New Kirkland Restaurant!

Downtown Kirkland has been enjoying a new restaurant for the past couple of months: Café Harlequin, which opened its doors in late October, serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine made with mostly local and organic ingredients. General manager Larry Stepek says everything is prepared in-house, from the pastas and breads to the ketchup and mustard. The name "Harlequin" comes not only from the commedia dell'arte jester but also from the Harlequin duck. "I have a home in France and it's in the middle of duck country," Stepek says, "so I'm surrounded by people who raise ducks and produce all kinds of wonderful products." Your options are not limited to fowl, however. The menu covers a broad range of countries, including France, Italy, Spain, Lebanon, and Morocco, so there should be a little something for everyone.

In addition to live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, Stepek offers a nontraditional happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. nightly. "To encourage people to drink smartly, we give free food away rather than discounting drinks," he explains. "We'll offer things like appetizers and pizzas, and we also make our own potato chips, so we make them readily available for guests while they're enjoying themselves."

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