Coho
It’s taken me awhile to finally catch up on some overdue posts. Sometimes life gets away from us!
For our anniversary/my birthday, we went away to Friday Harbor, a favorite spot of ours. We wanted to try someplace really nice, and the B&B we stayed in recommended Coho. It did not disappoint.
Coho has taken up residence in a smaller home, which really gives it a cozy, intimate feel. Right away, we loved the atmosphere. Less than ten tables occupied what was at one time the living space, and with the kitchen behind nearby sliding doors, it made you feel like you were enjoying a meal in someone’s home.
We were started off with warm bread and took our time reading over the menu. I really love when a restaurant changes things seasonally, and Coho does a great job of that. The fall menu featured things like savory pumpkin flan, roasted winter squash, and duck with baked figs. Everything looked tempting.
Josh decided to open his meal with a simple salad and butternut squash soup. I, however, could not pass up the most incredible-looking starter on the menu: Grilled Lamb Chops with Eggplant, Pepper & Phyllo Pocket drizzled with World Road Spiced Honey & Olive Tapenade. Yes, friends, you read that correctly. Oh heaven. It tasted every bit as good as it sounded. The sweet spice of the honey really drew out all the richness in the lamb, and the phyllo pocket was stuffed with delicious flavors. I was in love. Josh really enjoyed his soup, and (bonus!) they feature the recipe on their website! I’ll have to try and make it at home one of these days.
For our main dish, Josh chose the Grilled Lopez Island Flank Steak served with Roasted Potatoes & an Oyster Mushroom & Bacon Ragu with Crumbled Stilton. He thought the steak had great flavor and liked the bit of sweetness to the sauce. We really loved the fact that they sourced their beef locally. I was tempted by the Smoked Duck Breast with Baked Figs, Almond-Current Couscous & a Citrus-Port Reduction, but after having the lamb starter, thought a lighter meat was in order. I chose the Pan-Fried Organic Chicken Breast Stuffed with Caramelized Pears and Brie, served on a Potato Pancake with a Brandy Cream Sauce. Both dishes were served with local, seasonal vegetables as well. Again, it was true love. Creamy, slightly sweet, the pear and brie stuffed chicken was inspiring, something else I want to try and duplicate at home. The flavor was really delicious.
We took our time lingering through the meal, trying to leave a bit of room for dessert. We barely succeeded.
Josh chose the Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake. This was truly decadent; rich and full of flavor, it was pumpkin ice cream layered with a crust that tasted like gingersnaps. Paired with a good cup of coffee, and my husband was quite content with the world. I snuck tastes of his dessert, but opted for a lighter sorbet of orange and ginger and a cup of Early Grey tea. The sorbet was delightful, clean and refreshing, with just the right amount of ginger. We both loved it.
Overall, Coho is definitely a place to visit. It’s a splurge, as it’s on the pricier side, but if you’re looking for a nice meal to celebrate with, this is a place to try. The food is terrific, and the service was very good. The staff was laid-back and took lots of time explaining the menu to us, telling us all about the dishes, and even if the food sounds fancy, there was no pretension there. Just good food and good service. Thank you for an excellent meal.
Tags: Friday Harbor Restaurants
