Rodney’s Oyster House

Rodney’s Oyster House has been on my to-do list for quite a while but I’ve never seemed to have found the time to make it down to Yaletown.  Hearing that it gets busy often, we decided to head there for an early lunch and grabbed a great spot on the 2nd floor which afforded us a view of the whole restaurant.  It’s a perfect place to watch them shuck the various oysters and cook/reheat their soup.  All of the staff were male and fairly boisterous but that lent itself well for the atmosphere we were in.

The complimentary bread that they serve is very hearty and, at first, might not seem that great (especially since it’s not served hot) but it’s perfect for sopping up the white wine sauce of their mussels.

Steamer Mussels were plentiful and fresh.

We couldn’t come all the way down and not try their oysters so we picked the Pan Fried Oysters with tartar sauce.  Lightly crispy on the outside and plump and juicy on the inside… I’m still thinking about them as I write this blog.

The Crab Cake (which comes served with a small salad) may deceivingly look like a cross between a hamburger patty and a hockey puck but the crusty exterior belies the delicate and yummy crab filling inside.

Watching all of the action at the bar below, we could see all of the tables order freshly shucked raw oysters and felt we couldn’t come all this way without trying them too (despite being rather full from the other dishes already).  We decided to get a half dozen oysters and asked our server to pick them for us.  He brought us back 2 each of the Stellar Bay ($3.50 each), Sawmill Bay ($2.85 each), and the Kumamoto ($3.50 each).  Quite frankly, I haven’t got the foggiest idea of which one is which but I don’t really care because they were all awesome.

They serve their raw oysters with a huge heaping of freshly grated horseradish that packs a real punch.

They also bring out a neat tray of sauces to accompany your oysters from the very mild to the more spicer.

Next time around, we’re definately going to try more of their raw oysters as well as their chowder.

Food:  4.5 / 5
Service:  4 / 5

1228 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, BC

www.rohvan.com

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