Friday, July 24, 2009

Oysters, or How I've Created a Monster


The highlight of Atlantic City to us is making sure that we get a table at Dock's Oyster House. The first time we went there was almost 4 years ago during the NJEA Teacher Convention, after a good session at the craps table (where we won a combined $1000). I had ordered oysters, but Steph was a bit leery. I'd ordered them a few times since then, and had always offered for Steph to try them, to no avail. I had tried to explain the way the brininess was perfectly complemented by a squeeze of lemon or a hit of mignonette sauce. I had tried to describe the velvety texture as you slurped them out of their shell. All for naught.

Fast forward to our first wedding anniversary at the Fromagerie in Rumson. Seeing them on the menu, I ordered them as an app and finally succeeded in getting Stephanie to try one. It was truly a revelatory experience for her, the single oyster that she sampled. She had taken her first step into a larger world, and she began ordering them whenever she saw them on menus (at restaurants where I would not have issues ordering raw oysters, mind you).

So, we were in AC the past few days, celebrating our anniversary, and of course we went to Dock's. My goal was to eat as many different types of sea creatures as possible, while Steph's was to just eat oysters. So, we started off with a dozen Cape May Salts (which are prized as being environmentally sustainable and have created a resurgence in New Jersey oyster production) and a dozen Wiannos (which were recommended to us by the guy prepping all the oysters behind the raw bar). While I was savoring my oysters and making friends with our neighbors (who had been drunkenly singing by the piano bar while waiting for their table), I look over to find a giant pile of shells on Steph's plate...she had greedily eaten 10 already to my 5, and was not looking like she was going to put the brakes on.

Her response to my protest, completely serious..."Well, keep up then!". I'd created a mollusk-devouring monster.

Anyway, the oysters were absolutely delicious, as well as everything else we'd ordered (tuna tartare, a 1 lb. lobster cocktail, a sampler of oysters Rockefeller, clams casino & grilled shrimp and sauteed jumbo lump crabmeat in herbs and butter).

However, all paled in comparison to the deliciousness of the oysters. Next time we head down to AC, we're ordering THREE dozen and going from there.

Who's coming with us?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Just to clarify - I was not devouring the oysters. I was savoring every briny, sweet, smooth bite. If my husband chooses to chat with drunk middle aged women rather than eat our oysters, then too bad for him. You snooze, you lose! More for me!

Laura White said...

right on steph! lol
I may have to go ahead try an oyster after reading this...

Unknown said...

Oysters at Dock's I miss traveling for Business!

Anonymous said...

I want in. I love oysters ans champagne.

Ms. Meg said...

I'm IN!