Long Beach Peninsula Food

[chuck]

Anything at all will be helpful. Will be there mid-week next week and need suggestions. Also, a (pet friendly) place to stay if anyone happens to have one.

Thanks.

[tsquare]

Two years ago I ate at all the "best" places and none of it was that good. (They were great when I was there 11 years ago.) Probably the restaurant at the Shelbourne Hotel was the best of the lot. (It has a different name I never seem to remember.) All the places have this funk (indifference, mold, lack of energy) about them, particularly out of season. The Ark just seems tired and out of sync with the times relative to the expectations you'll bring.

Last year, I ate cheap Chinese (not bad, East side of the main drag), and beach food. The best was the dinner we made where we were staying (sorry, private home.) Go with low expectations, and something may happily surprise you.

Good luck. Be sure to walk around the old historic town up North of the Ark - and the nature walk North of that is pretty special (I think dogs might even be permitted in some parts of it.)

edit: The restaurant at the hotel is the Shoalwater. There is also a separate bar there with a lighter menu - but my timing has never been right.

Edited February 15, 2004 by tsquare (log)

[chefrodrigo]

We always drive up to Oysterville to Oysterville Sea Farm and start with 6 dozen oysters. We just eat them in their driveway since its not actually a restaurant but it gets a little cold. I think 6 dozen oysters are $23 and they are usually out of the bay within 24 hrs of eating them.

Rodney

[chuck]

Oyster knife. Check.

[halland]

The best thing I had was at a burger shack on the north end of Long Beach. Their claim to fame is a giant burger (about 12" in diameter). I just had the regular burger and a shake. It was everything a burger from a burger shack should be.

Sorry I can't remember the name.

Hal

[Tremors]

We like the breakfast at the 42nd St Cafe - it is owned by a former chef from the Shoalwater. I really dig their take on biscuits and gravy - it's a chicken based gravy - very yummy. Everything on the menu is good.

It's on the main drag at S 42nd St in Seaview (a bustling suburb of Long Beach)!

[reesek]

We always drive up to Oysterville to Oysterville Sea Farm and start with 6 dozen oysters. We just eat them in their driveway since its not actually a restaurant but it gets a little cold. I think 6 dozen oysters are $23 and they are usually out of the bay within 24 hrs of eating them.

Rodney

or walk out to the makeshift beach area. we made a table out of a plank and sat on a log. (bring a blanket)

we traveled with lemons, horseradish and tabasco.

oysterville rules.

[malarkey]

The best thing I had was at a burger shack on the north end of Long Beach. Their claim to fame is a giant burger (about 12" in diameter). I just had the regular burger and a shake. It was everything a burger from a burger shack should be.

Sorry I can't remember the name.

YES! That would be the Grand Tsunami burger from the Corral Drive In. (95th and Pacific Hwy) and its 16 1/2 inches in diameter! Gotta order one a day in advance...

but I agree with Hal, its everything a burger from a burger shack should be. YUM.

And... for the record, last time I dined at The Ark it was knocked out fabulous.

[girl chow]

I too had a great meal on my last visit to Ark -- really good seafood that was so very fresh (and we always eat there off season). With Jimella Lucas and Nancy Main at the helm, I can't believe things could go *that* wrong?? I hope not

Tsquare, is your criticism that they're no longer on the cutting edge w/their menu? (go here) to see a sample menu). I can see where you might think that. I suppose they never intend to be cutting edge? I'm not sure. I think their focus/concept has always been to create a menu using seasonal, regional and locally available products. It was cutting edge when they started doing that in the 1980s and they influenced a whole generation of local chefs with that concept (and impressed James Beard with their cooking, there's a great pic of them with him in their lobby). So I think they get props from the local foodies for being among the first to advance NW-centric cuisine. Their focus is on pretty simple seafood preparations that really let the local products shine. Perhaps because everyone else is now doing this, it seems that their concept is dated?

TSquare, maybe you can tell us more about why you were less than impressed.

I had no idea about that burger shack, I'm so there next time I head to Long Beach.

[Ye-Ye Girl]

And... for the record, last time I dined at The Ark it was knocked out fabulous.

Ditto!

And, though it was several years ago, my last visit to the Shoalwater (in Seaview at the Shelburne Inn) was also very good.

[tsquare]

TSquare, maybe you can tell us more about why you were less than impressed.

Let's see, it was April of 2002. The Christmas decorations were still up - or maybe they are always up? Looking pretty worn out. It was a Sunday, late brunch (first mistake? Dinner is probably the way to go.) As we waited to be seated in an almost empty house, we bided our time in the entryway. The "perfume" of the restrooms was almost overpowering - the sweet sickening scent of cleaner and deodorizer? We waited to be seated, waited for our orders to be taken, waited to be served. Whatever we ate wasn't memorable. I think it was breakfast food for one, chowder for the other? Anyway, it was almost funny how dated the place felt.

Last year, I wasn't in a big hurry to return, but ended up trying for lunch. No one came to seat us, the bakery looked pitiful, and the same restroom ordor abounded. We hightailed it out of there.

I would have loved to have a good meal there - similar to my first visit - and I appreciate their place in NW cuisine tremendously. I'm happy to hear that others have been successful in this regard.

[girl chow]

Anyway, it was almost funny how dated the place felt.

Ohhhhh... dated in appearance, I assumed you meant the menu/food concept. My bad. Agreed...they probably could use a good fluff and buff in the dining room, but would the locals freak? By urban Seattle standards, I agree The Ark looks totally outdated. But for a coastal Washington restaurant? It's the nicest place for miles and miles (this is why I don't live on the coast). Can you imagine bringing Arellano/Christofides in to do a makeover? Egads!