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Allium Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
310 Main StEastsound, WA 98245
(360) 376-4904
- Hours:
Wed-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
41 reviews for Allium Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"THE place to have dinner on Orcas Island." In 11 reviews -
"Three words: Caramelized Onion Jam." In 4 reviews -
"Best gnocchi I've ever had." In 7 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Amanda M.
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
W-O-W.
I have enjoyed some really stunning meals in my life, from the fanciest of 5-star restaurants to the most hole-in-the-wall diamonds in the rough. My dinner at Allium last weekend soared right to the top of this very elite list.
From the outside, Allium is unassuming; a modest door opens unceremoniously to a downstairs landing with restrooms and a long flight of stairs. But once you set foot on the second story, you are welcomed into a cozy and casual dining room. The big front windows provide a sweeping view of East Sound, and on warmer days I can imagine the outdoor rooftop patio is an unbeatable place to enjoy a meal.
We started with a bowl of rich, creamy clam chowder and a festive salad with a surprisingly good mix of arugula (I think), grapes, and potatoes. Our starters were accompanied by fresh white bread and hot biscuits, along with this amazing caramelized onion jam (brilliant!). All of this, along with the wine selection, was quite good. However, it was my dinner that stole the show...
I don't often find myself ordering special dishes; I find that they can be hit-or-miss, and when I only get one shot at trying a restaurant, I generally go for the tried-and-true options on the regular menu. But I am a sucker for a good lamb shank (such a rare thing to find at a restaurant, probably because of the lengthy time required for proper cooking), and I had a feeling that Lisa Nakamura's version would not miss the mark. My, oh, my. My idea of a "good" lamb shank has been forever redefined by this single meal. I'm not sure I have ever had a bite of meat that packed more flavor than one morsel of this tender, mouth-watering lamb shank... and the creamy polenta along with ever-so-slightly crunchy carrots and chard (I think) complemented it perfectly. Every bite was heavenly. I can't remember the last time I took such pleasure in eating a meal.
My boyfriend's pork chop was also quite impressive. I rarely order pork chops, as they so often end up chewy or overcooked. This version was very tender and moist throughout, just as it should be.
The service was casual, like the atmosphere, but competent. I was impressed when our waitress presented us with a gift card at the end of the meal, which my dad had called and purchased for us earlier in the day as a surprise for us, knowing we had a dinner reservation that evening - it was lovely that they could accommodate this request. The menu prices are high on an Orcas scale, but no more than you'd pay for such world-class cuisine if it were located in Seattle. The portions are quite large, too, so you will NOT leave hungry. Make a special night out of it; you won't regret it... and don't be afraid to try the special!Listed in: Best of the Northwest, Favorite Reviews
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Review from Yumiko K.
12/4/2011
What a cute little restaurant!
The restaurant was empty. The service was warm, friendly, and a bit on the slow side. Notwithstanding, my boyfriend and I had a lovely dinner.
We ordered clam chowder, seasonal soup, and fish of the day (halibut).
Unlike your run-of-the-mill clam chowder, theirs was delicate and less hearty. It had some evenly cubed potatoes and clam chunks. It was not bad, but not even nearly as good as their seasonal soup: sweet potato soup. It was so delicious that my boyfriend practically licked the bowl off!
We LOVED their bread basket with some delicious slices of bread and square biscuits (we had to ask for more!) with caramelized onion jam. The halibut had a beautiful corn meal crust and was sitting on top of sunchoke puree, beet chunks, and parsnip cubes.
When we go back to Orcas Island, we'd like to try their brunch! -
Review from Stef M.
10/3/2011
First of all, let me just say that by 3 stars, I really do mean "A-OK", as the Yelp site describes it. I will admit that I was expecting better, though. Earlier this year I saw Allium pop up in a Seattle Times article, and I was intrigued (though it mistakenly credited Allium as one of the restaurants on the New York Times' list of "10 Restaurants Worth a Plane Ride" - that's incorrect; Willows Inn on Lummi Island was the nearby restaurant that made that list).
The chef used to cook at the Herbfarm in Woodinville, which I love, so I made a mental note to check Allium out. While we were visiting Orcas Island recently, I did - a few times, actually (there aren't a lot of decent restaurants around! :)
I sampled happy hour, dinner, and brunch during my time on the island, and ran into a few issues that made me think twice about why it would make a plane ride worthwhile:
- the menu: it didn't always reflect what you would be served. The french toast with "red wine macerated cherries" sounded delicious, but what I got was french toast with obviously-defrosted strawberries subbed for the cherries. The menu also didn't have much to choose from during any of my visits - maybe 7 or 8 dishes. Even the cocktail list only had one drink I was interested in, and an obvious lack of locally-sourced, seasonally-available star ingredients. The food menu was clearly going for this, so I was confused that the cocktail manu was so uninspired.
- problems with the food: During happy hour, warm marcona almonds were either stale, or weren't given time to cool off after being toasted: They had a mealy texture that I've experienced when I under-toast nuts at home. At dinner, an the egg served on top of my roasted vegetable polenta had an undercooked egg white (though perfectly-cooked yolk).
