I heard about this great family-owned restaurant in Bellingham, Washington, roughly six months ago, called Homeskillet. Some guy told me about it. At least, he told me they served really great food and that all of it was made by one cook. He said we should go, and then as commonly occurs among college-age kids, we just never went.

I've been intrigued by this place for quite awhile, and I regret not visiting sooner. So much so that today, hours after I've eaten at Homeskillet for the first time, I have to spread the word. All Bellinghamsters should know about this eclectic gem. I can't believe I've gone nearly four years living here and never even knew what I was missing.

Homeskillet runs along the same lines as The Little Cheerful on Railroad Ave, but I'd say it's better food in a worse location. Homeskillet is about a 15-minute walk north of the downtown bus station, off the corner of Kentucky and Humboldt, past a more industrial part of Bellingham. It's owned by a pair of true adventurers, and it tells their story on the front of the menu.

Tina and Kirby met as a pair of young chefs at a convention and then traveled the world tasting food. They cooked for a circus and became amateur elephant trainers before settling down and opening up their crazy little restaurant. Homeskillet's décor is as bright and bombastic as its owners and staff. Orange and green sherbert walls stand out against the drab neighborhood of Sunnyland. A beacon letting you know of the approaching warmth and energy of this place; as soon as you step through the door, you're wrapped in it. I couldn't stop smiling throughout the entire experience. I kept finding new amusing things among the décor, like a huge painting of a black and tan puppy giving the classic “puppy-dog eyes,” a brightly colored bust of a moose and a plastic Santa hiding halfway up the sky-blue fireplace.

We arrived an hour before closing (they close at 2 p.m. All you night owls will have to drag yourselves out of bed early to enjoy it), and they gave us the option of sitting at the bar. If you ever get that option, I'd highly suggest taking it. At the bar, you get a meal and a show. You can eat quietly, or engage in the energy brought by the awesome and unique staff. They would break into song randomly, whichever server enjoyed the song on the radio; they'd joke with you at the bar, and when taking our order, they guy at the bar asked me if I would allow my fiance to eat or if he should just be ignored, with a twinkle in his eye. I played along and we all had a good laugh. At the bar, you can watch the Kirbnado spin around his kitchen, whipping out each and every one of the meals that come through the order-window. Toward the end of the day, about 15 minutes before closing, a regular kept changing his order and Kirby and I shared a funny “what are you gonna do” moment.

This is a place for the lover of stories and people. If you're looking for mouthwatering homemade comfort food with a side of humor, you can't skip Homeskillet.