WHIDBEY ISLAND — After a long Saturday afternoon exploring the island, it was time for nourishment.
What better place than Langley, an artsy town by the sea, to dine, drink and savor the sunset.
Parking downtown was easy. We wandered along the main drag, peering in windows, laughing at the sign that said “Not here” instead of “Closed.”
Not even ordinary things are ordinary on Langley.
Passing the line of people waiting to get in the town’s only movie theater, I was tempted to join them, not so much for the movie but for the popcorn.
My husband Max said he wanted real food and pulled me out of my hot-buttered reverie.
The destination was Prima Bistro, recommended by Olav, a guy in my class at the fitness center in our building. He commutes to work at Frontier Communications from Whidbey every day, and still finds time to exercise at noon. And he’s always happy.
It was after the peak dinner hour when we climbed the stairs above The Star Store leading to Prima Bistro.
The hostess said it was a 10-minute wait for an inside table, or longer if we chose the rooftop patio. A 10-minute wait on a Saturday night. Not bad. We opted for a small inside table, fearing the patio might be too chilly. From our table, we had a view of the outside. Best of both worlds.
The bistro is a colorful-friendly-lively place with just the right noise level. It was mostly adults at that time, with a few young families in the mix.
People chatted and laughed but weren’t loud and obnoxious. It’s a good place for date night and for old married couples like us. The vibe makes you want to actually converse about things other than kids and bills and other aches and pains.
I didn’t see people glued to their phones. Except me. I was the only one texting on my phone, or so it seemed. (Really I was typing notes like this.)
The bistro, opened in 2006, has a French-meets-Pacific Northwest menu, including duck legs and things with elegant multi-syllable names I can’t pronounce or that made me look twice.
Roasted marrow bone … did I read that right?
Yep.
Grilled octopus ($9.50), too. And burgundy snails in herb butter ($8.50).
Those were on the starter menu.
We started with a Caesar romaine salad ($8.50) with grilled crouton roasted garlic vinaigrette and parmigiano-reggiano. Max was delighted by the anchovies on the top. The dressing was spot-on tangy. We fought over the grilled bread (crouton roasted garlic vinaigrette) that came with it.
The puréed vegetable soup ($6.50) had a “creamy full body taste but wasn’t overbearing,” Max said, using his best French accent.
A sizzling platter of clams (small plate, $9), came cooked in hot chorizo sauce that gave it kick.
The waiter appeared with bread to dip in the sauce.
“You read my mind,” Max told him.
The wait staff bustled about attentively but were not intruding.
I ordered the lamb burger ($16) with chevre aioli, pickled pepper-tomato relish, mixed greens and french fries. The burger was savory without being gamey. It was the first time I didn’t smother ketchup on a burger. The relish did the trick.
The fries were excellent.
Vegetarian and kids menus ($6.50) are available.
Based on online reviews, mussels and oysters are popular items.
An online reviewer wrote: “The semolina-crusted Northwest oysters come with a to-die-for truffle mayonnaise, and I may have dreamed about the pan-fried veal sweatbreads with an apricot-thyme gastrique.”
I don’t write that fancy. I can only say that everything was wonderful about the meal.
Afterwards we ventured to the patio, which was adorned with bright flowers and a view of Saratoga passage.
There were standing outdoor heaters. The chairs had blankets. My fears of being chilly were unfounded. I’ll be back. Maybe Olav will join me next time.
We capped off the meal with a walk around downtown. By then, the buttered popcorn was no longer a lure.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @reporterbrown.
Prima Bistro
2011/2 1st Street, Langley; 360-221-406; primabistro@whidbey.com.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to close daily
Alcohol: Full bar
Notes: Live music every Thursday night and a happy hour 3 to 6 p.m. daily
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