Rhododendron Cafe

I one day will try the food here - but so as long as Tweets is down the street it'll be tough trying something new as I'm addicted to Tweets...

However - Rhododendron Cafe... you have ruined me in a good way.  All my life I grew up eating so-called "mint ice cream" out of a box.  Light green in color, minty in taste.  And I was satisfied nonetheless!  Until I came here and tried REAL mint ice cream.
Cold, cool, refreshing.  Its like a blast of actual mint leaves in your mouth.  A bit bitter the first bite as it takes a few bites for your taste buds to adjust to what is real mint.  The next following bites are heavenly - sweet - fresh - crisp.  Amazing.
I can no longer eat the pastel green junk they sell at the store.  I will never eat mint ice cream any other way than the Rhododendron Cafe way.

Thank you for opening my eyes!!!!

p.s. call ahead to make sure they have mint in stock and ice cream made!!! it is seasonal!

Isn't the whole point of an excursion to Chuckanut Drive to do a little time travel?  

This twisty coastal path was once part of the great Pacific Coast Highway that stretched across the entire West Coast of the U.S. from Washington to California. Today you can still taste the sea spray and soak up incredible views of the Olympic Mountain range and the San Juan islands.  That is, when you are not getting carsick from all the tight turns and switchbacks.

As for time travel, the Rhododendron Cafe looks to be possibly an original stop on the road, that been renovated over the years.  It serves up colorful, traditional fare in an old 30s roadside spot, decorated with hippie fabulous color and mixed with 30s verve.

We ate in the front cafe, a traditional diner with framed needlepoint of the "Rhody Robin", wood tables and food steaming out of the nearby kitchen.  The back of the restaurant boasts a windowed expansion that is all indoors, and old enough renovation to be wood panelled, but which looks out over a blooming (this time of year) garden full of colorful rhododendron.   .

The fare is fair, but all homemade.  We enjoyed the cardamon coffee cake, fresh made child's plate of waffles, and the traditional eggs benedict with thick slabs of ham.  They also offer a very subtly flavored crab benedict, but based on taste, we prefer the ham version.

Friendly local staff and a nice traditional, but funky, diner experience.  If you haven't explored Edison and Bow, and driven down Chuckanut Drive, get in your car next weekend and head North!  Its a cross between Big Sur, Marin and the Pacific Northwest in our book.

Overpriced and under-seasoned. From the previous reviews I had high hopes for the restaurant. I had the Greek Pasta dish and found that for $15 I was paying for a plate of over-cooked penne noodles and a very small amount of vegetables mixed in. Other dishes may be better but I so not plan on returning to find out.