Eating down the Oregon coast

Just a heads up: I had the oysters at each of these restaurants.

I can’t help it; it’s a personal rule. Coast = seafood, and my favorite seafood is oyster. But I did sample a few other dishes at these restaurants, and nothing disappointed. (And I’m fairly sure that wasn’t just because of all the beer consumed.)

Astoria Coffee House & Bistro

My first thought when Astoria is mentioned is “Goonies,” followed closely by “singing seals.” After this trip, I have to say “awesome food” is also on the list.

This bistro is bright and cheery, with a nice little seating area outside if you’re getting lucky with the weather. I had a cup of creamy clam chowder, a salad with pan-fried oysters, and a tall, super-cold iced coffee – the perfect lunch for an uncharacteristically warm day. But the menu includes plenty of other items that tempted me to break my rule: the espresso BBQ pulled pork sandwich, the Rockfish tacos, and the 3-cheese baked macaroni with béchamel all looked pretty phenomenal.

Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge

You know you’re in for a good meal when the chef is trying out a few dishes he’s planning presenting to the James Beard Foundation. Chef Josh Archibald is pretty darn passionate about what he does, and the proof is in his food – he can trace all of his ingredients and takes pride in using what’s local.

This was one of my favorite oyster dishes of the trip – an appetizer of raw oysters served with a tiny glass pitcher of chilled champagne vinaigrette with lemon juice and shallots, served on a bed of rock salt with lime. Pour the vinaigrette on the oyster, shoot it back – heaven. The battered and fried razor clams with jalapeño-lime jelly also deserve a mention; if you’ve never had this type of clam, try them here.

Pelican Pub & Brewery

This place specializes in – wait for it – beer and food pairing. That’s a win no matter how you look at it, but made all the better by the facts that they 1) brew their own stuff and 2) have menu that incorporates said brews into the recipe, as well as recommends a pint to go along with it. It’s beer heaven. Beertastic. An exbeerience.

Case in point: stout chili, beer battered fries, pale ale pulled pork. But I, of course, went with the oyster po’ boy. The oysters were dipped in a batter made with Pelican’s own Doryman’s Dark beer. Good? I took a bottle home, if that tells you anything.

Georgie’s Beachside Grill

“You have to try the oysters. They’re from Yaquina Bay.” This is what we were told upon opening our menus – and as you’ve probably figured out, I had no qualms with following orders. The pan fried oysters here were delicious, as were the fish tacos – lightly fried halibut. I’m usually more a fan of grilled when it comes to fish tacos, but these were so delicately done, they may have swayed me to the other side.

If you have the appetite of a small army, I can’t recommend the Diablo Seafood Pasta enough. Fettuccine with shrimp, crab, salmon, and scallops with this creamy, cheesy, sort-of-sweet-and-spicy sauce that is as indulgent as it gets.

My trip to Oregon was kindly sponsored by Travel Oregon and Oregon Coast Visitors Association, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.