Friendly service, excellent food & drinks.
Another from this road trip:
Archives for category: Food & Drink
Several years have passed since our last road trip. Over the weekend, we traveled from the Keystone ferry terminal to Ocean Shores and back.
Ferry thoughts here:
Occasionally looking for the Coupeville Ferry
Another round trip ferry crossing. No security screening at either terminal.
On occasion, the press will do a story on a ferry security drill.
Question for newspeople:
If the Oklahoma City bomber rolls onto the ferry- how does the SWAT team help out an hour later?
More here:
Washington State Ferries Security
Recent fatality at Anacortes Ferry Terminal:
Washington State Ferries Security – Looking for Clarification
It’s about 145 miles from Port Townsend to Ocean Shores. On the way back, we went though Matlock, WA and on up to the south end of Hood Canal. This route is like getting home via country roads. I enjoyed it.
Lodging Night One
Days Inn by Wyndham Ocean Shores
Very strongly recommend avoiding this facility. If you took a chance on a Mom & Pop place and found out it was disagreeable, you could just be more careful next time. A nationwide chain/brandname would be expected to maintain some standards. Many issues here. Take a look for reviews on the web if you are interested.
View from room (no screen for window).
Lodging Night Two
Fled the Days Inn and checked into a spot where we have stayed before.
A clear step up:
Ocean Shores Paradise Hotel & Resort
Also to consider:
A nicer place up the road a ways:
Eating and Drinking
Years ago, we were very familiar with several Ocean Shores restaurants, taverns and pubs. We began to get away from Ocean Shores and were taking trips to Seaside Oregon, the last few times we went to the coast.
What we found on Friday was a combination of places that were fully open, partially open and closed or maybe gone for good.
Fully Open
Friendly place. Drank my first beer at a bar in maybe 18 months or more.
Friendly spot. Recommended.
Partially open:
Quinault Beach Resort & Casino Ocean Shores
Went out Saturday morning for breakfast. We had been here before and enjoyed it. Entrance to casino was confusing. Sign says masks preferred. Security staff meets us at entrance and asks us if we are there to eat/drink, gamble or are we staying there?
Not a welcoming vibe.
We said we wanted to eat breakfast. “It does not open until 8:30.” We said thank you and left, not to return on this visit. Why no security asking what we want at the grocery store?
Another casino on the way home:
It was time for a break. We rolled up to the Lucky Dog Casino.
Sign at entrance says unvaccinated people to wear masks.
We step in and the person assigned to the door immediately says: “You guys are good.”
A welcoming approach to running a casino. Love it. Clean restrooms are very well maintained.
Placed a couple dollars in the slots before we left.
Good vibe for us.
Other places:
Common for staff in restaurants to be wearing masks and for customers to go without.
Some places seemed so busy (or had imposed their own restrictions) that there was some sort of waiting line outside.
Bennett’s Fish Shack is a decent restaurant. Would go there again. They had a bit of a waiting line outside.
The COVID situation is confusing because Gov. Inslee ended statewide COVID restrictions some weeks ago.
Closed or maybe gone for good
We used to enjoy the Viet Hoa Restaurant. Building is now for sale.
Used to enjoy the cantina at Las Maracas Mexican Restaurant. Looks like it was closed while we were there. Still open?
Many years ago, we enjoyed Waves Restaurant & Bar. Gone now?
Small bar used to be here too. Closed for now.
Possibly of interest:
Americans were never meant to agree on matters of a personal nature. This is why we have so many different churches here and people who opt out on attending services.
JFK – Voices of dissent and misinformation
Photo-
The beach near North Jetty
Several years ago, we lost a chunk of a plum tree. Much of this was set aside for a future BBQ project.
Today was the day to use this aged wood for smoking on the grill.
Pork steak can be sliced/cubed and used for tacos or added to stir-fried asian noodles.
This is the plan for tonight.
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
B.I.L. rolled up after spending the winter in Yuma.
Feels like a sunny & wintry day on Whidbey.
Pork & chicken with apple wood smoke on the grill.
A decent IPA:
Less ABV:
It’s been a good week around here.
Photo above:
Working to support local recycling efforts.
This was me 15 years ago. Maybe more quantity, less quality.
