Karen, Nancy, Randi
Susan, Holly, Connie, Wanda
$1 oysters (my first!)
bruschetta
susan eating her first oyster!
Cozy spot. Nice wines. Decent food. Great time.
My favorite thing about this spot was the overall experience. It was warm and cozy, friendly, and fun. Very small, but we smushed a few low, square tables together, sat hip-to-hip, and were happy. It's fairly conducive to conversation because you really are physically very close together; plus, the noise level isn't as loud as it is many other places (although it still was difficult, at times, to easily converse with folks at the far reaches of our table). And really great people (thanks, ladies!!!!).
Seven of us oaktown-crawlers met at Marc 49 at 6:30 on a Wednesday night, which is $10 oyster night, and as we discovered once we were there, Happy Hour until 7pm, so we really lucked out.
We started out with 2 martini-glasses full of ceviche (decent, but not memorable) and a big bowl of hummus with some toasted, crunchy bread (yummy and filling). Several of us then indulged in 1 or 2 oysters - myself, I had 1 Buckley (from the Eastern side of Vancouver Island) and 1 Chesapeake (from the other coast), my very first raw oysters. For all my initial trepidation leading up to the event, they went down surprisingly well, and I even chewed them a bit. I enjoyed them, and would definitely indulge again, but can't say that I found them fabulous or anything. I think I enjoyed the second one more than the first, as I skipped the vinegar sauce on the second one, which I think allowed the other flavors to better penetrate. So I guess I like my oysters naked, save for a spritz of lemon juice. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me into trying them - another first!
Most of us then ordered a panini ($7), salad ($6), or bruschetta plate ($6). Those are really the most substantial items on the menu, although there are several varieties of each available. I wanted something vegetarian and relatively healthy, and ended up choosing the Oakland panini (the name was a bonus), and then (hopefully discreetly) pulling most of the cheese out of the sandwich (have a slight fear of fat). It was described as having grilled portobello mushrooms, grilled zucchini, caramelized onions, fresh Mozzarella, and pesto sauce. I enjoyed the flavors, but it definitely wasn't "love." For my palate and preferences, too much pesto sauce, too oily of a pesto sauce, and too much oil used in the pressing of the panini (making the bread fairly damp and limp). I truly didn't need the whole thing, but ate it anyway, and I was definitely full when I left. Other folks seemed to enjoy their "main course" more than I did, so perhaps it was my mood, or perhaps it was my particular selection. We passed on dessert.
I had the Happy Hour "red blend" wine special, and enjoyed it. Fairly generous pours, in large graceful glasses. There were lots of wines on the menu (it really is a wine bar, afterall), and I think they would be fun to explore on future visits. They also offer flights (3 tastes for $11, or 4 tastes for $14) - might be kind of fun, although I sometimes need more than 2 oz. of a particular wine before I really know how much I like it.
The tables are quite low, and "traditionalists" might not appreciate leaning over for your food (some of us even placed our plates on our laps, especially since the tables were fairly crowded), but I thought it added to the intimacy and casualness of the evening - almost like you were in a friend's Living Room, if your friend had cool things all over the wall, warm, romantic lighting, and friendly servers at your beck and call.
No score cards this time (it was advertised as a low-key outing), but Comments are always welcomed below. For me, I really enjoyed the evening. You were all such fun to hang out with, and I think we found a pretty cool place to hang out in.
So, here's to our eighth oaktown-crawl restaurant.... warm, cozy, intimate, inviting, casual but pretty.... I will definitely be back, especially for the nibbles, wine, and very welcoming and relaxing atmosphere...
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