Well into the ‘R’ months, oysters are flying out of their shells allover Naples. Those briny plump mussels served raw on the half-shell, fried or richly dressed, a la Rockefeller style, have become the epitome of seaside delicacy and acquired taste.
At first look, especially if you are a staunch landlubber, the thought of tilting your head back and letting that globular mess slide off its shell is one of questioning disgust. But once the taste is acquired, there simply is nothing quite like it (clams, oyster’s summertime cousins, are close but lack that robust briny snap of an oyster).
Long thought to be an aphrodisiac and limited to cooler month dining, oysters have become, thanks to the good people at FedEx, a year round dining staple of seafood restaurants and raw bars, allowing for oysters from as far as the Salish Sea and Puget Sound, and as close as Apalachicola Bay, to arrive here live and fresh. In salute to those salty bivalves, naplesillustrated.com has found some local haunts that are doing oysters right. So read on, let us know if we found your favorite shucked shellfish or missed completely, because, as always, write-ins are welcomed and encouraged.
North meets South
Variety is always a good thing, especially when coming to oysters. Geography plays a pretty substantial roll when it comes to the flavor of oysters, with each region adding its own distinct profile of taste to the bivalves. Like a fine wine, oysters’ flavors are determined on region and outside
influences like salinity and minerals in the water, even age plays a factor, with more mature, larger oysters having a bolder and more complex array of flavors. Atlantic oysters have a tendency to be a bit milder with briny and mineral tastes, while Pacific oysters are often said to carry fruit notes.
Amongst the northern Atlantic oysters, which are all the same species and named by the location farmed, there are subtitles based on which cove, bay or sound the oysters are plucked. Letting eaters discover the intricacies of flavor the frigid waters of the northeast can induce, The Real Seafood Company serves a variety of chilled shucked half-shells depending on season, each representing their frigid New England home waters. Selections change based on what is freshest; giving diners the chance to taste all the varieties the north has to offer. 8960 Fontana Del Sol Way, Naples, 239-456-3463, msventures.com/realseafood
The Un-Raw
For those looking the turn the table on the raw bar mentality, The Bay House has an excellent southern inspired treat. Their crispy fried oysters, lightly breaded and served with a Bayou Remoulade are the perfect opener for a seafood dish at the waterside restaurant. The Bay House’s newest addition, Tierney’s Tavern & Claw Bar, has also made a foray into the cooked oyster variety with the Oyster Rockefeller Stew, a classic in the making.
But if you still have a hankering for some raw oysters, The Bay House and Tierney’s Tavern take that just as seriously, offering up only the best oysters for the season. So the selection changes as different locations hit their peak. Be sure to ask for the pink peppercorn mignonette…perfection. 799 Walkerbilt Rd., Naples, 239-591-3837, bayhousenaples.com
Richly Dressed
When a menu item is named after you, you know you have made it. Named after oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller for the richness of the sauce, Oysters Rockefeller have taken on an aura of wealth and 
opulence; a delicacy reserved for multiple forked meals. The recipe, which dates back to the 19th century, is purported to come from a New Orleans’ original, Antoine’s Restaurant. Though still a safely guarded secret (legend has it that the recipe went to the grave with originator Jules Alciatore), plenty of imitators have made their way to restaurants across the country. Made with oysters on the half-shell topped with a pureed mix of breadcrumbs, herbs (often parsley) or spinach, and a butter sauce, then baked, Oysters Rockefeller is rich and flavorful. To get a true taste of Oysters Rockefeller but won’t be visiting the Big Easy anytime soon, head to Crayton Cove and try The Dock’s version of the oyster dish. Served up with double smoked bacon, a spinach-based breading and Pernod, The Dock has made Oysters Rockefeller wholly their own. 845 12th Ave. S., Naples, 239-263-9940, dockcraytoncove.com
East vs. West
This piece could not be complete without a shout out to those west coast mollusks. Naples’ chic Third Street South eatery, Sea Salt, takes the business of oysters seriously. Not only offering a delicious fried option with a jalapeno lime tequila sauce, chef Fabrizio Aielli has brought in a sampling of oysters from all over the map to give diners a chance to challenge the tastes of east versus west. Served up raw on the half-shell, diners can dig on farm-raised west coasters Kumamotos, a fluted shelled masterpiece of an oyster, as well as an array of east coasters with Malpeques and Bluepoints hitting the menu too. 1186 Third Street South, Naples, 239-434-7258, seasaltnaples.com
Taste of the Gulf
When talking oysters, most think of the icy seas of New England or the frigid waters of Puget Sound in 
Washington, but Paradise Coasters know the ample grounds of their backyard, the Gulf of Mexico, delivers some pretty tasty mollusks. The oysters hailing from Apalachicola Bay are big and meaty, a light salt taste and should go down neat; sauces just hide the oyster’s flavor.
