Occasionally, I head to a certain restaurant just to partake of a specific meal. A sausage and cheese scramble at Corpeny’s in Seaside and any of the luscious panini from Bread and Ocean in Manzanita come to mind. As does burger night at The Depot in Seaview, Wash., where I can choose from a plethora of trimmings and customize my patty.

Following are a half dozen other extraordinary repasts I can’t live without for long.

Clam tide

Any Thursday evening at Fulio’s (1149 Commercial St., Astoria, (503) 325-9001) is a food event to point for, the sole night unlimited steamers are on the menu. Countless yummy Manila clams are served soaking in their own nectar, the dominant ingredient in a sublime broth that’s enhanced with herbs, seasonings and mass quantities of butter.

Even after I’ve transferred all the empty shells included in my initial order into another container – and more bivalves are on the way – I’m still spearing tender tidbits of clam meat with a fork from the bottom of the bowl and slurping the excess liquid (sometimes I request an order of bread for dipping). A tidy house salad is part of this $15 all-you-can-eat bargain.

Korean comfort food

Don’t look for fancy-dancy food at Kim’s Kitchen (575 E. Harbor Drive, Warrenton, (503) 861-4314), a little gem of ethnicity fronting Warrenton’s mooring basin. Instead, expect robust orders of beef bulgoki, pork chap chae noodle stir fries and giant slabs of halibut and in-season local salmon cooked and served by the restaurant’s namesake, Kim Fuhrmann.

Two favorite pre-parations are tempura vegetables and a shrimp stir fry; for me, they’re the yin and yang of Furhmann’s culinary repertoire. The former is, literally, a mound of carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, onions and what not, coated with a delicate batter and fried golden brown and temptingly crunchy. Downing this dish is akin to eating vegetable candy (and only slightly more healthy). A large order ($7.50) will easily occupy a trio of finger-food fanatics.

Conversely, the shrimp stir fry ($16) is healthy as can be, brimming with all manner of red, green and orange vegetables. A side of white rice lends substance, while a small bowl of the fiery Korean condiment kimchee, concocted with fermented cabbage, zucchini and lots of chili peppers, adds a substantial kick. When I’m feeling too healthy about my meal at Kim’s, I add a cinnamon-rich apple dumpling a la mode for dessert ($4.50).

Crepes supreme

Soups at the Columbian Cafe (1114 Marine Drive, Astoria, (503) 325-2233) range from borscht to vegetable bisque, and chef Uriah Hulsey’s smoked salmon, sturgeon and grilled ahi dinners tossed with homemade pastas are unsurpassed. But for me, this teensy cafe’s calling card is a crepe concocted with steamed broccoli, sauteed mushrooms and jack cheese ($9). Hulsey meticulously folds all the fixings into an ethereally thin, made-to-order crepe. The result, sprinkled with grated Parmesan and topped with a dollop of sour cream and lightly flavored with oregano, is as fine a lunch entree as I’ve enjoyed anywhere.

Craving quesadillas

Fast food is sometimes the right choice, especially when it’s Tex-Mex a couple cuts above what’s served at the national chains. Locally, vegetarian quesadillas from The Stand (109 N. Holladay Drive, Seaside, (503) 738-6592) fill the bill. A made-daily flour tortilla is grilled, then stuffed with an bounty of mushrooms, bell peppers, grilled zucchini, celery and sprouts. Melted jack and cheddar cheeses and zippy house salsa, served on the side, seal the deal. Scrumptious and simple, this almost-too-big-to-handle “dilla” costs $4.25, one of the finest fast food options around.

Pizza with pizzazz

I once motored 185 miles round-trip for a pizza in northwest Portland, years before there were excellent alternatives at the beach. Now my there-and-back drive is only 30 miles, from Astoria to Pacific Way Bakery & Cafe (601 Pacific Way, Gearhart, (503) 738-0245). Pizzas here vary from a basic three-cheese (mozzarella, chevre and Parmesan) to a local favorite Thai chicken slathered with a pungent peanut sauce enhanced by sweet peppers and green onions. But my hands-down choice is the tomato-basil ($21.25 for a large), a doughy, chewy crust brushed with olive oil and chopped garlic, topped with melted mozzarella, grated parmesan and a smidgen of basil pesto, then crowned with sundried and roma tomatoes. Even with sky-high gas prices, the aroma alone is worth the drive. If I opt for take-out, the biggest challenge is not devouring the pizza before I reach home.

First-rate fish ‘n chips

Like many coasties, I’ve savored numerous fish ‘n chip lunches and dinners at The Ship Inn (1 Second St., Astoria, (503) 325-0033), long the local standard for British-style deep-fried seafood and fries. But I enjoy the fare at Little Ocean Annie’s (794 U.S. Highway 101, Chinook, Wash., (360) 777-8387) even more. An attention grabber, the eatery (an annex of The Sanctuary restaurant) is decked with historic photos and nautical paraphernalia – block and tackles, international signal flags and the like. The calamari and fish combo ($7.95 to $8.95) comes heaped with masses of tender rings of squid, moist chunks of cod and assorted “squiggles,” all lightly breaded, kissed with seasonings and quick-fried in canola oil. Orders arrive with unsalted fresh-cut fries and some mighty fine vinaigrette-sweetened slaw.

Contact the Mouth at The Daily Astorian, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103, phone (503) 325-3211 or e-mail mouth@dailyastorian.com