Black Forest Restaurant, Bellingham

Okay...so...I've been hearing a little bit of negative stuff on the street about the new Black Forest Restaurant in Bellingham. I've been a huge fan of all of the Black Forest Restaurants in the northwest and Canada for as long as I can remember. Back in the 80's The Husband and I used to meet our Canadian friends at the Black Forest north of White Rock B.C. , before that my parents were such big fans of said restaurant that they were on a first name basis with Jack and Herbie.
I can't listen to somebody dissin' a restaurant like that without going there myself and forming my own opinion, that's not fair, I gotta give 'em a chance.
Tonight my sister and I gave them the chance they so deserve and let me tell you, they passed with flying colors...from the moment we walked in the door.
The hostess greeted us immediately and was very personable, she thought she recognized me but I had to tell her I'd never been there before. Okay...I'll admit, I'm approaching 50 and feeling a little invisible, so even mistaken recognition makes me feel a little better about my presence.
We didn't have time to have a full dinner so we chose to sit in the bar and have salad and appies.
There was no waiting around and looking for waitstaff, our server Kara was right there to greet us and take our drink order, she came back with menus. Sissie and I don't really need menus at the Black Forest but I think I spotted a few things on the Bellingham menu that aren't on the menu in Everson. The ceasar salad was perfect, Black Forest ceasar salad always makes me happy. The romaine was bite size, I know that sounds silly but I hate big hunks of lettuce that you have to fold and wrangle into your mouth...hellooo...sooo unladylike. The ceasar dressing at the Black Forest is crazy good, I've had the recipe in my bag of tricks for more than twenty years...but I would never share it. My mom gave it to me and she got it from her Black Forest friends, I just wouldn't feel right passing it on.
Sissy had the Prawns Tropaz appetizer and it just might have been better than Everson, we're crazy about the sauce on the Prawns Tropaz. Her prawns were swimming in that wicked rich stuff. She asked for a slice or two of their naughty-good bread so she could enjoy the rest of that incredible sauce. I have the Prawns Tropaz recipe too but you guessed it...not in my sharing file.
I ordered the Calamari with Aioli, The Husband and I almost always order calamari if we see it on a menu, it's something we share, a love of calamari...but the aioli has to be good. Once in a great while a restaurant will give me plain old mayo and try to pass it off as aioli....goofballs. The aioli at the Black Forest is great, it's a little heavy on the lemon but not in a bad way, it was lovely. The batter on the calamari is very light, batter is probably the wrong word...it's more of a dusted coating...yum.
So my friends, if you have heard those nasty rumors about the new Black Forest in Bellingham...don't believe it! Go there yourself and enjoy! If you sit in the bar and are lucky enough to have Kara for your waitress even better. Kara is charming and efficient, an absolute delight.