Three years after starting negotiations to buy the notorious Zoog’s Caveman Cookin’, followed by years of remodeling, construction and engineering, partners Ashley Emery and Brent Garrett today opened their Crazy Otter to its first customers.
“We’re in the fun business,” said Garrett.
“This’ll be the damnedest fun place you’ve ever been,” added Emery.
The Crazy Otter, 141 Chimacum Road in Port Hadlock, occupies the building that once sported a wall mural of a scantily-clad Racquel Welch holding a mug of beer and surrounded by leering dinosaurs. The mural and everything else is gone from the former Zoog’s that sank so low it was featured in the cable television show “Restaurant Impossible.”
This reporter’s favorite memory of Zoog’s: Outside next to the life-size mural of a buxom Racquel Welch, an older man with long white hair, wearing a beret, was hitting a joint. He wore a heavy full-length camelhair overcoat with red sneakers below that. Inside, his buzz going, he sat down at an electric keyboard and flawlessly rendered Pacabel’s Canon in D major. Behind him, bloody men kicked, punched and wrestled in a mixed martial arts match played on the large-screen TV. The drinkers at the bar cheered the fighters. The listeners at tables close to the keyboard strained to hear the classical icon and politely applauded its closing notes. Then the keyboard player dashed outside for another toke.
The television makeover made major improvements but it wasn’t enough to save Zoog’s. Emery and Garrett bought the building after Zoog’s lost its lease.
“We took it down to the bones,” said Emery. “The only thing left from Zoog’s is the old bar, under the new bar top.”
Engineered trusses, exposed inside as design features, were added to support the roof. All new furniture, along with a modern color scheme has completely transformed the interior. The septic system–a nettlesome issue for most Hadlock businesses–proved more of a challenge and expense than originally expected, and delays kept pushing back the first day of business.
But a brand new kitchen is now serving sandwiches and sides for take-out from noon to 7 pm. The bar is expected to open mid-July.
The Crazy Otter will provide work for 12 employees. Local artists will be featured, beginning with a Hadlock stained glass artist who specializes in lamps and home decorations. Live music will be added over time.
This is the first restaurant/bar venture for the partners. Emery has been a financial consultant. Garrett works in property management.
This reporter sampled the fried chicken sandwich. The generous serving of juicy white meat was fresh, crispy, and mated with delicious fixings on a light roll. Our photographer went for the tuna salad sandwich and declared it, “excellent.” We cross-checked our taste tests to verify their accuracy and came away impressed.
Opening day is always tough for a new restaurant. The Otter’s launch, after many protracted struggles, seems a complete success. Customers were leaving with take-out bags as we got our story. We wish the Otter crew all the best and thank Emery and Garrett for the dozen, much-needed jobs they have created in Port Hadlock.
Jim Scarantino
Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our "About" page for more information.
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