...Let us count the ways!:
1. Kumamoto from Washington State
2. Beau Soleil from New Brunswick
3. West Virginica from Washington State
4. Beach Angel from British Columbia
5. Hardy's Malpeque from Prince Edward Island
6. Marina's Top Drawer from British Columbia
We recently spent the evening indulging our oyster addiction at Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill.
And what a pleasure it was!
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| Virginica- image courtesy watermarkoysterbar.com |
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| Hardy's Malpeque- image courtesy hardyoysters.com |
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| Kumamoto- image courtesy Winecouver blog |
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| Beau Soleil- image courtesy Ilovebluesea.com |
Starfish is one of those really comfortable establishments- you're not really sure if you should consider it a cozy neighbourhood bar or a nice informal restaurant. Ultimately it doesn't matter in the least. If you want the bar experience, sidle up & watch the show. The shucking is done right there, and these guys know their stuff. In fact, Starfish's owner, Patrick McMurray, was the 2001 World Champion oyster shucker and the Guiness Book of World Records record holder (33 oysters shucked in a minute).
He's passed along his know-how to the rest of the crew.
If you opt for a dining table, the atmosphere
is casually sophisticated and the table service
is knowledgeable & friendly.
is casually sophisticated and the table service
is knowledgeable & friendly.
We chose the latter and sat in the window
watching the Saturday night traffic slide by.
watching the Saturday night traffic slide by.
As a starter we shared the"Shucker's Choice" dozen,
which included two of each from the list at the top of the post.
We paired them with
a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Appleby Lane in New Zealand.
which included two of each from the list at the top of the post.
We paired them with
a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Appleby Lane in New Zealand.
What a knock-out combo! The oysters were succulent and extremely fresh. It always amazes us how easily you can taste the differences between various types of oyster and their places of origin. We're not saying we can spot a Kumamoto by its flavour (not yet, anyway, but we're practising!) but when slurped side by side the differences are readily apparent.
And that wine!! We think New Zealanders are the perfect match-up with oysters and this baby delivered. The flintiness was just what was needed to marry with the minerals & brine from the shellfish liquor and the acidity kept things light & fresh.
We moved on to mains- one of softshell crab, the other of roast Ontario pork. Both were really good and did not disappoint in any way as followers of the opening act.
But this post is all about our love affair with the sweet little bi-valves, so we'll just leave it at that!
Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill
100 Adelaide Street E.
Toronto
(416) 366- 7827
Posts
I like bobofed. Is there anything similar in Vancouver? Where you can taste several oyster varieties in one go? It is true you can definitely taste the "searroir" in each different one. You should also try Chablis with your oysters, specially for the brinier, more minerally ones. It would be fun to try different origins of Sauv Blanc too with different oysters. Nice post!
ReplyDeletewww.winecouver.wordpress.com
Hi, thanks for your comments. Winecouver is also a nice blog; we're enjoying the South American- oriented content.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately we're completely unfamiliar with the restaurant scene in Vancouver so can't advise you on where to head for oyster samplers. However a quick search at Chowhound Vancouver suggests you probably have several options. Have fun with your research!