We haven’t eaten out much on this trip to California. And I
am far from being a creditable food critic. I eat what’s put in front of me,
usually by my enthusiastic, stove-warmed hubby. He decided many long years ago
that what I considered cooking, just wasn’t, and so he took the high road of
making the meals for both of us.
But there were a few times that we paid for the honour of
someone else standing over the hot stove. A late meal at Olive Garden after a long
evening at Home Depot looking at porcelain thrones. A pizza after painting the kitchen.
And then there are the meals to remember.
We took the ferry to San Francisco with friends, and
although throughout the boat ride we were enveloped in the famous bay fog, once
on land, the sun encouraged us to walk the two miles to our destination
restaurant. Tommy’s Joynt had been featured on the TV show “Diners and Dives”.
What better reason to try it ourselves?
We almost overlooked it on the street, even though it was
right on the corner. Impressive, it wasn’t. The food was served cafeteria
style, and the main dining area had picnic tables where singles and groups
alike would sit. It was dark and gloomy inside, and the doorway was partially
blocked by a few people lining up for food.
As a foursome, we scored a booth in the back and were
immediately greeted by the bar waitress. Actually, I should have said “beer waitress”
because although they did have a small wine list, the beer stock was
amazing. And that lovely lady knew every
beer they had, what country it came from, and what it was like. I can imagine that training new employees for
that job would take on the atmosphere of a party.
We arrived on purpose on the day they were serving braised
lamb. The meat was falling-off-the-bone tender, and the helpings were large. We
dallied over our lunch, enjoying the portions, the pints, and the people we
were with.
The next great meal was a lot farther up the coast, and on
the edge of a bay well known for its oyster farms. Hog Island Oyster Co.
provides the very basic necessities to enjoy their wares. A picnic table, a
grill, and a shucking knife and glove.
Our friends, obviously frequent visitors, supplied the niceties. Like the wine and glasses, the bread and cheese,
and the garlic butter, lemon and wine vinegar for the oysters and clams. It was
a veritable feast when we added the shrimp skewers, salmon filets, and grilling
vegetables to the list. When the bright sunshine came out to lift both spirits
and temperature, it was just like the garlic butter on the oyster for us.
Now, I admit that I am a total newbie when it comes to
oysters. I had no idea that there were so many ways to enjoy them. The first
few were slurped down raw, with a drop of lemon. The taste comes not from the
oyster, which is pretty rubbery and bland, but from the brine of the sea water
inside. Then we roasted some over the coals. If you put them on just the way
they come, they will pop open themselves when they are cooked. Or they can be
opened and grilled over the barbeque with a garlic butter topping.
Well, to me, food is only the side dish after all. The
company contributes more to the meal than the bounty on the table. And on this
trip, we had family and friends that made our meals divine. Thanks, folks!
W
