Gourmet au Bay (Bodega Bay, CA)

Gourmet au Bay
1412 Bay Flat Road, Bodega Bay, CA 94923
www.gourmetaubay.com ($$)

Eat AND Drink: Wood-fired goodies are the highlight of the casual wine bar on the coast.

Wine by the glass, flights, or by the bottle await you at this charming wine bar.

Bodega Bay is barely a blip of a town on the Northern California coast, best known from the Alfred Hitchcock horror film "The Birds."  On a recent visit to Bodega Bay for work, I was pointed in the direction of Gourmet au Bay, a wine bar in one of the town's two marinas.   I walked in expecting very little and walked out with a happy belly full of good food and good wine. 

Wine lovers flatbread - gorgonzola and roasted grapes.

Serving lunch and dinner daily (except Tuesday and Wednesday), the menu is very concise and focuses on a selection of dishes that either originate from their wood fired oven or come fresh from the neighboring sea - or both.  A particular treat was the "winemaker flatbread" - a combination of herbs, gorgonzola, and red and green roasted grapes.   Also winning are the house crab cakes, which are cooked in the open flame rather than fried, which gives them a fluffier consistency.  You can pair your dishes with either a flight of your choice ($15 for 3 tastes) or a nice selection of by-the-glass options.  The wait staff is super friendly and encourages sharing and ordering as you go. 

Wood fired peaches with honey and balsamic glaze paired with a cast iron creme broulee.

The real winner was by far the roasted peaches with honey and balsamic glaze for dessert!   Light and perfectly toasted, my group had to fight over the last few pieces.    If you are in the Bodega Bay area, be sure to stop in at Gourmet au Bay.   If you can't find something you like on the menu, there is a short pier right out the front door for you to walk off. 

Gourmet au Bay is nestled in the marina of Bodega Bay overlooking a moody sea.