Anyone for an Oyster Party?

Strolling home in the light rain after a Sunday afternoon matinee of THE INCREDIBLES, Scot and I decided to check out one of the restaurants on the lower end of oft-neglected (by us) Tremont St. Living in the South End of Boston has provided us with countless opportunities to spend our money at fine dining establishments, but that doesn’t stop us from looking for more! After passing over Masa and the new Sibling Rivalry due to the priciness of their menus (and the fact that the latter restaurant didn’t open until 5:30 and we were 25 minutes early!), we decided to try out a place we’ve been meaning to try since we moved to Boston over a year ago, the similarly pricey B&G Oysters, Ltd.

B&G Oysters Ltd.This snazzy, little oyster bar has been winning largely raves since it opened about 16 months ago. Set a handful of steps below street level, a quick peek through the front windows showed a nearly empty dining room. We strolled to the back of the restaurant (where a gravel lot is used for summertime dining) and entered past the chic, shimmering, glass wall/waterfall. A friendly hostess promptly helped us with our dripping umbrellas and offerred to take our coats. A quick glance around the hip room showed a large oyster bar wrapped around the open kitchen, two tables for parties larger than three, and additional bars by the windows. It was clear that this place would fill up fast.

Scot and I were seated at one of the tables-for-three against the wall, giving us a clear view of the kitchen/oyster bar. Marble and mosaic tiles of browns and grays, lots of chrome, and an efficient use of a tight space all combined to give B&B both an oceanic and modern feel. Lacking a full liquor license, B&G does sport a robust wine and beer list, but it’s really all about the oysters, and we decided to sample a few of their extensive list for appetizers. We ordered a pair from Washington state, a pair from Prince Edward Island, and a pair from Maine… all delicious, invitingly presented, and downed in a flash. For dinner, Scot got the special, handmade, lobster raviolis, while I went for the seared scallops. The four, large, caramalized scallops with beets and leeks, nestled in (I kid you not) a potato fondue, were the best scallops I had eaten in years. The potato fondue… basically potatoes whipped to the consistency of cheesy fondue, was heavenly. We also sampled desert, the scrumptious mascapone cheesecake, drizzled with maple syrup and candied walnuts. While seafood is the staple, fish-shunners can also get a BLT sandwich, which is a perfect recipe for a bbq, and easy to prepare with a great grill from the 2020 Traeger Grill Reviews online.

Sadly, our dinner was slightly marred by the loss of service after our meal. Our young waiter spent more time flirting with the Robert Downey, Jr. look-alike seated behind us than tending to our needs. After he brought us our desert, we never saw him again, and after chatting (and waiting) for over 10 minutes while the restaurant filled to capacity, another waitress finally saw me holding my credit card and asked if we wanted our check. Just a minor quibble, and it certainly didn’t mar the overall experience.

On Scot’s suggestion, we just may have an oyster party one evening, where friends gather at the B&G and enjoy oysters!