There’s an outdated saying that you simply shouldn’t eat oysters until the month has an “R” in it, however that’s not likely the case, so it’s time to slurp away. Who higher to provide the lowdown on oysters than founding chef and proprietor Danny Stasi (Chef Staz) of Shuck N Dive in Fort Lauderdale? His restaurant is a celebration of Cajun and New Orleans-style cooking and has served up 5 million oysters since its founding in 1999.
Fashionable refrigeration and transportation are one motive it’s suitable for eating oysters across the yr. Stasi additionally notes that farm-raised oysters are seeded and harvested all yr round. Throughout a purification course of, seawater is handled with ultraviolet lights to kill off any micro organism that may be in its pure state.
The overwhelming majority of his oysters come from Louisiana, the place a authorities company is tasked with checking the security ranges of about 30 harvesting zones. They solely open up harvesting when water high quality is perfect. His restaurant proudly makes use of “Louisiana Licensed” logos.
The extent of salt within the water is the essential issue within the style of oysters, Stasi says. A West Coast oyster will probably have a extra mineral, vegetable, mushroom style due to it’s low salinity, colder water, he says. Gulf oysters are usually extra briny.
Chef Staz particularly likes oysters the place the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf due to the vitamins coming down the river and the right mixture of recent and saltwater.
Wednesday is a giant day for oysters at Shuck N Dive with a $1.50 an oyster particular. “My guys, two or three guys, begin shucking at two within the afternoon and so they don’t cease until 10,” he says. They’ve hit as much as 4,000 oysters in a single night time.
The array of oysters served at Shuck N Dive is spectacular. The trinity of baked oysters close to the highest of the menu are:
- Black n Blues, topped with compound butter, a contact of blackening spice and crumbled blue cheese. It’s the restaurant’s signature dish.
- Oysters Rockefeller, topped with creamed spinach, onion and garlic, and simmered in Pernod Liqueur.
- Oysters Bienville, with shrimp, bacon, onion and inexperienced pepper in a cream discount and topped with parmesan cheese.
There are additionally fried oysters and others that you simply simply must ask for even when they aren’t on the menu.
“We do a charbroiled oyster that in all probability is nearly as good a vendor as something,” Chef says. “We additionally do a Louisiana-style barbecue oyster. It’s not like a standard barbecue within the sense of a crimson sauce or one thing like that. It’s accomplished as a standard New Orleans barbecue like barbecue shrimp.” There may be additionally a pesto and parmesan oyster.
All the time check out the every day specials, Chef Staz says, as a result of about 40 p.c of the orders come off of that.
