ICM Restaurant, Florence, OR: Seriously, "International C Food"?

I suppose it's a good thing I don't have a rule against eating at places with punny names, or we wouldn't have gone to ICM... otherwise known as, really, the "International C Food Market".

Actually, come to think of it, can I even dignify the name of this joint by calling it a pun?  It's a pretty weak one, I guess.

To the point.  Sometimes, when you're traveling, especially as a group of 6 people, it's a good idea to find a place with a comfy menu that's not crazy, or challenging, or ridiculously expensive.  Somewhere that just serves solid food.  And that's the role ICM Restaurant played for the six of us - Logan's mother, father, and brother, our nephew, and us two Bootsies.

I ordered a local beer to start.  It was pretty chilly outside, even though it was July, and the hoppy IPA was welcome.

And then Logan and I made the rest of his family eat a couple surprisingly large appetizers, including a big, soft potato-dough calzone filled with seafood in a cream sauce.  So glad we were sharing this giant, rich puff!

We also ordered a half-dozen enormously plump, subtly briny raw oysters.

For my actual lunch, I wanted a novelty size spread of seafood.  So I demanded that Logan share with me, and between the two of us we ordered three things.

(I see food and eat it after the jump.)

First, a whole, ridiculously succulent warm steamed dungeness crab, served with a large bowl of not strictly necessary drawn butter, some so-so mashed potatoes, and a silly yet welcome steamed vegetable medley.  (My brother in law Brandon got all you can eat dungeness.  Smart man.)

I was super excited to learn of Oregon pink shrimp from Edible Portland, the local member of Edible Communities (we have one In Austin, and there's one for southeastern Michigan as well).  They're a wonderful travel resource to find out about what's great to eat and what sets different areas of the country apart.  Oregon pink shrimp are petite and don't have a strong iodine flavor like Gulf shrimp can have. They're very delicate and are easy to enjoy simply steamed.  We bought several pounds so Logan could make a dip for the extended family the next night, and it went over very well.

They're also certified sustainably harvested by the Marine Stewardship Council.  And the teeny buggers are shelled BY HAND.  Talk about labor-intensive.

To top off our local seafood extravaganza, I also ordered a daily special - razor clams, breaded and pan-fried with capers and lemon.  Think... razor-clam piccata.  They weren't nearly as exciting as the pink shrimp; I found them chewy and thought the lemon and caper pretty well overpowered any taste of the clam.  

Our wonderful nephlet, who is aging at a somewhat alarming rate (here he is in the months after the blog first started), ordered a downright huge bowl of seafood.  And demolished it.  His parents have had to pretty much stop taking him out for sushi, since the kid is an eater in the mold of his aunt and uncle and can already put down $50 worth without blinking.  We are tremendously proud of the nugget, as I'm sure you can tell! 

Dessert: strawberry shortcake.  A nice bite of something sweet.  This was very soft and poundcake-like, and I could have done without the searingly red maraschino.

After lunch, we drove the several pretty hours back up the coast to Depoe Bay.  The soothing motion of the car was just too much for some of us to withstand.

 

Nicely done, ICM, name notwithstanding.  Thanks.

ICM Restaurant (in the International C Food Market) is at 1498 Bay Street in Old Town Florence. 541.997.7978.  

Comments

[Nicole]

That calzone looks like an old man smiling. I like it.

Also, the word "nephlet"? That is awesome.

[Laura]

I love that this post and the old one of Nephlet at Christmas both have pictures of Logan in a post-pigout coma.

[Donna]

Those oysters look divine!

[Boots in the Oven]

Love the comparison - now I'm wondering how I didn't see it!

What are we going to do when the nephlet is taller than me? He can't be a nephlet any more...

[Boots in the Oven]

Ha! That would be a funny photo series... I'll have to see if I have any more.

[Boots in the Oven]

Thank you, Donna! I can't wait to get back to Texas and have some Gulf ones.

[jmallchok@hotmail.com]

Check your bill at this place! I really hate finding a different amount on my charge card then was on the receipt. I always check my receipts at the end of the month..and guess what..our waiter (also a manager) had added more to his tip than clearly written. Then when I went back to the restaurant and showed them (Rachel) and asked for the manager to call me left my cell # w/Rachel, the manager did not return my call..so I went back to the restaurant in Florence and again asked for the manager and I was given another run around.
Bad customer relations..not sure if we will go back...watch your money at this place....

[sonja boyd]

So sad. We have been to ICM exactly two times. The first left us wanting seconds and thirds on the razor clams and fish and chips. Today we went with the family to enjoy what we thought was going to be good food. I ordered the combo pasta with sausage shrimp and scallops with veggies spinach and a olive oil white whine sauce...ya right what I got was under cooked pasta with lumps of a pork like substance way under cooked scallops with enough sand to make a sand castle with. Oh and the shrimp...it mise well have been chewing gum. The suppossed vegetables? ??..7leaves of spinach on top. My husband ordered the captain's platter bit all he received was about a half cup of greasy pieces of what might have been food at one time. The best part he said was the mashed potatoes ...at a sea food restaurant. The worst part wad the had the gaul to charge over 20 dollars per meal. We will never return. If ICM hired a new cook fire him.

[Boots in the Oven]

Oh dear, Sonja! I'm sorry to hear that.

[Exciledones]

I have decided to start with do NOT eat here, if you need to know why I wont read below. needless to say I was VERY upset & I am not surprised that they can not keep the tables full. I feel they are way over priced but the poor service & deception will keep me from ever returning .. . .

Well, I read some great reviews for this place (maybe the owner posted em) & Monday afternoon may not have been the best time to try it out. 1st shrimp scampi special only has shrimp (no pasta) waitress even forgot the roll that was supposed to come w/ it. it did come with a Caesar salad but it was served as part of the meal, not prior as expected. waitress was quite bothered that I would ask such a thing, we felt VERY UNWELCOMED, anyways I ordered the seafood combo plate admirals or captains(cant remember) well it was ok, 2 over-sized fish sticks a few fried shrimp, oysters & scallops came with chowder or salad, I used my free chowder coupon but was not "allowed" a salad also, plz note the coupon was given at the door as they were luring people in anyway possible. this sadly was the 1st place we saw or I feel we would not have stopped due to the poor attendance. food was ok, fried oysters were very good , service was VERY POOR! the shrimp scampi must had been from a day or 2 prior and translucent in its sea of butter & oil, I refused to even try it. had to beg for the bill, beg to get my CC back. wait staff NEVER returned to see how things were. I was actually out of my chair chasing them more than trying to enjoy my food.
I will never go back and really don't know why I left a tip.
BTW all you can eat crab is now $65.00 NOT the $45 the advertise, so I decided to rent traps (pot) from another local business & caught close to 10 pounds the very next afternoon, having my own all you can eat dinner for about 25 bucks.
while crabbing I went & ate next door at MO's, its a bit crowded & noisy but food & service was top notch. lunch about 1/2 the price @ Mo's

ICM * (1 star) spent alot $$$$ and very disappointing food & service 9 surprisingly the special menu is the same price as the regular menu

MO's ***** (5 stars) be happy eat at Mo's or try another on Harbor ave, I know I will.

I have stayed on the docks for 3 days now & have yet to see any fisherman deliver here & if they did wouldn't the prices be more reasonable, I just dont get it