A couple of weeks ago on a Saturday night, M, J and I drove up to Pepin and had dinner at Harbor View. It was an absolutely gorgeous day so the drive up the river was beautiful. We got to the restaurant about 5:45 and found that we'd have to wait about an hour for a table. That's pretty standard for a Saturday night at Harbor View, which doesn't take reservations or credit cards. We wandered into the few stores that are still left in Pepin while we waited, then went back to the restaurant and sat in lawn chairs outside.
Harbor View's menu has a few items that are perennial, but most of it changes to fit whatever is freshest and best. They don't print menus, either. Entrees, usually a choice of ten or twelve items, are written up on a big blackboard, with dessert choices listed at the bottom. Bring your glasses! We felt a little like the waitress was rushing us to order, but she may have been trying to make up for the long wait for a table.
J & M both chose the chicken breast with roasted garlic and chipotle sauce, served with linguine. I tried a Moroccan-inspired chicken dish, saffron-braised chicken with preserved lemon, olives and roasted tomatoes. My chicken was fall-apart tender and the saltiness of the olives and preserved lemon was perfectly set off by the sweetness of the roasted tomato. It was a wonderful dish that seems like something I could easily re-create at home, if only I could find preserved lemons (or Meyer lemons so I can make my own). Of course I had to order dessert, as well, and the chocolate buttercream pie was a great ending to the meal.
Harbor View is one of our favorite places and seldom fails to delight, even though the wait can be long.
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