French meets the Pacific at Langley’s Prima Bistro

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

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.