Until a few months ago, I was adamant about my dislike of oysters. It didn’t matter whether they were raw, boiled, broiled or chargrilled, I wasn’t a fan of the bivalves, and I was quite emphatic about this declaration. But after easily polishing off a half-dozen raw at a Virginia oyster bar, I had to admit my tastes might have changed. Maybe it was the discovery of different varieties of oysters, but recently, my road to redemption continued at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar.
The restaurant is located in a historic building across from North Boulevard Town Square. Its artful chalkboard in the entrance entices the visual sense. Featuring a plethora of oyster information, it could easily overwhelm with the sheer bounty of material. Luckily, a well-apportioned printed menu delineates the choices by raw (West Coast, Gulf Coast and East Coast), raw with toppings and cooked options with apt descriptions of each available accompaniment.
To get an overall introduction to Jolie Pearl’s variety, we chose a 2-2-2 order of raw oysters, the full selection of toppers and a fine assortment of cooked picks. For the raw ones, we focused on the East and West coasts with Bluepoints from the Long Island Sound, Naked Roy’s Beach oysters from the northern Puget Sound and Fanny Bay oysters from British Columbia.
An employee at Jolie Pearl shucks oysters for a spread.
For those uninitiated to oysters outside the Gulf Coast, the differences between East and West Coast oysters are found in appearance and flavor. East Coast oysters will generally have a smoother edge with more minerality and brinier flavors. West Coast oysters generally have sweeter meat and a more jagged edge to the shell. There are, of course, exceptions to all rules, and it’s important to note the exact location along each coast—as this can lead to variances in flavor.
Cucumber Mignonette, one of the three raw garnishes we ordered, showcased slightly pickled cucumbers and onions. The mixture was distinctive on its own, but we found it too vinegary for the delicate terroir of each oyster. The Mango Rum Salsa was a tropical flavor explosion that paired best with the Bluepoints, softening their briny profile with the perfect amalgamation of sweet and spicy. The light, delicate Grapefruit Granita was my personal favorite, with its fresh, icy piquancy heightening the sweetness found in the Naked Roy and Fanny Bay oysters.
The classic Oysters Bienville features mushrooms, white wine, crisp breadcrumbs and nutty Parmesan.
Moving on to the cooked selections, we started with the Corn Maque Choux. Packed with corn, pork and the Cajun trinity, this baked choice was a table-wide favorite. The marriage of the salty ham with the plump, briny Gulf oysters balanced perfectly with the earthy vegetables and sweet corn. It was a truly unique flavor fusion. The perennial South Louisiana baked favorite, Oysters Bienville, with mushrooms, white wine, crisp breadcrumbs and nutty Parmesan, was incredibly well done. The white wine’s acidity helped to mitigate the saltiness of the oysters, while the mushrooms added an earthy component.
For those who aren’t a fan of the bivalves, Jolie Pearl offers a spicy Chilled Shrimp dish as well as muffalettas and other sandwiches.
Should there be non-oyster eaters among your crew, there are a few items to satisfy their hunger, including muffalettas, roast beef poboys and nicely spiced chilled shrimp served with a cocktail sauce that needed a little help from a few shots of Tabasco.
With the summer weather bringing people outside and downtown in the afternoons and weekends, there are ample opportunities to make a visit to Jolie Pearl. The Sunday brunch features a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar to go along with all those oysters. Plus, any day when there isn’t a live band, you can choose your own tunes via the restaurant’s carefully curated selection of vinyl.
A bright and citrusy Mango Rum Salsa is one of several toppings for raw oysters.
Know your oysters:
Jolie Pearl offers a gastronomic tour of oysters from the Gulf and both coasts. Among the varieties our reviewer tried were:
•Bluepoints. Popular in New York City restaurants, these oysters have an extremely mild taste and are harvested from the Long Island Sound between New York and Connecticut.
•Naked Roy’s Beach. Found in Samish Bay in the North Puget Sound, just a few hours north of Seattle, these oysters are sweet—almost fruity.
•Fanny Bay. Hailing from British Columbia, these mild, cucumber-y oysters are found along Vancouver Island in an area that produces several varieties of oysters.
