Indian Pass

 

There is this place.  A special sort of building.  Nothing fancy.  No cloth napkins.  Maybe not even a waiter.  Self serve drinks, tap included.  Saltines on the table, help yourself.  Old plastic menu on the wall.  Yes, that kind of place.  And it is our favorite.  It's the place where the Things were first introduced to oysters.  The Raw Bar grows their own. Does it get any fresher than that?  I don't think so.  Jeff and Natalie found it by accident and I would say it was a happy accident indeed.  Family owned and ran since the early 1900's.  I dare say too much about it, I don't want the secret out.  I think it might be too late for that. 

 

A former commissary for the turpentine factory workers and a wholesale oyster grower/seller Indian Pass Raw bar evolved into what it is today in the mid 1980's.  After hurricane Kate wiped out the wholesale market the family was left with more oysters than they knew what to do with.  Thus, the raw bar was born.  Now a restaurant that owns and operates their oyster beds it is surely our family favorite, as I speculate many others as well.  I do know the locals feel the same way about it.  Or at least the ones we saw there the two times we visited.  Once, Hansons only and then again with the Horel clan.  Here are some photos from both luncheons, if you will. 

 

 

This girl loves her crab legs.  She cracks them, eats them and licks her fingers when done.  OK, not really.  But this crab is so scrumptious I would!  Thing 1 spent some time teaching her siblings how to retrieve the sweet crab meat from the shell.  That was fun to watch.  And a bit messy.  That's OK, there was an entire roll of paper towels on the table. 

 

Showing off the new hat I procured, love it.

 

Three Things and Me in the backseat when Thing 1 drove us home after lunch

Grown ups at the table, bellies full of yumminess

Thing 2 and I, a selfie!

 

And now, because of all the memories we have from this place, I thought I'd include a little

 "then and now".  Enjoy.

 

2008, first visit

 

2009, second visit

 

2013, 4 years later.  NO WORDS. 

And no more swing on the front porch.  We improvised.

 

Table 2008, first visit, I think that big floppy sun hat is shading Thing 2's face,

she is there, I promise

 

Table 2013, notice the addition of a highchair and

one almost 3 year old sitting beside Thing 4

 

That my friends is just a glimpse into a few delectable meals we devoured while at the beach, then and now.  So you can drool a bit, there was Cajun peel and eat shrimp, the crab legs you saw, trays of raw oysters and then the baked oysters that even the Things love, fresher than fresh oysters covered in butter and Parmesan cheese, baked and served with toasty cheese bread.  Yum and yum.  For the sake of transparency, the 3 younger Things also had their share of corn dogs, corn on the cob and burgers.  That meant more oysters for me, oh and Husband Jared.  The day we were by ourselves we put away two dozen all on our own.  A little Crystal hot sauce, maybe a saltine or two and down the hatchet.  Oh my.  I'm ready for some more please.