“I have arrived,” I muttered to myself, with a deep sigh of relief. After months of planning and decades of dreaming, I found myself in the state of Washington with my head cricked upward as I peered at the towering pines in awe. Finally off the plane and into a shiny new Audi rental car, with only the open road before me. Surrounded by dwindling city and ever taller trees, I put on some Pacific Northwest inspired playlists and faded into the experience. I felt free and clear with endless possibilities. For ten days, I didn’t have to adhere to any schedule, I didn’t have to wake up early to head to the office, and there were no diapers to change. The only sensation that beats this feeling is when I was in Europe some years ago with no end date in sight, where I ended up spending nine months abroad.
I left the cities and ventured across the sound, and over to the renowned Olympic peninsula, where it seemed as though the trees grew taller the farther I went, and the wildflowers dazzled my eyes with a rainbow of colors. Vibrant scotch broom flowered all along the roadways, as did the most spectacular orange California poppies, and others I couldn’t identify showed their epic pink and purple flowers. The mountains soon dominated my vision and it wasn’t long before I was weaving across the painted lines of the road, focusing more on the mountains than where I was driving. White tipped and towering over me, the Olympic range continued to evolve the further I went on. After an hour or so, the northern coast of the peninsula came into focus, and I found myself surrounded by mountains on my left, Pacific coast on the right, and lavender farms in between. “It can’t get much better than that,” I chuckled to myself.
As an herbalist, all the wildflowers, wild herbs and lavender fields were a sight for sore eyes. In Ohio, I am surrounded by Appalachian foothills and young forests, which are beautiful in their own right, but few places can compare to the Olympic region of Washington. The trees are huge, the coast is spectacular, the mountains are as striking as any I’ve seen, and the culture of Nature first really appeals to me, and I could easily see myself enjoying a splendid and simple life in the region.
First, I checked into my bed and breakfast, then I grabbed some supplies in the town of Port Angeles, before heading up the mountain to Hurricane Ridge. The drive was curving and stunning, but once I arrived to the visitor center, the clouds had descended, blocking all views. I hiked around for awhile, watching a field full of deer and rabbits out in the open, since there were few if any natural predators, then decided I would try again another day. Back down the mountain with a belly rumbling, I went to the port and stopped at the very nice Kokopelli Grill.
Kokopelli Grill is a nice place, and when I went it had to be the busiest restaurant in town. It took me 20-minutes to be seated even with a reservation. But the food was well worth the wait. They have a few levels of seating and a bar with a view of the port, and overall the aesthetic is nice, classy, but doesn’t have that exclusive feel where the everyday person isn’t welcome. I can appreciate that, as I’m an ever-accepting person. The place was booming and for good reason. They have fantastic seafood, among the best I had in Washington.
The staff was kind and personable, and I was a big fan of my server. He suggested I try the oysters, which were fresh from 45-minutes down the coast. They were good, and definitely fresh tasting, but not quite my favorite choice of seafood. My server suggested adding a little tabasco, which was an excellent suggestion. I’m not one for covering up my meats with sauces, but it added a rippling effect of flavors and cascading heat which was very pleasant. The bread was grainy but soft and the house-made butter made for a lovely starter.
My server also suggested to try the smoked salmon chowder, mentioning they are known for it. It was rich, smooth and full of flavor, and it was very creamy with chunks of salmon, which was a delight. I have only had one other chowder that I’d argue might be better. So well worth a try! For my entree, I chose the fire grilled salmon, and wow, was I happy I did. The salmon was beautifully moist and flakey with a crisp and flavorful herby crust, which I love to see. I cook my fish this way as well at home. The fresh local flavor came through like no inland frozen seafood can ever touch. The asparagus was a nice touch, and was cooked well, as was the rice. Rice and salmon go together like all the best duos. For desert, I was stuffed, but when I saw the menu read mango campote cheesecake, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a piece of art. Thick and so creamy, with the mango adding an amazing citrus punch to my taste buds. It was epic good! I’ll forever dream of this meal. So if you’re ever in this area of the world, don’t miss out on Kokopelli Grill.
As an herbalist, all the wildflowers, wild herbs and lavender fields were a sight for sore eyes. In Ohio, I am surrounded by Appalachian foothills and young forests, which are beautiful in their own right, but few places can compare to the Olympic region of Washington. The trees are huge, the coast is spectacular, the mountains are as striking as any I’ve seen, and the culture of Nature first really appeals to me, and I could easily see myself enjoying a splendid and simple life in the region.
First, I checked into my bed and breakfast, then I grabbed some supplies in the town of Port Angeles, before heading up the mountain to Hurricane Ridge. The drive was curving and stunning, but once I arrived to the visitor center, the clouds had descended, blocking all views. I hiked around for awhile, watching a field full of deer and rabbits out in the open, since there were few if any natural predators, then decided I would try again another day. Back down the mountain with a belly rumbling, I went to the port and stopped at the very nice Kokopelli Grill.
Kokopelli Grill is a nice place, and when I went it had to be the busiest restaurant in town. It took me 20-minutes to be seated even with a reservation. But the food was well worth the wait. They have a few levels of seating and a bar with a view of the port, and overall the aesthetic is nice, classy, but doesn’t have that exclusive feel where the everyday person isn’t welcome. I can appreciate that, as I’m an ever-accepting person. The place was booming and for good reason. They have fantastic seafood, among the best I had in Washington.
The staff was kind and personable, and I was a big fan of my server. He suggested I try the oysters, which were fresh from 45-minutes down the coast. They were good, and definitely fresh tasting, but not quite my favorite choice of seafood. My server suggested adding a little tabasco, which was an excellent suggestion. I’m not one for covering up my meats with sauces, but it added a rippling effect of flavors and cascading heat which was very pleasant. The bread was grainy but soft and the house-made butter made for a lovely starter.
My server also suggested to try the smoked salmon chowder, mentioning they are known for it. It was rich, smooth and full of flavor, and it was very creamy with chunks of salmon, which was a delight. I have only had one other chowder that I’d argue might be better. So well worth a try! For my entree, I chose the fire grilled salmon, and wow, was I happy I did. The salmon was beautifully moist and flakey with a crisp and flavorful herby crust, which I love to see. I cook my fish this way as well at home. The fresh local flavor came through like no inland frozen seafood can ever touch. The asparagus was a nice touch, and was cooked well, as was the rice. Rice and salmon go together like all the best duos. For desert, I was stuffed, but when I saw the menu read mango campote cheesecake, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a piece of art. Thick and so creamy, with the mango adding an amazing citrus punch to my taste buds. It was epic good! I’ll forever dream of this meal. So if you’re ever in this area of the world, don’t miss out on Kokopelli Grill.
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