In his book Through
the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll told the story of the Walrus and the
Carpenter. “O Oysters, come and walk with us!” the Walrus said. And they were followed by four young oysters,
and four other, and yet another, and more, and more, and more. All was well until the Walrus proclaimed that
“Now if you are ready, Oysters
dear,
We can begin to feed.”
…..
“I weep for you,” the Walrus said:
“I deeply sympathize.”
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.
“O Oysters,” said the Carpenter,
“You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be
trotting home again?”
But answer came there none —
And this was
scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
So it is most appropriate that one of the best oyster bar
calls itself by that name, the Walrus &
the Carpenter.
For the first timers, W&C
can be hard to find. It is hidden in the
back of a renovated century old brick building in an industrial area that is
under redevelopment. The front of the building is occupied by a different restaurant
and a bike shop cum café, both without visible signs. Painted on the wall above them are faded
letterings “KOLSTRAND MFG CO.” and “MARINE HARDWARE”. Only when one looks carefully would one see
the small white cloud-shaped sign over a glass building door by the bike
shop. Walk past the door, down a long
corridor to the metal wall sculptures at the end, turn left, and there it is.
 |
| Look up, there's the sign |
It is understandable why some people mistake W&C for a restaurant. Its small menu offers small plates of
seafood, meat, soup, salad, cheese and dessert besides raw oysters. But the owner-chef insists that it is a bar
and as such, W&C does not accept reservation.
Arufa and M arrived before the opening time (4 pm) and there
was already a long line at the door. They
were pleased to get a table on the back porch.
It was a mild-weather sunny afternoon, perfect for al fresco snacks and drinks.
They ordered four kinds of raw local oysters, deep fried oysters with
cilantro aioli, cured halibut, steak
tartare, lardo, vodka on rocks and Pouilly Fume.
The raw oysters were impeccable. The ones from Samish Bay were particularly sweet
and at the same time briny as the ocean.
The batter of the deep fried oysters had just the right amount of corn
meal to make it crunchy but not hard; the oysters within were plump, creamy and
flavorful.
 |
| Fried oysters, cilantro aioli |
The steak tartare was traditional. The chopped meat patty looked pretty with an egg yolk on top, but it became soggy after the two were mixed. It was also a bit salty because of the salt crystals on the yolk.
 |
| Steak tartare |
The lardo was not what they expected. Instead of pure solid fat, the thin ribbons were more like Italian smoked pancetta. Pistachios and pickled blueberries provided a nice visual impact but not much more.
 |
| Lardo and garnishes |
Arufa and M thoroughly enjoyed the food and drinks even if the meat plates were not as successful as the oysters and fish. W&C’s casual space was inviting. Its loud and festive music befits a bar. They would like to stay longer but W&C was hardly a place for lingering when tables around them turned quickly and the crowd at the door growing in size. They just had to plan for another visit to eat through the W&C menu.
