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Culinary Retreat

Arch Cape Inn & Retreat has created a dining experience that combines local and regional cuisine, artful presentations and an elegant setting, just minutes south of Cannon Beach.

Article ImageGary Hayes Arch Cape Inn and Retreat is a cozy, intimate and elegant bed and breakfast boutique, with attention to detail in every aspect. The restaurant is no exception. The Inn's proprietors, Stephen and Cynthia Malkowski, have created a restaurant that combines the finest offerings of the Oregon Coast with artful presentations in an elegant setting and you don't have to be a guest at the inn to secure a dinner reservation. At first glimpse of Arch Cape Inn, you may think you're in Provence. It's architecture is uniquely French Chateau meets the Pacific Northwest. The small dining room is dominated by tall windows that face formal gardens and the kitchen's own herb garden.

In opening the restaurant to the public, the Malkowski's aim was to offer a culinary experience fitting of the artistic and creative reputation of nearby Cannon Beach. Their decision to hire Chef Noah Kaufman was one of their careful choices to accomplish their vision. The Malkowski's enticed the Culinary Institute of America graduate to move to the West Coast from New York, where he worked as chef at an exclusive resort in the Catskills.

Daily menus are always based on the freshest and highest quality ingredients available regionally. "Chef Kaufman's artistry is a superior interpretation of what our local area has to offer by way of these amazing local food offerings," says Cynthia Malkowski. Kaufman looks to locally grown produce, locally sourced meats, seafood and cheeses and other sustainable foods to design his menus. "We don't pull an old menu or recipe out of the drawer when it's time to change the menu; we look at what is fresh right now and think about how to make what's good even better," says Kaufman. The Inn's kitchen garden provides herbs and greens year round, so he can step outside and choose what he needs to add freshness and piquancy to any night's offering.

Each night before dinner, the guests are offered an amuse-bouche, a single bite-sized hors d'oeuvre, compliments of the Chef. Today's yummy delight was salmon and faux caviar, with just the right combination of heat and sweet. Although Kaufman is a classically trained chef, he also employs modern and innovative techniques of molecular gastronomy. He is currently using a bacon froth in one of his dishes. "I mix bacon broth with soy lecithin powder and the froth that results is pure bacon-y flavor with the fat removed," he says.

Dinner at Arch Cape Inn is ordered from a prix fixe menu. Diners select from three to five choices for a first, second and dessert course at a set price, currently $49. Your decision may still be tough because all of the selections sound good. Pan seared scallops are featured on the current menu, served in a tomato dashi with basil oil. The perfectly balanced plate presentation has a stack of mildly seasoned spaghetti squash topped with wilted spinach and crispy shallots.

Balancing flavors is obviously his first priority, but Kaufman also likes his dishes to be artfully presented as well. His plates are typically designed with elegant balance and simplicity reminiscent of Asian art. Both in his plating and his approach to flavor profiles, Kaufman takes a minimalist approach. " I like to let the ingredients speak for themselves. For instance, if I make an English pea puree, it will not be heavy with cream and butter, but thickened with banana to let the taste of the peas come through.

"We felt that Chef Kaufman was the perfect choice to communicate both the Arch Cape Inn & Retreat experience and the North Oregon Coast experience," adds Cynthia. Kaufman, meanwhile, is enjoying his West Coast experience, "hiking, jogging and foraging especially," he says. Rounding out the picture of this Neo-Renaissance man, he is also a lifelong singer, having performed in choirs around the country. In Chef Kaufman's hands, dinner is certainly elevated to the level of culinary art, in flavor as well as presentation. Arch Cape Inn & Retreat, 31970 East Ocean Lane, Arch Cape, Oregon (800) 436-2848 - by Valerie Ryan with Gary Hayes

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  • Published in: Coast Explorer Spring 2011
  • Click to see other items about: Cannon Beach