The Wooden Spoon Introduces Raw Bar to Menu

As if wasn't unique enough as part bistro, artisan market and farmers market, the restaurant is now adding a raw bar into the mix.

Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., diners will have the choice of five different types of oysters, shrimp cocktail, ahi tuna, lobster cocktail, sliced and cooked octopus, pastrami salmon and more.

The Wooden Spoon now boasts the only raw bar of it's kind in Livingston County, according to Stephen Pilon, The Wooden Spoon's co-owner and executive chef.

"Nowhere else - that I know of - are you going to be able to get anywhere from lobster cocktail to oysters to pastrami salmon all on the same menu. Which is a raw bar menu. And to compliment it, we also have lobster bisque and steamed mussels."

Pilon said the idea for a raw bar began because while he worked at Oak Pointe Country Club, oysters and shrimp cocktails drew huge crowds of people.

"As a chef, I look around and say, 'If I were to go out to eat, what would I like?'" Pilon said. "And for me, there's nothing better than a big 'ole plate of oysters."

As for the rest, Pilon said he just tried to balance the menu so someone can come in and have other choices besides oysters.

Pilon said he gets The Wooden Spoon's oysters solely from the east coast - from Canada to Rhode Island to Massachussetts - because of the colder waters.

"Typically, the colder the water, the better the oyster," he said. "The southern style, like from Louisiana or Florida, I'm just not fond of them. It's really cold water on the east coast this time of year and it makes for a better oyster. You have a better brinier, more ocean flavor behind the oyster."

The raw bar opened this past week. Pilon said the opening night wasn't terrible, but it didn't bring in as many customers as he thought because of the restaurant's lack of a liquor license.

"It's hard with the type of cuisine that we're doing, because it really lends itself to beer and wine," Pilon said. "It's hard for us to get that repeat person coming in. Sure they'll come in and eat once or twice and have a flavored water, but they really want a beer or wine to compliment what they're having."

As of next week, The Wooden Spoon's liquor license status could change for the better. According to Pilon, the license was before the Liquor Control Commission today. If approved, the restaurant will have a Resort License - allowing them to serve wine, craft beers and specialty cocktails.

"This time of year we'll come up with a caramel apple martini or a hard cider - something that really goes with the season," Pilon said. "And in the summer, we'll have a sangria. We're not going to have a full bar, but we will have specialty cocktails that compliment who we are."

Pilon said he has had customers that have come in and sat down and walked out after discovering there was no alcohol.

"It's difficult as a small business owner to have that happen because we're here to make your experience as enjoyable as possible," he said. "And it's hard when a person can't enjoy a nice wine with their meal. But I truly believe those days are over. We have everything happening now."