Duck so good it turned a vegetarian into a meat eater
Mr. Mustang and I always wanted to try Duck Soup ever since we first passed the sign off of Roche Harbor Road but we just didn’t know when we will be able to make time to go until now.
Due to some...unfortunate miscommunication between the McMillin restaurant and ourselves, dining at McMillin on November 17th just wasn’t an option. After a quick phone call to Duck Soup the night before we left for the islands, they gladly accepted our reservation of 9 people.
Duck Soup is a relatively new restaurant on the San Juan Island that prides itself on a seasonal menu with ingredients primarily supplied and grown on the island. Only about a 5 minute drive from Roche Harbor, Duck Soup isn’t very well advertised and it’s easy to drive right past without keeping an eagle eye out for their small sign. A dirt road leads to a wooded area with a small grass parking lot and a large roaring fire pit nestled nearby. Peeking through the trees is a large house/cabin with tree vines lining the corners of the building and a warm light glowing through the windows. The restaurant is small with enough tables to seat maybe 40 people and we were immediately greeted at the door as though they were expecting us.
We arrived shortly after 7:30pm and inside we were greeted with the interior of a classic looking log cabin with exposed wood ceiling, riverstone fireplace and the faint smell of cedar. Our table was tuck in the corner but lovely in every way with a built in wood bench and a polished slab of hardwood as the table. Mr. Mustang and I brought 3 bottles of wine but that didn’t stop the group from ordering cocktails as well. All of their signature drinks were fantastic and gorgeous looking.
A sign of a good restaurant is the size of the menu and Duck Soup was no exception, the seasonal menu was only one page long with a handful of appetizers and only 6 entrees to choose from. Since we ate at the San Juan Brewing Company earlier in the day, we only ordered entrees this time around. With 9 people at the table, nearly everyone ordered something different from the menu. There was filet mignon, duck breast, seared scallops, lamb stew, herbed polenta and linguini bolognese.
I ordered the filet mignon medium rare and when making a cut down the middle, the meat had a perfect gradient of pink to red in the middle with no gray anywhere on the edges. The filet sits upon a bed of lyonnaise potatoes and a green peppercorn sauce. I rarely order steak at restaurants usually because of how overpriced I feel they charge but for $38, I think it was worth every cent. I got to try everyone else’s dishes too - for the scallops, I thought they were ok but for the price you only get three which I thought was a bit of a bummer. The duck breast I thought was the best in show - apparently it was so good that it convinced one of our vegetarians at our table to stop being a vegetarian that night. Yeah, it was that good.
As our plates were cleared, we were offered dessert. Only three people (myself included) decided to order and since the dinner coincided with my birthday/engagement anniversary, I thought a slice of chocolate cake was the best choice. As it arrived, a single lit candle was placed in the middle of the slice. Just before I blew out the candle I realized that this was the first moment in my entire life that I didn’t feel the need to make a wish - I was perfectly content at that moment.
With a bottle of champagne, two bottles of syrah and a landslide of cocktails later we were told that the restaurant closed 30 minutes ago. I had a feeling that we would close the restaurant considering the friends that joined us haven’t seen each other in months if not years and it was nice seeing everyone catch up. We were smart before we left and everyone carpooled into two cars so there was no risk of drunk driving. As we rode back to our rooms, I had a thought and wondered if maybe we should have our rehearsal dinner here instead…
Overall, Duck Soup is a fantastic dining experience whether you want it to be an intimate date night or a loud large birthday celebration. The restaurant is open year round but I feel that their interior is best seen and felt during the autumn and winter months.
Will we go again? Most likely yes but we can’t decide if that will be before the wedding or during the wedding.
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