The seafood raw bar is a tradition that dates back to Colonial times in New England, yet this regional specialty never goes out of style. In Boston there are a number of institutions, like the Union Oyster House and Legal Sea Foods, that are renowned for their raw bar offerings. And at many of the city's most stylish restaurants, raw shellfish is a standard item. But in the past few years, there has been a flurry of raw bar openings. A few fit the classic formula, while others, run by Japanese chefs, add a new dimension to the New England raw bar concept.
A Raw Bar Renaissance in Boston
Summer Shack
Jasper White's name has become synonymous with fine seafood, but he established himself as a stalwart of the traditional raw bar with the opening of his latest Summer Shack, in Back Bay. A smaller version of his restaurants in Cambridge and at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, this restaurant is still large - it seats up to 180. In fact, it may be Boston's largest oyster bar; in peak season, it serves roughly 6,000 oysters, clams and shrimp a week.
The Back Bay location is done up with the festive, twinkling lights, 60's-style banquettes and casual, seafood-in-the rough atmosphere that have become trademark Summer Shack décor. But it's serious business; as you enter, you see two young chefs shucking oysters and clams as fast as the orders come in. Right behind them, outlined in nine antique refrigerator windows, are rows of glistening stone crab claws, cooked lobsters, shrimp and bag upon burlap bag of raw oysters and clams.
After 25 years of working with seafood, Mr. White has perfected the art of keeping raw oysters and clams juicy and fresh in this massive custom-built refrigerator. The oysters, in particular, are succulent.
The Summer Shack offers 10 varieties of oysters, which vary from day to day. My friend and I ordered a tasting of all 10; they were promptly delivered on a bed of shaved ice with cups of cocktail sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger, and a mignonette sauce of chopped shallots, black pepper and champagne vinegar. Among the most popular are Island Creek, Wellfleet and Beau Soleil from Canada. Alongside the platter was a white cashier slip that served as a guide. Each oyster had a distinct flavor, and all were juicy and delicious. A colorful salad of red beets, watercress and endive sprinkled with sharp blue cheese and a tangy dressing rounded out my meal. A glass of slightly fruity Guy Saget Sancerre, $7.75 a glass, complemented the oysters.
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