It's been especially warm this Holiday season and we are a family that
doesn't like to miss out on an opportunity to take advantage of the
balmy nights and warm sunny days, especially here on the northern coast
where the weather can be fickle. We set off on a back roads Sunday drive
towards Bodega beach, out among the lazy rolling hills and cow strew
pastures. My youngest daughter suggested we make a short detour to
Tomales along hwy one and the Hog Island Oyster company for some lunch. Now, if
you're not familiar with Tomales Bay and the various competing oyster
farms you're missing out on one of life's sweet delights. The inlet bay of
Tomales lends itself to some of the richest breeding grounds for
different types of oysters. The Koyomoto, the sweet waters and the larger varieties all amazing and simply delicious.
The Hog Island Oyster company has reserved itself a favorite spot right there on the bay between Tomales and Pt. Ryes with a vantage point for viewing the entire Bay of Tomales. We drove up and instantly recognized that they were indeed busy. (suggestion: make reservations ahead of time, it will ensure you a bay side table with a view and maybe some $$ on shucking)
Cars were parked along the highway for a good 1/4 mile each way and the valets were skirting across the street frantically looking for spacing to park the oncoming cars. We happened upon a spot that was recently vacated and close to the entrance. The buildings which make up Hog Island are indeed rustic and possessed by that distressed look and the grounds themselves just littered and covered with freshly shucked shells making them white and iridescent, like you're walking on a frosted flakes. They are currently doing a complete make over of the operations by adding tanks and expanding the picnic area so the ambiance isn't what it could be.
Nevertheless, we found ourselves in the company of some delightful folks from Orinda, who were gracious enough to share their table with us. They were BBQ'n oysters and we were eating ours raw. The younger kids were having a ball running around the shore line chasing sea birds or up near the patio throwing bean bags into holes. The entire picnic area was bustling with an international flare, from German being spoken over the Italian and Greek spliced into the Spanish, you could have been anywhere in the world but you were certainly grateful that you were right where you were.
One of the most enjoyable afternoons spent in recent memory.
The Hog Island Oyster company has reserved itself a favorite spot right there on the bay between Tomales and Pt. Ryes with a vantage point for viewing the entire Bay of Tomales. We drove up and instantly recognized that they were indeed busy. (suggestion: make reservations ahead of time, it will ensure you a bay side table with a view and maybe some $$ on shucking)
Cars were parked along the highway for a good 1/4 mile each way and the valets were skirting across the street frantically looking for spacing to park the oncoming cars. We happened upon a spot that was recently vacated and close to the entrance. The buildings which make up Hog Island are indeed rustic and possessed by that distressed look and the grounds themselves just littered and covered with freshly shucked shells making them white and iridescent, like you're walking on a frosted flakes. They are currently doing a complete make over of the operations by adding tanks and expanding the picnic area so the ambiance isn't what it could be.
Nevertheless, we found ourselves in the company of some delightful folks from Orinda, who were gracious enough to share their table with us. They were BBQ'n oysters and we were eating ours raw. The younger kids were having a ball running around the shore line chasing sea birds or up near the patio throwing bean bags into holes. The entire picnic area was bustling with an international flare, from German being spoken over the Italian and Greek spliced into the Spanish, you could have been anywhere in the world but you were certainly grateful that you were right where you were.
One of the most enjoyable afternoons spent in recent memory.