A 100 YEAR OLD OYSTER (BAR)?

For any business to last over 100 years is remarkable; maybe even more so when its primary product is seafood, especially oysters! Dan and Louie's Oyster bar in Portland Oregon is exactly that, an oyster emporium over a century old, continuously on the same location and still owned by the same family.


After some time in another Portland landmark, Powell's Bookstore, Mike and Patty and I lunched in this uniquely marine-themed restaurant. Curiously, Mike, a buddy of mine since 1969 (that's almost 40 years now) worked at Dan and Louie's when he was growing up in Portland, well before he joined the Coast Guard and eventually ended up in Alaska. He makes the perfect guide to the decor, some of the history, and the behind-the-scenes stories in this landmark eatery.


Just take a look at the nautical objects, pictures, artwork, items of the sea, ship models, historical photographs, collectibles, decorative china featuring plates and cups, line work, and much more as the photographs will testify. We had some of the finest food one can enjoy downtown: salmon chowder for Patty and Mike, and small, fried oysters for me. It made for a wonderful lunch worthy of many memories.


As a bit of a bonus, we were able to visit for a few minutes with the owner Doug, whose emigrant grandfather started the food business after mastering the art of oyster farming around 1900 in the Oysterville area of Willapa Bay which is formed by the Long Beach peninsula just north of the Columbia River in Southwest Washington. He was most cordial and willingly shared some of his family history as well as some of the unique features of the restaurant's history.

**This is a shameless plug: "Eat at Dan and Louie's Oyster Bar in Portland. You will be delighted. It is located only a block or two west of Skidmore Fountain. Both are near the area of the equally famous Saturday Market held under the west end of the Burnside Bridge on weekends."