The Shuckery a pearl in Petaluma’s food scene

Beyond oysters, the new restaurant at the Petaluma Hotel is all about seafood.|

Oysters have long been an integral part of the California food scene for at least the past several thousand years, so it is with much anticipation and fanfare that Petaluma’s first oyster bar has finally opened its doors. The Shuckery, located at the bustling corner of Washington and Kentucky streets in the Hotel Petaluma, will excite and delight even the most fervent seafood fans.

Prior to the arrival of European settlers, Native Americans had long supplemented their diet with local shellfish, including oysters. During the Gold Rush, the only food coveted as much as Petaluma’s eggs were San Francisco’s oysters. When requested to create the finest meal available, a Gold Country chef combined the three most expensive ingredients of the day - oysters, eggs and bacon - into what we now know as the Hangtown Fry, which is arguably the first California addition to the American culinary scene.

Even today, Petaluma retains a strong connection to these tasty mollusks with Lind Marine processing oyster shells, both for poultry feed and bocce ball courts, from their riverside yard at the foot of the D Street drawbridge.

The Shuckery is the brainchild of sisters Aluxa and Jazmine Lalicker. Born in the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan, respectively, their mother was from Texas and father from Mexico. Along with running a successful hotel and bar in Playa del Carmen, both parents led sailing expeditions so the family was no stranger to the sea, or the abundance and flavors it provides.

During a recent vacation to the oyster mecca of New Orleans, the sisters discussed dreams of opening their own oyster bar. While visiting that city’s best oyster bars and eating oysters for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they realized that, even after eight years of running Oyster Girls, an oyster shucking catering business that has gained great acclaim throughout the Bay Area, their passion for oysters had clearly not waned.

Unique, to say the least, New Orleans couples an interesting mixture of French formality with the Big Easy’s laid-back demeanor. It is not unusual to see tuxedo-wearing bar tenders in even the most relaxed establishments, and nobody bats an eyelash at casual customers clad in camo shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops.

Although never black-tie formal, Petaluma is similar in that even the finest dining establishments are forgiving of the most grubby farm duds.

As we approached the Shuckery, the door was wide open, revealing an inviting interior. The cool and calm blue, gray, and white walls contrast, yet complement, the warmth and vitality of the wood, netting and leather furniture. There is a vibrant ebb and flow to the Shuckery’s décor, which is both calming and exciting.

With few foods as hands-on as oysters, the Shuckery pays proper homage to this shellfish by placing their shuckers front and center for all to watch and enjoy. The Shuckery’s oyster bar is not only artfully appointed, but is perfectly situated between the dining room and the hustle and bustle of the open kitchen.

Guests looking for a more jubilant, communal and educational dining experience are well advised to grab seats at the bar, because this is where the action is, and it is where they can interact with their shucker and learn more about these curious bivalves.

We ordered a good portion of the menu, which included raw ($3) and baked (3 for $11) oysters, ceviche ($12), clam chowder ($9), trout two ways ($14), Baja tacos ($14), mussels and clams ($18), and King salmon ($27), followed up by dessert ($8-$9). The addition of a few glasses of wine from Petaluma’s Barber Cellars, McEvoy Ranch and Keller Estate certainly added to the locavore nature of our dinner.

Everything was impressive, but the standouts were also what I consider to be the true tests of a restaurant’s mettle. The oysters were fresh and crisp, the clam chowder was distinctive and delicious, and the mussels and clams were perfectly cooked.

The pièce de résistance had to be the King salmon atop a bed of shrimp pork belly fried rice, topped with red chili ponzu and scallions. The skin was crisp, without flaw, while the meat itself was soft, supple and full of that oh-so-unique salmon flavor, a combination that is not easy to achieve.

Chef Seth Harvey hails from Delaware, a state well known for seafood. He left architecture school in order to follow his passion for the culinary arts, eventually landing a position as sous chef for the now famed 821 restaurant.

It was during his tenure that 821 was awarded the honor of Best Restaurant in Delaware. Classically French trained, Harvey has embraced California’s lighter cuisine and is masterfully showcasing our local flavors through his combinations of fresh seafood and produce and the perfect balance of seasoning.

Combining excellent seafood, friendly and attentive service, a classy yet festive ambiance, and on-site owners to keep quality control in check, the Shuckery is already exhibiting the shiny luster of a restaurant that will likely develop into the pearl of downtown Petaluma dining.

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