Foggy days have a tendency to make me feel kind of odd. I don't mind them, in fact I rather love them which is why I moved here in the first place, but they inflict a sort of longing for just the right place or activity that's often hard to satisfy. A sort of cinematic nostalgia if you will. On this particular day it was nice and socked in with a light mist coming down when that familiar feeling started creeping in, this time with a tinge of Woody Allen (started out as Radio Days and ended up Manhattan) and an overwhelming desire for seafood.
Finally hit on Anchor Oyster Bar in the Castro and found that, it being early still, we had the place nearly all to ourselves (always important if you plan to stage a relationship scene of Allen-esque proportions). After a great deal of waffling I went for the prawn, crab and shrimp laden gazpacho and some Miyagis on the half shell. Both were cool and delicious (and the former way bigger than I'd expected).
Franklin went in for a warm and cheese-encrusted open faced crab sandwich that was downright fantastic and a cup of shrimp and corn chowder that pretty much blew any flour-y New England clam version out of the water. All that with ambiance to boot and the nice man behind the counter didn't even try to take away the rest of our carafe when it became clear that at least one of us had had quite enough.
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Crabby? Though I still love Swan's, Anchor Oyster Bar is far more accessible time-wise and a good deal closer to home (though not much different as far as prices go). At 579 Castro Street, its just a couple blocks up from the Castro Theater, right before you hit 19th Street and its nice and tiny with a few tables and a great marble-topped bar. Stop by Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 10 or Saturdays noon til 10 and keep in mind that a full carafe might be too much wine if you haven't eaten all day.