Our Daily Bread, Part Deux: Hog Island Oyster Company
Dear San Francisco,
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
Our first day in SF, we had lunch in the Ferry Building’s Hog Island Oyster Company. We had originally planned on landmark Swan Oyster Depot for shellfish, but having visited the farmer’s market right out back, where oysters were being shucked at one of the food stands, we decided we couldn’t wait and headed over to the long line at Hog Island.
We probably waited about 20-30 minutes. But it didn’t matter, the shellfish all looked so tempting and the queue of eager customers was a promising sign. Plus, we were able to enjoy a bottle of a bright, crisp Grüner Veltiner while perusing the menu, which featured all sustainable seafood, both raw and cooked.
Eventually, we were finally seated at the bar that wraps around the open kitchen. We proceeded to order a frisée salad, a grilled cheese sandwich (gruyère and fromage blanc,) a bottle of Sancerre, and some platters of various oysters, clams, crab and prawns. The salad and sandwich with its side of house made pickled vegetables were fresh and flavorful. Good options for Shellfish-Lovers and Shellfish-Phobes alike. But I couldn’t have cared less, because I was there for the oysters and the oysters were to die for.
I love raw oysters naked (not me, the oysters!), with just a light squeeze of lemon juice. I only resort to mignonette and cocktail sauce if I find an oyster lacking in taste or if I’m in the mood for some zing or heat. But as a matter of fact, the accompanying condiments proved superfluous. The seafood tasted so clean and fresh, one could easily forget the high levels of cholesterol that were being consumed. Notably, the perfectly-cooked prawns were unsurpassed in regards to flavor and texture. No amount of skill or spice could ever compensate for a lack of freshness and these big shrimp were as fresh as they get.
How did I end up with two glasses of vino?
Why some people have such an aversion to shellfish is beyond me, and I feel bad for those who suffer from an allergy. I am grateful not to be allergic, and to have acquired a taste for raw oysters as a young child. I am also grateful for über-fresh prawns, good wine, and Hog Island Oyster Co.
Hog Island Oyster Co.
1 Ferry Building Marketplace Shop #11-1
San Francisco, CA 94111
415.391.7117
www.hogislandoysters.com
6 comments
Never been a fan of the texture with oysters, still quite an amazing spread.
Tuggie: Maybe you should try oysters rockefeller, the spinach and cheese mask the cooked oysters pretty well, the original texture gets lost, but the flavor lingers. My husband’s mom hates oysters too because she thinks they taste like boogers, lol. Definitely an acquired taste, but once acquired, well, I can’t live without them!
For a long time I thought I didn’t really like shrimp, but it turns out that I just didn’t like shrimp that weren’t perfectly fresh.
Now I just can’t wait for things to cool down and for my favorite oyster spots in Paris to reopen.
Barbra: I’d give up a lot to live near a desirable coast just for fresh seafood. Speaking of France, I would love to do what a past wine instructor did there: eat freshly-harvested oysters with bottles of Muscadet on a boat!
You know what’s an acquired taste, bone marrow…well maybe a state of mind. Speaking of, what is the name of the restaurant in NYC that serves bone marrow and oxtail marmalade?
Tuggie: I LOVE bone marrow! I know, big surprise ; ) For me, the taste of that wasn’t acquired at all surprisingly, I loved it the first time I had it in osso buco. And I believe the restaurant you’re referring to is Blue Ribbon, although I’ve seen the combination of marrow with oxtail in several places, the ingredients work perfectly together.
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