There’s an old saying that you shouldn’t eat oysters unless the month has an “R” in it, but that’s not really the case, so it’s time to slurp away. Who better to give the lowdown on oysters than founding chef and owner Danny Stasi (Chef Staz) of Shuck N Dive in Fort Lauderdale? His restaurant is a celebration of Cajun and New Orleans-style cooking and has served up 5 million oysters since its founding in 1999.
Modern refrigeration and transportation are one reason it’s safe to eat oysters around the year. Stasi also notes that farm-raised oysters are seeded and harvested all year around. During a purification process, seawater is treated with ultraviolet lights to kill off any bacteria that would be in its natural state.
The vast majority of his oysters come from Louisiana, where a government agency is tasked with checking the safety levels of about 30 harvesting zones. They only open up harvesting when water quality is optimal. His restaurant proudly uses “Louisiana Certified” logos.
The level of salt in the water is the crucial factor in the taste of oysters, Stasi says. A West Coast oyster will likely have a more mineral, vegetable, mushroom taste because of it’s low salinity, colder water, he says. Gulf oysters tend to be more briny.
Chef Staz especially likes oysters where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf because of the nutrients coming down the river and the perfect mix of fresh and saltwater.
Wednesday is a big day for oysters at Shuck N Dive with a $1.50 an oyster special. “My guys, two or three guys, start shucking at two in the afternoon and they don’t stop till 10,” he says. They have hit up to 4,000 oysters in one night.
The array of oysters served at Shuck N Dive is impressive. The trinity of baked oysters near the top of the menu are:
- Black n Blues, topped with compound butter, a touch of blackening spice and crumbled blue cheese. It’s the restaurant’s signature dish.
- Oysters Rockefeller, topped with creamed spinach, onion and garlic, and simmered in Pernod Liqueur.
- Oysters Bienville, with shrimp, bacon, onion and green pepper in a cream reduction and topped with parmesan cheese.
There are also fried oysters and others that you just need to ask for even if they aren’t on the menu.
“We do a charbroiled oyster that probably is as good a seller as anything,” Chef says. “We also do a Louisiana-style barbecue oyster. It’s not like a traditional barbecue in the sense of a red sauce or something like that. It’s done as a traditional New Orleans barbecue like barbecue shrimp.” There is also a pesto and parmesan oyster.
Always take a look at the daily specials, Chef Staz says, because about 40 percent of the orders come off of that.
