The Coastal Kitchen came highly recommended by the locals, so we tried it out as soon as conveniently possible. Located on a bustling street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the Coastal Kitchen is more upscale (quality and price) than the exterior might suggest.
We (myself, wife, 3-yr-old son, 4-month-old son) were seated promptly and pleasantly. The service throughout the meal was very lively and attentive but perhaps not quite as prompt as we would have liked since we were under a time constraint. This restaurant seems to have an interesting idea - a secondary menu, following a rotating theme. The current theme was "Buenos Aires," and the second menu featured upscale South American fare.
The waiter recommended calamari as an appetizer, and it was fantastic. Probably the lightest calamari I have ever had, it definitely tasted fresh and was seasoned very well. It came with a red pepper cream sauce instead of the traditional marinara, and the sauce worked well.
As for the main course, I had the grilled pork chops, my wife the portabello risoto, and my son the grilled cheese sandwich (no surprise there). My wife and I often compare our meals, and this time I was the winner - the pork chops were excellent. Heavily and sweetly glazed and grilled, any carnivore would salivate at these babies. My only complaint is that my meal was disturbed so often by my wife's requests for more of my entree. The accompanying mashed potatoes and broccolini were decent, and the carmelized onions were a nice touch. The portabello risoto was alright, certainly not bad, but we agreed that it was a bit "vinegary." Perhaps this is a local thing - we are accustomed to risoto being more "buttery." The grilled mushroom itself was very tender and juicy.
Overall we enjoyed the Coastal Kitchen, we just experienced a bit of a double-edged sword by going there with the kids. The food quality was very good (well, calamari and pork chops very very good and the risoto just ok), but the prices were commensurate and it took a bit longer than we had anticipated. If you are in the mood for good food, good adult conversation and good atmosphere, the Coastal Kitchen is definitely a place for you.
