Casa del Sol

An unexpected gem in Noyo Harbor

Have you been down to check out Casa del Sol in Noyo Harbor yet? If not, you really should! True, they may be one of the very few spots in the harbor that doesn’t have a view of the water; the simple picnic tables in the gravel parking lot outside may be less than ideal if the weather is at all inclement; and there are sometimes stacks of freshly pulled crab pots next door infusing the air with their perfume when the harbor breeze is just right. But the food! Oh, the food is fantastic!

The salmon tacos at Casa del Sol are fantastic!!! The chef even kindly split the order into two for us when we requested, and the single taco just looks too darn cute.

We first tried out Casa del Sol last summer. Ella happened to be with Guy and I in the office for the afternoon, and as we had several errands to run up in Fort Bragg and rumbling tummies to satisfy, we cruised down North Harbor Drive to see what we could scrounge up. We debated where to go, the adults at last deciding that since we had yet to try the newest of the Noyo Harbor restaurants, we were in duty bound to see how it was. Ella, with her 8 year-old logic objected, “We’ve never eaten their food before – what if we don’t like it?!” “Well, honey,” her father replied, “what if it’s amazing? We’ll just have to give it a go so we know for sure!”

Now, while it is true that it is delightful to always eat the things that you already know you love, we are so glad that we went with Guy’s logic over Ella’s in this particular case! For, you see, it was indeed fantastic, and now we all have another little gem of a place that we have added to our list of favorites!

So what was so great about that lunch? Well, it was a cheerfully sunny day, on which afternoons it is always delightful to be outside, especially when the harbor breeze drifting in off the ocean is refreshingly cool. The restaurant and tables were not crowded – probably due to the fact that it was midweek and a little later than most people eat lunch, and most visitors had not yet ventured out of their COVID-enforced homestays. The service was cheerful, unassuming, and efficient. And did we mention the food? Oh goodness. So delicious. We ordered the carne asada fries, a chicken sandwich that was on their specials, and fish tacos. The carne asada fries, which arrived first, were so fantastic we almost cancelled the other two items just so that we could order another round of those ridiculously savory fries.

A glance through the restaurant’s Facebook page is sure to make you hungry…

We stuck to our original order though, and continued to be amazed by the rest of the food as the quietly pleasant gentleman serving brought it out and placed it before us on the table. The plating was beautiful – artfully arranged with an eye to color and visual texture. Ella, the fish taco aficionado, declared that these were some of the best fish tacos she had ever had. And the chicken sandwich was both huge and incredibly tasty, with easily enough chicken for two sandwiches and the perfect balance of toppings and garnishes. The ingredients were all so fresh and so tastefully and thoughtfully combined that it felt like a crime to leave any morsel uneaten.

Since that first visit, we have been going back to the charmingly simple Casa del Sol and all their tasty food on a regular basis. Ella continues to stick with the fish tacos, Guy champions the shrimp enchiladas suizas, and Laura will order the salmon tacos any time they happen to be on the specials. So what are you waiting for? Go now and enjoy your own taste of this wonderful little gem of a spot down in Noyo Harbor. It’s totally worth it!

Another photo we borrowed from their Facebook page - who wouldn’t want to dive on into THAT special?!

Casa del Sol is currently open Tuesday-Saturday, 11:00-7:00. If the weather is not quite propitious for open air dining, you can get your food to go, drive to the end of the harbor, and have a memorable car picnic while watching the waves beat on the rocky jetty that marks the harbor entrance. If the weather is at all nice though, definitely try for one of the picnic tables in their parking lot, as their lovely plating is one of our favorite parts of any visit.

Words and first photo by Laura Hockett