East and West Coast Oysters
There’s no shortage of great seafood restaurants in Miami. But when it comes to fresh and affordable quality oysters, that pool of seafood restaurants diminishes significantly. At the top of our list is Midtown Oyster Bar {3301 Northeast First Avenue, Suite 103-1, Midtown; 786.220.2070}, Miami’s charming seafood kitchen specializing in oysters flown in weekly from prime locations across the U.S.
Although the restaurant recently revamped its menu, adding in a new focus on Mediterranean cuisine, its commitment to serving exceptionally fresh East and West Coast oysters is as strong as ever. Midtown Oyster Bar also features select types of oysters that can’t be found anywhere else in the city—including Fishers Island oysters, from New York’s ultra-exclusive island where the small oyster farm only sells to select restaurants (only two in Florida and one in Miami: Midtown Oyster Bar).
Quaint, quiet, and casual, Midtown Oyster Bar also features an exceptional wine list, providing the perfect pairing for your meal. The staff is friendly and extremely knowledgeable, particularly about the oysters on offer.
Lobster Bisque
We recently had the opportunity to try out the new menu and to sample some of these famous oysters that we’d heard so much about. In addition to a selection of oysters—Shibumi oysters from Washington state, and Plymouth Rock oysters and Wellfleet oysters, both from Massachusetts—we started out the meal with warm Lobster Bisque, followed by the Branzino Carpaccio (served with fennel, Tuscan pecorino, and caramelized walnuts).
Branzino Carpaccio
We then tried the Spanish Octopus (our favorite dish of the evening), served with chickpeas, rosemary coulis, extra virgin olive oil, and bread chips, and the equally delicious Seafood Ravioli, which was homemade and filled with snapper and arugula pesto and topped with shrimp sauce. We finished the meal with a trio of outrageous desserts—a must for any discerning diner with a sweet tooth.
Seafood Ravioli
And for those of our readers who are not seafood fans, Midtown Oyster Bar has other menu options as well, including the restaurant’s best-selling MOB Burger, a sensational delicacy in its own right.
—Sherri Balefsky | Miami Editor