At brunch, my french toast was served with a cute little cappucino cup full of diced fruit, but it wasn't very good: mealy old apple bits did not entice me to eat much of this, even though there were decent pineapple and nectarine bits in it as well.
- service issues: My water glass didn't stay filled on any occasion that I visited. At some point during brunch (we were the only people there), someone wandered into the restaurant at one point and was completely ignored, while I walked around looking for the bathroom key. (It's attached to a giant wooden mixing spoon, reminiscent of grade school hall passes).
The bartenders/servers were never absolutely sure what drinks were available or what the specials were, and the servers generally didn't seen too knowledgeable about the menu, except for one lady who seemed to be making the rounds to check on all the tables that the other servers were neglecting. I got the feeling that maybe all the waitstaff this summer had already left in preparation for reduced winter hours, so maybe it was just a timing thing.
Finally, I want to say that I don't regret eating here at all - the food was good, with some notable standouts: gnocchi was soft, pillowy, and served with a tasty truffle sauce. Roasted vegetable polenta was delicious and filled with perfectly-roasted fall veggies. At dinner and brunch, you get the most delicious little flaky biscuits - these were great! Especially paired with the carmelized onion "butter" that came with the bread basket. The sourdough in the bread basket was also great - crispy crust, soft inside, and served warm. -
Review from Corinna K.
Seattle, WA
8/19/2011
If you take a vacation on Orcas you're contractually obligated to eat at Allium. I think that's what the cabin rental fine print said, anyway. So dutifully we went off to Eastsound, ready to cram our faces with some expensive food. And since sunshine sort of demands dining al fresco we promptly planted our asses at a table on the deck. The wind kicked up a bit but, in a very thoughtful move, all the chairs outside were equipped with a super snuggly blanket to stave off the chill.
The bread basket brought some flaky, delicious mini biscuits & a little ramekin of onion jam, which was apparently rendered over an eternity because it was smoother than Lionel Richie. Why yes, onion jam, it IS you I'm looking for. Also smooth? The carrot soup, rich and luscious with a whole cow's worth of cream.
The caramelized scallops arrived in due course, all dressed up in shiny golden coats and a foie gras broth. I'm usually a touch apprehensive about ordering scallops because they're so easy to ruin, but I figured that if you can't get a good scallop at Allium then it's probably the Apocalypse anyway. It was a faultless supposition - the scallops were perfect, tender and sweet, with nary a hint of rubber. And the foie broth? Yeah, I wanted a straw to finish that off. Why is etiquette so damned restrictive?
Of course a here-piggy-piggy-soo-ee! dinner is not complete without dessert, so we decided to sample the pecan pie and the chocolate & pistachio cake with cherry ice cream. The pecan pie advertised bacon in the crust but the bits were super small. More bacon! More! Otherwise it was one of the best pecan pies I've ever tried, plenty of bourbon and vanilla flavoring and a gooey yet non-gelatinous texture. The cake was, well, cake. Excellent cake, to be sure, but I actually have a pretty hard time getting worked up over non-fruit desserts. Still, great pastry chef (previously of Herbfarm), and it's nice to see that Allium takes their dessert as seriously as their entrees.
Prices: ye gods. Do not come here if you're pinching pennies. Hell, don't come here if you're pinching twenties. The check will send you into cardiac arrest. Otherwise? Do your Orcas Island duty and check it out. Your tongue will thank you.Listed in: The Others
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Review from Chelsea N.
WA
9/1/2011 2 photos
Lisa Nakamura has a really great thing going here in Eastsound on Orcas Island. After anticipating my visit to Allium all summer long, I finally got to eat there twice at the end of August. It was everything I'd hoped it would be!
First my friend and I had Friday afternoon happy hour there, delighting in some glorious Orcas sunshine that streamed through the window as we drank lemon verbena cocktails and ate delicious almonds along with a cup of clam chowder and local greens. My friend had the lavender goat cheese quesadilla. All super scrumptious.
For dinner the next night, the weather was lovely again but yellow jacket threats (the ONLY drawback to August in the San Juans) kept us indoors. As a party of four this time, we ordered some appetizers of the day: vegetable flatbread and local steamed clams. So good. Plus, dinner comes with a bread/biscuit basket accompanied by butter and a delicious onion spread. I was already starting to get full... Then came the smoked salmon rice paper rolls and the carrot soup. Oh my. A friend had the vegetable polenta as well and it looked so good.
We were able to move to the deck for dessert and enjoyed a pot au creme, a berry cake thing (don't remember exactly what my friend ordered), and cherry napoleon. I could barely walk out of there I was so full.
All of the press that's been deservedly given to Allium describes its loveliness better than I ever could, and while I hope Orcas Island stays as peaceful and beautiful and perfect as it always has been, I think everyone deserves the chance to visit and eat at Allium at least once (or twice!). -
Review from Bedes B.
Seattle, WA
3/28/2011
$28 cod? Are you for reals?
Allium was quaint enough, but it didn't provide the "dining experience" you'd expect--nay, deserve!--from such steep prices.
