The Oyster Bar has received this prestigious award from the Wine Spectator for the last 27 years. Owner Guy Colbert was at the helm of The Oyster Bar’s Wine Program from 1990 to 2014. Amanda Abbott took over the purchasing responsibilities since 2014 and has done an excellent job of injecting new producers that reflect her passion for interesting and delicious wines. Well done Amanda!
For the month of January The Oyster Bar will be offering a Small Plate Menu featuring fresh Maine Lobster specials for both lunch and dinner.
For the dinner menu, we will be offering your choice of a half or whole oven-roasted lobster with fresh herbs and a garlic-citrus drawn butter. In addition, we are featuring either a Prime Top Sirloin or Prime Filet Mignon paired with a half lobster.
The Oyster Bar staff take our work seriously, love what we do and are usually working so hard that we really don’t dwell on the larger picture. But an artfully composed letter that we received last August reminded us of what a privilege it is to serve beautiful cuisine to fabulous people in such a special place. I thought you might enjoy reading it too and so, with Tele and Joel’s permission, here it is.
Dear Guy and Linda and the Oyster Bar Staff,
As fishermen, Joel and I feel very much a part of the food chain and ecosystem pictured on the front of this card. We value the Alaskan waters that the Nerka’s hooks dance through, marvel at our surroundings. I handle each salmon with respect and pride. We love our jobs and are grateful to the restaurants who make such a magical profession possible for us.
It’s not so often, however, that we get to experience an equivalent connection with those customers who are our salmons final destination. Dining with you last night changed that.
Joel and I don’t get many special dinners out. His birthday tends to be our big splurge of the year. This year needed to be extra special since a spring knee injury has kept him beached this season, not fishing for the 1st summer of his 31 years. We chose you as our special treat and I flew south from Alaska for a whirlwind visit.
We couldn’t have had a more perfect evening. From the beautifully presented gravlax to the perfectly prepared king salmon (fresh caught by a friend of ours!) to the best dessert of Joel’s life (the mango coconut cheesecake). We were dazzled through our entire visit. Our waiter, a young man from Utah, took excellent care of us and another man provided a great birthday song. We watched the sun sink over the bay, the kind of glassy calm water that is a gift for fishermen. Most of all, as Joel took each blissful bite, he marveled at the gift of knowing first hand the care and expertise that you Chef devoted to that fish. We spend so much time, on our end, handling the salmon with meticulous care, it was wonderfully rewarding to see that they receive the same attention in your hands.
We’re grateful and delighted. Thank you for a truly special meal and experience.
Tele & Joel
Thank you Tele and Joel, for the beautiful fish you provide, for your warm and thoughtful affirmation and for the most beautiful letter that we’ve ever received.
It’s no secret that the Pacific Northwest is home to some of the best seafood the world has to offer. This undeniable fact is part of the reason that The Oyster Bar‘s proprietors, Guy and Linda Colbert, originally moved to the area. Since taking ownership of the restaurant in the early 1990′s the two have tirelessly sought to provide both top notch preparation of these marine delicacies as well as the most calming atmosphere in which to enjoy them.
As our name might suggest, The Oyster Bar On Chuckanut Drive offers a variety of fresh, local Oysters. Located past the cliff and just beyond the restaurant is beautiful Samish Bay. If one were to happen upon the bay during high tide, it would appear deceptively deep. To wait just a few hours longer would be to reveal a hidden bounty, dutifully collected by the men and women of Taylor Shellfish Farm.
Just below the cliff and directly off of Chuckanut Drive, Taylor Shellfish Farm provides The Oyster Bar with a wide variety of fresh, local shellfish on a daily basis. A trip to their Chuckanut Drive location yields not only spectacular views but the ability to handpick from the live dungeness crab, fresh mussels, and a wide variety of fresh oysters grown and harvested on site. If you’re lucking enough to pass by the area during the right year, and the right time, you’ll even get to see Oyster Creek full of spawning salmon.
Here at the Oyster Bar we are proud to be able to say that our mussels, clams, Samish Bay Oysters and Kumamoto Oysters come directly from Samish Bay. With the help of Taylor Shellfish Farm, we’ve been able to provide the freshest shellfish the Pacific Northwest has to offer.
If you find yourself travelling along Chuckanut Drive this summer, or simply need a break on a trip between Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle, WA, we’d like to recommend these fresh, delicious delicacies. And if you like what you find, you might even try stopping by Taylor Shellfish Farm to pick up a dozen or two from their on site retail shop. After all, it’s just a stone’s throw away.
Maybe it’s time for something different. Tonight we have Pistachio Crusted Austrailian Lamb Rack with dry Cherry and Chianti reduction and Chestnut Spoonbread. Or try our Fresh Hawaiian Swordfish with grilled eggplant caponata and preserved lemon. The App Du Jour is Rabbit Terrine with cranberry mustard, Port syrup, pickled onions and cornichons.
Happy Dining!
In the spirit of celebration, the Oyster Bar serves it’s dinner menu from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm on major holidays. Of course we always have off menu specials as well.
