The Calico Cupboard, in Mount Vernon and also in LaConner, has been a favorite lunch spot for years on my visits to the Skagit Valley. But I don't think I'll be back. While I recognize inflation has driven restaurant prices up, even before the pandemic...CC was getting very pricy. And now it's ridiculous: $18 for a turkey sandwich, with potato chips on the side -- no cup of soup or small salad. The ratio of turkey and filling to bread was disappointing. The flavorful elements of the sandwich -- chive cream cheese and cranberry chutney -- were so thin that the sandwich was bland. The service, too, left a lot to be desired. Though it was a busy lunchtime during Tulip Festival, the restaurant was buzzing with staff. Yet it took ages for anyone to pay attention to us -- servers and water fillers would zip past but not catch an eye, nor stop to actually refill water or coffee. We wanted to order pie after our sandwiches, but no one ever came back to check on us, so I finally had to ask for our bill, and we just paid and left. Calico Cupboard is resting on its laurels, but it's been a disappointment the last couple times I have come.More





























