Dazed by the Dozen

Posted on August 19, 2009 
Filed Under Berkeley, Food & Drink

Cherries are a lovely treat, but if you ask me, life is a big tray of freshly shucked oysters. Especially on a blue-sky day, sitting outside at Sea Salt, sipping Chardonnay and slurping them at just a buck a pop.

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Sea Salt has realized the concept of “urban oasis” in every aspect. Situated on a colorful little stretch of San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, a wide expanse of windows draws you into a cool, watery world of blue-green glass, polished concrete, exposed brick, and unfinished wood. Add a warm welcome from the staff and a table on the tree-shaded brick patio or in the airy sunroom out back, and happy hour is off to a grand start.

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Every day from 3-6pm “The Other Menu” features not just raw oysters, but fried ones, and shooters with house-made Bloody Mary mix, too, in addition to more than ten other small plates for $5-$9. Add fresh toasted chickpeas, fried friarello peppers, and endless amazing crusty bread to your dozen on the half, and you have yourself a fabulous finger-food meal. Wash it all down with a $3 draft beer, a $5 glass of wine, or one of Sea Salt’s signature cocktails made with freshly squeezed citrus.

An hour or two spent like this makes for the kind of relaxed and blissful experience that you treasure in your memory for years—summer vacation in an afternoon.

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Of course, it could’ve been the oysters—they are an aphrodisiac after all, or so they say. Perhaps it would be prudent to try out a few other half-shell happy hour havens around the Bay, and investigate this oyster bliss further:

Luka’s Taproom & Lounge in Uptown Oakland shells out $1 oysters all day long every Monday.

Hog Island Oyster Bar tops off a visit to the Ferry Building with $1 oysters and $3.50 pints of beer, Mondays & Thursdays, 5-7pm

Grand Café near Union Square gives you 6 for $6 plus $3 Sierra Nevada, and daily special plates, Monday-Friday, 3-7pm.

Zuppa one-ups the rest SOMA-style with 50¢ oysters, $4 beers, and $5 wines, Monday-Friday 5-7pm.

And if you find your raw mollusk adoration cannot be bound by the hands of time or your end-of-recession budget, you better get yourself a spot in line at Swan Oyster Depot. Every oyster lover worth her salt must make a point of bellying up to that old-school bar in Nob Hill at least once before leaving the Bay. They close at 5:30pm and aren’t open Sundays, so get there early and bring the newspaper—it’s worth the wait.

Sea Salt is located at 2512 San Pablo Avenue (at Dwight Way) in Berkeley. Open daily until 10pm. 510.883.1720.

–Sara

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Comments

One Response to “Dazed by the Dozen”

  1. sally on August 19th, 2009 12:05 pm

    OYSTERS! Yum! :)

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