Oysters Extraordinaire

Maggie Tiojakin ,  The Jakarta Post - WEEKENDER   |  Fri, 04/24/2009 2:56 PM  |  Dinner is Served

Jakarta’s newest addition to the restaurant scene, modeled on high-end oyster bars and seafood joints around the world, dares you to try its signature oyster dishes – created by Indonesia’s master chef, William Wongso – and “pop” a few of your own. Maggie Tiojakin gets raw at Oyster.

Oyster, lodged neatly in a corner on the second floor of Plaza Senayan’s extension building (right across from Cinema XXI), is not your typical seafood restaurant. Everything about the place exudes an air of calm and elegance, reminding its visitors of the world imagined by a Danish storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, in his beloved tale The Little Mermaid – an underwater paradise where mermaids and sea creatures live in harmony.

At Oyster, you feel as though you are entering the interior of an oyster shell.

“It is specifically designed like an oyster,” says Dino Izaak, who prefers to be recognized as a “conceptor” or “implementator” instead of a restaurateur. He points to the main dining hall, where the walls boast a creased texture that imitates the pattern of jagged shells; the tables a series of rectangles sandwiched by cushioned chairs; tiny lightbulbs embedded in the ceiling send a fluorescent glow across the room, creating a simplified, yet luxurious, “world within”.

“If you pay attention,” says Dino, “the place is more like a sanctuary. It’s a perfect venue to hold all kinds of social events, from wedding receptions, birthdays to business meetings.”

The bar, at the far end of the room, provides a luminescent glitter, its shelves filled with wine and other liquor bottles; the kitchen, the only brightly lit space in the entire restaurant, provides a theatrical display where customers can enjoy a close-up view their meal being prepared.

Why Oyster?

“I love seafood,” says Dino, who is also co-owner of the restaurant. “But I wanted more than just another seafood place. So I decided on something more specific.”

The history of oysters as an exotic food is widely recognized from coast to coast, the cultivation of which has turned small fishing towns from Ireland and France to Australia and China into nothing short of oyster-lover heaven. Festivals celebrating the tradition of oyster consumption are held in towns across the world, most prominently in Ireland’s Galway, where the shellfish is consumed raw with beer and slivers of lemon.

Indonesia is perhaps a long way away from hosting such major events, but it’s getting there. According to Ahmad Sofyan, Oyster’s executive chef, since the restaurant opened in 2008 there has been a significant rise in the number of patrons wanting live oysters.

“Some [customers] order between 12 to 24 oysters per sitting,” says Ahmad, claiming the kitchen keeps a daily stock of 200 live oysters, shipped directly from overseas. “For oyster lovers, this is definitely the place to go.”

Even so, during the restaurant’s conception, Dino insisted on branding the place as distinctly Indonesian. Floor staff are required to wear “traditional” uniforms with batik patterns, and he chose William Wongso as a consultant, who came up with signature dishes that incorporate “local tastes” in the menu.

Oyster fried rice, omelet, porridge and spring rolls are among its notable mixes. Other dishes, more Western, include pasta, quiche and chowder. Raw and fresh oysters are served straight from the shells or in shot glasses (read: shooters) – garnished with different herbs and spices.

“If you have the knowledge of how the food you’re making should taste, I think it’s OK to mix and match,” says William, who on a recent Saturday afternoon was getting ready to host a group dinner led by Jalansutra’s (Silk Road) culinary expert, Bondan Winarno.

According to William’s more than 20 years of professional culinary experience, “fusion in cooking is acceptable, as long as it does not create confusion”.

Asked about his technique in blending local and international taste buds, William shrugs. “There’s no technique, per se,” he says. “In the case of Oyster’s menu, all I did was add oysters to the already popular dishes. The trick is in rationing the ingredients to bring out the taste.”

However, Dino says, the restaurant doesn’t cater only to oyster lovers. Meat dishes are available for those who wish to avoid seafood, for one reason or other. From burgers to beef rump to lamb chops, Oyster doesn’t shy away from the delectable dishes usually found at grills.

“We serve wagyu beef,” says Dino. “On pasta, rice, mashed potatoes and bread – so meat lovers won’t feel alienated when they come here.”

At 4.30 p.m., a group of 22 early diners arrives to try a six-course menu sampler. With help from the staff, William greets the guests as they settle at a long table between the bar and the kitchen, reading through a few pages of “introduction” that discuss the many benefits one can get from eating oysters.

“Is it true that oysters can act as aphrodisiacs?” asks one of the curious guests.

William shrugs. “Some think they can,” he says. “But I can’t confirm it.”

At the kitchen counter, chefs in white jackets are busy grilling, frying, icing and shucking oysters fresh out of their shells. For those who don’t know much about oysters, watching the experts at work can be somewhat daunting: silver blades passed from hand to hand, gray globs of live oyster fitted into shot glasses, lemon drops brushed around the edges, cups of crushed ice poured onto the bottom of serving plates. Even more daunting is the huge size of the oysters, some as big as your fist.

“[These oysters] arrived just this morning, from Australia and the Netherlands,” says Ahmad, carefully placing the shellfish on a pile of crushed ice and garnishing them with lemon cuts. “So when we say ‘fresh’, it means straight out of the ocean.”

Although shellfish in general have a reputation for a lot of calories and rich nutrients, Ahmad dispels the myth of oysters being responsible for high cholesterol. In his opinion, there is less cholesterol in oysters than in shrimp, as oysters are also known for containing well-balanced protein, carbs and lipids.

Dino seconds the statement. “The only people who shouldn’t eat oysters are those who are allergic to them,” he says. “Whether or not oysters cause high cholesterol, it really depends on your blood type. Some types respond well to it, others not so much. Generally, the nature of oysters is good for us.”

William puts it best: “If you can have it, why miss out on it?”

And let the world be your oyster.

+ Photos by Bonita Suraputra

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