Xinh Dwelley (Photo by Karin Leaf)
Xinh’s Clam and Oyster House in Shelton will close on Oct. 29, after 20 years of serving fresh shellfish and unique seafood preparations. Owner Taylor Shellfish Farms said the closure will allow the restaurant’s namesake, Xinh Dwelley, an opportunity to reduce her work hours and free her from the daily rigors of running a kitchen.
Dwelley will continue to represent the company at fundraising and community events. Her talent for food and cooking developed as a young woman in South Vietnam. She brought her skills to the United States in 1970, when she moved with her husband near Olympia and began selling egg rolls at the local farmer’s market. Shortly after, Dwelley joined Taylor Shellfish Farms as an oyster shucker. She won the West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship five times.