Philadelphia is a city of legacies — aside from its historical origins and sports fanaticism, the city’s food often boasts roots that extend for generations. The recently renovated Oyster House is no exception. In its third generation of a family of oyster house owners, the restaurant has passed hands since its 1976 inception but is now again owned and operated by its founding family. We ventured east to see what the vision of the new generation would bring to the classic Sansom Street restaurant.
The Oyster House’s sleek atmosphere presents all the charm of a classic seafood house without the kitsch. Upon entering, we were immediately met with the elegant marble oyster bar at which patrons can perch; a glass partition displays mounds of ice topped with oysters. Simple, substantial dark wood tables sit atop classic hardwood floors, and the whitewashed walls are decorated with colorful antique oyster plates.
Our extremely knowledgeable server answered our questions about the menu, including helpful descriptions of each of Oyster House’s offerings from the Raw Bar. True to its name, the restaurant’s dinner menu includes an extensive and varied list of raw oyster offerings as well as a number of roasted oysters and clams. To begin our meal, we selected two types from the Raw Bar — the Island Creek of Massachusetts, and the Fanny Bay of British Columbia (both were $2.50 each, $14 for a half-dozen). The oysters, served with a classic mignonette and a cocktail sauce, lived up to our expectations, and then some. The Island Creek, a favorite of the White House, we were informed, were delicious and perfectly briny. The Fanny Bay offered a refreshing contrast, with a sweet taste that hinted at cucumber, an attribute that occurs in Pacific oysters due to the intensity of the waves (another detail from our server). If you are looking for an oyster “happy hour,” The Oyster House offers its “buck-a-shuck” special from 5 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, during which you can order oysters for a mere dollar per half-shell.
Next, we sampled the Yellow Tomato Gazpacho ($9) and the Lobster Hush Puppies ($12). The hush puppies, breaded bits of lobster served with a tomato jam and a creamy buttermilk dressing, were heavy on the breading, light on the lobster, and bore a closer resemblance to mini-corn dogs than to traditional hush puppies. The gazpacho, however, was a highlight of the meal. Served at room temperature, the nearly fluorescent yellow-orange of the soup was as pleasing to the eye as it was to the taste-buds. The bowl was topped with crab, and the gazpacho was refreshing and creamy without being too heavy or rich. The taste of the yellow tomato came out pleasantly sweetly. Needless to say, we were tilting our bowls for every last drop.
For our entrees, we selected the Lobster Pan Roast ($23) and the Fried Softshell Crab ($28). The pan roast featured pieces of lobster served in a lobster bisque with corn and roasted tomatoes. The corn provided a pleasant complementary crunch to the softer textures of the lobster and tomatoes, and the creamy bisque provided a satisfying backdrop to the perfectly roasted rich lobster. The crab also did not disappoint — two crabs were lightly fried and not at all greasy, served, with a summery corn slaw. For those with a penchant for red meat, the sole non-seafood Large Plate is the Oyster House Burger, which is served with grilled onions, blue cheese, and naturally, a fried oyster on top. In addition to shellfish, the Large Plate menu also boasts a number of fish offerings, all of which change nightly.
To conclude our meal, we ordered a Berry Short Cake ($7), but may have done better to order the Rhubarb Crumble or Fudge Brownie off of the surprisingly varied dessert menu — while the cream was tasty and the berries fresh, the cake itself was a bit dry.
We also had a treat from the Oyster House’s other bar — the Oyster House punch ($7), which consists of rum, tea, apricot brandy and citrus juices. The punch combined fruity tones and strong dark liquor, a not-so-subtle kick of an ending to the meal.
Also on the drink menu are oyster shooters — shots of alcohol complete with, of course, an oyster.