Instead of ordering an entree, I opted for a half-portion of the truffle gnocchi ($13) and a chard salad ($8 or $9). First of all, this order somehow stumped the waitress, who, after an uncomfortable pause, asked if I wouldn't prefer the entree portion of gnocchi. Because why consume less when you can consume more, eh?
"How much does that cost?" "Oh, I'll go check." [insert 5-10 minutes] "Twenty-two dollars."
Second of all, there were maybe three miniscule truffle slices in the truffle gnocchi. Why even bother? Thirdly, the gnocchi came out first, followed by the starter salad, which would have been nice to start with.
In summary: The food was all right, but overpriced, and I remain thoroughly convinced that Doe Bay Cafe is the best game in town. -
Review from Jessica M.
Seattle, WA
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
THE place to have dinner on Orcas Island. You will need reservations during the busier seasons.
The menu was small, but every plate ordered at our table was delicious. Our party of 6 started with the Daily Gnocchi as an appetizer and enjoyed every bite.
For our entrees, our table had: Caramelized Sea Scallops (five HUGE scallops served with asparagus and potatoes), Pacific Halibut Filet (delicious fresh fish with a savory curry sauce), and Painted Hills Beef Tenderloin (served with scalloped potatoes that melted in your mouth).
The service was wonderful and the meal was a highlight of our weekend on Orcas Island. -
Review from Sandy L.
5/16/2011
We went to 3 restaurants during our overnight stay on the island, this one is the BEST!
Service is very attentive. The server offered us to switch to better table once it was cleaned up. Water and bread were refilled timely. We just enojoyed our dinner without worrying about asking for any single thing.
We had 3 appetitizers, 2 entree and 1 dessert. Portion size, ingredients and tastes are all good. Except the beef tenderloin needs some salt and dessert is soso. -
Review from Kathryn T.
Seattle, WA
6/19/2011
My boyfriend and I went here after reading all of the wonderful reviews. Three words: Caramelized Onion Jam. I pretty much wanted to put it on everything, including the yummy bread and fresh baked biscuits.
My boyfriend got a basic gin martini which had a fully frosted glass. I only notice since many places don't do that and a frosty glass can really make a martini.
We started with the mussels which were pretty basic but good. The waitress was sure to give us lots of bread to sop up the remaining sauce.
We both got the scallops and I am glad we did since after one bite, I doubt either one of us would have wanted to share. The scallops were excellently caramelized and the butter compound was amazing. The potatoes were a little dry so I just chopped them up smaller and used them to soak up the rest of the sauce.
Service was great! -
Review from Ninette C.
Seattle, WA
3/27/2011 2 photos
My boyfriend and I came here on our trip because we heard the chef was from the Herb Farm and we wanted to try Herb Farm food at non-Herb Farm prices. We were told by our bed and breakfast owners that it was The New Restaurant on the island, so we thought it would make a good place for a nicer dinner.
We got there a little late for our reservation. We called beforehand and they were pretty flexible. The restaurant is a little dark as these types of intimate, romantic restaurants tend to be and we got a nice corner table. I would have liked to sit closer to the window probably, but it was nice.
We ordered:
A bottle of white wine.
Appetizer: smoked salmon roll
Entrees: Seafood pappardelle with cream and truffle sauce (mine)
Duck breast with roasted artichokes, olives and Brussels sprouts (his)
Dessert: A chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel
The smoked salmon roll reminded me of a Vietnamese fresh roll except with salmon. It was eh.
The papapardelle was oh-so-good. I had never had pappardelle before and the combination with the seafood, cream and tuffle oil was perfect. The proportions of everything were perfect and the sauce was not too heavy (as is my concern with cream sauces). My boyfriend liked his dish a lot. I really liked the roasted flavor on the brussels sprouts and artichokes. I like to taste the flavor off of foods cooked this style so points from me.
The chocolate cake was pretty good too. I kind of regret not ordering the seasonal fruit pasty though as I usually like to get something a little more unique at these places. Don't know...I was just in the mood for chocolate that day I guess.
Service was good. Our waitress was really nice. The ambiance is quiet and romantic though I did see families. Its annoying that everything in Orcas Island closes early (as I live in Seattle normally...haha), but that isn't exclusive to this restaurant. If you are looking for a nice dinner on Orcas Island, this is a good place to go. -
Review from Aaron M.
12/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
The atmosphere was warm and inviting. I found myself just looking around almost trance like admiring everything.
The food was simply amazing. From the starters to the desert everything was just perfect. -
Review from alexander m.
Lincoln, CA
7/7/2011
Food is extremely fresh, totally delicious and without any flaw. The setting is spectacular. The service is impecdcable yet friendly. All the good things about a fine restaurant with any added pretense.
A real find anywhere. -
Review from Adam C.
Chicago, IL
8/12/2011
We ate here in late July after reading about Allium in numerous magazines, websites, etc. We REALLY wanted to love it and were very excited for our reservation. Unfortunately, of the 3 dinners we ate on Orcas (Allium, A New Leaf Cafe, and Inn at Ship Bay), Allium was by far our least favorite. Basically, we felt as if the overall experience and ambience was really lacking, especially for the prices, compared to New Leaf and The Inn at Ship Bay.
