Review: Oyster House

by danschowalter

Four cook-eaters descended upon 1516 Sansom Street in Philadelphia, Center City, for what they already knew would be an exquisite experience. The Oyster House promises reliably, reasonably priced, seafood pleasure. And it’s a hotspot for the Philly lunch crowd that fills the place quickly and then clears out in an instant. One senses immediately, amidst the professional ties and heels, and more importantly the food, that South Jersey has been left far, far behind.

One side of the Oyster House’s menu is devoted to a creative four-part listing of Cocktails and Punches, Wine, Beer, and Other Beverages. The drinks favor gin (over 50 varieties) but anything is possible, including an oyster shooter (one of four kinds) called the “Bloody Shame,” a Bloody Mary shot with an oyster but with no booze. They also have a thing for muddling basil and cucumber.

The wine list is modest but comes with tasting notes and bottles range in price from $43 to $73. Draft beers are local (Pennsylvania and New Jersey) and cans and bottles come form Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and abroad.

Fried Oyster Platter with slaw and chicken salad.

Once done perusing the libations, a flip of the menu reveals the real reason you came here. The raw bar offers eight varieties of oysters, including one from Jersey (Cape May Salt), and two varieties of clams, one of which is from Jersey (the Cherrystone). For me, I can’t resist fried whole clams, ever, which are hard to find.  They also offer two styles of fried oysters which is virtually unheard of. They offer a fried oyster platter that, around here, is always served with chicken salad for some reason. The other they call “southern fried oysters” and this is a mystery I will solve on the inevitable next visit.

Gazpacho.  Rich, creamy, and still light–some sort of magic trick.  But it seemed oddly devoid of tomatoes.

Grilled Salmon Salad with farro, peaches, almonds, and smoked blue cheese dressing.  Ordering salmon in a restaurant is always risky in terms of the “fishiness” level.  These guys have it figured out.

 

Fries worth writing home about and served with a spicy aioli.

Whole fried “Ipswich” clams.