If you're not in the mood to stand in line on tired feet at Hog Island, or it's evening and Swan Oyster Depot is closed, another good raw bar to try is the one at Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen. Situated on the polished stretch of Polk Street in Russian Hill, Yabbie's is a seafood restaurant with a big choice of ocean eats. We dropped in Monday night for a last-minute dinner with Mr. Food Musings' folks and his nieces, L. and S., who were visiting from Colorado. Though I've eaten there a few times, this was the first time I realized how vast their selection of raw seafood treats is. Sit at the raw bar or get yourselves a table, tie on a bib (or not) and go to town.
Oysters, from Hog Islands to Kumamotos to Hama Hamas, were unbelievably creamy and fresh. We even convinced L. and S. to try 'em (L. chewed hers thoughtfully, smiled and took another one. S. spit hers out and hid it with the shell. Oh well, one out of two ain't bad!) Mignonette, my personal favorite, was on offer as well as cocktail sauce and fresh horseradish for the fearless.
The sashimi was a tri-fecta of smooth, tender, fresh fish: Hawaiian ahi tuna and salmon, which are always on the menu, and the halibut that was on special that evening. Shrimp ceviche came served in an edible bowl that looked like a deep-fried wonton shell, and jumbo shrimp cocktail were dunked head-down in a martini glass of cocktail sauce. Bright green zucchini and cucumber sat beneath the sauce in a sort of chunky gazpacho.
Mr. FM's dad cracked away at his Dungeness crab but he could have had the Maine lobster. S. happily plucked off the shells of her peel and eat shrimp, dipping each into cocktail sauce before popping them in her mouth.
Mussels and Littleneck and Manila clams rounded out the simpler selections, while spicy tuna poke (with raw ahi), lobster cocktail with orange and avocado, and oyster sake shooters might tempt you if you're looking for some added pizzazz.
Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen, San Francisco, 2237 Polk Street, 415-474-4088
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