There’s a level of Grown Up that one graduates to when you can confidently order a plate of oysters in public. The revered bivalve has been a symbol of sophistication in the restaurant game for decades but there’s no denying that your first time can be… intimidating. To save face, we’ve taken it to the experts at Tasmania Oyster Co. for our guide on how to order and eat oysters like a pro.

The good news, according to veteran oyster farmer Tony Byrne, is that any oyster you find in an Australian restaurant has gone through rigorous testing to ensure the highest food safety standards. “The main things that we’re mostly concerned about in terms of food safety are biological and then there are toxic algae that the oysters can consume that makes them potentially risky for consumers to eat. 

“We’re monitoring the water all the time. We’re monitoring the algal species. We’re doing oyster meat samples every week to see that those levels are in check. And the guidelines are very, very safe. Basically, oyster products that are on the market are very safe to eat.”

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Safety first – now onto the fun stuff.

In Australia, the two most consumed oyster species are the Sydney rock and the Pacific. Knowing what you prefer is key to playing it cool. Sydney rock oysters tend to be smaller and more dense. Pacific oysters are usually larger and creamier. Both are great and bring their own special qualities to the table.

“People have a very wide range of what they like. From an oyster farmer’s point of view, we like to see really plump, fat meat, which can be a white, verging into creamy, colour. Then there are others who prefer a more lean oyster, one that’s recently spawned and has a more concentrated saline flavour,” says Byrne.

Speaking of spawning, if you’re romancing your dining companion, feel free to drop some flirty facts into conversation. The history of oysters as an aphrodisiac dates back to ancient times. Anecdotal evidence that oysters get folks hot under the collar goes back thousands of years, but more recent medical studies show that zinc can actually increase your mojo. Oysters contain more zinc than any other food known to humankind. *wink emoji* 

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There’s no getting around the sexy connotations that come along with oysters so shake your sillies out and for everyone’s sake don’t prod the bivalve.

Where your oyster hails from will also have an impact on overall flavour. The menu at an oyster bar will usually tell you the specific merroir of your shellfish so knowing a bit about the characteristics will do a lot to help you. 

“Each area has certainly got its own attributes. A lot of Sydney rock oysters are grown in tributaries, so they’ve got that brackish environment that can give them a sweeter, more subtle taste. Our oysters here in Tasmania are all Pacifics, and are generally a little bit more oceanic because of the bays that we grow them in.”

If you don’t have your atlas at hand, ask. Your waiter should know what oysters are on the menu, where they come from, and what you can expect from their flavour. Also, asking questions makes you look cool. ‘Fake it til you make it’ is out, dazzle your dining companions with that curious mind of yours.

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