Fermented Grapes: Duck Soup Inn

For my birthday, Jeff and I had the most magical dinner. I don't know if I have ever been in a more beautiful location to enjoy the outdoors, great food and fresh cocktails. Duck Soup Inn is located on San Juan Island in Washington. We drove through the woods and then took a turn off an unassuming road - Duck Soup Lane. I am not sure which was named first, but this restaurant is the only thing on this road.

The cabin is situated in the woods; surrounded by thick trees, and overlooking a small pond. As we walked up the stairs to enter, we were greeted by Mo Mo. He is the black and white neighborhood cat who has become part of the staff. The interior has a rustic, eclectic and warm design. We were seated on the patio which overlooked the pond through soft yellow fabric. Below us was a seating area with a fire pit in the middle.

We started with cocktails (of course). I had a habanero, strawberry jam and tequila mix. Jeff had a cucumber, gin combination. Jeff ordered the house smoked oysters with butter and pickled green strawberry. I had the fried brussel sprouts with hazelnut dust and preserved lemon aioli.

There was a creamed cauliflower soup and a peach-blueberry salad served. The server asked if we were local, and we said yes thinking that Washingtonian meant local. She then said, oh well these are so and so's peaches from down the road. I guess we are not that local! I ordered the grilled pork chop with potatoes, torpedo onion and blackberry harissa. The dish originally came with a gnocchi side (which had dairy in it - I may have almost cried). Jeff ordered the seared salmon with summer squash tart, salsa verde, sour cherry and fired bull kelp pickle. I am literally pulling these descriptions from the menu - so don't think I actually know what all of that means.

We shared bites of food, drank wine, talked and spent my first birthday together as a married couple. The dinner was a slice of heaven, seriously magical and downright amazing.