We’re usually such econo-diners, but here we almost halfway splurged (for us). We drove by the unremarkable-looking old depot that houses the restaurant during our first exploration of the town of Seaview, south of Long Beach. Later I read an article in a tourist brochure about it. "Gee, that old building we took a picture of is supposed to be a really good restaurant," I mentioned to Bob. It’s housed in historic Clamshell Railroad Depot, so named because its trains operated by the tide tables. We stopped to check it out just before they opened one afternoon and liked what we saw, picked up a menu, and considered returning another evening. 
We chose one of our last evenings on the peninsula to eat here. This Saturday night was the weekend of the Long Beach rodeo, which has been taking place for 60 years now. Though the Depot was busy, it was still early evening and we had our choice of tables. The waning sunny summer’s day drew us outside on the covered, latticed deck, inviting and warm. We ordered a bottle of Chilean red wine, which was one of the most reasonably priced at under $20. Though I love wine, I’m far from a connoisseur. I’d never even heard of the brand, Montes, or the wine variety, Malbec. My husband and I both thought it was delicious – full bodied and strong.
A basket of steaming fresh baked crusty sourdough and kalamata olive bread slices soon arrived at our table. We decided to order an appetizer of Willapa Bay fried oysters ($8), in honor of the peninsula’s oystering past and present. This followed my brave oyster-shooter experience at Oysterville earlier that very afternoon, which I hadn’t been crazy about. These were oh-so-much better! Fried and crispy outside, still slightly soft and yielding inside, they melted in our mouths dipped in roasted garlic aioli sauce. Bob didn’t like them quite as much as I did though. 
Depot’s special was Cowboy steak ($22) to go along with the rodeo. I’m not a big steak fan, but when I learned from co-owner Nancy Gorshe, circulating among the tables, that it was bison steak, that was different! Bob and I split the order. The chef advised the bison be prepared rare to medium-rare, but Bob prefers his meat well-done. We compromised to order it medium. Hoping it wouldn’t be tough, I continued sipping the rich red wine and nibbling on bread.
I needn’t have worried. I’ve eaten bison frequently in the past three years; this was THE most succulently tender, incredibly delicious version ever. It came served on a bed of spicy ranch beans, topped with lightly fried onion-strings; on the side, roasted garden vegetables (carrots, asparagus, and broccoli) and Gorgonzola mashed potatoes. It was one of those ecstatic dining experiences where speech was reduced to "ahhh" and "ohhh" and "this is soooo good!" We enjoyed every single delicious bite to the fullest.