‘Comfort food at its best’ owner says

Robin’s Place

Location: 300 E. Washington St., Sequim

Phone: 681-5124

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday

It’s “Junuary” days that bring out the craving for comfort food. At Robin’s Place, owner and chef Robin Brown can satisfy that yearning in her new restaurant next to the Co-op Farm and Garden with such favorites as meatloaf with mashed potatoes, lasagna and garlic bread or corned beef and cabbage.

Brown’s appreciation for preparing food has deep roots — her parents owned a four-star resort in the Adirondack Mountains in upper New York state and she began making the restaurant’s bread from scratch when she was 9 years old. As a young woman, she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and has had a solid career in catering and as a private chef.

When the cozy and compact restaurant seating 18 became available to rent, the 59-year-old jumped at the chance.

“I’ve wanted to own my own restaurant since I was 10. Cooking is my passion because it’s an art, it’s creative and it makes me feel good. I’m like a kid in a room full of LEGOs but my LEGOs are the spices and herbs I use,” Brown said, noting that she grows her own organic herbs.

For a small eatery, Robin’s Place has a diverse menu featuring soups, poor boys, hot and cold sandwiches, custom deli sandwiches, sides and daily meal and sandwich specials — all eat-in or to go.

“It’s comfort food at its best. It’s all made from scratch and nothing’s deep-fried,” Brown said. “We offer a vegetarian and vegan menu and quite a bit of gluten-free food. We make our baked goods from scratch here and the gluten-free desserts. As a private chef, I worked with people on special diets — gluten-free people have a real hard time eating out.”

Brown said the diversity of her menu is what makes Robin’s Place stand out.

“My soups also follow that, such as my African peanut soup, and I make a lot of spicy food, like Cajun Chicken Andouille Sausage with red beans and rice. Now there are some people who come in every Thursday for it,” Brown said.

There’s a children’s menu and soon, Brown said, she’ll add an after 3 p.m. dinner menu.

Brown said she also is proud of the quick and attentive service from her four-person staff. For the fastest service, call in your order, Brown advised.

“Our prices are quite reasonable and our sandwiches are all a la carte,” she said.

As for daily specials, it’s pick your pleasure, then pick your day. Mondays are meatloaf and mashed potatoes, a house burger or a tempeh (soy) burger; Tuesdays are corned beef and cabbage, grilled falafel patties or a cold meatloaf sandwich; Wednesdays are spaghetti marinera or Swiss turkey avocado/bacon melt; Thursdays are spicy Cajun chicken andouille sausage, garlic herb polenta or hot Italian melt; Fridays are the seafood platter, hummus pita or chicken salad sandwich; and Saturdays are lasagna, garlic herb polenta or grilled cheese bacon tomato.

Hot sandwiches include reuben, steak and cheese, pastrami and tempeh. There are three cold subs and three melts daily or build your own deli sandwich. Sides available are potato salad, pasta salad, Nappa slaw and green salads. Poor boys are submarine sandwiches featuring oysters, prawns or salmon accented with lemon garlic aioli. Gluten-free options are found in homemade baked goods including cornbread, cookies and bars.

“I definitely love what I do,” Brown said.