Last summer, we discovered a wonderful new place on the Washington coast, the Seabrook beach community. Just two and a half hours south of Seattle, this seaside village offers nice vacation homes in a setting designed according to new urbanism principles. As a result, we no longer have to trek five or more hours to the Oregon coast for a beach vacation, for we now have a comparable experience in our own backyard.

For Memorial Day weekend, we ventured back with friends and were excited to see that the village restaurant, Tashtego Café, had opened. According to a recent newspaper article, the cafe is owned and managed by Miles Batchelder, former wine director at the nearby Ocean Crest Resort.

Batchelder's appreciation for wine is readily apparent when you walk in the place, as there is an entire wall showcasing every bottle available for retail or restaurant purchase. He has arranged an impressive cross-section of Washington and Oregon wines, with an emphasis on our state's producers. Depending on what you choose to eat or what you prefer in wine, there is something on that wall to suit your taste.

The café offers an intimate, yet open environment, with well spaced tables that can accommodate large and small groups. The newly constructed design and decor is contemporary and casual, providing a nice environment to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whether eating a meal or enjoying a glass of wine, it's a place that invites you to slow down and stay a while.

With the restaurant facing west, you get some great sunsets spilling light into the place, which makes it feel warm and bright. The only downside being that the "wall of wine" receives most of that direct sun. Therefore, I recommend pulling a bottle from the bins, rather than taking the one in front, as you may end up with a warm, if not cooked, wine.

With the variety of dishes being ordered at our table, Batchelder pointed us to a Belle Vallée Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir. This ended up being a hit with all of us, as it paired well with Kari's prawn pasta, our friend's steak, and my sockeye salmon. As has been the case with other Belle Vallée vintages, I was taken with this wine, which offered nice fruit complemented by decent acidity and hints of earth.

As to the food, the wild sockeye salmon was cooked to medium rare perfection and placed on a bed of grits and grilled asparagus. Unfortunately, Kari's pasta with prawns came drowned in a tomato sauce that was far too sweet. Our daughters had kids meals comprising cod fish and chips, which they ate with wild abandon. Overall, we really enjoyed the setting, the service and the style of food provided at Tashtego Café. We can't wait to return for a couple of more meals during our next beach vacation this August.

And I am definitely going to have to locate a few more bottles of Belle Vallée pinot noir for the cellar.