So sorry for the break – we have been on vacation in the gorgeous coastal town of Cannon Beach, Oregon where my husband grew up.
While we were there, we stayed at the Stephanie Inn and I highly recommend it to anyone planning a visit. The rooms are fantastic (especially if you get one with a giant jacuzzi tub and a beach view), the staff are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and the amenities are stellar.
Included in your stay is an outstanding breakfast buffet each morning with hot items, oatmeal, house made yogurt, tasty pastries, and outstanding jams. There is also a 24-hour coffee, tea, and hot chocolate stand in the lobby and a jar that is continuously filled with fresh baked cookies (of which my husband ate many). Sodas/waters in the mini fridge are complementary and refilled every day, and they have both a complimentary wine tasting and night cap in the evenings.
For an extra charge they have services like a bath butler, a fire butler who builds a fire on the beach and gives you a s’mores kit, and a packed beach lunch with 2 giant sandwiches (each big enough for 2), apples, chips, salads, and drinks in a cute tote. The spa treatments are also amazing – set in private spa rooms each with their own treatment tables, color- and aroma-therapy hot tub, and steam shower.
The Stephanie also has a fine dining restaurant that is pretty good, especially if you are staying at the Inn. The menu changes weekly and we were satisfied when we ate there (though not blown away – though that might be because we ate at EVOO first).
EVOO is a unique beast – a kitchen shop by day that hosts cooking demonstration dinner shows by night. Entertainment and a meal in one, this place is not only a lot of fun – it is also the best food in Cannon Beach.
The owners are chef husband and nutritionist wife duo Bob and Lenore Neroni. The couple put on the informative (and delicious) show together and are engaging and friendly. In addition to giving cooking tips, they also teach about wine tasting and give relationship advice.
The menu for each night consists of three entrees and a dessert (so come hungry) all cooked right in front of you and paired with wine. Everything they serve is as seasonal and local as possible.
Our first course was fresh King Salmon, wild caught just north of us at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was perfectly cooked and the best salmon we had on the trip. It was served with a bulgar wheat and cucumber salad, and a fresh beet and arugula salad with walnuts and feta cheese, very tasty.
The second entree was a pork scaloppini with ricotta, honey, and tomato jam served over fresh fettuccine with roasted cherry tomatoes and basil. This was probably my favorite because it was something that I could easily see my self making at home. And topping pasta with not a sauce, but roasted tomatoes? Brilliant. This will be happening all summer.
The last entree was a leg of duck confit with five-spice (the only thing not made in front of us, though the technique was explained) with vegetable fried rice. Seeing the technique for making fried rice was really interesting, and definitely something that I want to try (finally a use for that leftover rice from PF Changs!)
Lastly, the dessert: sour cream vanilla bean cake with frozen chocolate custard, whipped creme fraiche, strawberry rhubarb compote, candied peanuts, and mint. I was almost in a food coma by this point, but this was super tasty as well.
We had a blast here and would highly recommend it to anyone! They ask for allergy/dietary restrictions beforehand and yes, vegetarians are welcome.
My recommendation for casual dining in Cannon Beach is the Lumberyard Grill which has gigantic burgers (as you can see) along with pizzas, rockfish and dungeness crab specialties, and steaks. It’s a big place with lots of seating and a cool bar area.
Ecola Seafoods is also pretty cool – a fish market that also has tables for a quick bite. The clam chowder is pretty good but the fish and chips are awesome. We ordered traditional cod, but they also serve halibut, salmon, and tuna along with fried clams, shrimp, oysters, scallops, you name it!
Other places in town that I would recommend are Sleepy Monk Coffee, Crepe Neptune, and Chocolate Cafe (Mayan hot chocolate/shake is awesome).
One place I would not recommend is Wayfarer – it is overpriced and just not that tasty.