<p>Bacon-wrapped filet mignon.</p>

The Warren House Pub in Cannon Beach sits on the original homestead site of William and Emma Warren, and the cozy pub seems to reflect the history and charm of the bygone days of the Oregon coast. With its warm wooden interior, friendly service and hand-crafted ales not to mention a wonderful ocean view the Warren House Pub is an ideal choice for a casual meal enjoyed in the company of friends.

I began my recent visit with the soup of the day: tangy cilantro lime soup, which was vegan and gluten-free. The soup was chock-full of tender vegetables, and pleasantly flavored with cumin for a southwestern taste. The soup was a bit spicy for my liking, but I was impressed with it on the whole, and I appreciate a soup of the day that can cater to those with dietary concerns. I might suggest the Warren House try a second iteration of the soup as a different daily special for meat lovers, and simply add chicken and perhaps top it with cheese; the same soup, two ways.

A house salad arrived next with organic greens and vegetables, sunflower seeds, chick peas, and kalamata olives. I appreciate the nuance of this salad; these are not your run-of-the-mill greens with a handful of veggies, but rather an artfully prepared mélange of robust flavors. Sunflower seeds and chickpeas also provide a little punch of protein, something I dont usually expect from a side salad, and if one paired it with the soup du jour, they would have a tasty, filling and healthy meal.

When I am out reviewing restaurants, I always take into consideration whether I could prepare the dish better at home. In the case of my first appetizer, the Warren House homemade salsa with chips, I believe I could make it identically. I mean that as a compliment; their salsa tastes exactly the same as the one I usually prepare, and I was pleased to taste what is a good salsa (without having to do any of the work myself). The tomatoes tasted fresh, and they married well with red onion, cilantro and lime juice. I should note that there is a distinction between salsa and salsa cruda, which is what the Warren House is serving; salsa means sauce and is often cooked to a thicker consistency, while salsa cruda features crude raw ingredients. Salsa cruda is similar in texture to pico de gallo (roosters beak).

I was equally pleased with the barbecue crow wings I sampled next: chicken wings smothered in barbecue sauce and served with bleu cheese, carrots and celery. The wings were tender and flavorful and not as spicy as traditional hot wings. Bleu cheese dipping sauce is typically included with hot wings as a means of cooling down the wings, but in this case it was not necessary. I found that the smoky barbecue flavor of the wings stood up well on its own, and though the bleu cheese dipping sauce, on its own, was also quite good, they didnt play well off of one another. No matter though, as I simply ate the wings by themselves quite happily.

As a first entrée I selected an 8-ounce filet mignon wrapped in pepper bacon and topped with grilled cremini mushrooms and horseradish sauce with red potatoes. Filet mignon (French for cute fillet or dainty fillet) is a cut of beef from the smaller end of the tenderloin, and is therefore more highly valued for its soft, tender texture. Unfortunately I found the steak itself relatively flavorless, and it was served to me well done rather than medium, as I had requested. The bacon and mushrooms didnt seem to add very much character either, and I relied on the horseradish sauce in order to make the steak more palatable. This is not what I would usually expect from a filet mignon. The red potatoes also didnt seem to be seasoned very well, and they were not quite fork tender, which made them difficult to eat.

I enjoyed the next entrée prawns sautéed in wine, butter and garlic and served with garlic mashed potatoes much more. The prawns were cooked perfectly, and the garlic mashed potatoes were simple, rustic and tasty.

While on the whole I enjoyed the dishes from the Warren House Pub, Id like to make a note that I think their presentation on the plate could be improved. The salsa was served in the middle of a large platter with a few handfuls of chips, not enough to fill the plate, making it look sparse, and the chips were sliding all over when our server approached us. What about a funky basket lined with paper for the chips? While most of the dishes I sampled seemed perfectly ample in size, for the most part they were served on dishware that was too big, making the portions seem small and the presentation seem lacking. This in no way is a reflection of the quality of the food, but it has been said that we eat with the eyes first.