Island Pair
WINE AND DINE ON WHIDBEY
Distance from downtown Seattle: 36 miles; 1 hour, 10 minutes
Chef Matt Costello left the Library Bistro at the Alexis Hotel—smack dab in the center of downtown Seattle—to be head toque and general manager at The Inn at Langley (400 First St, Langley, 360-221-3033; innatlangley.com), a lazy-days retreat perched above Saratoga Passage on the southeast side of Whidbey Island. It may have seemed like an odd move, but think about it: Penn Cove, famed for its mussels, is on Whidbey. Locally farmed ingredients such as beefy Rockwell beans abound, but are often eaten up by residents before they ever make it to the city. Up the road in Coupeville, other chef castaways include Steve Hansen, formerly of Cascadia, at Captain Whidbey Inn (2072 Captain Whidbey Inn Rd, Coupeville, 360-678-4097; captainwhidbey.com), and Seattle native Sieb Jurriaans, who owns Prima Bistro with wife Jenn. Watch Costello scamper about the herb garden in the inn’s front yard or poke around in its well-stocked wine cellar, and any doubt will disappear: This chef has found his farm-to-table home on Whidbey.
Just an hour-and-change journey from Seattle, Whidbey has always been a calm retreat for strung-out urbanites in search of a sleepy afternoon and spectacular maritime vistas, but today it is home to a cluster of restaurants, anchored by Costello’s own kitchen, that make this quiet island community an ideal gourmet getaway.
SIP
Plan a tasting trip to Langley on the first Friday of the month, when the town hosts Friday Night Flights. For $20 you get a wine tasting and small-plate pairing at Prima Bistro (201 First St, Langley, 360-221-4060; primabistro.biz), The Edgecliff Restaurant and Lounge (510 Cascade Ave, Langley, 360-221-8899; theedgecliffwi.com), and the Chef’s Pantry (112 Anthes Ave, Langley, 360-221-2060; chefspantryonline.com). On your way in from the ferry terminal at Clinton, stop by Whidbey Island Winery (5237 S Langley Rd, Langley, 360-221-2040; whidbeyislandwinery.com) for a quick tasting and a vineyard tour.
Whidbey’s pairing pièce de résistance, however, is the six-course tasting meal at the Inn at Langley ($150 per person with wine pairings). Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (and Thursdays during the season; check with the inn for details), Costello matches up dishes with premier Northwest bottles picked from his enviable collection: lamb loin with sweet corn polenta and chanterelles is augmented by a 1998 Andrew Will merlot, a cheese course of whipped Mt. Townsend camembert with rhubarb and roses is rounded out by a late-harvest viognier from Mount Baker Winery. Costello begins the evening with a chatty introduction to the ingredients and bottles about to be served, setting a tone for casual conversation to accompany the formal meal to follow.
STAY
On weekends, a two-night stay is usually required at The Inn at Langley, which boasts magnificent vistas of Saratoga Passage and the mountains beyond—leave the door to the deck open, weather permitting, and let the lapping waves lull you to sleep. Fans of all things country-cozy will relish the teddy-bear-on-every-bed approach of the Saratoga Inn (201 Cascade Ave, Langley, 360-221-5801; saratogainnwhidbeyisland.com) where water views are also in ready supply.
EAT
With a heated deck and a thoughtful list of wines, many available in three- and six-ounce pours as well as by the bottle, Prima Bistro is the place to sip something new alongside straightforward French-inspired fare like hanger steak frites and roasted chicken. The excellent Oystercatcher (901 NW Grace St, Coupeville, 360-678-0683; oystercatcherwhidbey.com), meanwhile, merits a trip north to Coupeville, 26 miles away.
Published: September 2009
I’m a big fan of Pondera Winery, and their wines. I’d like to note that not only are they a family winery that puts the utmost care and detail into the making of their wines, they also donate a portion of the sales of their Rally Red syrah to charity.
This is a great mention about the Frog, Willows Lodge and Hotel 1000 (side of page). Dont forget to visit Fireside Cellars (wine bar) in Willows Lodge when in Woodin ville..good happy hour food. Though not mentioned I would check out www.woodinvillewinecountry.com/ for all of the other great wineries, like my friends at Stevens Winery, Betz, Des Voigne Cellars and many others.
Great article and thanks for all the suggestions. Have you guys checked out the Columbia Gorge yet? The wineries are kind of spread out, but it’s beautiful and they make great wine. Plus, for all the beer lovers out there, Full Sail is just down the street!
Thanks for the great article about our lovely island. Don’t forget Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill, a delightful and delicious gourmet restaurant just outside of Freeland. The food is incredible and the view of Holmes Harbor is stunning.
i am surprised that you would not mention the Warehouse District in Woodinville. Within 1 mile there are 33 wineries and tasting rooms. Some of the best wineries in the state, if not the world, are in this area. Park your car and walk to 25+ wineries. Most are open on Saturday, less on Sunday, and fewer on Friday, but always enough to have a good tasting time. Sign up for e-mails at www.woodinvillewinecountry.com for releases, events, functions, etc.
That’s a good point, Gary. Would have been smart to mention the Warehouse District by name. We’ll have to do something on it in the future. Thanks for the info, do you have favorite must-visit wineries there?