Our last full day in Vancouver. Beep Beep, L and I checked out Granville Island. I showed L around my old stomping grounds. The art school that rejected my application. The playhouse my elementary school would take us to watch the Christmas Carol. The Lobster Man, where I experimented with shucking oysters. Then we walked around the food market where I use to buy my ravioli, pates and organic hot chocolate. L suggested at the end of the tour we sit down for a pint at the Granville Island Brewery.
The brewery is a small room with a view of the machinery and retail store. Personally, I don’t like Granville Island beer. I find most of the flavours weak, watery and artificial tasting. Afterwards, L said he felt like raw oysters at Rodney’s in Yaletown. I wanted to try a new oyster place that opened up – Fanny Bay Oyster Bar on Cambie Street. L reiterated that he wanted to go to Rodney’s. I said a little white lie to get my way. I told him Fanny Bay Oyster was cheaper than Rodney’s. Ha! Worked like a charm. For this post, let’s listen to Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper.
Fanny Bay also sells their seafood in their market section. I noticed trays of oysters for sale, as well as lobsters, containers of shucked oysters and frozen crab legs.
The restaurant is roomier than Rodney’s. Service was very good. We were checked on often and the bartenders have a heavy hand when it comes to their wine pours. Happy hour is between 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
We ordered two dozen oysters ($1.50 each/hh), a plate of fried oysters ($13/hh), white wine ($6.50) and a 14-ounce of Parallel 49 Gypsy Tears Rube Ale ($5).
The fried oysters came first. Most of the oysters were overcooked, resulting in a rubbery, dry texture. There was one oyster that was properly cooked and that was good. The center was still soft and creamy, tasting of the ocean. I liked the house made coleslaw – the shredded cabbage was crunchy and lightly dressed.
The raw oysters were delicious. Each oyster was nice and cold. So delicious, I chewed as slowly as I could to enjoy the slightly salty, plump sweet morsels. Fanny Bay oysters have a pleasant aftertaste – a bit like cucumbers.
We received a shallot mignonette, but I preferred just a squeeze of lemon, hot sauce and touch of horseradish.
You can get $1.50 oysters in a few places in Calgary, but none taste like this since Full Circle closed. Earlier that day I walked into the Lobster Man on Granville Island. Their oysters cost $1.50 and up and you have to shuck them yourselves. Do you know how much work goes into shucking? Too much for me. I give Oyster Bay Bar’s raw oysters two fat thumbs up.
Hitting the Sauce 