If you’re just joining me, we are traveling up the coast to a quaint town called Mendocino. I did this trip on Friday and thought we could “relive” it today. Highway 1 is pretty spectacular. Especially in the spring. The road side is full of daffodils, wild flowers and the trees are spring green (many in bloom). My friend Richard told me about the Tomales Bay Oyster Company so we’ll stop and take a look. If you’re looking for a fun day with your family and/or friends and you like seafood this is a cool place. It’s located about an hour north of San Francisco. Here’s how it works:

• Groups of 10 people or more must make a reservation and pay the group fee in advance
• Group rate is $75 per table and includes the oyster shucker’s starter package!
• Each table is provided one shucking knife, set of shucking gloves, fresh lemons or limes, Ice, Tabasco or Tapatio Hot Sauce and One Dozen Farm Fresh  Oysters
• They have a huge picnic area where you can sit
• They have BBQs but they are for Oysters!  As they say – leave the meat at home 🙂
• You are welcome to bring side dishes
• You can bring drinks, (beer & wine OK sorry, no liquor) tableware, BBQ ware, napkins and cups.
• They will provide grills so don’t bring yours
• You must buy oysters, clams, or mussels from us them to eat here (Shellfish from other farms prohibited – which seems fair)
• Take the oysters to your table and eat them raw or BBQ them. You’ll recieve a container for ice to keep the oysters fresh.
  • They have the basics, which they will sell to you: Oyster knives, ice, charcoal, limes, Tapatío Hot Sauce, Sartain’s “The Sauce,” gloves, and of course our beautiful farmed oysters (or you can bring your own)
  • Don’t forget a cooler to keep the oysters fresh
  • Here is the best part: You do the shucking!
• Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash
• Bring sunscreen, hats and warm clothes
• Here is the link to their site for more information: http://tomalesbayoysters.com/

It’s pretty much a fun party with a lot of people grilling, enjoying beer/wine – hanging out in Tomales Bay.  And for the record – the oysters are VERY fresh!  As for us – This is a great spot but for this trip we don’t have 10 peeps, so I’m going to show you another place for a late lunch.