Visiting Port Townsend? Try Salal Cafe

CODY WALKER, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published August 17, 2001

PORT TOWNSEND -- The Salal Cafe isn't Port Townsend's most famous attraction -- that award goes to the town's rugged beaches, fabulous bookstores or sprawling fort. But the five-time winner of Jefferson County's "Best Breakfast" has made a modest name for itself by offering fresh morning fare since 1982.

House specialties include crepes, blintzes and biscuits and gravy. Omelets come in multiple forms, as do sautes, scrambles, poaches, burritos and frittatas. Kids can order a "bear cake" -- a buttermilk pancake with a face made of fruit.

Diners who sit in the front of the restaurant receive a view of Water Street, Port Townsend's main shopping drag. A solarium in the back offers additional seating, as does an outdoor courtyard, bright with geraniums and pansies.

We took seats in the solarium and were soon slurping coffee and digging into blueberry muffins. (Salal Blend Coffee and Jenny's Blueberry Muffin Mix can be purchased at the register. Homemade jams, a tofu marinade and the lyrically named Evening in Missoula Tea also are for sale.)

I ordered the cheese blintzes ($6.25), two butter-browned crepes filled with sweet cottage cheese and served with sour cream and raspberry jam. "That's dessert," our waitress joked. Dessert or no, I couldn't quite finish them. Each weighed as much as a rich man's wallet.

My friend tried the bacon scram ($7.75), a three-egg collision of thick bacon slices, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese. The scram arrived with sauteed red potatoes that shouldn't be missed. (The well-seasoned wedges come with most breakfast entrees; they also can be ordered as a side for $1.50.)

Service is friendly, if not all that fast. ("It's only going to be another hour," our waitress said after we'd waited for 25 minutes. Ninety seconds later, the blintzes and scram were in front of us.)

The cafe also offers lunch, with choices ranging from burgers and burritos to Greek pasta and tofu stroganoff. Omelets continue to be served during the lunch hours (with a green salad taking the estimable potatoes' place).

A nice thing about dining at the cafe is that the town's best desserts are right across the street. Elevated Ice Cream, open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., makes almost everything, including their soda syrups, from scratch. Their raspberry ice cream is the ideal follow-up to a burrito, a burger or even a blintz.

Cody Walker is a writer and teacher who divides his time between Olympia and Seattle. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.

The Salal Cafe

Three forks: Good

- Location: 634 Water St., Port Townsend, 360-385-6532.

- Food: Good. Breakfast choices include eggs, burritos and blintzes. Lunch offerings include sandwiches and homemade pastas. Plenty for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

- Value: Good. Entrees top out at $8.25; portions are large.

- Beverages: Beer, wine, soft drinks, juice, milk, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, espresso.

- Service: Good. A cheerful, bantering staff.

- Atmosphere: Good. The walls are busy with dolls, weavings and photographs (many of which are for sale).

- Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

- Reservations: No.

- Credit cards: Visa and MasterCard. Personal checks accepted.

- Smoking: No.

- For children: Yes. A very child-friendly environment.

REVIEW GUIDE

Five forks: Excellent

Four forks: Very good

Three forks: Good

Two forks: Average

One fork: Fair

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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