Pat and Ken Remine, of Shelton, Wash., sit down to lunch and a glass of wine at JP's at Cannon Beach.

Bill Pappas is the maestro of JP’s (“just Pappas”) in Cannon Beach. Together with his wife, Diana, and their seven children, Chef Pappas has orchestrated meals for locals and visitors since the mid 1990s. “Big chef – big food,” is how one friend described him. Backed by the warmth of open flames, juggling sizzling skillets, you will find Pappas busy cooking behind the counter of his open kitchen each night.

Located at the north end of Cannon Beach, in the space formerly occupied by Osburne’s Grocery and Delicatessen, east-facing windows at JP’s capture light throughout the day and evening hours. Purple walls and high ceilings lighted with hanging bronze and glass lamps create a peaceful, romantic atmosphere. The restaurant also has great acoustics (something hard to find these days). It is so refreshing to be able to talk intimately at your table without the distraction of outside noise.

While some friends consistently rave about the food at JP’s, my experiences over the years have been hit and miss. After reading reviews on the Internet, I’ve learned that others have shared my experience. Some people raved about the restaurant, while others felt it was overpriced and they had mixed reviews on their meals.

When Coast Weekend’s former restaurant reviewer raved about JP’s stracotta al borolo, a New York steak smothered in a rich red wine sauce made with mushrooms, garlic, onions and tomatoes, I couldn’t wait to try it. But when I did (several years ago), my steak was tough and chewy and the sauce tasted like canned marinara sauce flavored with dried onion soup. I was even more disappointed with the Caesar salad – described on the menu as “fresh romaine hearts tossed with a rich and tangy Caesar dressing and Parmesan cheese, with homemade croutons and tomato.” I recently gave the Caesar salad another chance and am sad to report that the notes from my first tasting still hold true. I denoted nothing rich, tangy or even remotely resembling anchovies in the dressing. The lettuce was chopped and the dressing tasted like bottled Italian dressing. Also, tomatoes do not belong on a Caesar salad. For me, Caesar salad is a litmus test for restaurants. This one failed.

On a high note: Baked duck served with marionberry-whiskey barbecue sauce was delicious. It was rich, crisp and meaty with notes of lavender. Thick, creamy and full of fresh vegetables and seafood, clam and salmon chowder and seafood chowder are top notch. Halibut Noisette, crusted with toasted hazelnuts, with baby new potatoes, sautéed red and yellow peppers and a sweet raspberry cream sauce was fresh and perfectly grilled.

Home-baked yeasty bread and freshly made pastas are some of JP’s specialties. Ravioli cappaletta, a feather-light, ricotta cheese-filled ravioli flavored with sundried tomatoes and garlic in a creamy tarragon sauce was outstanding – the ultimate comfort food. The menu boasts that JP’s chicken cordon bleu is “the best version of this classic in the Northwest.” I disagree. Wrapped around a flavorful filling of Swiss cheese and ham, the golden chicken breast was moist and juicy – but the “special Madeira sauce” was so salty and bitter that it detracted from the dish. Sides of sautéed yellow squash with zucchini and dried-out rice were lackluster.

If you order a spicy, savory dish, I highly recommend the Sokol Blosser Meditrina ($6.75 a glass) – a flavorful blend of pinot noir, zinfandel and syrah with notes of black pepper, dark cherry and marionberry with brisk tannins.

JP’s menu features a nice variety of appetizers, chowders, soups and salads, plus entrees including seafood, chicken, steaks and pasta. When he’s not too busy, Chef Pappas also offers the house specialty “If Dish.” As he writes on the menu, “If you desire and aspire for something great, if I’m not too busy and it’s not late, if you have the time and an empty plate, come talk to me . . . Let’s create!”

Desserts, made in-house, include a rich chocolate-fudge cake with a marionberry cheesecake filling, a cappuccino ice cream torte and a bread and butter custard topped with brandy cream anglaise, among others.