Barking Frog - Woodinville

In the heart of Woodinville's wine district, next door to the highly acclaimed Herbfarm, and nestled on the Willow's Lodge campus, you'll find The Barking Frog Restaurant. A restaurant with those qualifications doesn't really even have to be good because people will still come, but... it is. Brunch at The Barking Frog was certainly a delight.

A friendly hello from the hostess, a perfect seat on the cozy, upholstered bench so The Babe had a soft place to sit, and a warm atmosphere, decorated with bottles and bottles of wine. It's more than a place to eat; it's the kind of place you could sit and drink a bottle (or two) of wine. And guess what music was playing in the background when we first arrived. A little Toad the Wet Sprocket. Coincidence? Maybe, but I prefer to think they have a good sense of humor. Yep, I like this place already.

The brunch menu has a wide array of choices, and I had quite a time deciding what to get. That's always a good sign.

MIL Janice ordered the Dungeness Crab Cakes Benedict. Traditional brunch meets the Northwest; this plate comes with roasted red potatoes, herb Hollandaise sauce, and your choice of toast, English muffin, or biscuit. MIL Janice said the crab cakes were as good as The Red Bar in Grayton Beach, Florida. This is her crab cake standard. All crab cakes are compared against it, so this is saying a lot. There wasn't a lick left on her plate.

Dungeness Crab Cake Benedict

Dear Ben ordered the Hot Open Faced Turkey Sandwich. They use Zoe's turkey, then embellish it with caramelized onions, Havarti cheese, and cranberry chutney. He said it tasted like Thanksgiving on a sandwich. He ordered his sandwich with sweet potato fries, and that was definitely the right choice. I can't say for sure if they're homemade, but I ate more of them than anyone. I couldn't stop.

Hot Open Faced Turkey Sandwich

FIL Dave and I ordered the burger. See, we do have something in common! Why would I order the burger with so many other interesting things on the menu, you ask? It's because Chateau St. Michelle's Cynthia recommended it the week before, and I had been thinking of it ever since. Actually, she recommended the lamb burger, but our server talked me into the regular beef burger.

Well, it wasn't exactly regular. It's a bacon cheese burger taken up several notches: Ninety Farms beef, Pleasant Valley Peppercorn Gouda, CANDIED BACON, Bibb lettuce, roasted tomato, and mayo on a Macrina Brioche bun. Not just any burger can boast those adjectives, but it was the candied bacon that sold me! I see more of that in my future. A very good burger, indeed.

Northwest Local Beef Burger

Such a pleasant brunch, and I do believe it was enjoyed by all. The Barking Frog will definitely see repeat business out of us. Ribbit!


The Barking Frong
14580 NE 145th Street
Woodinville, WA 98072
425-424-2999
http://www.willowslodge.com/wine_dine/barking_frog.html