What do oysters taste like?
Raw oysters taste like a cold, salty sip of the sea: briny first, then sweet and a little buttery or cucumber-fresh, with a soft, slippery texture.
Oysters
a cold sip of ocean
An oyster tastes like the water it grew in. East Coast oysters tend to be saltier and brinier with a clean, crisp bite. West Coast oysters are often creamier and sweeter, with a cucumber or melon freshness. The liquid in the shell (the liquor) is part of the experience, so don't pour it out. The texture is soft and slippery, and the trick is to chew once or twice instead of swallowing it whole, because that's where the sweetness comes out. A squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of mignonette (vinegar with shallots) adds a sharp edge.
Where you’ll see it
Raw on the half shell over ice, by the each or the dozen, with lemon, mignonette and cocktail sauce. Cooked as oysters Rockefeller, chargrilled with garlic butter, fried in po'boys, and at happy hour buck-a-shuck deals.
Order it if you love salty, ocean-fresh things and you're happy to try something by the half dozen.
Quick questions
- Do oysters taste fishy?
- Fresh oysters don't. They taste salty, clean and a bit sweet, like seawater with a buttery edge. A fishy or sour smell means skip it.
- Should you chew oysters?
- Yes, a couple of times. Swallowing them whole skips the sweet, buttery flavor that comes out when you bite.