SEQUIM –– Blondie’s Plate, Sequim’s newest restaurant, recently opened at 134 S. Second Ave.
It is inside the former St. Luke’s Episcopal Church building, which previously housed Lipperts’ Restaurant.
Owned and operated by Kim McDougal, lately of Bella Italia in Port Angeles, Blondie’s offers a Northwest twist on a tapas concept — an a la carte menu of items designed to be shared by table mates.
“Dinner’s always more fun when everybody can pick off each other’s plates,” said McDougal, a 23-year resident of Sequim and a co-owner with her husband, Rick, of H20 Plumbing and Heating.
In fact, she said, the name of the restaurant refers to the small plates that she’s modeled off reigning Northwest culinary specialities.
Dishes include duck breast in a pinot noir pan sauce, down-home-style fried chicken, local clams, salmon and crab dishes and mac-and-cheese.
Chef Nick Dorcy, who also worked previously at Bella Italia, said he’s proud of everything on the menu.
McDougal praised Dorcy’s lightly fried calamari, as well as his lamb grilled on kabobs, served with mint syrup and a cucumber yogurt dip.
Referring to the spate of new restaurants and wine bars opening in town, McDougal feels that maybe Sequim’s culinary future has arrived.
“Hopefully we’ve added to that,” she said.
“Not only will people in Sequim not have to go to Port Angeles or Port Townsend [to dine], but now people will come to Sequim to eat.”
A good omen, she said, is that even though they’ve been open barely a week, “we’ve already had a lot of return customers.”
A nook of a bar in the back of the building provides a place to enjoy classic cocktail recipes updated by bar manager Ferrol Pemberton.
Of special note is a Moscow Mule.
The $7 cocktail is a melange of vodka, mint, lime and ginger beer served in a copper mug.
Blondie’s Plate is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Reservations are recommended. To make reservations or for more information, phone 360-683-2233.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Joe Smillie can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at jsmillie@peninsuladailynews.com.
