Has anyone had any experience here lately? We will be in the area soon and it is on my list for a nice, fine dining experience one night.

Is the meny strictly a prix fixe thing? Everything sounds wonderful from their website. TIA ***kim***

The rooms and breakfast are fabulous (stay on second floor or above). I haven't eaten dinner there because we don?t like more than two courses, but well-traveled friends celebrating an anniversary said that dinner exceeded their expectations. The chef gives details about dinner during the afternoon wine tasting hour. Stephanie Inn is an example of a place that lives up to its ratings.

I've no recent (within the last year) dinner experience there, but I'm sure it's still prix fixe only. And the menu changes nightly, so you'll probably have to just chance that you'll like one of the two entrees offered.

In my case, it's never been a problem. My wife orders one choice; I order the other. We share, then usually end up debating which is best. Sometimes makes the choice of wine a little difficult, though.

The only drawback to the experience is the view. Given the coast location, it would be nicer if the restaurant overlooked the beach rather than the parking lot.

I think it will nice, but I agree about the views. The Shilo @ Seaside has gorgeous views of the ocean from their restaruant but last time I was there the the food was pricy and mediocre.

Has anyone dined there recently? It's been a few years. Unfortunately, I won't be staying at the SI, we are remodeling a beach cottage in Seaside and will be staying at our darling little cottage in Astoria.

Renovations should be complete this trip. Granite countertops, hardwood floors, paint, etc. etc. Lots of time spent in Home Depot this week but I can't wait to see it compelte and start renting it out!!! ***kim***

If you are looking for a fine dining experience in Cannon Beach try Cafe Mango. It is just opening for dinners, but I was fortunate enough to sample the new menu and it is outstanding. My personal favorite is the halibut, but we thought everything was good.

Thanks for the tip, where is it located in Cannon Beach? ***kim***

Kim we just walked past it numerous times this weekend...it is on S. Hemlock near Doogers...about a block before.

Thanks, mms! It sounds like a nice place to try this trip. ***kim***

maxster, we did try Cafe Mango and I did have halibut, it was very good just as you said it would be! Thanks for the tip! ***kim***

too funny kim..... drag this old thread up, but don't answer maxter's question on the cannon beach one..

Hey Kim..how was your dinner at the Stephanie? We'll be there in a couple of weeks..and Cafe Mango sounds nice too..nice atmosphere?
And hey.."uuhhhh"..lay off Kim. Don't you have anything better to do than bother posters on a variety of postings? Talk about the subject matter or just chill out.
cheers,
CC

uuhhh, Get a life.

Kim, We stayed at Stephanie Inn last week when the temperature was in the low 70s.

The view from our room was unbeatable, and we had a 35% discount "welcome back" rate. At $199 this made the room a good value when compared to more down-market places with ocean views that wanted $149-$169.

The afternoon wine tasting was fun. The wine poured freely, there was cheese and vegetables to nibble on. The chef described dinner, which was pretty boring that night--Caesar salad, pork tenderloin, etc.

We made the mistake of going to Kalypso in Seaside which was dead as a doornail and seemed to be chef's night off--everything was overcooked.

The closeness of the hotel to the beach can't be beat, and the sunset was spectacular.

At breakfast the fruit and hot cakes were wonderful, but the eggs were those fluffy, rather tasteless steamtable kind, and the bacon was overcooked and tough.

I'm still looking for a nice place in Cannon Beach with great ocean views and two wonderfully comfortable queen beds.

=D> =D> to you both! We didn't have a chance to try Stephanie Inn, but will be trying it this month.

Cafe Mango is very casual, we dined out on the back patio when the weather was warm. The inside was a bit plain, but the halibut was cooked just right and the cheesecake with the mango sauce is a must!

Another place I want to try is the Bistro in CB. Too bad about Kalypso, the dining room is so gorgeous. I have had good luck there with the pan fried oysters but was very disappointed in my seafood pasta dish that we ordered. They do serve one of my favorite Oregon wine, the Muellar Thargau which is very good.

The Stephanie Inn looked wonderful, the front desk gave me a quick tour. I would love to spend time there. I'll report back on our meal when we dine there in a few days. Cheers! ***kim***

Thanks Kim!...I'd also be curious how the Gower St. Bistro looks too since it looks quite nice from its web site...or if anyone else has tried it?
We've tried Bistro and it's a nice choice too.
cheers,
CC

Hi Capt,
We ate at Gower Street Bistro last October when we were in CB for a week. Loved it. We ate there 2 nights. Food was good, staff was friendly and nice. Restaurant is rather small, only 8 or 9 tables I think. Nice and cozy.
minnie.

We'll have to stop in Gower St. Bistro when we're in CB this month. I'll post back how it is. Another CB place that looks very nice from the outside is Clark's. Anyone been there? ***kim***

If Clark's is the newer looking place coming into town from the north before you turn onto Hemlock, been there twice, kim. It was lousy both times. Apparently a lot of others shared the same opinion; when we drove by a couple weekends ago, they'd gone out of business.

Too bad about Clark's, it looked really nice driving by. Well, I guess we'll hit the Bistro and the Stephanie Inn for our CB places in a few days.

We'll have have three days in Portland, so I'm sure we'll hit lots of wonderful places there. I also want to try the Pacific Way Bakery & Cafe for at least one meal. (Really, I am a normal, healthy weight, LOL!) Thanks for the tip beachbum, I'll scratch Clark's off my list.

Any opinions on the Wayfarer at the Surfsand Resort? ***kim***

I've stayed at SurfSands at least a dozen times but could count the number of times I've eaten at Wayfarer in a boy scout salute. IMO, it has an identity problem, trying to appeal to too broad a market, and not doing a particularly good job in any. I stopped going back after the third ho-hum meal in a place that can't seem to find its niche. I would much rather eat in a place like the Ecola Seafood Market where I know the chowder, fish/clam/scallop/shrimp/oysters and chips are good, and greasy, and served in an atmosphere more in keeping with it's location.

Pacific Way Cafe is pretty much it in Gearhart, so it can be whatever it wants. The owners there have done a nice job of appealing to a relatively monied group of vacation home owners, while still maintaining a homey, family & locals friendly feel. Actually, I'd rather eat there than at Stephanie Inn, which I think is just too much pretention for any place at the beach.

I'll give Ecola Seafood a try, where is it exactly? I also want to try that award-winning clam chowder at Norma's Ocean Diner in Seaside that I've been reading about in Coastal Living & Oregon Coast magazine. ***kim***