A chef's cool garden

When the chefs at Café Pinceau want fresh herbs and garnishes, all they have to do is step out of the kitchen and into the garden behind the restaurant in Edmonds, Washington.

Restaurant owner Henry Arce, who developed the cafe's Cajun-influenced recipes, also grows edible flowers, including calendulas, pansies, and violas. He describes them as "the confetti that colors the salads."

You can visit the garden any time. Café Pinceau serves lunch and dinner. One wing of the restaurant is devoted to live blues bands 9 to midnight Thursday through Saturday and 6 to 9 Sunday. As Arce says, "Food, blues, and gardens ― that's what we're about." 11:30-9 Tue-Thu, until 10 Fri-Sat. 610 Fifth Ave. S.; (425) 775-0199.