To start, we had the clam chowder and a goat cheese/lavender quesadilla. The clam chowder was excellent. The quesadilla was fine - but a bit uninspired, especially for $12.. We felt as if the menu was missing several additional appetizer and entree choices we would've like to have had -- especially with all the great local ingredients available, we were left a bit disappointed and uninspired by the menu. We both decided to get the scallops after reading they were amazing. The scallops were very fresh, and the portion was nice (I think 4 nice sized scallops), but we both agreed the dish was a bit one-note with the foie gras butter sauce. I would've enoyed some more texture and/or taste contrasts, either with some citrus or greens or something to cut the richness a bit. That said, the quality of the scallops was high. But for $36, I expected something more special.
In addition, the wine list is lacking. Compared to New Leaf and Inn at Ship Bay, which both have fantastic wine lists with a whole host of options by the glass and bottle (which are quite fairly priced), the wine list at Allium was much more limited and the prices were WAY out of line for many of the glasses and bottles. In sum, we came away disappointed and wondered what all the hype was about. -
Review from Cathy G.
Seattle, WA
8/21/2011
We enjoyed our Saturday dinner here last evening. The fresh Lopez Island clams were the best appetizer. Our entrees were equally impressive: the caramelized sea scallops and the fresh halibut. Due to the bee/yellow jacket problem on the Allium deck, we weren't seated outside for dinner. However when we asked to move out to the deck for dessert we were graciously accommodated (and never saw a single bee) The only disappointment came when we ordered a bottle of prosecco and it arrived barely below room temperature. We had to ask for it to be chilled prior to serving.
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Review from Shep G.
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place really is amazing...If you get a chance to eat here you owe it to yourself to try it...I was there at the end of August last, that meant that the choices were loaded with fresh ingredients straight from the farm...I would always ask what they think you should have...they suggested the scallops when I was there and they were absolutely amazing...I also had the salmon ..it was incredible too... Great service, really nice people ..Go if you can...It was mentioned in some east coast rag that said it was one of the top 10 places worth flying to, to eat...the word is getting out!
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Review from Ss S.
Redmond, WA
5/31/2011
I was very excited about my trip to orcas and my dinner in Allium but was very disappointed with the food last weekend (Sunday May 30th).
Our appetizers Garlic Soup / Clam Chowder were quite testy and had enough flavors to keep us excited about the food . Unfortunately the main course and dessert were a let down .
Polenta did not have any flavor and was bland and Salmon dish for $35 was a baked salmon in uninspiring Thai curry . The dessert cake was sub par .
Service was very average , as I felt the waitress hurried us up for dinner order even before we got started on our appetizers and there was hardly any time between appetizer and entree. -
Review from Jesse S.
Seattle, WA
5/31/2011
We first read about Allium in the New York Times, and searched for the restaurant online. The menu looked delicious and the reviews raving. The restaurant is tucked away in a second-floor building on the Eastsound area of Orcas Island.
Our dinner reservation came with a great view of the water and azure skies, as well as buttery biscuits and bread that came with the most delectable homemade caramelized onion jam. It was SO hard not to inhale all the tasty biscuits.
STARTER:
Saffron Clam Chowder: Just the right level of creaminess - not too rich, not to watery. It was perfectly seasoned, and made with REAL clams that were tender and bursting with the flavors of the sea. I didn't see the usual saffron hue, but maybe it was infused or something. Overall, a very good starter.
Creamy Green Garlic Soup: Very rich and full of flavor of the young, robust garlic. You get the garlic richness but not the acrid after taste, which is so lovely. The color is pretty too - a pale green.
ENTRÉE:
Roasted Duck Breast with lentil du puy, shiitake mushrooms, orange demi glace: The duck was cooked to medium rare, and sat on a bed of ruby green lentils sautéed with sliced shiitake mushrooms. We got a surprise because the dish came with one (halved) grilled porcini mushroom.
(Daily Special) Pan-seared sockeye salmon with wild rice and green garlic cream sauce: A fat serving of salmon, seared to perfection (slightly raw on the inside, just the way I love it). It has a very sweet, rich aroma from the fish itself and was lightly seasoned with salt. The cream sauce - I couldn't get enough of it! The wild rice has a crunchy bite to it. Also served with one (halved) grilled porcini mushroom.
DESSERT:
Peach Linzer Tart: The tart was mostly for the boyfriend because he had a sweet tooth and I was beyond full. The crust was a Douglas Fir crust and the filling had a gingery flavor and still retained the tanginess of the pear slices. I loved the cardamom crème - so rich, and went so well with the crumbly tart.
I also want to mention how thoughtful Lisa and her staff are. Apparently Allium celebrated its one-year anniversary (congrats!) and each guest receives a herb pot (with thyme, oregano, etc) as a take-home gift, completed with Lisa's well wishes and signature. I loved it, and carried it all the way back to Seattle with sweet, fond memories of Allium and Orcas Island. -
Review from Neil W.
