Toronto | raw bar + diana's seafood
I've
always had an obsession with raw foods; Raw fish, raw lobster, raw
geoduck. I think it stems from when I wasn't allowed to have raw things when I was younger. You know what they say, the more you can't have it, the more you want it.
For the last two years, I've been stuck in a beef carpaccio and tartare phase, but lately it's been oysters. Oysters all day, everyday.
not really
not really
In December (when I was supposed to be studying), I went on a google rampage to find the best oyster bars in Toronto and there seemed to be a general consensus that the two must try places were Diana's Oyster Bar and Grill, and Rodney's Oyster house.
The fact that they both had "oyster" in their name was also promising.
Rodney's is a bit far from where I live and downtown parking is an absolute nightmare, so we made our way over to Diana's whose owners conveniently had a seafood distributing center about two steps away, for wholesale as well as retail.
We ordered a dozen oysters to split, which arrived with three different sauces; mignonette, seafood, and their special sauce.
We ordered Fanny Bays, Fat Bastards, and Colville Bay, pictured in that order.
We slurped these down at record speed, along with some freshly shucked cherrystone clams.
I was too busy eating to take pictures of everything else, but if you've never been, my whole family agrees that the lobster roll and the clam chowder are must tries.
Tummies satisfied, we hopped on over to the distributing center right beside the restaurant and picked up some of these (unfortunately named) oysters and cherrystone clams.
If you are in Toronto and are looking for a place to obtain seafood for an upcoming party, or just for yourself, a trip to Diana's is worth it.
Anything you want, they probably carry. Walls of oysters, clams, lobster, fresh sea urchin and even sashimi grade fish. It's always a highlight of my day to drop in for a visit and look around, you never know what you might find :)
People
are also extremely friendly and will take the time to dole out
advice, which is helpful if you have absolutely no idea what's going
on, like me.
Prices are very reasonable as well. I picked up 5 dozen oysters, a tray of sea urchin, one sashimi grade chunk of tuna, and another of salmon, along with 6 kg of cherrystone clams for around 150 Canadian.
Even if you aren't planning on picking anything up, it's a fun place just to go look around. After all, how many places carry a clam this BIG.
Even if you aren't planning on picking anything up, it's a fun place just to go look around. After all, how many places carry a clam this BIG.
Wear clothes you don't mind dirtying though, or are planning to wash soon after. Seafood, as always, can get quite messy, but it's absolutely worth it.
naomi.
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3 Lovely Replies
Ugh, seeing these pictures makes me crave oysters soooo badly. Most of my friends don't enjoy oysters so the one friend I usually go with has a schedule that doesn't matches up with mines so we always have a hard time scheduling. But my favourite time of the day to eat oysters is "shuck-a-buck" which is pretty much $1 on selected oysters. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThough I have never purchased any oysters for at home dining... I feel like it wouldn't taste the same as restaurants. :$ and requires a lot of prepping.
If you're ever in Toronto, drop me a message! I can give you a list of places to go with your friends :)
DeleteI promise that buying oysters to shuck at home is just as amazing, maybe ever better because you know exactly where they are sourced and how fresh they are. Plus, the seafood from Vancouver is even fresher than the stuff we get here since you're so much closer to the suppliers. For home dining, all you really need is a good supplier and a shucking knife and you're set, there's literally no prep time at all haha
link me to your blog next time you go for oysters or buy some for home. I'd love to share in your experience as well!
OMG! i love Oysters...that must of been heavenly:). great pictures!
ReplyDeletexoxo, K.Lee
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