In a perfect world, we celebrate every day like it’s our birthday.
Some Eastern cultures believe a person’s birthday sets a tone for the rest of the year until the sun returns to the same spot 365 days later.
For me, the day before my birthday is like New Year’s Eve. And I welcome each birthday with positivity. A birthday is a blank slate and the chance to start another new year. I treat it preciously.
I also see birthdays as a chance to acknowledge some triumph. Some years are difficult. And it’s the same way we ushered in 2018 after 2017 seemed like a difficult year for many, I have the same feelings towards my birthday. I have grown so much in one year.
As the sun returns to June, I pick a special spot for a few of my closest friends in Rhode Island to have a good dinner to say goodbye to the last year, welcome in the new year.
Matunuck Oyster Bar at Succotash Rd in Wakefield, past South Kingstown, is my choice for this year’s birthday.
A birthday dinner with a view.
The restaurant’s right on the water with beautiful sunset views.
Matunuck Oyster Bar has a porch area including a large deck with a wide bar to linger around while waiting to be seated. That’s great for times I’ve taken friends and family to the restaurant if there’s a long wait.
The restaurant is so popular (with good reason); it gets busy, quickly.
The outdoor bar means we simply enjoy the sun and a few drinks before we’re seated.
Photo Credit: Emily Homonoff
Beyond the view, there’s clearly heart and soul in Matunuck Oyster Bar, earning my special birthday recommendation.
Matunuck Oyster Bar is a farm-t0-table restaurant, which means they use fresh, locally grown produce with farm-raised and wild-caught seafood for their dishes. It’s a restaurant founded by an actual oysterman. Owner Perry Raso and other staff harvest the restaurant’s own shellfish beds and organic produce farm at Potter Pond in East Matunuck. It’s where the shellfish nursery, grow-out, and maintenance takes place, all before it reaches your dinner plate.
This is also a classic Rhode Island spot. Their seafood menu boasting of fried calamari with cherry peppers, the clear clam chowder, and stuffed and baked quahogs. It’s a little Rhody classic for all visitors.
The servers are busy and friendly. We are a rambunctious group on my birthday, admittedly. The server likely groaned, but ended up embracing our energy and it’s a fun experience.
Tonight, I order a new cocktail on their menu, it’s a type of cucumber with vodka and lemon; my friend picks the “Blackberry Uprising” — local Sons of Liberty Whiskey, lemon, and fresh blackberries; another friend gets a virgin Bloody Mary — she’s on antibiotics; while the last person in our group picks “The Bee’s Knees” — gin, ginger, lemon, honey, mint.
Drinks run about $11 each.
Photo Credit: Emily Homonoff
When my parents visit, they’re big seafood lovers from California, so they’re delighted by the menu and dig into lobster, seared scallops and the clams casino — eight RI littlenecks with a buttery bacon & bread crumb topping.
My parents like the meal so much, it’s an oddly quiet dinner because everyone eating and not talking.
But my friends and I skip the seafood on this visit. One friend is a vegetarian, another is not a fan of seafood. I am more of a steak, pasta, and burgers person and our other poor friend doesn’t have anyone to share a plate of Oysters with, so she passes on the seafood tonight. Our bad.
This is what we order:
We all gravitate to the pasta, despite dining at such a popular and delicious seafood restaurant. While pasta isn’t their known specialty, it should be.
One of these dishes do not belong… and it’s the Birthday girl’s dish.
I ordered that one Penne Pesto with chicken you see in the photo. It’s basil pesto cream, tomato, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s probably one of the best pasta dishes I’ve eaten, which sounds peculiar, again, coming from a known seafood restaurant.
The portions are generous and I pack a big helping of chicken and pesto for lunch in the morning.
Meanwhile, my three friends, who apparently all conspired against me, get the vegetable ravioli — roasted peppers, kalamata olives, oven roasted tomatoes and spinach tossed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic pine nuts, feta, and crispy eggplant.
Our plates run about $17 each, with some extra charges for my chicken.
The food is delicious and everyone clears their plates.
After a few drinks and a lot more laughter, we make it to my favorite part of the night: Dessert.
I will drive to Matunuck Oyster Bar just for their Chocolate Bread Pudding.
It’s also a deliciously large portion. I take some home to heat up for a midnight snake. It tastes great still, even hours later. A sign of the perfect dessert.
My friends tell our server it’s my birthday, and though he didn’t acknowledge it during their whispers, my dessert comes with a candle.
My friends know not to cause a commotion, which I appreciate. I feel embarrassed sitting through a “Happy Birthday” song because it feels like everyone is staring at me. So my friends whisper-sing Happy Birthday quietly, and we dig in.
Two friends order their specialty Key Lime Pie that’s frozen and on a popsicle stick; my other friend orders a type of chocolate tart cake.
Everything is devoured quickly. I am one happy Birthday Girl.
The server drops off our check and tells me my chocolate bread pudding is on the house — what a nice touch.
While we linger and pay the bill, the owner personally greets each table, including ours.
He says hello during my birthday dinner to make sure everything was great, and every time I’m at Matunuck Oyster Bar, he’s come by to check in.
It’s clear a spot where Raso is extremely passionate about his craft, from farm to plate. And I’m on board with supporting local owners who take pride in their restaurant and their work.
Let me know when you visit the spot!
More soon,