8/19/2010 3 photos
THE FOOD THE FOOD THE FOOD
Good lord. This place gets it right, the flavors, the textures, the seasoning, just everything.
Nice little Restaurant, well appointed. Exceptional Service.
We had early dinner and sat on the outdoor patio. It was a little windy, but they provide nice fleece blankets to cover you while you dine in the majesty of Eastsound bay. Couldn't ask for more from the setting.
We had the gnocchi as an appetizer, stunningly prepared. Best gnocchi I've ever had.
My wife had Salmon I had steak. Both amazing, but the SALMON was possibly one of the most perfectly cooked piece of fish I've ever seen.
With technical prowess like this in the kitchen I would have to assume that anything you tried would be amazing.
Great selection of wines by the glass.
No hesitation to give 5 stars.
Like all places on Orcas, GET RESERVATIONS!Listed in: Crem de La Crem
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Review from Lisa H.
Berkeley, CA
8/8/2011
It was to be our last dinner after a glorious week on Orcas Island with family and friends, so we decided to go to what we'd heard was the best place in town -- Allium. Made reservations for 5:30pm, but as we were just docking our rented sailboat at 5pm, we realized we'd likely be late. We called Allium to let them know about our delay and were told we'd probably still be able to get in if we arrived by 6:15pm. hmmm... sounded a little iffy, so we promptly made Plan B and secured a reservation at the Outlook Inn, just in case.
We arrived at Allium at 6:25 and were greeted by a sour-faced hostess who told us our table for six had just been broken down. She was obviously less than happy to see us -- and made us feel incredibly uncomfortable. She begrudgingly sat us at another table, and just as we had started looking at our menus, she informed us that we'd have to be out by 8pm, giving us less than 90 minutes to have dinner. wow... thanks, but no thanks. This was going to be our grand finale on Orcas, and we weren't planning to have it on a timer.
Thank goodness, because we walked a block to the Outlook Inn, where we were greeted with a warm smile and friendly service from the entire staff. We waited in the lobby a few minutes and were lead to a wonderful corner table with a killer view. Our waiter was incredibly attentive, the food outstanding -- and after several hours of eating and drinking, we happily waddled out feeling like we'd truly celebrated the spirit of Orcas.
As we walked back to our car, which was still parked near Allium, we spotted the cranky hostess closing the windows of the restaurant. We waved good night with our biggest smiles, content in knowing she'd sent $700 worth of business to her competitor down the street. -
Review from Rebecca S.
Auburn, WA
3/8/2011
DELICIOUS!!
The food was creative, the sauces amazing, drinks good! Very fresh seafood as well.
Will def. go back on our next Orcas Island visit! -
Review from Ellie B.
Seattle, WA
7/17/2011
I so wanted to love this place! We were in the midst of a wonderful vacation on Orcas to celebrate our 5th anniversary, so I was in a mood to be impressed by a great restaurant. Hard to be excited about it, though, when I had a polenta and cheese dish with fried eggs on top for dinner (was hoping that there would be some creative elegance to it, but no, it was pretty breakfast-y) that cost over 20 dollars. All I could think as I ate my eggs was, wow, these total ingredients probably cost 5 bucks max, and there is no artistry here! It's pretty much exactly how I would make polenta and eggs at home if I was too tired to make something more complicated. My husband got a very small piece of fish for something in the 30 dollar range. I gave him some of my eggs so he wouldn't leave too hungry. We got some delicious ice cream at the shop downstairs on our way out:)
We LOVED Willows Inn on Lummi and I have no problem paying their high prices because you are getting pure amazing quality. This place, on the other had, was crazy overpriced for what we had! -
Review from Thor T.
Philadelphia, PA
8/24/2011
We were looking forward to our meal at this restaurant for a long time, but because of some inexplicable lapses encountered at our dinner (both in cooking and reception), coupled with Manhattan-style prices, the overall experience was less than overwhelming.
It is not that you cannot eat very well here - the vegetarian "creamy polenta" dish with asparagus, goat cheese, and a lovely farm egg was simply delicious, the richness of the polenta nicely playing off the fresh vegetables. The perfectly cooked "caramelized" scallops bathed in a reduction of Madeira butter and foie gras reduction (the foie gras barely noticeable) combined very well with the roasted potatoes, and the beef tenderloin (more medium than the requested medium-rare) was of excellent quality. Not up to standard was the chicken dish that brought a juicy breast piece and a rather tough thigh that tasted reheated. The worst part of that dish was the strong use of "truffle oil" (2,4-dithiapentane mixed into olive oil) that overpowered the cream sauce. It seems that the appearance of buzzwords denoting "luxury" (such as foie gras and truffle) does more to the elevation of prices than the quality of the dishes.
At the beginning of the meal, a fine basket of bread, together with small biscuits that were irresistible, made for a fine start. In the sequence of appetizers, the stand out was the intensely flavored carrot soup. The smoked salmon rice paper rolls did not excite, the different flavors of the fish and rice paper staying separate. A most unsuccessful appetizer was the goat cheese quesadilla ($13), pale and insipid, it was reminiscent of a middle-school cooking project.
