It started with a book and a vision, and led to a collaboration that has brought a new dining venue and a new type of cuisine to Orcas.

Ecotopian, the Eastsound restaurant that opened the first week of January, is named for the 1975 novel and environmental classic by Ernest Callenbach, about a fictional new country where the citizens seek a balance between themselves and nature.

“The main point of the book is sustainability and solidarity within the community,” Ecotopian co-owner Susan Allred said. “It is about dependence on local produce and local products and the support of the local economy.”

The restaurant serves organic greens, free-range eggs, meat, and poultry. They make their own breads, crackers, and desserts. They will cook fresh and seasonally and use local producers as much as possible.

Longtime Orcas residents Allred and Reed Goodrich are co-owners and partners in the restaurant and shared a vision of it being both a restaurant and an entertainment venue. They want to use the space to provide regular dances for the community and everything from poetry to rock n’ roll and comedy to jazz. Their vision for Ecotopian was that it would be both a restaurant and a center for free expression, entertainment and education, Allred said.

The collaboration extended to the hiring of manager Carol McKinstry, who wrote a business plan for the wine bar and restaurant. McKinstry said she felt it was important for the new restaurant to add to the mix on Orcas instead of duplicating what was already being offered, and she came up with the tapas and wine bar menu.

The restaurant and wine bar serve a tapas menu of small meals. Executive Chef Nick Goodrich and McKinstry developed the tapas menu, which includes seafood, poultry and vegetarian dishes.

“The tapas, or half-meals, have become a cuisine onto themselves,” McKinstry said. “The presentation of the plate is artistically done. Each is designed so that all the ingredients serve the theme of that particular dish. The idea is to share the dishes. We wanted to offer something that is elegant and affordable to the Orcas community.”

McKinstry said the wine menu reflects the same quality and affordability with highly regarded wines at a broad range of price points.

Allred has lived on Orcas for more than 25 years. Reed has lived here on and off since 1966. McKinstry has lived on Orcas for 23 years.

Allread says they are building a talent pool of Orcas performers and those interested in being considered should drop off a resume. The Ecotopian Wine Bar is currently open from Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight. The restaurant closes at 10 p.m.