Today, my two favorite styles are NW or West Coast IPA and German Pilsner.
German beer is hard to find at the grocery store where I live.
Two lessons that we at Oak Bay Starfish cling to:
Maybe the best beers require the least advertising.
The best beer is the one you enjoy most.
It’s Thanksgiving today.
Over here, we are going with:
I’d have this guy over any time, to help me get it right:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
Whidbey Island has been blasted by wind & rain storms in recent days. The Keystone ferry route has been shut down due to high winds off & on.
We’ll take a winter short cut on the BBQ. We are headed towards soft pork tacos.
We’ll start start the Weber using the chimney method. Make a not too big pile of coals and place them all the way over to one side. Add a pork roast as far away from the coals as possible. We place a good handful or two of apple wood chips over the coals and cover with vents open for a good 45 mins. Maybe longer.
We don’t want to be tending the BBQ in bad weather, or running late with cooking on Sunday. After the roast has had time to take on the smoke flavor, we are done with the BBQ. We are not working outside to cook the pork roast, only to give it a smoke flavor.
After 45 mins to an hour, we bring the roast in and place it in a crock pot.
Add onions, jalapeños & spices to your taste. Set the crock pot to low and let it go overnight. The apple wood smoke flavor will fill the house & we don’t care anymore about winter storms outside.
Enjoy a beer and some cozy time inside.
The bend test
These guys know how to take care of business:
Southern Comfort & Tonic with Lemon
Enjoyed working on an October afternoon project.
Thanks for the apples Carl.
Along for the day: Classic Deep Cuts
Watching the fog clear on a Fort Ebey walk with Olivia. Later, back home for Harvest Fest 2018 with friends and family. The rain left us alone for the day.
Made with king oyster mushrooms. Many recipes on the web.
A scenic seaport town on an island. Interesting local geography, several nice parks and a farmers market.
Rockfish Grill – Friendly bar. Good service.
Union Tavern – Friendly bar. Good service. Stopped in for a very nice On That Dust IPA.
San Juan Lanes Bar and Grill – Friendly location. Good service. Very nice Fish & Chips. Haven’t tried the bar yet. It opens at 4 PM.
Real Tequila Tex-Mex Restaurant – We enjoyed this one more than the fancy Mexican restaurant in town. These are the only two we have tried so far.
Stop everything. See if BBQ still works.
Plant based life partner celebrates the new season:
Photo above: A Sunny/Foggy view from Point Partridge.
Fort Ebey surf and the Olympic Mountains
Busy shipping lanes
Looking South to Perego’s Lagoon
Nice enough to BBQ
Good Day for a fire out back-
Thanks for the Ninkasi, Bill
Left unsupervised. A departure from the Plant Based diet.
Langley, WA
Don’t miss Village Pizzeria– just up the hill.
High above the water. Great views, great service, great food. Full bar.
We’ll be back.
Family tradition – Turkey on the Weber
We found a new spot in Seaside. Luann was our bartender. We were very happy with our visit on a day that was still nice enough to sit outside.
U Street Clam Dip- loved it:
See you next time.
I prefer the atmosphere of a good Northwest pub. Over the past 10 years or so- I have been to several of these mom & pops locations where there has been an odd vibe.
It feels like- if you didn’t go to high school with the people who run the bar, or come in five or six days a week at 1530- that you may be seen as some sort of second class citizen and the service will reflect that.
I’ve experienced this at a couple of places in Port Townsend, one in Port Hadlock, one in Coupeville and maybe one in Edison.
Are these folks just scattered, busy or burnt out?
Maybe they were just having an off day when I was there.
I’m always on good behavior and tip well. I appreciate good service.
I’ve always had good luck with the bar at any Applebee’s I’ve been to. We recently visited the Oak Harbor location. We will be back. It’s clear that the people who work at the bar place a priority on customer service. Much appreciated.
I used to enjoy the bar service at 7 Cedars Casino. We moved away from the area, so it’s been a long time, but they always ran a good bar in there. The casino at Ocean Shores is probably one of the most lacking casino bars I have been to. That was a few years back- maybe they have improved.
We recently visited a nice spot where we went in for the very first time and really enjoyed it. We will continue to show up at the NW pubs.
Photo- Hill Road
