Through the years, Lauren and I have made numerous visits to Carmel, California. What amazes me is that, on almost every trip there, we have stopped for either appetizers, lunch, or cocktails and a snack at A.W. Shucks.
Midwest Version of A.W. Shucks
Turns out, it has become one of our most favorite venues in the village. It has never disappointed. But allow me to backtrack for just a moment… A number of years ago, I discovered that the owner – for reasons not important at this time – decided that he was going to open up a Midwest version of A.W. Shucks in Oak Brook, Illinois. Since Lauren and I were still in Illinois at the time – and not far away – we just had to check it out!
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I was amazed that the A.W. Shucks in Oak Brook looked almost identical to the Carmel version. And, it did not disappoint us on that outing in Illinois either. The food, service, and ambiance were just as good as they were on the west coast! That is to say: superior. Back to the future.
Time to Share
As one of our fav spots in Carmel, Lauren asked me why I had never reviewed A.W. Shucks. Honestly, I have no idea. Perhaps I have always been a bit hesitant to share one of our “secret” favorite places. Scared it might change? I dunno. Could have been lots of things. But after our most recent trip to the coast, I decided I had to share the place with you. A.W. Shucks is truly that good.
We had originally tried to stop in for lunch the day before, but I am assuming we got there a tad late. The place was packed at 11:30. We tried at an earlier time the next day, and voila! Our favorite seats near the front window (enabling a great view of the crowds traversing Ocean Ave.) were available.
It Got Continually Better from There
Immediately after being seated, a waitress stopped by with a basket of warm, fresh bread and asked if we would like something from the bar. Certainly. Lauren’s eye was caught by a “Cucumber Cosmopolitan.” Made with Absolut Vodka, Pear Liqueur, White Cranberry juice, Fresh muddled Cucumber and Fresh Pressed Lime Juice, the drink turned out to be a most excellent choice! I ordered a Kona Longboard draught beer – also an excellent choice. But it got continually better from there…
The same set of chefs present at our last visit were still hard at work at the smallish grill and prep area in a corner behind the bar. Rarely have I watched two guys in even a much larger space perform a marvelously choreographed pas de deux with such ease, never getting in each other’s way. Multi-tasking at its best.
Lunch
Whether it was shucking oysters, heating and slicing fresh bread for tables, deftly handling orders of fries and/or fish, putting together sandwiches… Well, let me say it was a treat to watch – they were that good!
For lunch, we ordered a Jumbo Prawn Cocktail (and I do mean jumbo). Ultra fresh, cooked to perfection (so many kitchens way over cook all seafood) we could almost have eaten another order. So tasty! We also decided to get a half-dozen oysters on the half-shell. Served with horseradish sauce, cocktail sauce and a wedge of lemon, they were from Chesapeake Bay (East Coast) and boy they were fresh, juicy and quite a taste treat!
Walk on the Beach Along Scenic Avenue
I enjoyed a bit of banter with the boys in the grill area and praised them for their fine work. Lauren gazed out to the street that seemed to be overflowing with ever increasing numbers of tourists. We would need to soon join the throngs, as we had a few errands to run before a long walk on the beach along Scenic Ave. would bring our day to a pleasant end.
But I will say again, we have never been disappointed by A.W. Shucks – this outing was certainly no exception. Thanks again to “the guys at the grill”, to our attentive waitress and to all employees of A.W. Shucks. Great food, great service. Definitely and consistently a 4 ½ Zin experience every time. Without a doubt, we will be back!
A.W. Shucks is located on Ocean Avenue between San Carlos & Dolores in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.
Lauren’s Links
- VisitCarmelCalifornia.com – for more about the restaurants, shops and things to do in this beautiful seaside village!
- Carmel: A History in Architecture (Amazon)
- Oysters: Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea by Cynthia Nims
