I’m usually an oyster purist who loves encountering the sweet melon finish of the West Coast variety or the briny minerality of those mollusks harvested from the Atlantic. However, there are ways of drawing out and heightening the flavors of the bivalve.
That’s precisely what I found at the Pullman Yards location of Fishmonger.
Laid on a bed of ice pellets, a half-dozen oysters were served with droplets of green-gold extra virgin olive oil, a thin slice of kiwi, slivers of tarragon and a cloudlike dollop of citrus foam. As with the adage that “we eat first with our eyes,” my senses were dazzled.
The acidic sweet notes of the kiwi were a welcome contrast to the taste of the sea. The neutral nature of the olive oil let the brininess shine through and added an earthy essence. The citrus foam amplified the flavor, as well as the aromatic experience, when I sipped that last bit of seawater from the shell. The experience ended with a high note of tarragon. Then there were five more oysters to experience anew.
Fishmonger. Multiple locations. fishmongergroup.com
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