October 9. Dinner At Carine's In Fort Bragg, California.

At Fort Bragg, California, we asked the hotel manager for restaurant recommendations. He immediately came up with Carine's.

Carine's is located in Noyo Harbor, the port and docking area for Fort Bragg, California. Here's the menu:

And here's Mama Carine herself. She's a dynamo. Two of her sons and a granddaughter were working here the night we ate.

Mama Carine came to our table after we'd ordered and asked if we'd ordered any clam chowder. We hadn't. So she insisted we have her chowder. And it's hard to say no to Mama. I must the admit, the chowder is exquisite. Rich. Velvety. Creamy. Delicious.

The wall is studded with photographs of notables.

Julia Roberts is up there. Her movie, Dying Young, was filmed near here in Mendocino.

As is Daryll Hannah. She filmed a TV movie, Shark Swarm, in Mendocino and Fort Bragg.

Goldie Hawn, along with Kurt Russel,

starred in the 1987 movie Overboard. They sailed out of Noyo Harbor at the end.

Don't know what the Star Trek guy did in Noyo. Also, the movie, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, was filmed in Noyo Harbor.

I had the Oysters Rockefeller. Spinach, Parmesan, bread crumbs. Perfect ratio. And I could mix my own cocktail sauce. That's always a plus.

Mr. Hawthorne had the halibut and fries. Perfectly fried. Fresh - as in "swimming this morning." Light. Delicate.

Wish we could have stayed longer in Fort Bragg. I'd love to eat again at Carine's. Loved the food and Mama C. and her family. Her son, the chef, visited our table and chatted with us a bit. Told us if we needed anything, anything at all, while in town (as in if our car broke down or something) to call him and he'd be more than happy to help. This is a wonderful place run by wonderful people.