Blue Plate Oysterette (www.blueplatesantamonica.com)
I must confess I have been tracking this place on the www.eaterla.com plywood report since the spring (at least). ”Tim!” I said one evening after B.P. Oysterette had first appeared on said report, “you gotta see this - Oysters? Lobster Rolls? Blueberry Cobbler? Beer? Have we died and gone to heaven??” Tim and I have jointly declared oysters to be the worlds most perfect food (no need for cooking, comes in its own container AND in its own sauce) but have yet to find a solid nearby place to stop in for a beer and a dozen on the half-shell. It appears our prayers had been answered.
Needless to say, when B.P. Oysterette finally opened I was anxious to give it a try. This anticipation, coupled with our “large” party (5 to be exact), and the informal celebration of my 30th birthday, paved the way for quite the eating extravaganza. We showed up around 9pm on a Friday and there was still a wait (good sign). The hostess could not have been more gracious and continued to update us on the progress of our table (another good sign). When seated, which wasn’t too long, we dove right in - 6 grilled oysters served in their shells topped with bread crumbs and tarragon, 6 oysters rockefeller topped with spinach and a little parmesan, and a dozen on the half shell served simply on ice with a nice cocktail sauce and mignonette. To my surprise, the rockefeller were my favs - I usually find this preparation to overpower the oyster flavor - but here the toppings were just enugh to complement the oyster which was just slightly warm and perfectly briny.
Next - now please don’t judge us - we ordered the fisherman’s stew, a bowl of clam chowder, the mixed seafood fry appetizer, a lobster roll (ok, I lied, 2 of them), a big dog, fish tacos, and fish and chips. Now as if this weren’t enough for our piggy faces, Salvador, the most gracious manager, brought us an extra 1/2 dozen oysters on the half shell and an order of ceviche.
The ceviche, chowder, stew and seafood fry came first. The ceviche and chowder were consumed too quickly to be photographed (yet another good sign). The chowder wasn’t too creamy, had a well-balanced base, and nice big pieces fresh clam. The ceviche was fincely chopped and nicely acidic - accolades all around. The stew contained some lovely seafood and a simply tomatoey fish broth with some crusty bread for dipping. It was simple and delicious. The seafood fry contained calamari, shrimp, and oysters which were fried in a cornmeal crust. The seafood was solid but the coarseness of the cornmeal seemed to prevent the coating from getting really crispy.
Next, our main courses. For me, the lobster roll was the big winner - big chunks of perfectly-cooked lobster lightly coated with a lemony dressing on a buttery brioche style bun. That’s it - no mayonaise, no pickles- just lobster and roll - perfect. The fish tacos were another fav - with moist grilled fish, a little purple cabbage, chewy corn tortillas, and a delicious spicy salsa. The consensus at the table was that these were some of the best fish tacos we’ve had - which is saying a lot in this town. The fish in the fish & chips was moist and flaky but, again, the coating was not quite crispy enough for my taste.
On this particular night, they happened to be out of the blueberry cobbler so we opted for the homemade popsicles. A lovely end to a lovely meal. In the end, I would not have complained if BP Oysterette was a little more fish shack and a little less sea-side cafe but, overall, this place delivers casual, delicious and fresh seafood in a fun setting. I will be back often for a beer and a dozen on the half-shell (and probably a lobster roll, or two). SP.
