(rockrye.com) – Downtown Bellingham, Washington

How I heard of this place: My brother-in-law’s workplace holds their annual holiday party at Rock And Rye and my sister has not stopped raving about it for two years! It was high time (our fifth anniversary) that we took advantage of free babysitting and had an evening out.

Type of cuisine: “The menu consistently reflects the passion of the Rock and Rye kitchen, creating food that the staff and management find new and interesting while channeling inspiration from classics and modern cuisine, such as in-house cured meats. General Manager Harrison Gilbert works tirelessly to put out the best product there is on every single plate.

Our kitchen team brings experience from many popular restaurants in Bellingham including our sister restaurant Bayou on Bay, as well as from outside the area. Chef de Cuisine Jacob Grisham and Sous Chef Dan Powell bring skill and culinary creativity to Rock and Rye, crafting seasonally-inspired dishes.

Being surrounded by water, oysters from local providers are a staple in the selection Rock and Rye offers, along with showcasing oysters from around the country, bringing in varietals that are tough to come by in the Pacific Northwest. Rock and Rye is a true oyster lovers oasis.”

Ambiance: “Opened in summer of 2014, Rock and Rye Oyster House is one of the latest additions to Bellingham’s restaurant scene. Rock and Rye is located in the historical Herald Building downtown in Bellingham on State Street. The cultivated historical building lays the perfect framework for the refined yet familiar restaurant.

The exposed brick wall, high ceilings, hanging schoolhouse lights and dark wood finish all come together in the cozy atmosphere which encompasses the prime ambience for sipping on a whiskey and indulging in a plate of oysters or partaking in a pint and a house-cured pork belly carbonara, there is something for everyone.

Rock and Rye strives to be a contemporary casual restaurant offering a product that delivers quality, locally sourced ingredients integrating a big city feel while honoring our small town roots and the community that supports Bellingham.”

What I ordered: Being our first visit, we decided to sample a number of items including the Roasted Beet Salad ($9): roasted red and gold beets, grapefruit supremes, upland cress, goat cheese, cracked pepper,

Poutine ($9) – of course: house cut russets, duck gravy, pork belly, beeches cheese curds, scallions,

one cup of the weekly special Chanterelle Soup ($4): potato, chanterelles, gruyere, butter, cream, sage, sherry,

and, because we were at an oyster house, one cup of Oyster Chowder ($6): shiitake mushroom, taylor shelf-fish pacific oysters, cream, pork belly.

For the main entrée (mostly my husband), we shared the Fish & Chips ($14): fresh true cod, ginger beer batter, fries, smashed peas, malt vinegar tartar.

What I loved: The roasted beet salad was my favorite part of the entire meal, followed by the creamy chanterelle soup and the fries! The poutine, too, was perfectly decadent and satisfying.

Why I loved it: Food that tastes like it was created by people who love what they do and take pride in it.

Cost: Average to high ($14 – $27 per dinner entrée)

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