 when the owners, Denis and Cheryl Zimmerman were ready for a lifestyle change and Denis wanted to honor his Japanese roots. Already living on Whidbey Island they thought the town was ready for a ramen shop. It’s a tiny shop in Langley Village, where you can’t park in front of it. There are a few counter spots and several large interior tables as well as some tables on the patio. The larger tables can be shared. Shelves line the walls, housing items for sale and some art is scattered about. They have a good selection of beer, sake and wine and a small menu that features variations on ramen and rice bowls. It is very casual but if you need a ramen fix this is the place to go.Continue reading →
Jônt is located on the upper floor of Bresca and has a counter for just 14 persons and offers a surprise tasting menu only. They have 2 seatings each evening and are closed on Mon and Tues. Chef Ryan Ratino recently received his second Michelin star for the place that opened in Sept. of 2020 and is trying to take the diner on a culinary journey (Jônt). Where Bresca and the small stairway up are dimly lit the tasting counter room is bright with a light concrete counter and lots of stainless steel in the kitchen. Music is in the background and minimal art is on the walls but the place has lots of staff. They offer levels of wine pairings for the meal and had to email the menu to me as it is not printed to give out. They also offered a white truffle option for a $300 upcharge (which we passed on). Continue reading →
Le Diplomate is built in the image of a Parisian brasserie serving classic dishes in a well restored corner building. It is a large place (300 seats) with a huge ‘enclosed’ garden room seating area on the sidewalk and unsheltered tables on the other sidewalk. Inside you’ll find a combination of tables and bench seating and free standing small tables. There is not much distance between them. The red upholstery is dotted with brass as are the railings on the few stairs between levels, the columns are lit from within and the ceiling is high. Windows are on 2 sides of the room and there may have been music in the background but it was hard to tell over the hum of the crowd. Paper covers the wood table tops but it is set with a cloth napkin. It’s been here 9 years and really popular so reservations are in order. Service was reasonable but not overly friendly. Continue reading →
The Willows Inn is several hours of driving north of Seattle and a short ferry ride to the small Lummi Island. The setting is lovely, overlooking the water and surrounded by greenery. The Inn has a few rooms available for rent on the property as well as some places on the island but not on the property. Plenty of parking is by the buildings or across the street near the entrance to their private beach front. There is a nice porch on two sides of the main building, all with great views, a nice living room like room and a good sized dining room with individual tables. After checking in, where there are a number of house made snacks to try, you are invited to enjoy the bar until dinner is served promptly at 6:00. Dinner is an extended tasting menu that started on the shaded porch and then you are escorted into your table in the dining room. Wine pairings are offered and it looked like generous pours however we chose to order our own wines off the almost all locally sourced wine list. Continue reading →
