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I Got Taste

BEST OYSTERS in KING WEST

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MS-KB-Brassaii restaurant Toronto King Blue

Cream Lounge, Brassai, SpiritHouse, Weslodge, Crush Wine Bar

589 King Street West, 461 King Street West, 487 Adelaide Street West, 455 King Street West

Lounges

Jonathan Swift is quoted as saying, “He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”

Though this may be true for some, oysters by my definition are: delicious. Oysters can be eaten alone or with savoury condiments, but they’re typically eaten with fresh squeezed lemon juice and grated horseradish.

Toronto is a great city to enjoy oysters. Here’s the round-up on the top five places to get your fill of these little mollusks in the stylish King West area.

First stop, Cream Lounge, located at 589 King Street West.  If you want to have a romantic evening with your significant other and really impress them, this is your spot. Especially if they like oysters, champagne and the finer things in life. From the minute you walk in the door, you immediately know that the bar is set high here in terms of what they serve and how you will be treated. Custom furniture was commissioned by the owner of Cream Lounge after a recent trip to France.

ms-kb-Oyster

Our hostess settled us into our velour settees, established us with menus and gave us a few quiet moments to peruse and pick our cocktails. My friend chose a cocktail called Menage and I ordered a Bridget Bardot. Before coming by our table to give us our drinks, our hostess placed a Crystal bowl filled with large pieces of broken up white chocolate and a side of strawberries as well. Thinking things could not get any better, we clinked our drinks and soaked in the subdued lighting from the crystal chandeliers. I felt like I had walked into someone’s luxuriously decorated palace. The combination was wonderful. To top it off, we were given two beautifully shucked and chilled oysters in an ornate silver bowl on ice. The best part? On Thursdays, the oysters come free when you order a martini.

Six of the freshest French kissed oysters on half shell are priced at $24. This place is a great spot for a small groups who would like some intimacy and is equally ideal for a sophisticated girls night out.

Next stop, Brassaii, 461 King Street West. Open for almost six years, this dining experience has been a trademark of the bustling Entertainment District. To enter the restaurant off of the main street, you cross a charming courtyard and up the steps to it’s grand entrance. Immediately, one is struck by the din of the room and it’s flashy crowd. This place is known for its regulars. The restaurant is named for the 1920s French photographer and his prints adorn the walls. These oysters have been endorsed by Vancouver’s Aquarium as Ocean Wise, for being a sustainable seafood choice.

There is beauty in simplicity I learned when our oysters were served served straight up, accompanied by traditional cocktail sauce and an onion Mignonette.  Six market fresh oysters + fresh horseradish + signature sauces are priced at $19. These oysters team nicely with the Balsamic Bramble cocktail, a spirited mix of Tanqueray Ten, Chambord, reduced balsamic vinaigrette, raspberries, blackberries, rosemary and champagne.

Destination oyster, next stop: SpiritHouse, 487 Adelaide Street West. Fancy a scotch or a bourbon with your oysters? Looking for a place to go on a Friday after a long work week to unwind and shuck a few back with some friends? This is your place. Opened by the Founder and President of the Toronto Institute of Bartending, Len Fragomeni, you are guaranteed a unique drink experience. Inside the bar, the huge selection of spirits takes the spotlight. At the back of the space, there is a “happy hour” room with a large clock face always set at happy hour and a rich black, baroque banquette to welcome your tush, and those of your friends, for an oyster adventure. SpiritHouse serve fresh East Coast oysters brought in daily, shucked and served with their house cucumber Mignonette, fresh horseradish and hot sauce. Priced at $10 for 3, $21 for 7 and $33 for 12.

At Weslodge, 480 King Street West, Toronto, their oysters are served with pickle juice and horseradish ($18). What makes Weslodge the place to go to for oysters is the ambiance  This urban saloon, is a welcome addition to trendy King West. Lamborghini-yellow doors open to a room lined with tables. The ceilings are high and the walls are lined with dusty old portraits. A water-buffalo head overlooks the bar. Cocktails are presented in antique, crystal glassware. Weslodge is reminiscent of a bistro, meets chalet, meets saloon. An experience not to be missed.

Last, but not least, we have Crush Wine Bar, located at 455 King Street West. This restaurant is a favourite of mine. If you want to have a nice glass of wine, recommended by an experienced sommelier, who will take the time to answer your questions and make suggestions to accompany those oysters, you are in the right place. The unique sauces that celebrated chef Trista Sheen creates for their Ocean Wise approved oysters includes an apple sauce, a la crush style, a tasty lemon and dill sauce, and of course, shaved horse radish alongside. This is the spot to get serious with the combination of wine and oysters and in a business casual setting.