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Oasis on the Island Don and I found the entrance to this restaurant, inside Los Cinco Soles, a large gift shop. That's usually a touristy thing... gift shops with restaurants. But this lovely place was a little piece of quiet heaven, on an October afternoon. Marimba Duo There were no other diners, which can also be a bad thing. But we were happy to have a pick of any table, inside or out. We chose a spot, directly in front of the father/son musicians. That again, could have been a bad thing. But they were a sweet pair, playing as many old Frank Sinatra hits as Mexican favorites. Menu with History Our wooden menus gave us some good food options, along with some history. The building was once part of a warehouse, that stored and shipped bales of dried resin. In the late 1940's, the building found new purpose, since a few travelers began coming to the island. The warehouse was transformed into a hotel, with gardens and a pool. I would love to step back in time and see the kinds of folks who ventured to Cozumel, back then. Inside and Out I loved our table, looking out on the garden. The open air interior felt cool and breezy on an October day. Picture Time We just couldn't resist having some gigantic beverages with our meal. Ferdinando, our gracious server, took this photo of us with our feast. The Food Don's shrimp with garlic was perfecto. My Tamales Yucatecos, was equally tasty. Steamed tamales, served on a banana leaf, with a cute mound of rice. There was a touch of sweet that made me feel like I was on vacation. Well...I was. The Two Ferds Ferdinando was a delight. He never made us feel awkward for being the only diners in the restaurant. He "intruded" just enough. He also seemed pretty pleased to know that Don's middle name was Ferd. Don has never loved his middle name, but Don didn't share that.
Our dining adventure ended with a very nice photo of The Two Ferds!
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Smiles & Oysters When you get smiles this big, you know you've had a successful dining/cookbook adventure. I love this picture of Michelle holding our "traveling cookbook" while her son Kai, holds the oyster shucking tool! Since 1906 Last August, Don and I visited the landmark seafood restaurant in Portland. We stayed at a downtown hotel, not far from the 132-year-old building, that houses the restaurant. It was before 11, when we walked over to Old Town, so we hung out on Ankeny Alley and pondered the past... until opening time. Dan Louis Oyster Bar Don and I knew about the Dan Louis Oyster Bar, because it was featured in our 1950's cookbook. We peeked at the vintage book while we waited. I studied the super mod illustration of the restaurant's dining room. What a curious boat-like counter! I also looked over the recipe for oyster stew. As I studied the text, I wondered about the name. Who was Dan?The old cookbook made it looked like Dan, was Louis' first name. But today there is an AND, between the names. Louis Building The plaque on the building's corner, told us about Louis Wachsmuth. In 1906. Louis began selling gunnysacks of live oysters, for 50-cents a bag. Before long, Louis and his family were running a busy seafood business and restaurant inside the 2-story building. We later learned that Dan was Louis' son, who died of influenza at the age of 27. Dan's name was added to the business, as a memorial. So there is a very sweet reason for the name Dan, in the restaurant's name. The Wachsmuth family still runs the business today. Window Shopping While Don and I waited, we peered in the window as the oyster display was being prepped. The visual was quite a sight! I tried to work up an appetite for oysters at 11 am, while I inhaled the sweet smells of Voodoo Doughnuts, a block away! Open at 11 Young Kai (Louis Kai Wachsmuth) turned the sign and opened the door at 11. We entered the cozy space, where Kai's great, great grandfather sold seafood, over 100 years ago. Walls Covered in History There was a lot to absorb in the first room, with its nautical theme and collections of maritime objects. Michelle guided us to a table in a dining area, off to the right. Oysters in the Morning Don and I were the first diners that day. We settled in, with a sampling of Washington oysters. The Eld Inlet tasted mild and creamy. Kamamoto was buttery and Totten Inlet tasted more fishy and salty. I'm no oyster connoisseur, but I liked the Eld oysters best. Digging In As we dug into our oysters, Michelle came to check on us. When I found out she was part of the Wachsmuth family, I just had to pull out the old cookbook. Michelle grinned when she saw it. She said she had never seen the book, but recently someone had sent her a photo of that very page. "It's still the