Oyster night

Just a few days ago had a great oyster dinner at one small private kitchen in cwb. This is actually my first experience doing oyster tasting and having oysters as the main dish.... usually people order a platter as a appetizer, and then the waiter explains different breeds but you never really get to appreciate the subtle differences of flavors.

We started off with the first round of standard platter - kumamoto, malpeque, utah beach, south africa, south pacific. Some flavors are a bit muted but Utah beach is quite nice very creamy. I am glad that we started with something light that accentuate the power of premium oysters.

For the second round we went for the higher premium breeds - namibia, scotland pearl, gillardeau, belon 0000. I like namibia, clean and friendly, quite creamy to tasting but not the kind that gives the wow factor. I don't like scotland pearl, people like it for the after-taste which lingers in your mouth for a few minutes, it goes well with chardonney and white wine, yet i found the after-taste too strong and not crisp enough. I love gillardeau, briney, sweet and silky, the complexity of flavors represent the transformation of the breed from location to location, like a full bodied wine that wraps around your tongue and stimulate every taste buds. The belon 0000 is the best. each zero represents 3 years, so 0000 means the oyster is 12 years old.  This is the best that i have had before, the taste is exquisite, crisp and sweet and complex. it is actually quite crunchy int texture, pretty much giving you everything you want in an oyster.. no doubt this is the best breed.

belon 0000 close-up.
I will definitely go back for more. someone says will treat me to another tasting.. i wouldn't say no for that. =)