10 great places to savor oysters on the half shell
— -- If Champagne is the drink of choice on New Year's Eve, oysters are the meal. "They're celebratory and light," says Erin Byers Murray, author of Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm (St. Martin's, $25.99). "There's no better way to bring in the new year." Murray says the bivalve is in the midst of a comeback, with new producers and restaurants featuring them both raw and cooked. She shares some favorite places to sample the shellfish with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
Meritage
St. Paul
Its inland location doesn't keep this restaurant from serving a wide variety of fresh oysters. "In the age of FedEx, all oysters in the U.S. can be shipped everywhere overnight," Murray says. Other pluses: a striking art noveau-style building and a staff that knows its oysters. 651-222-5670; meritage-stpaul.com
Island Creek Oyster Bar
Boston
Murray concedes a bias toward this eatery because it's owned by the oyster producer where she worked for a year while researching her book. "It's really a stunning example of a farm-to-table type restaurant," she says. The oyster selection varies but is chosen by the farmers. She recommends trying an oyster slider — a miniature fried oyster on a brioche bun — accompanied by the house pilsner. 617-532-5300; islandcreekoysterbar.com
Maison Premiere
Brooklyn, N.Y.
You'll find nearly two dozen oyster varieties on the menu at this new restaurant in the Williamsburg neighborhood. Simply furnished with wooden stools and chairs and a marble bar, it's a tribute to old-fashioned oyster houses, Murray says. "You could imagine seeing it in New York 100 years ago." She suggests trying several Empire State oyster varieties for an informal tasting. 347-335-0446; maisonpremiere.com
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Seattle
This small restaurant in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood focuses on Washington state food, including Pacific oysters, which Murray says are melony and sweeter than the more briny Atlantic species. "They almost have a cucumber sense to them, a vegetal flavor." She suggests trying the local Samish Sweets. "Just really a nice, beautiful oyster." 206-395-9227; thewalrusbar.com
Bowens Island Restaurant
Charleston, S.C.
This rough-hewn graffiti-covered shack is famous for its oyster roasts, served family-style on newspapers. The oysters, which have an earthy taste, are warmed through just enough to pop open. "I don't know if they even have a menu. It's down and dirty," Murray says. 843-795-2757; bowensislandrestaurant.com
Matunuck Oyster Bar
East Matunuck, R.I.
You can't get any closer to the source than this bare-bones oyster shack that's adjacent to the owner's farm, Murray says. "You can sit right next to the water." Along with the oysters, she suggests trying the Portuguese-style fried squid with cherry pepper and arugula. 401-783-4202; rhodyoysters.com
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Marshall, Calif.
Murray suggests coming on a weekday to avoid the crowds at this institution on Tomales Bay, north of San Francisco. And even then, call ahead for reservations. The oysters are sold by the bucket, and you shuck them yourself at picnic tables overlooking the bay. "It's really casual, but the setting is beautiful," she says. 415-663-9218; hogislandoysters.com
Brasserie 19
Houston
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