This was my first trip out to Washington, and what else can I say but that I am in love with this gorgeous state and its friendly people.
I mean, how can you not fall in love with gorgeous weather and views like this?
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| Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge |
And the fresh, fresh food. The Pacific Northwest sure has a lot going for it. Perhaps that's why the people I encountered all seemed to be in such great spirits.
Perhaps I can say something else: I wish I had stayed longer. I was in the state only overnight, and so much too short of a visit there. And just one dinner. But what a dinner it was.
Given my body clock was still on Central Time when I arrived in Olympia in search of dinner, I needed to find some place that was open relatively early. Google/Yelp pointed me in the direction of Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar and I was not disappointed.
Situated in a building shared with a few other food providers and a distillery, the restaurant is modern, bright and inviting, and somewhat dominated by a large bar. Given I was dining alone, of course I settled myself there.
The range of lush-sounding cocktails looked amazing, but I settled on a mocktail and was pretty happy with my choice.
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| Marionberry Soda |
Homemade Marionberry soda. Refreshing, tart, and the perfect kick to liven up the taste buds. Which were soon more than happy to delve into a few oysters.
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| Oysters |
I'm in the Pacific Northwest. How could I not have oysters? I was lucky enough to catch the happy hour menu, and these fresh, plump, neighborhood oysters set me back only $2 a gulp. Not bad at all.
The other items on the happy hour menu were a more complex, but equally inviting.
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| Pig Ear Tacos |
I can't say no to pig ear. Never. Especially after spending what felt like all night tracking down a bar that served oreja de cerdo in Barcelona, I wasn't going to turn down pig ear tacos when I wasn't expecting them. They were meaty, and chewy, and gelatinous, and offset beautifully by the cabbage slaw and salsa. Certainly not your traditional tacos, but I'm not complaining.
I ended up having 3 tacos. A girl's got to eat!
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| Clam Chowder |
Continuing the seafood theme, I tried the clam chowder, for which the restaurant is famous for. There is a more than generous number of clams, all tied together with potatoes and a rich pork belly broth. No heavy masking from loads of cream in this dish. Not much else you could ask for out of a clam chowder.
While I lamented the limited time I had to explore Olympia, Washington, I'm pretty pleased with where I ended up. Comfortable modern atmosphere, with great waitstaff and most importantly, brilliant seafood on offer, I couldn't be happier with my meal. And will make plans to return to Washington in the not too distant future.
Chelsea Farms Oyster Bar
222 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501
Tue - Thu 11am - 10pm ; Fri - Sat 10am - 11pm; Sun 10am - 9pm
