Shelley Taylor

Put on your hiking gear, it’s another journey to a place far, far away.

For an ex-Californian, driving a half hour to get some place is business as usual. So, driving a half hour for food, well, that’s a hardship I’m willing to take on.

So Greg and I ventured all the way to … Discovery Bay.

Did you know Discovery Bay used to be known as Maynard? Neither did I!

Seems way back in the 1930s, across U.S. Highway 101 to the bay side, there once was a Richfield gasoline station and next to that was the Richfield Tavern; well-known to locals and those who made their living from the waters of Puget Sound.

In 1951, the current building was constructed and when the highway was widened, the tavern moved to its new location across the road where once there was a quarry. Richfield Tavern then became Discovery Bay Tavern and eventually came to be known as Snug Harbor Café.

It’s taken a few years, but brother and sister Dan and Susie Shafer bought the building and completed a slow transformation.

Inside are knotty pine walls, the original wood flooring, antique brass chandeliers and lace curtains. The bar, peppered with taxidermied wildlife, is straight from a late 1800s cruise ship — or so lore has it. On tap: Mac ‘n’ Jack’s and Blue Moon. An old ship’s wheel lends a nautical feel.

A mix of tables and slatted wood booths makes for comfortable dining.

Had my friend Judie not recommended it so highly, we never might have given Snug Harbor a try. Greg and I grazed on a variety of choices. First was shrimp cocktail (oyster cocktail also available) with homemade cocktail sauce loaded with big slices of celery — and quite a horseradish kick. There was so much sauce left over, Greg used it on his french fries.

Everything here is made from scratch, from the salad dressings to the breads. Greg’s clam chowder was nice and hot and chock full of corn and chunks of potato. In a basket on the table were old-fashioned oyster crackers like the ones I watched my dad put in his soup when I was knee high.

Full-on dinner choices include top sirloin, New York, rib eye, half chicken and lots of seafood (your choice broiled or tempura).

Or you can combine steak and seafood. Snug Harbor’s beef comes from Chimacum’s 100-year-old Short Farm. They use local suppliers whenever they can.

Judie recommends their fish tacos highly. Other sandwich choices are burgers (cheese and bacon combos), french dip, fish, oyster, turkey and bacon, grilled cheese and BLT (BLT also is Judie-recommended).

I ordered a small side salad that was crisp and fresh. And I scarfed down their grilled chicken breast sandwich (that came with a pickle) on a bun the size of a Frisbee, a delicious airy fluffy Frisbee!

The menu offers tempura and chips (scallops, oysters, tiger shrimp and chicken strips) and fish and chips (cod, halibut, salmon or calamari). Or try Manila clams or mussel steamers served with garlic bread. Greg ordered fish and chips and went with the salmon. Servings are all very generous — and that goes for Greg’s fish and chips. All sandwiches come with choice of fries, coleslaw or fruit.

And the fries are something else! And I found out why. Truth be told, the fries are really tempura potatoes in disguise; battered in rice flour — which gives new meaning to crispy on the outside, moist on the inside.

On your table is malt vinegar for those who have discovered this alternative to ketchup.

Their meal-sized salads; chef’s, Cobb, and shrimp and avocado — all with homemade dressings — make those a definite choice for next time.

Snug Harbor Café is just what the doctor ordered for those with food allergies since the owners themselves suffer that indignity and use many ingredients that work around the problem.

And … there’s breakfast, served until 1 p.m. for late risers: eggs with ham, bacon, sausage or steak. And omelets: ham and cheese; veggie; Denver; bacon mushroom and cheese; and jalapeño, bacon, onion and cheese. And, french toast. And that’s got to be especially tasty made with from-scratch bread.

I know you won’t believe this but I had to pass up dessert. What was I thinking? There were homemade berry pies and the pumpkin sounded really good. Greg, remind me why I didn’t at least take a piece home. Probably still reeling from Thanksgiving dinner (which I didn’t cook I’m proud to say — thank goodness for friends!).

And don’t forget, Saturday is Christmas and I can’t think of a better present than a gift card to a special someone’s favorite restaurant. And a great way to give local business a boost.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Shelley Taylor and her husband relocated to the peninsula from California. By her own admission, Taylor likes to eat.