The big deal made by the rather unfriendly hostess about us "being early" (we arrived at 6:25 for a 6:30 reservation) simply puzzled us. The service was otherwise correct. The setting is beautiful, although the greasy fumes from another restaurant in the same building wafting over the lovely Allium terrace is a not so minor irritant. -
Review from Brandon B.
Kirkland, WA
1/3/2011
Decided to play it low key for the 2011 New Year and come up to Orcas Island for a few days. Based on the great reviews we decided on Allium for dinner for the big night.
First of all, food was amazing! I will qualify that by saying we did have a few quibbles, but they were handled by the chef immediately. I had the 4 course Prix Fixe and my wife had the vegetarian version, which the Chef made off-menu. Her entree was polenta topped by Brie and a fried egg; definitely a new combo of flavors. I LOVED it, but she felt it was a little salty. My entree was beef over mashed potatoes and it was also delicious. The wine pairing was top notch, and we particularly liked the Muscat.
Our only real complaint was lack of space, but in all fairness it was New Years Eve, they were fully booked and almost no other restaurants were open. The restaurant had a great ambiance, but we were kind of off in a corner between two other couples. If i went back I would definitely try to avoid the crowd and go on an off night when it wasn't as busy.
One last comment - We hope to come back in the summer when we can go out on the huge deck they have overlooking the sound. It looked great, but i wasn't willing to brave the sub-freezing temps. ;) -
Review from David L.
Seattle, WA
6/14/2011
Allium boldly proclaims, inside their entryway, they have the best brunch on Orcas. After reading the reviews, I was ready to accept that as fact, and was pretty excited about my brunch there. I should have learned by now not to ever get excited about my first visit to a new restaurant.
First, I will say that they bring you out a basket of warm, freshly baked mini-pastries. Those are phenomenal, and I should have had just those and coffee.
I don't remember the menu title of what I ordered (brunch menu is not online), but it was two Painted Hills beef patties with rice, gravy, and two eggs. I asked for the beef as rare as they were willing to serve it. The server said medium rare and I said great.
Did she think I meant the eggs? My sunnyside up eggs arrived so undercooked they looked like the kitchen staff had taken turns sneezing phlegm onto them.
The patties, on the other hand, arrived well done, uniformly grey throughout, not remotely browned on the outside. Moreover, they were so grossly over-seasoned that they could have been made of frozen Kroger pork breakfast sausage for all I could tell. Really high quality free range beef like that just wants salt and pepper, but they went out of their way to ruin it. It was downright gross.
The plain, unseasoned white rice was a culinary masterpiece compared to everything else.
This was one of the more infuriating dining experiences I've had recently, because a) this place is expensive and well reviewed, and b) the flaws in the food were 100% due to screwing up very basic execution. Come on--eggs and burgers. If this is the best brunch on Orcas, next time I'll just go grab some oysters off the beach. -
Review from Grace Y.
8/13/2010
The food was fantastic. Fresh and very gourmet. The restaurant is very quaint, a converted arts and crafts style home, and we got a window seat overlooking the water. The staff was so friendly.
Highly recommend the gnocchi, even though it's only a starter size. I should have ordered 2. We had salmon with red curry sauce and it was spectacular. Even the free bread they served was great - focaccia and biscuits with a sweet onion mustard. It seems that the chef is quite particular in what she will and won't do. She will not split plates. She will not make gnocchi into a main plate. The food makes it worth it though! -
Review from Joel R.
6/26/2011
Allium is a really nice, casual restaurant situated in a premier location above Eastsound. The restaurant is smartly arranged, with most tables oriented towards a window or some other attractive detail. Because of this arrangement, an incredible deck overlooking the sound, and the abundance of natural light in the restaurant, the ambiance is just incredible. The food is also quite excellent, starting with the delicious bread and biscuits with butter and onion jam, right through the appetizers, and finally my plate of perfectly-cooked scallops. Moreover, the service is quite friendly albeit definitely casual. In light of all this, Allium is nearly perfect. My only complaints are related to the cocktails, which were weak, and the prices, which are steep. That said, if you can score a reservation, I definitely recommend a visit to Allium.
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Review from D J.
Bellevue, WA
9/21/2010
This place is amazing. Chef Lisa Nakamura is an alumna of The French Laundry and The Herbfarm, and it shows. Absolutely worth an overnight trip to the islands just to savor her food.
The restaurant itself is adorably cozy- set on the second floor of a waterfront former home. Not kitschy, but warm and inviting, and the service is just as warm.
We had a tasting menu with wine pairings, including a delicious tomato and brie salad with fried green tomatoes, unbelievably good seared scallops with fresh polenta, a perfectly done salmon with baby chanterelles (I think the salmon is my biggest rec), and a beef shank with her famous demi-glace and housemade gnocchi. Dessert was a yummy chocolate mousse torte inverted into a ganache pyramid and dusted with gold lustre!