The specials for Thanksgiving this year will include Cider Sage Roasted Turkey Breast with Smoked Oyster and Pancetta Stuffing and Chanterelle Madiera Gravy, Harissa Boar Tenderloin with Pomogranate Maple Syrup and preserved Lemon and Saffron Pearl Conscous, and Cedar Roasted Mahi Mahi with Pumpkin Spaetzle, Roasted Shallots, Baslsamic Brown Butter and Rainbow Chard. All Entrees will be preceded with Cranberry Sorbet and accompanied with Pumpkin Souffle, green beans, roasted parsnip mash potatoes, brussel sprouts and maple roasted butternut squash with toasted pecans and sherry vinaigrette.
Desserts include Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake, Chocoalte Truffle Cake, Apple Tart Tatin, Chocolate Mint Trio, Huckleberry Malt Creme Brulee and Cardamom Fig Baked Alaska.
Here’s wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving!
The colors on Chuckanut Drive are amazing, the air outside is brisk and the fireplace is warm and cozy.
With Fall comes comfort food and we have plenty to satisfy at the Oyster Bar.
Wild Chanterelles are here and we’re featuring them sauteed with warm goat cheese, balsamic roasted heirloom tomatoes, roasted garlic and rosemary forcacia.
Another wonderful mushroom option is our Cascadia Mushroom Tartlet with a savory herb crust, sauteed local mushrooms, leeks, roasted garlic, whipped goat cheese and basil oil.
Seared Duckling Breast with Ibirico pork belly, shallots, rainbow chard and black plum and star anise gastrique is fabulous.
Herb grilled Hawaiian Mahi Mahi is prepared with raspberries, basil oil, balsamic syrup, toasted pine nuts and local chanterelles.
In the mood for wild game? This week we have Harissa grilled Texas Wild Boar striploin with an apricot, serrano gastrique marmalade.
Our Fall soups are Smoked Salmon Chowder with hot smoked Northwest King Salmon, yukon gold potatoes and sour cream and chive mini biscuits. Or try our Vegetarian option, Butternut Squash and Chanterelle Soup made with local golden chanterelles, roasted butternut squash, ginger, nutmeg and allspice in a vegetarian stock.
Apple Tart Tatin with warm caramelized apple, vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce, Spice Pumpkin Cheesecake with clove, ginger, allspice and gingersnap crust and Huckleberry Malt Creme Brulee are recent additions to the Fall Dessert Menu.
We’re open everyday for lunch and dinner. Hope to see you soon!
The deck seats have been the most requested this week as the weather’s been perfect and the views spectacular. Since chilled food is especially good on these warmer days, what could be better then Fresh Maine Lobster Rolls? Prepared East Coast style and served in fresh house baked brioche with an arugula, cherry tomato salad that’s dressed with basil champagne vinaigrette plus sweet potato fries; what’s not to love?
Summer Melon Salad is another Summer Superstar. Cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon with arugula, kalamata olives, dry currants, feta, pine nuts and harissa lemon dressing make a remarkable combination.
Lobster fans are loving our Grilled Whole Live Maine Lobsters which are served with heirloom tomato and truffle vinaigrette and a sweet corn cake.
Dessert specials tonight include Fresh Strawberry Trifle with pound cake, white chocolate creme anglaise and whipped cream. Or try our Rum Flamed Blueberry Baked Alaska.
Here’s wishing you a great summer.
Cheers!
The weather’s warming up and fresh seafood’s sounding really good for lunch or dinner.
This week at the Oyster Bar we have Fresh Cedar Roasted Oregon Petrale Sole with smoked sea scallop and red onion vinagrette. From Hawaii, we have Fresh Swordfish with Plum Ginger and White Zinfandal reduction. We probably only have one more week with our wonderful Fresh Copper River Salmon, Herb grilled with Strawberry Black Truffle emulsion and balsamic syrup. The Fresh Alaskan Halibut is seared with a macadamia crust and is finished with a curry, mango and lime emulsion.
Looking for something unusual? Try our Herb Grilled Utah Elk Chop with Huckleberry Buerre Rouge. Also available, California Red Abalone sliced thin and flash sauteed with Hazelnut Lime Butter.
Prefer Vegetarian Fare? Our Quinoa Stuffed Red Pepper is fabulous. Black Quinoa and Feta stuffed Roasted Red Pepper with charred asparagus, grilled portabella mushroom, balsamic syrup and toasted pin nuts is perfect for summer.
The weather’s warmed up and we’re enjoying the deck.
Happy Summer!
Happily there was a late, run of Copper River Salmon so we’ll be serving it here at the Oyster Bar through this weekend!
We’re preparing this fabulous King Salmon cedar roasted with raspberry balsamic brown butter and braised fennel and will be serving it for lunch and dinner while it lasts.
The Strawberries are at their best right now so we have a wonderful Warm Strawberry and Spinach Salad served with goat cheese, red onions, toasted pepitas and warm poppy seed honey dressing.
Baked Alaska has become a favorite dessert here and today we have Blueberry and Bannanas Foster.
Utah Elk Carpaccio is on the Special Appetizer list for this weekend and is served with crispy capers, lemon oil, port syrup, and petite arugula salad with croustinis.
If you’re thinking of heading our way for lunch or dinner, we recommend that you make a reservation for lunch by calling (360) 766-6185.
Cheers!
Diversity, quality, and quantity describe this region in southwest France. Bordeaux is one of the most prolific wine regions.
