The Maine Oyster Company is an oasis of hospitality in a city where there are a few too many touristy restaurant tragedies. The company is built around a passion to sustain & share “Farm to Slurp Certified” Maine Oysters, and they’ve opened a restaurant that offers a selection of oysters, lobster rolls and hotdogs.
Located off the beaten path on Portland Avenue, the staff greeted us as Johnny Cash crooned in the background. As we sat perusing the menu, the cool, funky and smooth atmosphere enveloped us, and we had this feeling that the experience would be fantabulous.
When you visit, arrive thirsty, as libations are an eclectically curated selection worth imbibing. We selected an IPA called Lunch, made from the Maine Beer Company, which has become a regional staple for serious IPA lovers. They also offer unique cocktails like the Dirty Damariscotta Martini made with oyster brine and a small but cover-all-the-bases wine selection.
To start, we tried four different oysters from their lengthy menu selection. The presentation of Oysters at the shucking station was impressive, and sends a loud and clear message of temperature control and cleanliness during the chain of custody, which is exactly what’s required to ensure the product will taste as fresh as if it were pulled from the ocean just moments ago.
First up was an offering from Chebeague Island in Casco Bay, which offers pristine liquor and a salty sweet balance of flavor and textural perfection. This region is characterized by hardy shells with a deeply formed cup. The overarching taste profile is a powerful brine with a balanced sweet finish, and the oysters we tasted were simply awesome!
Our next selection hails from the mid-coast Georgetown Island farm of Eros. This farm offers a complex taste profile due to receiving a wide variety of nutrients from a nearby saltwater marsh combined with the cool incoming tidal ocean waters. Surface cage grown its entire life, this oyster is clean, crisp & refreshing. From the first sniff of these small but mighty beauties, they exhibited complexity in flavor and a mild meaty consistency that will have you yearning for more.
Number three on our tasting flight were from Norumbega—located on the Damariscotta River. The brine had a citrusy saltiness that was unique and a pleasantly creamy texture to the meat that worked really well with the traditional mignonette.
Our final oysters of the evening were some Wild Dams, which are oysters that are harvested by hand from the banks of the Damariscotta River. They were sweet, plump, meaty and so deliciously satisfying. The blood orange mignonette paired well with this one.
Do not miss the Deviled Eggs with fresh dill and trout roe (or Caviar) for the perfect segue from oysters to lobster roll.
Classic and perfect is the Maine Oyster Company’s Lobster Roll. Chef Sean’s judicial use of lemon, mayo and fresh chives catapulted this sandwich into the ranks of top five lobster rolls we’ve had the pleasure of devouring.
As a surprise ending for our meal, Chef Sean sent out a couple of his Pearl Shooters with Strawberry Habanero hot sauce accompanied with a sip of Prosecco from Veneto Italy creating an innovative ending to an awesome evening!
View this post on Instagram
So do yourself a favor and hit up Maine Oyster Company. You’ll experience awesomeness from hospitality to delicious oysters and lobster…
See you there!
Maine Oyster Company
38 Portland Street, Portland, Maine
..
I visit Portland a few times a year, so how do I not know about this place? I’m excited to try it.