The town of Oceanside is a small collection of beach houses that clings like limpets to a hillside between Cape Meares and Netarts. Wikipedia deems it an “unincorporated community.” The population stood at 361 at the last census. Services are minimal: a post office, coffee shop, and two small restaurants.

Offshore is the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, a trio of basalt monoliths that serve as nesting grounds for a wide variety of sea birds. These barren rocks (Finley, Middle, and Shag) host Murres, Cormorants, Puffins, and Petrels. Peregrine falcons, close to this food source, nest on the sheer cliffs. Stellar sea lions bask on the lower basalt shelves, scattered like kielbasa across the sun-warmed stone.

The islands are one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the country. By the early twentieth century, the westward expansion of the United States had already driven several animal species, like the American Buffalo, to the point of extinction. The early settlers in Tillamook county often raided the islands for sea bird eggs, destroying the nesting grounds. Two young conservationists, William Finley and Herman Bohlman, documented the biological wealth of these islands, as well as the harm caused by local residents. When President Theodore Roosevelt saw their photographs, he decided to protect the land, and established the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge in 1907. It was the first wildlife refuge on the Pacific coast.

Roseanna’s Cafe sits right above the beach, with fine windows that look across the half mile of water to the Three Arches. It is a small, pleasant cafe with wonderful views from every table. A wood stove commands the center of the dining area, and one could imagine the joys of watching winter storms washing ashore with a fire to keep you warm.

In addition to its undeniable charms, Roseanna’s Cafe also features an oyster burger. Somewhat unconventionally, they don’t seem to offer french fries as a side dish. The burger is accompanied by either a cup of soup, clam chowder, or a salad. I choose the clam chowder. It is unorthodox, but occasionally we must walk on the wild side.

The oyster burger is certainly on the higher end of the price range at $14. I am expecting wonderful things from it. The Cafe has eschewed the local Oregon oysters, and chosen to import their mollusks from Willapa Bay, in southern Washington. As all oyster aficionados know, Willapa is the Klondike of oysters, the superb waters from which the greatest bivalves come. Once again, my expectations are high.

The oyster burger arrives in its plated glory. It is a neat, but conventional package: three pan-fried oysters on a fairly thin, lightly toasted hamburger bun; both inner faces of the buns have a layer of tartar sauce; a thin, dark-green leaf of lettuce; three tomatoes; red onion slices. A dill pickle spear and a cup of clam chowder come on the side.

The oyster burger is nice, but unexceptional. The red onions are quite strong and tend to overwhelm the other flavors. As the juices are released, the thin bun begins to degrade (substrate failure). As I have often noted in these reviews, an oyster burger requires a thick bun or roll to avoid a soppy, soggy mess. If the substrate is too thin, one ends up finishing the burger with a fork.

Roseannas does earn points for its side dish: the clam chowder was fabulous. They introduced either pesto (or possibly just basil) into the recipe, which gave the chowder a slightly green cast and was absolutely fantastic on the tongue. There are few days when I wish I would have ordered something other than an oyster burger, but I would have happily substituted a full bowl of this marvelous chowder for today’s burger.

The Verdict: Recommended, but my judgment may have been unduly influenced by the excellence of the chowder.

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