Lucas Wharf Restaurant, Bodega Bay, CA - Closed

My apologies for not having written in so long, I had no idea that it has been almost 4 years since the last post I wrote...Jeepers....I'll try better to keep up...but I am getting older so don't hold your breath for too very long, please...(unless you're one of those current republican congresspeople, then keep holding it...c'mon, you can do it...just a little longer...hollllld it....hollllllld it.......I'll tell you when you can exhale.....)

anyway, on to the latest...

We were finally able to book a weekend away together. Beautiful and sunny it's been, a welcome change from the deluge (is it possible to pluralize it to deluges? as it has been a record year of precipitation so far this season, one 'tropical moisture' inundation after another). So Tehra booked a room for us for two nights at Bodega Bay Lodge and we looked forward to finally being able to relax after a very busy and eventful past few months.

We went by way of Sebastopol, out Bodega Hwy to Freestone to pay a visit to Wild Flour Bakery. Oh my goodness...Believe me, sticky bun was on my mind but we settled for Lattes and Biscotti, splurging on 2 of them (you can see them behind the Pile o' Bread in the second picture) to enjoy on our way through Bodega to Bodega Bay.

So big you need 'em sliced in their machine.
















Pile o' Breads

Sunset View from our room.

Usually when we visit Bodega Bay we eat at Lucas Wharf Restaurant because Tehra Loves their Fisherman's Stew. I have been known to drive out and pick up an order to surprise her for dinner, she loves it that much. We were able to get a small table in the bar to sit at, like we have in times past, as it is away from the main part of the restaurant and also has a TV in case the Warriors happen to be on. (We watched one of those exciting We Believe Dallas upset games from this very spot! Take that Mark Cuban!)
For me this night, because they were on the menu, I chose the (What Else?!) Salmon Fish Tacos, side of Fries, and a Lucas Wharf Bloody Mary (Absolut Peppar vodka, tomato juice, celery salt, horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt, pepper cayenne pepper & celery salt rim). I mean, look at that picture, will you? Two of my favorite 'not quite so healthy' foods in the world, side by side, on the same plate! Being accompanied by a nice and spicy Bloody Mary that helped take the chill off the breezy Saturday night outside. 

It really was as good as it looks if you like the 'sauce-slathered' style of fish taco. The flavors blended well and the salmon was thick enough for its flavor to not get lost in all of those sauces, even with the battered coating. It wasn't overdone or dried out, but moist and tasty inside, though not that rich pink salmon you expect with a salmon meal. At first it kinda made me wonder deep-down if they were truly grilled as stated with the batter and moistness.That later sent me exploring on my go-to-guy Chef Googlé, where I found this recipe, which I know I will get around to trying in the not-too-distant future.
Anyway, we so enjoyed our meal that night that we went there for dinner the next night as well but unfortunately the service was nowhere near as open and friendly as it had been the night before. On our arrival the hostess told us, and not all that kindly, that No, we couldn't eat where we had the previous night, and that we would have to wait for a table in the restaurant proper. I saw a table opening and she said it would take at least 5 min so we were to wait. We grabbed a couple of empty stools at the bar to wait and watched as she promptly sat the couple that came after us, at the table that had just opened, that I had enquired about, and no they didn't have a reservation either I had heard them say. Fine, so when ordering I asked for the same meal I had the previous night, specifying fries instead of salad, they brought out a whole large side order of fries with the salad on the tacos plate. Needless to say, it was not as relaxing or festive a mood for us sitting at the bar, listening to a loud enough, somewhat inhebriated fellow to my right describe his time in the snow at Tahoe and talk about how much brandy he wanted in his friend's drink..continuously....funny how the same building can house two almost completely different restaurants on consecutive nights, based almost solely on those providing the service...had that second night been our first experience there I might 2-starred them on yelp or opentable, if I did such a thing...
ehhh, but enough of my bitching...their tacos passed the '2 nights in a row' test, which is a good thing,
and we'll be visiting Lucas Wharf again in the future I'm sure, just so long as their Fisherman's Stew is up-to-snuff to a certain special lovely someone's taste buds.

All in all it was a great weekend getaway, not too far from home and hopefully we will do that or something like it.....Soon....

The early morning breakfast view of Bodega Bay from The Tides (just down the road from Lucas Wharf and a good place to eat, too, in a touristy kinda way).