Chanterelle’s longevity isn’t surprising

EDMONDS – A couple of years ago, a Herald reader and acquaintance of mine recommended that we visit Chanterelle. I saved the e-mail, put the restaurant on my list and spent the next two years concentrating on recently opened restaurants in Snohomish County.

Chanterelle has been around since 1987 in its downtown location that’s three blocks from the ferry dock in what was the city’s original hardware store. The wooden floors keep the hardware-store atmosphere while turn-of-the-last-century-style lighting and posters maintain a 1900s feel. Be sure to admire the iceboxlike soda cooler on the way to the restroom, which features posters of old cars, such as Hudson and Nash, in the men’s room and railroad-era fashions in the women’s room.

On our recent Saturday night visit, my friend and I found a parking space in front of the restaurant. You may not be so lucky.

It was raining and a brisk breeze came off the water the Saturday night we visited Chanterelle. Chef Oscar Garcia’s famous tomato bisque soup was just the warm welcome we needed. Chunks of fresh tomatoes accompanied the creamy soup accented with rosemary. My e-mail recommended the soup, and I feel it’s worth driving across the county for.

The e-mail also said, “Chef Oscar is a wiz with his daily specials, and breakfast can’t be beat.” Daily specials are served all year long. In April, Chef Oscar prepares a four-course dinner special. Although the hostess brought the standing menu and the four-course specials for us to consider, we didn’t get beyond the specials.

My friend selected the baked halibut in a fish stock with tomato and lime juices, shallots and garlic ($22.95). I chose the apricot-stuffed roasted pork loin crusted with curry and cumin ($19.95). The other April specials include a sake-marinated chicken breast ($18.95) and a broiled, bone-in New York steak in a port-wine reduction ($23.95).

The wine list relies on bottles from California, Oregon and Washington. They range in price from $15.95 to $34.95. I picked one of the few imports, a Yellowtail shiraz from Australia ($4.50 a glass), and my friend ordered his usual white zinfandel ($4.50) from California.

After the tomato bisque soup, we enjoyed our salads of tossed greens dusted with chopped hazelnuts. My friend ordered the blue cheese vinaigrette and the creamy olivada was my choice. Both salad dressings are made in-house and are a delicious deviation from the boredom of ranch and Thousand Island.

My friend’s halibut was served over steamed spinach, while my pork loin was stacked on a mound of fluffy, light mashed potatoes. Both entrees included steamed broccoli and asparagus. The green vegetables were intensely green and were just as fresh, tasty and perfectly cooked as they were green. We both enjoyed our choices and agreed that although the pork loin was delicious, the halibut was even better.

For dessert we ordered both of the choices: caramel apple pie and lemon pound cake. Both were made in-house and a delicious alternative to the overly popular tiramisu and chocolate decadence.

We didn’t whiz through dinner, but our reader was right. Chef Garcia is a wiz in the kitchen.

Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.

Contact Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.