Review: The Fat Duck Inn Bed & Breakfast, Walla Walla, Wash.

A beautiful breakfast prepared by Chef Rich Koby of the Fat Duck Inn in Walla Walla, Wash.

Darling Husband and I rang in my 30th year with a trip to Walla Walla, Wash. - my favorite place in the whole world.

We were treated to cloudless azure skies, time spent with cousins, wine slushies in the dry heat and drives through fields where the wheat was still turning from green to glorious gold.

During previous visits, we had stayed with family, in Walla Walla at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, Best Western and in Dayton at the Weinhard Hotel.

Seeking something new, I decided to try our first bed and breakfast. The reviews for the Fat Duck Inn were great, so I called to book.

The fat Duck Inn provides a peaceful, quiet stay just a 10-minute walk from Main Street. Photo courtesy of TripAdvisor and the Fat Duck Inn.

The owners, Cynthia and Chef Rich Koby, are warm, welcoming hosts. When I called to book, Cynthia talked to me about the Gastro Bistro dinner at the property that would be held Friday night. Darling Husband loves to eat and I loved the idea of sitting at a giant table and getting to know other locals and guests, so I signed us up.

We checked in about 3 p.m. Friday for our two-night stay in Widgeon Suite. The property is located on a quiet, idyllic street dotted with Victorian homes and Craftsman bungalows. This is my favorite neighborhood in Walla Walla and it's just a 10-minute walk to Main Street.

Cynthia greeted us at the door and oriented us. We loved that she had a dog, a tiny yorkie, that acted as guard dog. The kitchen is the heart of this home. It had a seating area, dark cabinets with an artsy flair and shiny marble countertops that Chef Rich piled with food every morning.

Ringing in my 30th year with wine slushies at Plumb Cellars on Main Street in the 80-degree Walla Walla heat.

We brought champagne to share at the dinner (thanks, sis!), so we popped the bottle in the fridge and were led downstairs. Widgeon Suite is awesome because you get the entire basement. Plus, it was about 80-90 degrees outside this lovely June weekend, and I appreciated the cooler temperature down below.

The furnishings were comfortable, just like visiting the home of a friend you have known for years. Elegant chocolates on the bedside tables was a nice touch. The ceilings were low in the basement, but most people won't be affected because their husbands aren't six feet, seven inches tall.

Cheers to a beautiful dinner by Chef Rich! What a great group of Walla Walla natives and guests from Seattle and Portland, Ore. Photo courtesy of Missionary Cellars.

The Dinner

After an afternoon visiting old friends and enjoying peach and strawberry wine slushies at Plumb Cellars, we were ready to eat a delicious meal. We were not disappointed.

Our dinner party at 7 p.m. comprised of Walla Walla locals, partners of Missionary Cellars and guests from Seattle and Portland, Ore. Folks were friendly and interested in one another's company.

We were served four exquisite courses. We started with salad, chicken in puff pastry and a dab of white sauce served on a piece of wood from a wine barrel. Next, we had four brightly colored radishes with blue cheese and vinaigrette, followed by shredded spare ribs on smashed potatoes. The finale was a flourless chocolate cake with ice cream. Darling Husband said it was the most delicious ice cream he ever ate.

Muffins, fresh fruit and eggs from the oven for breakfast on our second day.

The Breakfast

Both breakfasts comprised of fresh, local fruit, chef-made granola, a pastry and an egg dish in a ramekin. One morning's pastry was a cinnamon-sugar, buttery, flaky puff. The next it was a chocolate muffin with blueberries and lavender topped with sea salt. The first egg dish was coddled eggs with cream and maple-smoked bacon. The next was a kind of souffle with potatoes and veggies.

Our breakfast feasts were paired with grandiose mugs of Walla Walla Roastery coffee enjoyed on the inn's front porch and out on the back patio. With breakfasts these grand and hearty served at 9 a.m., lunch does not become a priority and we actually skipped it one day.

Darling Husband enjoying breakfast on the back patio.

The Stay

The inn at nighttime was deliciously quiet, even during busy graduation weekend. I heard the folks in the room above us just once walking around. The inn and neighborhood were safe and comfortable and meeting the other guests was a real treat.

Verdict: I asked Darling Husband Sunday morning if he would rather stay at the Marcus Whitman or at the Fat Duck Inn in the future. His vote is the Fat Duck Inn because of the food, walkable neighborhood and peaceful night's sleep that comes with a full belly after a day of sipping Walla Walla wine.

Inspired by Rotie's large photo from this vantage point, I had to take my own. I love the gently rolling hills and the color-changing wheat driving into Waitsburg, Wash.