So I finally got to try this new place over on Vashon Island. Ferrara is a new restaurant downtown V.I., offering Italian-inspired food from as many local ingredients as they can get their hands on. Seriously, after I complimented the quails eggs, the general manager said they came from his quail. Then he said that the creme fraiche came from goats on the island and the chives from the owners’ backyard. They have people bringing them heirloom radicchio, mid summer tomatoes, and every obscure herb under the sun.

So while everyone sprinkles their menus with “local,” “artisan,” “house made,” et al.–these guys really, really, really mean it. Really. The fresh horseradish cream under my beet salad knocked me out. Fresh horseradish is something you should do for yourself sometime. The perfectly cooked tenderloin of prime Angus beef comes from the island’s Misty Isles farms. (It is so choice.) But I was actually too into my roasted corn and ricotta mezza luna (ravioli, just shaped like a moon) with the teensiest, tiniest little wild mushrooms. All from the island, natch.

The one wierd thing about the place? They don’t dig on swine. Now, I could be a hard ass and say without pork, you can’t do Italian. But…I’ll let it slide for now. I was too knee deep in gluttony to ask the hard questions. Plus they make it up to you with crispy braesola. Also because the night we were there, there was another bacon in the house, Kevin Bacon. His sister lives there or something. I’m not a fawner for the celebrities, so I’ll refrain from telling you what he ate. But he looked great, dahling.

What if they ensorceled Kevin Bacon and made him the maitre d’? Then they could say, “I’m sorry madame, we don’t serve pork or pork products, but we do have bacon, Kevin Bacon. Kevin, will you show them to their table?” I think people would like that.