Got Oysters? Rappahannock Oyster Bar

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I had brunch at Rappahannock Oyster Bar this past weekend. Although I love oysters as much as the next guy, I consider myself more of a peripheral admirer of oysters. I tend not to go "all in" on the cursory oyster happy hour unless I have truly vetted the establishment. Whether you love them or not, you have to admit there is an underlying element of risk associated with eating oysters. Everyone knows someone that has fallen ill after eating an obscene number of oysters at some questionable oyster happy hour. This is not the feeling inspired here. These are as fresh as oysters can be served in a restaurant, straight from the Chesapeake Bay. It was the perfect brunch among friends looking for a fresh taste of the ocean on a beautiful sunny weekend morning.     
Rappahannock Oyster Bar serves three types of oysters ($2.00 each), all local varieties representing different flavors from the Chesapeake Bay. The Rappahannock River oysters are sweet and buttery, while the ocean-side Olde Salt are briny and meaty. The Stingrays, drawn from the pristine waters of Mobjack Bay, are a balance between the two. We, of course, tasted all three, and the crowd favorite was the Stingray. As expected, they had the best balance of texture, salt, sweet, and mineral.   I will admit, I love the accompaniments almost as much the oysters themselves - freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly grated horseradish, champagne mignonette, and tartar sauce. How could you go wrong with this combination of ingredients paired with the perfect vehicle of oysters "tasting of seawater, brine and flesh”? Is this the perfect delicacy? The quintessential aphrodisiac? The perfect way to wash down this meal was with a Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout from Flying Dog brewed with Rappahannock River oysters shells.  Not one of my favorite styles of beer, but it accompanied the brunch perfectly.
Although the draw is oysters, you can't go to Rappahannock Oyster Bar without sampling the scallops and crab cake - both are fantastic. The scallops were perfectly cooked, tender and rare on the inside, perfectly seared, topped with crushed pistachios and served alongside roasted cauliflower. The crab cake was as a crab cake should be, mostly crab meat with very little filler, perfectly seasoned - simple and delicious.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar located @ Union Market 1309 5th St NE Washington, DC 20002 Wed-Fri 11-8 | Sat & Sun 11-8