same ouster stew recipe that we use today!" Soups Don's smoked salmon chowder was rich and chunky, with a peppery flavor. Don loves his pepper. I of course had to give the original oyster stew a try. The broth was buttery smooth and the oysters were gigantic. I will admit, I'm a little timid about big plump oysters, but I was thrilled to eat the stew that has been served for over 100 years. The Tour Arriving early, meant Michelle was free to chat. She was also able to give us a tour. She walked us past Kai's oyster shucking station, towards some of the older dining rooms. Oyster Cart We turned the corner at one point and almost ran into a huge cart, carrying bags of oysters. Michelle carried on a bit with the white haired man who was pushing the big load. He was nice enough to pause for a photo, before he wheeled the fresh catch towards the kitchen. Oyster Family We continued through the maze of rooms and came upon a smiling group. "This is our oyster family!" Michelle laughed and the two boys giggled. I'm not sure how this all works and what their relation was, with the man pushing the cart. But I do know there was a wonderful rapport between Michelle and the folks we kept bumping into as we traveled through the numerous rooms. The Big Dining Room We moved into the large dining room, with cozy wood walls and a ceiling that looked like a ship's hull. The walls were covered in old plates and more nautical decor. The Boat I laughed when I saw the boat-like counter, with portholes on the side. I recognized the image from the kind of kooky illustration in the book. Michelle shook her head and chuckled, when I asked about the boat. "Half of that boat is in my garage right now." Pine Walls and Round Plates I couldn't get enough of all the wall decor! We didn't get a chance to meet Michelle's husband, Keoni. If we had, I would have asked about some of the memorabilia. Keoni (Kai's dad) is 4th generation, so I'm guessing he must have spent a lot of his youth in these rooms. If I had grown up in that world, I would have wanted to play hide and seek in all those rooms. I would have probably spent a good amount of time counting all those plates, too! The Kitchen The kitchen area has been renovated and opened up, in recent years. It's always a good thing when a food business is happy to let customers see the food being prepared! Cozy Dining Next time, I think I'd like to sit in this tiny dining space, surrounded by painted, wood walls and ceiling. Or maybe I'd like to sit beside the knotty pine and find out what MV Aspen means. I believe this is the original dining room. This might be my favorite room. I can picture the Wachsmuth family gathering around this table. Thanks! Don and I had a whirlwind visit to Dan & Louis. We had a parking meter running back at the hotel and a drive to Seattle ahead of us. Next time we will come and rush less. We'll enjoy more of the menu and hopefully more of the family! What a fun place!
Lunch, Away From Tourists Don and I got to enjoy a lunch outing with a dear friend who lives not far from Playa del Carmen. Brenda picked us up after we came across on the ferry, from Cozumel. She said she'd take us to one of her favorite places. White and Red We parked in a gravel lot and walked towards the white, cement block structure. There was a sink near the wall where we could wash up before eating. Order Window We headed for the order window and let Brenda order for us. The waiter recognized her and didn't need to be told that she wanted a Coke and a half avocado with her meal. Open Air Dining It was such an adventure dining in a restaurant where no tourists would think to go. There was no beach nearby. Just the sound of traffic on the road. Some would think we shouldn't have ventured away from the tourist areas. But I've always trusted Brenda. Not only was she a wonderful piano teacher to my children, but she happened to be a police officer as well. Fried Shrimp We followed Brenda's lead and ordered fried shrimp The fish came piping hot and super crispy! Brenda chopped up the avocado and used a little mayo and lime. The tacos were perfect and just the right amount. Such a simple little meal and so good! Catching Up The combo of fish tacos and Coke and good conversation was wonderful. Back when Brenda taught our children piano, we always ended up lingering after lessons. The subject we talked most about was travel. Here we were in Mexico, where Brenda and her husband now has a home! Smile For the Camera! I tried to sneak one more photo before we left. This fun couple seemed pretty amused and gave me a big smile.
What a simple lunch with a sweet glimpse of real Mexico. Thanks Brenda! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
November 2023
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