A taste of Boston... or is it Manhattan? photo: Aaron McKenzie Fraser

Luckily I realized this was silliness and checked out Whalesbone. Small and cozy in design, with windows opening onto Bank Street, a big wooden bar, dim lights and lots of exposed brick, it made my two seafood-loving friends and I feel like we were in Boston or Manhattan. The food and service proved equally attractive. And not a creep to be seen.

If you're dead-set against oysters, there's plenty of other seafood (P.E.I. mussels, lobster, and the most interesting sounding sperm whale salad) as well as a few land specialities. Our lovely server put me at ease as she told us about the day's five varieties, and I completely lost my fear after the owner (a Matt Damon look-alike) answered my question about eating oysters in months without an "R." (It is definitely OK-catches from the coolest waters that aren't spawning are the only ones served in summer, and the rule mostly arose from the poor refrigeration in days gone by.)

Brown bread and butter and a selection of sauces (fresh horseradish, traditional Tabasco and mignonette sauces as well as a homemade orange-infused seafood cocktail sauce, and a little beaker of straight-up Scotch-great idea) were our accompaniments, but I decided to eat the bivalves naked. Tilting shells to suck in their liquor and slurping the little guys (and gals) down my throat after a couple of soft chews, I waited for the finish and then sipped a cool, crisp Sauvignon Blanc to cleanse my palate for the next one. And it came to me why people go crazy for these things.

The taste of an oyster is very subjective and thus hard to describe, with liquor, flesh, and aftertaste all distinct from one another. All oysters taste minerally to me (they're full of zinc, after all) but the two Atlantic (New Brunswick) varieties were firmer in texture with a brinier liquor than their (Pacific) B.C. counterparts, which I preferred. They tend to a plumper and creamier meat with flavours of melon, cucumber, and finishes ranging from cold and clean to slightly sweet and smoky. And the scariest looking oyster (the huge B.C. Sinku) on our platter was also by far the tastiest.

Oysters supped, we started on a platter of homemade kettle chips and asparagus guacamole-very nice after a squirt of lemon. A sweet potato pancake was slightly over cooked, but made a nice palette nonetheless to sample all the sauces I didn't want to put on my oysters. Some steamed cherrystone clams, big and meaty, were in a superb broth of butter, chorizo, and sherry. The delicious smell of this alone bowled us over.

We finished off by sharing that day's dessert selections: a fresh fruit bowl (refreshing) and a slice of strawberry cheesecake (insanely creamy) that was perhaps the best I've ever tasted.

Whalesbone has absolutely everything going for it. I've a feeling it'll be packed most nights this summer, so make a reservation.

THE WHALESBONE OYSTER HOUSE

430 BANK STREET, 231-8569

OYSTERS: PRICES VARY (MOST ABOUT $2 EACH)

STARTERS, SALADS, MAINS: $7 TO $23

LOBSTER: MARKET PRICE

 
 