Growing in Apalachicola Bay, the oysters are influenced by a mixture of waters from rivers flowing from Alabama and Georgia, and the salty Gulf of Mexico. The fine gray silt of the Bay translates into the oysters flesh, giving them a slate color when shucked. So where to get a healthy dose of some Apalachicola’s? Tin City’s own, Pinchers Crab Shack is one shell of a shucking good time. Served chilled and naked on the half-shell (and steamed for the timid), Pinchers does it up right. 1200 5th Ave. S., Naples, 239-434-6616, pincherscrabshack.com
Pairing a beverage with oysters can be as contentious as finding the best tasting oyster region. Different schools of thought persist with some saying Champagne is the great counterpoint, with its crisp effervescence not overpowering the palate, but allowing for the oyster to run uninhibited. Others contend white wine, dry and crisp, makes a great marriage—Riesling from Alsace is often bandied about. But if past has anything to do with the present, a craft brew specifically designed with oysters in mind is always a good choice.
A few centuries back, oysters were common tavern nosh. Cheap and salty, oysters kept the draught taps flowing as patrons looked to quench their thirst. And the common beverage of choice? An oyster stout of course.
Though oysters are a bit more costly today, present day oyster stouts are a throwback to the old UK tradition of paring a hearty stout with oysters. The beer is brewed with oysters shucked right into the mix, and though this sounds fishy, the flavors of the oysters are mainly boiled down, giving the brew a little extra body.
Oyster stouts are starting to see a resurgence as of late, with a few of the craft brew heavyweights throwing a few barrels into the ring. Though most of these have not made it down this far south, here are a few standouts to find and covet if you can.
Flying Fish Brewing Co.’s acclaimed Exit Series beers have joined the oyster stout cult with Exit 1 Bayshore Oyster Stout. The New Jersey-based brewery’s Exit Series beers are named after the exits on the New Jersey Turnpike. Exit 1, released in 2009, just so happens to coincide with Delaware Bay, a once thriving oyster bed that has seen a concerted restoration effort as of late. Smooth and creamy, Exit 1 is brewed with Delaware Bay oysters. If you can find a bottle, grab it and save it for a special occasion. flyingfish.com
Straight-out of Boston, Mass. comes a full-bodied brew with some salty roots. Part of Harpoon Brewery’s 100 Series, a limited batch brewing series from Harpoon brewers, Session 36 utilizes Island Creek’s farm-raised Duxbury Bay oysters for the Island Creek Oyster Stout. Hitting the stands in March 2011, Session 36 is a rare find, especially down in South Florida, where craft beer is still trying to find its stride. With a roasted quality and hints of chocolate, Harpoon’s oyster stout starts strong and finishes sweet. harpoonbrewery.com
For some southern influence straight from the Bayou, Abita Brewing Company has thrown
its hat in the ring with their Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout. Released in October of 2011 as part of their Select Series, the Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout is the winning recipe of a homebrew competition sponsored by Abita Brewing. Using Louisiana oysters shucked right into the boiler, this beer is downright impossible to find down here. But if you are headed to Antoine’s in New Orleans for the original Oysters Rockefeller, swing by Abita Brewery and pick up a growler for yours truly. abita.com
