A hot find

Fuego 542's style sets it apart

Stacee Sledge

Sept 12, 2002 Like so many restaurants found on Mt. Baker Highway, Fuego 542 is a bit off the beaten path in both location and menu. I’m enamored of many eateries in those environs — Milano’s, Seven Loaves and Graham’s Restaurant — for the same reasons I’m now a fan of Fuego 542: interesting food, fabulous prices and a strong sense of community.

Open since May, Fuego 542 (named for the chef’s David Peterson’s interest in fiery foods and the restaurant’s locale on State Route 542) dwells in a renovated 1920s-era house that offers indoor eating as well as seating on the front porch and sizable back patio.

The décor mixes a vibrant ceiling mural by local artist Ramsey Rye and colorful glass artwork. On the night of our recent visit, music by Bob Marley and the Indigo Girls filled the cozy dining room, lined along one wall with long, narrow tables draped in white tablecloths. A red wood-burning stove, well-worn upholstered chair and a guitar rested against the wall that separates the dining room from the kitchen.

We were there to belatedly celebrate our friend Julie's birthday. I'd heard that food selection can change from day to day at the restaurant, so we weren't sure what to expect, but word of mouth led us to believe it would be worth the drive. That evening's menus were literally being printed out as we were seated. (Daily updates can be checked ahead by phone or at www.fuego542.com.)

Our server was outstanding. Friendly and informative, she was always quick to fill a half-empty glass of water or check that everything was as we wanted it.

Fuego 542

Location: 
7479 Mount Baker Highway,
Maple Falls 

Phone: 599-9800

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday

Serving: Intriguing Northwest cuisine made from
fresh local ingredients

Menu items sampled:  
Chicken fajitas $11 
BBQ grilled chicken pizza $8.50 
Southwest scampi pasta $12
Raspberry almond coffee cake $2.50
Peach blueberry almond crostata $3
Chocolate cracker torte $3.50

First came the house salad, served on a quirky square plate. Long strips of romaine lettuce were tousled with Fuego 542's exceptional blackened garlic and mustard vinaigrette, then topped with rough-chopped roma tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese. The dressing made the salad with its subtle melding of garlic and mustard. Two accompanying pieces of soft bread were fine, but would have been better suited to the salad if served with butter or baked to a crouton-like crispness.

I ordered the chicken fajitas, a beautifully presented mix of grilled chicken, red and green bell peppers, and onion finished with a seasoned fajita broth. Spiced just right, they were served with black beans, salsa, sour cream and two tortilla shells rolled attractively into a flower-like shape.

The only drawback: The plate was so full it was difficult to build each fajita without making a mess — though that's the kind of complaint one should welcome at a restaurant.

My husband chose the barbeque grilled chicken pizza, a thin dough topped with chicken, fresh-tasting tomato sauce, cilantro, red onions, roma tomatoes and cheddar and jack cheeses. The pizza was grilled rather than baked, adding crispness and smoky flavor.

As usual, he ate the entire thing and started thinking about dessert.

Julie went with the Southwest scampi pasta. None of us had ever seen a seafood pasta dish quite like it. Ten prawns peeked out of a busting-at-the-seams bowl of smooth penne pasta, entwined with sautéed garlic and chili peppers in a light Chardonnay and butter sauce.

The sauce was sublime. The only downside of the dish was the pasta, which was cooked well past al dente, but the sauce was more than enough to win us over.

Because the prices were so reasonable, we each chose a dessert. I enjoyed a slice of raspberry almond coffee cake set in a mix of chocolate and raspberry sauce, while Julie tried an impressive-looking peach, blueberry and almond crostata.

Michael, ever the chocolate lover, went with the chocolate cracker torte. The only disappointment was the omission of the promised fresh whipped cream on Julie's tart, but we barely noticed since everything else was divine.

Of all the impressive things about Fuego 542 — its beautiful locale, colorful artwork and welcoming staff — what dazzled me most was its revolving menu. The chef cooks what he wants, when the freshest ingredients are available, surprising patrons with a sometimes unexpected menu. Seems like the perfect recipe for a memorable dining experience.

The Fine Print: I dine on my own dime. The opinions herein are mine alone, not The Bellingham Herald's. Agree? Disagree? Please drop me a line at StaceeSledge@hotmail.com.

 

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