Nom: Island Creek Oyster Bar

I made a friend the first day of work. She's great. Mostly because she's sweet, friendly and outgoing.

And of course, because she insisted on introducing me to Island Creek Oyster Bar. Her main squeeze is one of the main men there and at Island Creek Oysters, which is the farm of all those famous and delicious little oysters. I'm all about meeting people who love food as much as I do.

ICOB (we'll call it as the locals do) is fantastic. ICOB, as you can guess, is a seafood lover's - aka my - dream. Not only that, but the design of the place kills it. Big and airy, it's grounded in the sea. It uses crushed oyster shells as glorified wallpaper, lighting fixtures that suggest oyster cages and reclaimed wood slats as window decor. Concrete, shells, glass, beach wood - sleek, smooth, rough, expected, unexpected! All in one. Love.

Loved the design of the menus.

Enough about the fluffy (err... my favorite) part, let's get down to business. We started with rosé and oysters. Three local (including their own) and one West Coast. I really enjoyed the Sunken Meadow from Eastham, Mass (not Eastoyster? Anyone? Is this thing on?) Amazing. Great. Fresh. Good. I don't know much about the words you use to describe oyster, I just know I like 'em. 

Next came the Oyster Slider (not to be confused with an oyster shooter). Here's what you should know: it's fried crispy and served with a chile lime aioli. Ok, you only kind of need to know that. What you really need to know is that they make their own bread. So that unsuspecting brioche bun? Yea. That thing? That's where the goodness is. Makes me want to go back tomorrow and try that Lobster Roll served on the same type of bread. Gawd, I love a brioche. 

We kept the rest of the meal simple with cauliflower, beets and their buttermilk biscuits (those babies are drizzled with honey and rosemary - done). A local New England cheese and some Pinot Noir to top off the meal and I was a happy girl (and it wasn't just the oysters talking). 

A fun fact about ICOB? The owner is Garrett Harker (the owner of ICOB neighbor and Balthazar-ish Eastern Standard and the "G" in yet-to-be-reviewed South End prize and my neighbor, B & G Oysters). And he is a San Francisco fan. We got to talking and he said that ICOB is based off this little place off Polk Street - know it? That's right, this winner of a restaurant was created to bring a little bit of Swan Oyster Depot magic to the streets of Boston. 

We're gonna get along just fine, ICOB, just fine...

xo, 

eb

P.S. March is Munch Madness in Boston. Read: the best of the city's restaurants get bracketed out and voted on till there is one champion. Fun, right? But oh! the drama! ICOB and Eastern Standard are "playing" against each other right now in the Sweet Sixteen. Who will make it to the Final Four? Eeks!

Check out the bracket here.