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Whalesbone is one of the very few reasons for living in Ottawa     Okay, I am having a bad Ottawa day, spending far too long finding a building which should have been easy to locate, but was instead inspiration for a comic piece by Umberto Eco (re: directions in Milan). Whalesbone is one of the few reasons to stay in this god-forsaken (I don't say that lightly, being an atheist and all) city where they place beautiful walkways in full view of the traffic that tears the city into smog-infested, noisy bits of race-track. The food is exceptional, the staff friendly and competent, and the atmosphere casual. Make no mistake, the food here is the main star, and shine it does, but how can you resist a place where everyone starts singing and stomping their feet when someone puts on a Stan Rogers album? Two minutes later, the garrulous, happy guests are back at their dinners, enjoying the next course, be it perfectly cooked tuna or a funky risotto. The fact that the oysters here are exceptional, reminding me of several memorable Parisian meals, is merely my own personal side note. True foodies will love the food, but the rest of you will enjoy the atmosphere and great service. I think I might stay.
Susy Guidolin		August 20th, 2007
Fantastic Find!     Wow! As the poster above said, this little gem's location may indeed be its downfall -- but if ye be seafare lovers, try it out before it disapears for good. I myself don't care for oysters -- but I adore scallops! What a surprise it was to get a plate heaped high with a very healthy portion of 'em -- perhaps a little on the small side, but I definately got my fill, even with a hungry boyfriend stealing every third bite. The service and atmosphere is perfect. What an awsome place to grab a beer and a plate of good Ottawa seafood -- and try the steak if seafood isn't your thing! (My boyfriend's choice). It was the best I've had in Ottawa.
Lauren Michaels		August 12th, 2005
Schuk Away     Well Sue if you think that is disgusting continue on eating chicken. If you have had the displeasure of visiting a chicken farm. I am sure you can classify that as equally disgusting. I will not get in great detail about the farms, but trust me on this there are a lot of chickens in a very small place. Pass me the oysters please. Atlest they are free to roam in the great blue ocean. The may be bottom feeders, but so are Lobster, Shrimp, Scallops, Clams, etc. I think much of the food we eat is not bred under the most humane of conditions. If you do not like the oysters at least you can have a nice Sauv. with it to justify the trip. If you have not tried an oyster it is well worth it. It is an aphrodisiac to boot as well. The fresh taste and soft texture can please even the most skeptical of a palate. Anywyas, I was once in the mindset that you are in Sue. I did dislike the sounds, and tastes of oysters. I was brought up on the smoked kind out of the can. These do absolutely no justice to there beautiful texture and fresh tastes. So if you have not had one before you should shuck off down to the Whalesbone!
Justin Haischrek	{8 votes}	July 14th, 2005
B.C. Black Pearls     Went to Whalesbone for the first time last night and really enjoyed the meal. An 18 oyster entrée with white salmon (cooked rare), G & Ts, bottle of wine and dessert puts you at $200 for two. The B.C. Black Pearl oysters were the best for me. The dessert was weak and so was the wine selection. Great casual atmosphere and friendly service. Go to Whalesbone.
Jordan Yerbury		December 19th, 2009
"Well Sue if you think that is disgusting continue on eating chicken. If you have had the displeasure of visiting a chicken farm. I am sure you can classify that as equally disgusting." No doubt. Handling raw chicken is probably about as bad as handling raw oysters, too. There is a difference, though. Chicken tastes good.
George Kaplan		October 4th, 2008
Encore!     I discovered the Whalebone at an special event at the NAC. They catered the oyster bar and had a beautiful presentation, a wonderful selection and everything was served up with expert attention. The oysters were superb and the next day day I couldn't help noticing how good I felt; something I definately attributed to these succulent delicacies. My thoughts lingered on treating myself to another visit at the Whalebone. Encore gentlemen, encore!
Bianca Pittoors		November 11th, 2007
Picnic Favourite     Oysters and Havarti cheese and wine, that used to be my formula for a picnic. Of course without the shells and sliding out of a can, oysters don't get the same regard as this specialty house provides. And when it is a specialty one should expect the very best. They do have to be shipped but this place seems to have delivery down pat.
Skeleton James	{3 votes}	July 19th, 2005
Sea food is always good!     This place looks like a nice and friendly comfortable restaurant. I would definitely like checking this place out on a cold or rainy night. As for oysters meals, I think that the best deal would be to order them during oyster season; and in my opinion, after tasting a lot of different oysters preparations, I consent that RAW is the best possible way to go...
Valerie Augier	{2 votes}	July 15th, 2005
Love it     What a great place. Had an excellent experience although I'm not sure it's suited to dinner so much as a happy hour or light meal sort of thing. But I fear in its current location it will suffer the curse of many Bank Street restaurants. Is it only a matter of time before this restaurant becomes Middy McMulligan, or Ye Olde Reptitive or yet another pseudo-irish bar in a city full of 'em?
George John	{3 votes}	July 14th, 2005
Sounds delicious!     Oysters aren't necessarily for everyone, like any other type of food, but I've found them very much to my liking. Before trying oysters at the Whalesbone, I couldn't tell between the different species, but the owner and staff are very well-versed on their bivalves, and can tell you about each type, where it comes from (right down to the farmer who cultured them, in some cases), and the particular flavours unique to each type. The sauces available all add to the experience, though I often prefer just a pinch of horseradish and allow the flavour of the oysters to show through. The presence of the liquor, juice, or oyster liquid (whatever you want to call it) is a good thing - it shows that the oyster hasn't been stored improperly, hasn't dried out and lost it's flavour. And you can tell that the folks at the Whalesbone take great care of their specialty. There is no other place in town that has oysters this tasty. Oh, and the sperm whale salad has nothing to do with whales, or any other seafood. It's a very tasty chef's salad. The name comes from the logo, I'd guess, which is the full skeleton of a sperm whale. And the cheesecake truly is to die for, if you still have room for it at the end of the meal.
Robyn Olm	{7 votes}	July 13th, 2005
Only for the oyster lover     This place sounds like an oyster lover's dream. I must admit to be a little trepidatious about eating raw oysters but once I have had them I think they are the best. I will definitely be trying this place in the future. The price sounds right and the ambiance seems good as well. The mention of killer cheesecake to go along with meal has really sealed the deal.
Selena Lobo	{4 votes}	July 11th, 2005
Oyster Bar: The Sounds Of Slurping......     I'm with Sue M on this one. I absolutely love seafood but there's never been a particular craving in my palate for sitting down to an oyster bar or for that matter too much of anything on the half-shell. I love lobster, fish, scallops, tuna, mahi-mahi and so many other delicacies. But eating oysters in my opinion is akin to raving about calamari (served like deep fried elastic bands at some places) as a great appetizer when there are so many other tastier options available. There was nothing in this review that made me want to drive to the Whalebone Oyster House and that's why it's great to have so many choices in this big city of ours. To the oyster lovers, enjoy, but I think I'll take a pass on it.
Steve Landry	{11 votes}	July 10th, 2005
Oysters are taste worth acquiring     I have not tried Whalebone yet (I will make a point of doing so after this compelling review), but I do enjoy buying oysters fresh from my favourite fish monger. They are nutritious, low in calories, and an excellent appetizer for any meal. Oysters form an integral part of a gourmet diet.
Karen Mohindra	{6 votes}	July 9th, 2005
Oy!     Great to see(sea) a good Oyster bar so close to home. I recall heading out east (Nova Scotia) and having fresh oysters for supper, and was that ever a treat. By the sounds of this, the oysters will be just as tasty, yet slightly less fresh. But finally, my palettes will be able to drool over the scrumtious taste of an oyster (or lobster even).
Jeremy King	{7 votes}	July 9th, 2005
Sounds disgusting     I could never eat a raw oyster. Nice euphemism too, calling their dirty water "liquor". This whole article grossed me out with its description of slurping, textures, flavours, etc. I would never order sperm whale salad either because of the name. Aren't most whales endangered?
Sue Michal	{6 votes}	July 9th, 2005

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