Summerguide 2019

Stalking the Walrus and the Carpenter, Maine’s ostreaphiles can’t get enough.

By Diane Hudson

The Maine oyster is commanding center stage in eateries across the state. Served au naturel in settings where they are the star, not just a B-list appetizer, the bivalves speak for themselves—volumes. As do the hosts working tirelessly to get us the best oysters they can find or harvest themselves.

On The Half Shell

If you want the ultimate oyster-slurping experience, head straight for the carts at breweries, farmers’ markets, and festivals.

At the helm of South Portland’s O’Oysters, Lucas Myers has “sold oysters in one fashion or another” for almost 20 years. He loves “being a pundit for the Maine oyster industry. There are some great people and fascinating operations producing some of the best oysters in the world right here in Maine. I love handing someone an oyster right off the knife and telling them how it was grown and by whom.” If you’re hankering for an oyster fix “without pomp and circumstance,” as Myers puts it, be on the lookout for O’Oysters at the farmers’ market in Monument Square on Wednesdays and at breweries including Island Dog Brewing and Rising Tide on weekends.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for the popular BP’s Shuck Shack cart in front of the U.S. Custom House on Commercial Street in Portland. Veteran oyster purveyor Brendan Parsons has worked on oyster farms since high school and recently opened his own oyster distribution center and eatery, Shuck Station Raw Bar, in Newcastle. The oysters are shucked to order at this Nobleboro native’s cart and sourced from at least eight different farmers in the Damariscotta River area. Whether the oyster hails from Great Salt Bay or South Bristol, Parsons wants you to get to know the nuances, and he’s had a lifetime to become acquainted with them. You might even be lucky enough to score one of the Blackstone Points—“briny forward with freshwater influence”—from his own farm in Damariscotta. If you enjoy a splash of mignonette as part of your slurping, you’re in for a treat. Parsons serves up a selection created by friends at Waldo Stone Farm: seaweed cucumber, Champagne tarragon, and sesame ginger.

O Files

The Shop on Washington Avenue is housed in a whitewashed building with large bright-orange letters reading “OYSTERS.” You’ll find a welcoming vibe inside or on the deck. For starters, all oysters are priced at a competitive $1.50. These include Scarborough’s Abigail Pearls, Damariscotta’s Mookie Blues, New Meadows River’s Eider Coves, along with others from Island Creek, the owner’s farm in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

The oysters arrive at the table artfully arranged on ice so that the server can narrate the origin of each. Accompanied by fresh lemon slices, mignonette, horseradish, and cocktail sauce, these briny beauties do not disappoint. Lightly toasted Standard Baking sourdough bread with butter ($5) or various smoked and pickled fish sourced from Galicia, Spain, and served with ample amounts of cabbage, pickles, and mustard can be ordered. The fine-tuned beverage menu includes champagnes, wines, Maine craft beers, and a few fun cocktails (Bloody Mary, gin and tonic, dark and stormy), along with a host of non-alcoholic goodies.

Next up, Maine Oyster Company. This cozy little nook on Portland Street is described by owner and oyster farmer John Herrigel as “more than an oyster bar…It’s a center for connecting three overlapping spheres: the oyster growers of Maine, the West Bayside neighborhood, and the general oyster-slurping community.”

“We go beyond the bottom line to support fair prices to the growers.” Herrigel’s goal is to create a sustainable aquaculture industry within Maine, “ensuring our environment and natural resources remain protected.” On the wall, an informative map of coastal Maine designates the location of each participating oyster farm (https://themaineoystercompany.com/oysters ) and features photos of the farmers.

Yes, you will get a great variety of fabulous, fresh Maine oysters skillfully shucked and presented so you can identify each and compare flavors. But you may be even more drawn in by the company’s mission “to share ‘the way life should be’ through the story of the oyster farmer, building real community through direct experience.” You can opt, for example, to join the oyster farm-share at the restaurant, featuring a different grower and specialty mignonette weekly. Or partake in a farm tour and shucking class offered twice daily on Fridays at Herrigel’s “Base Camp” in Phippsburg.

As part of the Maine Oyster Company’s efforts to help create a more sustainable industry, Herrigel has spearheaded a far-reaching and informative Oyster Festival. Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Harvest on the Harbor Maine Oyster Fest with Maine Oyster Company on Saturday, October 19 at Thompson’s Point. Happy slurping till then! 

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