Shellfish from Around the Sound by Shelley Lance, Blog Editor
Dahlia Sous Chef, Adrienne Lasko, told me that today was the first day for the new Dahlia lunch menu featuring seasonal appetizers, “Shellfish from Around the Sound”, so I had to rush over to try the new stuff.
Shigoku oysters from Willapa Bay, WA are served on the half shell on a bed of ice with mignonette sauce. These are really special and delicious oysters. They are grown by Taylor Shellfish in floating bags. You can read about the unusual oyster growing technique that Taylor has developed here in The Oyster Guide.
These oysters completely fill their scoop shaped shells. They’re clean flavored, meaty, and dense without being too large. (Personally I don’t like large oysters- especially I don’t like large, flabby oysters.) The Shigoku oysters are nestled carefully into trays packed into a wooden box (photo right). If you’re an oyster lover, it’s worth a trip to the Dahlia just to taste these babies: $3 each or $15 for a half dozen.
Taylor Shellfish mussels are steamed in a simple wine-butter preparation, and they’re served with a paper cone of fries and a little dish of aioli. Simple, delicious, and only $8 for this appetizer portion. (Photo top left)
It’s hard to say which of the three was my favorite (still thinking about those cold, meaty little oysters!) but the Penn Cove clams are definitely a contender. The clever set includes bits of shredded pastrami, a sauce perked up with Dijon mustard, and a piece of grilled onion rye perched on top. (Photo bottom) The flavors of a pastrami sandwich in a clam preparation!! This may sound like a too-clever concept, but it was truly delicious, and only $8 for an appetizer sized portion.
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