I have eaten a lot of food around the world in a lot of places but I have to say that Allium would be near the tops of my list for a return, even if it's a 3-hour trip each way from my home!!!
btw, I laughed at the idiot "Lisa H" whose entirely ignorable review lies below. Methinks that if you can't spell "dessert," perhaps that's just one of many reasons why you shouldn't be reviewing food. :)
How many times in your life will a Seattle-area person be able to eat the food of a French Laundry-trained chef? Allium is a classic in the making. -
Review from Forrest K.
Vancouver, WA
8/5/2011
Exquisite food. Prawn and lime kimchee was challenging. Tart sweet and spicy, wonderfully balanced. Scallop entree was wonderful. Perfectly executed, melt in you mouth heaven. Pecan pie for dessert was rich and delicious. Wine list is moderately sized, but carefully selected and comprehensive with a goodly number of choices by the glass. Serving staff was effecient, friendly, but didn't hover, just anticipated. All in all one the finest dining experiences I've ever had anywhere. A must if you're on Orcus Island or even anywhere remotely near.
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Review from Ron W.
San Marino, CA
8/12/2011
Great gnocchi. The chicken and the scallops were fantastic. The clams were bland and the clam chowder was missing clams. Tip: if the restruant is booked ask to be seated in the bar.
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Review from Lo Y.
San Francisco, CA
5/9/2011
"Lisa, the chef, is good at herbs", said the owner of our rental cabin. So there, we decided to try out Lisa's Allium.
Where shall I start? Everything was fantastic!!! Overall, she was very creative in using materials and herbs. For example, I didn't think peach and ginger go together but Lisa did it and the peach tart tasted amazingly. The halibut I ordered was probably the best halibut I've ever had so far. The fish was very good quality: meaty, fresh, not flaky like some other places. She cooked it with Thai sauce and rice. The rice went so well with the halibut. Who would have thought that! Even the starter biscuit was excellent.
The quality of this restaurant is on par if not better than Michelin rated ones in New York and San Francisco! -
Review from Jason M.
Huntington Beach, CA
7/10/2011
Rude, rude, rude. We tried going into this place twice during our weekend. On Friday, the staff very unpolitely told us we needed reservations that we did not have. On Saturday, we followed in the sign that said happy hour on the deck, which has a stunning view. They sat us, then said we could not order ony food because they had reservations coming in 45 min. We said that was fine because we only wanted wine and appi's, and she very rudely said she woud try. We left and went downstairs to Madrona, who sat us and told us they would gladly take our money. At the end of the day, we were still in and out in 45 min and spent $150 at another place.
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Review from CJ B.
Seattle, WA
6/6/2010
We were big fans of Christina's which occupied this spot for more than 25 years, probably averaging about one meal a month. When Christina sold the business in 2008 we found we could no longer go in and later heard from knowledgeable sources that the new place was never up to Christina's standards. When the second restaurant closed we wondered what would become of the lovely second floor dining room with the great views that had been our kitchen away from home for so many years.
The new incarnation has just opened and we ventured in to see if it could bring back the old spirit. Certainly the new chef has major credentials and her sample menu on the website looked promising.
We are so pleased to report that the things we always loved about Christina's are back in the new Allium: wonderful room, great food and a real sense of being with neighbors and friends who enjoy good, local food. We started with the pork shoulder tacos and the grilled vegetable plate. Both were quite good, well complemented by interesting garnishes and pleasingly presented. The mains of halibut with an olive risotto and pickled kuquats and a deconstructed mushroom ravioli were delicous and interesting without being fussy. The desserts were a wonderful bread pudding and pears which was accompanied by creme anglais and a somewhat pedestrian almond pound cake with fresh strawberries and passion fruit syrup.
The place has only been open a week and there are some service kinks which need to be worked out (like why does it take 15 minutes to take a drink order and then another 15 minutes to deliver it?) but overall Allium is going to be a real hit if the food stays as interesting as it was tonight.
AN UPDATE: We went back two weeks later. The service was noticeably improved, professional and well paced. The menu had changed somewhat from the first visit -- suggesting that the chef will try new things and new ingredients as they become available. We had a good nutmeggy carrot soup and a weird brioche/blue cheese "pizza" with bacon and a yummy mango-sping onion relish, followed by very good barley-miso halibut with risotto cakes and snap peas and coriander crusted salmon with braised celery and potato and garlic confit. We finished with a shared citrus mousse. With the exception of the "pizza" everything was yummy and well thought out (actually all of the ingredients in the pizza were first rate, it was just a strange combination for a starter). The desserts are still a little bland, but the overall experience continues to be first rate.
EVEN MORE UPDATE: We went back again and had another superb meal. (Christina was even eating there and she and Bruce apologized for sitting at what they called "our table"!) The food continues to be interesting, very local and well presented. We had a nice, chunky chowder and salad to start, followed by a yummy duck and an expertly prepared dorade. Dessert was an interesting scoop of pumpkin ice cream surrounded by a delightful Earl Grey caramel in a meringue shell. We still think they could do with another server or two but undersand that in a small restaurant on a small island there may be limits as to how many can be employed and still make the place work. -
Review from Chanta C.
