>the myriad saltwater bivalve molluscs
To the poor patient oyster, where it sleeps
Within its pearly house. -Keats
So many names (Bouzigue? Gravette?), seemingly so many choices on the menu.
But it seems manageable if we classify them into:
Eastern or Atlantic (Crassostrea virginica)
Pacific (Crassostrea gigas)
Olympia (Ostrea lurida).
Most of the time though, simply "oysters" seem to be enough of a draw.
>Oysters on the half shell, served raw with a splash of champagne vinaigrette on a bed of mixed greens, served with garlic crostinis - Rick & Ann's Restaurant, Berkeley, CA
>Oyster motoyaki - Tsuki, Chicago, IL
>Oyster Louie, filled with spinach, pecorino, crabmeat lobster saffron essence topped with hollandaise - Green Dolphin Street, Chicago, IL
>Bongo-bongo soup veloute of oyster and spinach - Trader Vics, Atlanta, GA
>Panko fried oyster, warm bacon vinaigrette, frisee and poached quail egg - Alberta Street Oyster bar & Grill, Portland, OR
>Seared ahi tuna with avocado, citrus and fiery oyster shooter - Amadeus, Vienna, Austria
>Tempura oyster, smoked chili butter, creme fraiche and osetra caviar, avocado oil - The Conservatory, Cape Town, South Africa
>Asparagus gaspacho, oyster cream, home-pressed smoked salmon and leeks with truffle oil - Le Jardin des Sens, Montpelier, France
