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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2018)
8 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Readers’ Choice Awards BEST BREAKFAST SPOT, BEST CATERING BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE, BEST DESSERT ASTORIA COFFEE HOUSE & BISTRO FRITE & SCOOP BEST DESSERT Runner-up: The Depot, Seaview Honorable mention: T Paul’s Supper Club, Astoria ASTORIA BEST BREAKFAST SPOT Runner-up: Street 14 Coffee, Astoria Honorable mention: Osprey Cafe, Seaside BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Runner-up: Shanghaied Tattoo, Astoria Honorable mention: Street 14 Cafe, Astoria BEST CATERING Winners (tie): Astoria Cof- fee House & Bistro; Baked Alaska, Astoria Runner-up: The Depot, Seaview Honorable mention: The Cove Restaurant, Long Beach By EDWARD STRATTON DWIGHT CASWELL PHOTO By DWIGHT CASWELL O ur readers chose Astoria Coffee House & Bistro as their favorite breakfast spot and — along with Baked Alaska, whom the coffee house tied with — their go-to caterer. Astoria Coffee House has long been one of the town’s favorite eateries, and Alec Evans, the executive chef since mid-2016, is continu- ing that tradition. Evans said it has more to do with the whole crew at the restaurant. “I feel like anyone can be a great cook, but you need a great team. Here we’re a small family.” Some might dispute whether anyone can be a great cook. Evans herself went to culinary school for two years and worked five years as a line cook at ASTORIA Alec Evans, the executive chef at Astoria Coffee House & Bistro, works the pastry counter. Astoria Coffee House before becoming executive chef. The secret to their great breakfasts is simple. “We serve great food. It’s quick, beautiful and delicious, and our breakfast menu is so large,” she said. “We have everything you want.” Take a seat, perhaps near the door where the pastries catch your eye, or in the cozy dining room and bar. Ask your server for a menu. Are you a breakfast traditionalist? Take your choice of biscuits and gravy, a Denver omelette, three kinds of eggs Benedict, or chicken fried steak. Look- ing for something a little different? Try the Monte Cristo, described as (“the ultimate breakfast sand- wich”): French toast battered sourdough, turkey, pit ham, peppered bacon, melted Swiss, aioli and lingonberry sauce. Or try the “Cowboy Chow,” which no chuck wagon in the history of the West ever served anything like: red beans, peppered bacon, andouille sausage cassoulet, roasted red pota- toes, eggs, Parmesan Texas toast and Cajun slaw. You get the idea. As for the catering, Evans said Astoria Coffee House & Bistro primarily provides appetizers and small plates to parties and a few larger events, and they’re looking to grow that part of the busi- ness. Judging by the votes of Coast Weekend readers, that won’t be difficult. CW F rite & Scoop co-own- ers Kevin and Lisa Malcolm relocated from Seattle to Astoria in 2013 and opened their dream of gourmet ice cream commingled with salty, Belgian fries (or frites). The shop has become a local standard for all things sweet and salty on the North Coast. The ever-changing flavors are an ode to the wizardy of Kevin Malcolm, a former accountant who started making ice cream as a hobby and spent two years perfecting his craft before coming to Astoria. Frite & Scoop’s style is classic flavors with a twist, he said, while using the highest-quality ingredients, from the honeycomb-in- fused hokey pokey — Frite & Scoop’s signature ice cream — to the chocolate custard infused with Cal- abrian chili peppers. The EDWARD STRATTON PHOTO Frite & Scoop co-owner Kevin Malcolm can often be seen handing out samples of his homemade ice cream at the shop along the Astoria Riverwalk. EDWARD STRATTON PHOTO Frite & Scoop’s signature ice cream blend, Hokey Pokey, is made with sweet cream cus- tard and house-made honey- comb candy crumbs mixed in. shop employs a pantry chef, Katelyn Olsen, who makes the confections mixed into the ice cream. “We want to be proud of every single thing we put out there,” Kevin Malcolm said. “I can make ice cream cheaper and with not as many homemade ingredi- ents, and maybe a decent amount of people might not notice the difference. But I take a point of pride in making everything better.” The ice cream comes in bowls, pints and sugar cones, along with tradition- al Norwegian krumkake wafer cones cooked and rolled at the shop, with a Hershey Kisses wedged into the base to prevent leaking. The frites are cooked to order in canola oil, with a wide array of house- made dipping sauces, from blueberry mayonnaise and Lemon aioli to malt vine- gar and Thai peanut. CW A Gypsy’s Whimsy Herbal Apothecary Thank you for voting for us one One of the best gift Gift shops! Shops! Thank You Readers! 348 12th Street Astoria OR 97103 503-325-4210 www.lucys-books.com queenofbooks@charter.net T HE PAST 16 YEARS HAVE BEEN MAGICAL , AND WOULDN ’ T HAVE BEEN THAT WAY WITHOUT YOU ! Open Tues THRU sat 11-6 1130 Commercial Astoria 503-338-4871
