First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for all the customers supporting the UpCountry. It is a delight to see all of you.
I use this Facebook page, Instagram and the restaurant blog page to provide business hours, post food pictures and share other information with customers. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or requests, please contact the restaurant directly. I would love to talk to you.
Although I haven’t claimed the restaurant account on other social media, I do occasionally see that many of you have left kind reviews on social media. Thank you.
Recently, I have noticed that some people come to the UpCountry based on those reviews, and I would like to introduce the restaurant so people know what to expect.
I created the UpCountry in 2016 with the intention of providing meals created from locally sourced ingredients (organic whenever possible) that are free from preservatives and additives at a reasonable price. I do not have investors. I did this from my own personal funds, and the restaurant is not intended to be a fine dining experience.
I built out the space by myself and, with the exception of major construction items like wiring and plumbing, I personally did everything from the layout to painting and decorating. The bamboo flatware holders are from the bamboo in my front yard. The barn sketches on the wall were gifted to me by a friend.
From procuring ingredients to cooking, taking orders and washing the dishes, I do everything by myself to make everything is as genuine and fresh as possible while keeping costs down. The seating area is an L-shaped counter with eleven seats. I created the layout so that people feel like they have come to my home and are eating at my kitchen counter. There are no tables because it would be impossible for me to attend to my guests and cook while running back and forth.
When I serve galettes, I make them from organic buckwheat flour grown and milled in Skagit Valley. When I make orecchiette, I start from flour not from dried pasta. I make my own sauerkraut and kimchi from raw vegetables. Whether I’m serving a gâteau Basque, a New York-style cheesecake or a croissant, it is something I have made from scratch.
For wine, I offer a select list of small-production French and Italian wines from winemakers that use traditional techniques without manipulation. I enjoy sharing my love of Old Country wines with my customers. I try to choose wines made from grapes cultivated with natural techniques—no insecticides or herbicides—so that the land stays healthy, and I focus on qualities such as hand-picked grapes and minimal/no sulfates.
Each day, I create a new menu. In more than three years, I have probably repeated a couple of entrées, but I always try to have something new that is evenly balanced in flavor and substance. The menu has two entrées with typically one appetizer and one dessert. I prepare everything based on reservations for the day, but sometimes a dish will sell out.
Above all, I want to present my customers with the natural goodness of Skagit Valley ingredients. I minimize the use of seasonings so that the inherent flavors of each ingredient can shine. The foods in the Valley are a blessing.
I truly hope my customers enjoy their meals and bask in the bounty of the Skagit Valley.
I look forward to seeing you at the UpCountry.
—Hiroki