Seattle, WA
5/28/2011
We went to Orcas specifically to try Allium and it was fantastic. We had a friendly server and were lucky enough to get window seats overlooking the bay so that helped as well. We started with their smoked salmon rolls and pear goat cheese tart - both were delicious. Our main courses, the scallops and duck breast, were equally great although my duck wasn't as medium rare as it could have been. My absolute favorite part of dinner was their caramelized onion jam with fluffy mini biscuits. Unfortunately we were too full to try dessert but there's always next time.
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Review from Debbie P.
Camano Island, WA
4/28/2011
After the excellent reviews we decided to give this a try on a Saturday night on Orcas. Definately need reservations. Wish it was summer so we could have been on the nice deck with water view, although we did get a table by the window.
Small plates: we tried the truffle gnocchi which may be the best I have tasted ( even in Italy and I am Italian!) with pancetta and mushrooms, melt in your mouth good! My husband had the carrot soup and this was flavorful with a nice combo of salty and sweet, but glad I had the gnocchi.
Dinner: I had the halibut, it was good but I would have liked a bit more flavor. My husband had the scallops and he loved them, terrific flavor and preparation. Slightly limited but nice wine choices, and we had no problem finding something we liked. We did overhear another diner complain about the corking fee (high), but the waitress patiently explained that the chef really works hard to pair the wines available with the menu for the best dining experience so bringing your own wine was somewhat discouraged. No problem for us.
Excellent dessert, chocolate pudding cake... I can see why they are getting such good reviews, worth a stop! -
Review from lisa h.
Seattle, WA
9/6/2010
Cold bread, biscuits and bread, come on warm it up! Medicore started of grilled vegetables with same sauce as for the bread. Coq a Vin was overcook in some places, desert seemed microwaved, I prefer Ship Bay,
every bite there is delicious, this place was just medicore, come on new chef you can do better. I'm not coming back.Comment from Lisa N. of Allium Restaurant 9/7/2010
Hi Lisa. Thank you for dining with us. We appreciate your… More » -
Review from Jami P.
Eastsound, WA
10/17/2010
I wrote a review about a week ago and while I feel it was fair I realize now that everybody has an off night, now and again. I've been cooking for 1o years and have a bad review written about my cooking on this very site. We are a community, us food people ,and we all strive to be amazing at what we do. As a business owner myself I understand all of the stress and hard work that goes into all things we put out there for the world to try. That being said id like to re negotiate my previous review. My beau and I had dinner at Allium last week. The portions were perfectly sized, the room was warm and inviting with great fabric art on the walls, and dessert was totally killer! We'll definitely go back there, I'm excited to see what else those ladies have up their sleeves!
Comment from Lisa N. of Allium Restaurant 10/19/2010
Thank you, Jami, for your valuable comments in both reviews.… More » -
Review from Jane D.
Seattle, WA
8/2/2010
The location is lovely, the food excellent, the art and music nice, and the staff is helpful and friendly. We enjoyed the food and drink, but my husband has one issue.. He likes a few more vegetables on the plate.. recently he noticed that some very up to the minute restaurants that source local food and cook exquisitely treat vegetables as a garnish.. at the last place he complained about the lack of turnips along with his pork chop, and at Allium he would have liked a few more green beans, rather than the tiny slivers that accompanied his salmon.
Comment from Lisa N. of Allium Restaurant 8/9/2010
Thank you for dining with us, Jane. We truly appreciate… More » -
Review from Dee L.
Scotts Valley, CA
7/26/2010
My husband and I were vacationing on Orcas Island and needed a place to celebrate his 40th birthday. We were told Allium was new--open for just six weeks--but very good. We decided to take a chance, and it definitely paid off. The Executive Chef/Owner used to work at French Laundry in Yountville, CA. It shows. Her deft touch and creative flavor palate were unique and satisfying. The portions were just right. She even came out to say "hello" to us and made us feel right at home. We highly recommend this restaurant if you're on Orcas, and we definitely will return the next time we're there.
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Review from John E.
Seattle, WA
7/10/2010
My wife and I just had the pleasure of eating at Alium on a 24 hour trip to Orcas Island, not just once, but twice.
Dinner was fantastic, and we quite enjoyed everything we had. If they happen to have the laquered salmon on the menu, get it. It was perfect.
For lunch, highly recommend the pork sandwich, tender, roasted pork shoulder. -
Review from Vance A.
Tampa, FL
5/26/2011
We had been looking forward to Liz's food since I first learned about her restaurant. Some people just transmit understanding and love through the way they prepare your eats. She is one of them. There are scores of well trained chefs, there are just a few you translate comfort and nutrition into an all around good feeling at the end of the meal. Using the local stuff, making it sing on the plate is an art form and that is what a meal at Allium is. It is art. From Vegan to Vulcan, there was something for everyone in our party. Suzie was attentive, funny, and made the order and delivery parts just right.Eat here. We came from Tampa. It was worth the air hassle, dodging the deer, and the view ''s not too bad either. Like I said Eat Here.
