Coastal Kitchen

 The Coastal Kitchen changes its menu every 2-3 months based on mgmt's
 choice ofa different coastal culture.  They keep a core menu alive and add
 the "new" region's dishes for the 2-3 months until the next change is
 made.

 The emphasis on Hispaniola is probably almost over.  They just did Greece
 and before that I think it was Indonesia, before that maybe Tuscany.
 Probably they'll stay in the western hemisphere for the next one if they
 follow a pattern (I don't know).

 They also do amazing breakfasts, and the wait on weekends is usually no
 more than 1/2 an hour for a table (no reservations) and the bkfst/lunch
 prices are even more reasonable.  They actually call weekend early-day
 service "blunch," as do their siuster restaurants, the 5-Spot on Queen
 Anne and the Jitterbug Cafe in Wallingford.

 And I just can't say enough good things about the bathroom entertainment
 (you'll have to see for yourself).

 ~tom

 I went to the Coastal Kitchen this weekend with my extended family. The
 theme of the month was the Palmetto Coast (South Carolina), in addition to
 the usual Gulf Coast fare.

 We started with Fried Green Tomatoes - which came with a very nice aioli
 type sauce on a bed of roasted peppers. The fried green tomatoes themselve
 were pretty tasteless, but with the condiments they were very
 flavorful.

 I had salmon with a pecan crust on a bed of cardamom-flavored vegetables.
 The salmon was cooked perfectly, and the crust was a nice accompaniment -
 not too strong to overwhelm the salmon. The vegetables were OK, but I
 think the cardamom flavoring was a bit overpowering. Others at the table
 had roast chicken (tasted some - it was good, and the portion was HUGE, a
 half of a chicken!), and Jambalaya (good, but not great).

 The price without wine was ~$20/person. Overall, I think the food is good
 and very interesting, although the flavors were sometimes jarring or too
 muted. The service was very good. I found it to be a good value for the $.

 Glen