SEASIDE – Often are the times I don’t have an agenda when I go out to eat. Sometimes, especially weekdays during the fall and winter, I just drive around looking for a place that’s open, knowing I won’t likely need a reservation. It was during one of these very ventures that I came upon Maggie’s on the Prom, located just between residential neighborhoods and tall hotels.

Upon first glance, the menu seems to suffer from “around-the-world” syndrome: many different dishes and ingredients from incongruent, faraway places. This rarely works, but Maggie’s gets it right. The chef is merely keeping the menu of fresh local ingredients fun with a little fusion here and there. The opposite of pandering to everyone, Maggie’s offers the gratuitous seafood options, then dares you to try its more adventurous fare, such as prawns in Thai basil black bean sauce and duck breast in cumin and garlic Caribbean mojo sauce. I’ve not seen these dishes elsewhere in this area.

I tried all of the appetizers and found little to complain about. The Northwest crab cakes ($12.75) were delicious, and although the dill aioli was good too, I found no need for it – the sign of a good cake. The presentation was pleasantly underwhelming. A nice plate, two crab cakes, a dollop of aioli toward one corner. I was impressed with the chef’s restraint and use of negative space. Curried oysters with ponzu (a citrus soy) dipping sauce ($11.25) seemed a strange take on the ubiquitous appetizer of pan-fried oysters, but I found it to be a refreshing change from the ordinary. Neither the mild curry nor the salty-tart ponzu overpowered the delicate flavor of the oysters, which I expected them to. I rarely enjoy being wrong. The wild mushroom gratin ($12.50) – mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic and bleu cheese served in a brûlée dish with crusty baguette slices on the side, was very good, but a little expensive for what it is. Some truffle oil drizzled on just before serving would justify the price and make it perfect. Potted Montechevre ($11.75) was the richest of all. Soft, slightly warmed goat cheese is layered with basil leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, with more baguette to spread it on. I had this dish before, years ago in Manzanita. It’s a lovely homage, but the clear rocks glass it was served in took some of the fun out of digging for the pockets of sweet, whole roasted garlic cloves and other unseen treasures.

One of my favorite dishes at Maggie’s was a pasta. The wild mushroom penne ($16.25) contained lots of sauteed fresh wild mushrooms, caramelized onions and Manchego cheese tossed with perfectly cooked pasta over plate-wilted spinach and balsamic syrup. Although I found this dish to be spendy for its ingredients, the melange of flavors came together in a most symphonic way, and after so many poor pasta dishes these last few months (many of which I found equally overpriced), it was wonderful to see it done right.

I was taken aback to discover pork schnitzel ($16) on a coastal menu, but equally intrigued, I had to order it. Perfectly tender and crisp, my only wish was for more color on the panko crust. The pallid hue did not do the flavor justice. The pear compote seemed like a good idea but proved a little too sweet. Two starch choices are available with this fall menu: scalloped potatoes or rice pilaf. I loved both, and I never like restaurant rice, Mexican and Asian restaurants notwithstanding.

An order of pan-seared sea scallops ($19.25) was perfectly prepared. Cooked about medium, with a nice surface browning and fresh, sweet flavor, my only complaint lay with the foot muscle that the kitchen failed to detach from each scallop.

Fresh wild salmon ($24) came wrapped in a corn husk with a smoky, sweet and slightly spicy corn relish. Another bullseye. Perfectly cooked green beans and light-ochre spaghetti squash were subtly seasoned and paired well with the salmon. Compared to the appetizer plates, those used for entrees are plain and unworthy of their cargo. The chef deserves some nice new dishware to better showcase his food.

A Grand Marnier crème brûlée ($4.50) proved to be the perfect ending on the visit I had room for dessert.

I have mixed feelings about the dining room at Maggie’s on the Prom. Part of the room serves as the front desk, and on one occasion the loud phone was left to ring and ring and ring. Also, the fluorescent lights above the bar area spill out onto several tables, nullifying the fireplace’s warm, natural glow. And when the dining room is nearly empty, as it was on each of my visits, you can hear a pin drop, which makes private conversation difficult at times and staff banter unknowingly audible. However, wonderful food and service redeem all of these shortcomings.

– The Mouth