Heading to Point Reyes? Love Oysters? You must stop at the new Marshall Store

Yesterday, the family went off to the beach in Point Reyes National Seashore. We checked the webcam out there and it was almost as bad as right now. (See the fog zone to the right).  A little fog shouldn't stop you from visiting such an amazing place, and that webcam is out on the end of the point, so it's not necessarily the same as what you see on the beaches.  That was the case yesterday when we had perfect weather but looming fog on the point.

Traveling up Rt. 1 through Point Reyes Station, you need to turn to towards the Seashore, but if you continue on Rt. 1 instead, 8 miles past the town, you ramble into the little town of Marshall, population 50. Another mile or so on your left, is the tempting sign "yummy chowder". Park anywhere and head into the Marshall Store. Above photo©g.meyer.

There are perfect sandwiches on terrific local bread, and beautiful cheseses, but real insiders know that this is the place for the freshest Oysters in California. And the clam chowder, full of clams, thyme and smooth potatoes couldn't be truer to the yummy sign out front. We like our oysters raw with a little cocktail sauce or minionette, but you can also get them BBQ'd or Rockefeller'd.

Todd has been in the oyster business for years and is a top oyster supplier to many great restaurants and oyster distributors, and now he has an excellent outlet for his super fresh bivalves and gourmet food, with his family by his side. For now, you need to drink his small selection of Kermit Lynch wines and local beers at the tables by the road, but soon you should be able to have them on the simple, comfortable patio behind the building. This is a must stop for any foodie traveling to the area. Tell Todd, Kim, or Heidi that the Corkdork sent you.

As a full disclosure, I met the new owner of the Marshall Store, Todd, in 2005 at my house, when he came to the Taste of Ol' California with a gross of oysters and a pint of his excellent minionette in tow.