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always very creative. The chef has a penchant for the flavors of Asia and the
Mediterranean. You might find sea scallops seared with Indian spices or Parme-
san-and-herb-crusted quail. Of course, you're also likely to find duck, perhaps
served in sour cherry-juniper sauce, and even soup made with duck broth!
50 Duck Soup Lane. & 360/378-4878. www.ducksoupinn.com. Reservations highly recommended. Main
courses $14-$29. MC, V. Summer Tues-Sun 5:30-8:30 or 9pm; spring and fall Fri-Sat 5:30-8:30 or 9pm.
Closed Nov to early Apr.
Friday Harbor House Dining Room NORTHWEST Located in the
luxurious Friday Harbor House boutique hotel, this is the most sophisticated
restaurant on San Juan Island. Striking contemporary decor sets the tone, but
doesn't distract diners from the harbor views out the glass walls. The menu is
short and relies heavily on local ingredients, including island-grown greens and
Westcott Bay oysters (perhaps prepared with chanterelle mushrooms and Parme-
san cheese). The chef draws on diverse inspirations for the dishes served here,
which are always attractively presented and carefully prepared. A recent menu
included succulent grilled prawns with a red-curry cocktail sauce and perfectly
cooked wild salmon with a caper-herb sauce.
130 West St. & 360/378-8455. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $17-$27. AE, DISC, MC,
V. Daily 5:30-9pm.
The Place Bar & Grill NORTHWEST/INTERNATIONAL Located
on the waterfront to the right as you get off the ferry and housed in a small
wooden building that was once part of a U.S. Coast Guard station, this aptly
named establishment is San Juan Island's finest waterfront restaurant. With lots
of local art on the wall, The Place aims to attract the upscale Seattle market and
is right on target. The menu changes regularly, with an emphasis on seafood
preparations such as Asian-style crab cakes and Pacific Rim bouillabaisse.
1 Spring St. & 360/378-8707. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses $19-$29. MC, V. Daily
4:30-9:30 or 10pm (Tues-Sat in winter).
Vinny's ITALIAN From the name you might guess that this place is some
dark dive serving New York-style pizza. Not exactly. Located across the street from
the Friday Harbor House and claiming the same good views of the marina, Vinny's
is San Juan Island's premier Italian restaurant. This is the sort of place you discover
on the first night of your visit and decide to eat at every night until you leave.
Local oysters and mussels are highlights of the appetizer menu, although the cala-
mari with pine nuts, tomatoes, raisins, lemon, and vinaigrette should not be
missed. This is seafood country, for sure, but the charbroiled steaks are a big hit
(try one with Gorgonzola-Parmesan butter), and the menu features plenty of well-
prepared standards such as lasagna and penne alla puttanesca —roughly translated:
pasta like a prostitute would make it. In other words, spicy.
165 West St. & 360/378-1934. Reservations recommended. Main courses $14-$34. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily
5-10pm (in winter until 9pm Sun-Thurs).
ORCAS ISLAND
Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juans, is also the most beautiful of the islands.
If you have time to visit only one island, make it Orcas. The island, which cov-
ers 58 square miles, is a particular favorite of nature lovers who come to enjoy the
views of green rolling pastures, the hiking trails of Moran State Park, the forested
mountains (at 2,409 ft. tall, Mount Constitution is the highest point in the
islands), and fjord-like bays (East Sound, West Sound, and Deer Harbor).
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