The Oyster Shop

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Try as they might I don’t think the bright blue and orange Oyster Shop will initiate a widespread adoption of oysters as fast food. They may try – offering oysters in every which way imaginable including natural, kilpatrick, mornay, and deep-fried till salty and crisp (apparently quite popular with overseas tourists). The natural oysters are served cool and absolutely fresh, albeit with all the natural juice rinsed away. The deep-frind oysters are less convincing, the salty batter overruling the oyster’s natural salt water tang.

The Oyster Shop has a lot in its favour, its high turnover means its oysters are fresh as can be, its hot chips are nostalgically piled into paper cones, and it is licensed, so along with all the other oyster accessories (wedges of lemon and lime and coriander dressing) you can also order a chilled beer or glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The interiors are new but the bright blue and orange colour scheme can be wearing on the eyes, and the staff are polite and accommodating for what is essentially a fast food shop. There is also a glass-fronted fridge full of take-home dressings and homemade tartare sauce, and after your meal you can skip across the road to Anderson’s ice-cream parlour for dessert.

Jennifer Miller