Abra

When not on the island, I like Hakata in Silverdale, next to Seattle Lighting. They do a really credible job of Japanese food, in a strip mall environment. Oh, and Petal in Sequim has some good stuff. On the island I love the San Carlos and Bainbridge Thai, and am slowly coming to like Nola. The Bistro Pleasant Beach is uneven - some things are quite good, other stuff is very average. Casa Rojas always surprises me with the authentic stuff they have on the menu (borrega, lengua, great tacos al pastor) in among the more usual fare, plus the people are so nice. There are also some really good dishes at Simon's, mixed with very regular stuff.

Since this is my first day on this lovely forum, I'll just jump right in. It's the beginning of halibut season here, and it's incredibly pristine, snowy, and juicy. I sprinkled some with salt and pepper, a good dusting of baharat (get some at Adriana's Caravan) and some Urfa pepper (get some from Zingerman's), then spread a layer of roasted garlic hummus over the spices, dusted it with fine dry breadcrumbs, and roasted it in a 400 degree oven until just done. A quick squeeze of lemon and another sprinkle of Urfa pepper and a little flor de sal, and served it with a Greek rice, spinach, and feta dish. Double yum!