Might be a Nice Town, But Stay Away

Florence, Oregon was recently named the "best place to retire". That is true if you like a small town that is an active fishing village. The historic Old Town overlooks the Suislaw River, and has some quaint shops and galleries. Stay away from the International C-Food Market. Read my review to understand why.

Quick Tips:

Look for the signs for the Sea Lion Caves. It is a fun side trip and is educational. For information on the area go to, www.travellanecounty.com and www.sealioncaves.com. Explore Old Town.

Best Way To Get Around:

You absolutely need a vehicle to travel on the Oregon Coast. As much as they profess to love the environment, it is interesting to see that they have no public transportation and that they have such a large logging business. Trust me, you need a reliable vehicle on this coast as there are not many towns that are very close to each other. I also need to warn you that cell phone reception is sketchy throughout Oregon. Be careful.

To begin with, as I entered this restaurant, I noticed that there was only one table that was occupied and that this was lunch time. I should have known better, but I ignored my spider sense and decided to give it a try. After being seated, I ordered a soda and when it was delivered, I discovered a white chunky substance floating at the top. I politely asked for a replacement and one was brought to me. Then I noticed a heavy stain on the inside of my water glass, and decided not to drink any water. I opened the menu and discovered that this place was quite expensive for seafood. Just a cup of clam chowder was around $8! OK. coming from the area near San Francisco, I figured that I should try the clam chowder. I ordered a cup. Upon receiving my cup of chowder, I noticed that my spoon looked as though it had not been washed well. I pointed it out to my waitress and she acted like it was a chore to get me a replacement. The spoon that she brought me after that had such a large piece of food on it, that you would have to be blind to miss it. I could scrape it off with my finger! After that, I questioned how clean everything else in the whole place was and decided to leave. I asked for my chowder to be put in a to-go container and then left. I made sure to drop the chowder in the nearest trash can as soon as I got out of the front door. The menu stated that they supply seafood to restaurants around the country. I can only hope that their fish mongers are cleaner than the restaurant! I realized after getting in my car that the reason there was no one inside was that the locals must know how bad it is also. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Ever. Even if it is the only place open after a nuclear war. I mean it. Please do not put your health or your families health at risk by eating here. Look elsewhere.