Just like any great Seattle story, it started with a rainy night. This didn’t deter the six Yelp Elites who gathered together at Coastal Kitchen for an event full of tasty cocktails, mouthwatering appetizers, and let’s not forget… oysters! Upon arrival, the guests were seated at the picturesque oyster bar with its marble top, making for the perfect photo backdrop to capture all the tasty food and drinks that would be delivered to them throughout the evening.
They were first served Coastal Kitchen’s gin and tonic, which uses its very own house made lemongrass tonic as the base.
Priding itself with serving seasonal worldly menus, Coastal Kitchen offered the Yelp Elites food from its featured coast: Hawaii. This meant plates of ahi tuna poke with taro chips, Dungeness crab cakes, pulled pork sliders, and fried pecorino cheese and pumpkin balls.
While small bites were served, complimentary drinks were available for ordering, giving Yelpers the ability to try new takes on their favorite cocktails crafted by the talented bar staff. Some of the drinks they ordered from the “genuine and authentic but not native” Hawaiian menu included a Mai Tai and Hurricane, but perhaps the most impressive drink of them all was Lava Flow, the Hawaiian Island’s Pina Colada with coconut cream, pineapple, raspberry, and tropical rum.
Despite the fact each drink and plate was packed with rich flavor, what really stole the show were the oysters themselves.
Capital Oyster, the provider of the evening’s oysters, educated the Yelpers on its tide-tumbled premium oysters the attendees were enjoying during the evening, harvested near Olympia, Washington. The Yelpers learned that these oysters are suspended off the ground, keeping it clear of any sand or mud, and instead leaving behind a pure, briny flavor.
But before slurping these delicate oysters, the guests first had to learn how to shuck them. The Coastal Kitchen chef worked one-on-one with each Yelper to ensure they were using the proper technique. This included having them wear a protective glove and using a knife to unlatch the hinge. After the shell was opened, the Yelper was then taught how to sever the abductor muscle to release the oyster and prepare for consumption.
Not only was this event highly interactive, but the Yelpers were able to walk away with knowledge on how to safely shuck and then consume their oysters in style.
Read the event reviews and view the photos on the event page here.
Thanks to our event sponsors:
Coastal Kitchen – 24 years young, Coastal Kitchen is Capitol Hill’s neighborhood fish house and oyster bar. Known for iconic breakfast, sustainable and wild-caught fish, and worldly touring menus changing every 4 months to a different coastal region! As allies with the LGBTQ+ community, Coastal Kitchen holds fundraisers each year to raise money and awareness for equal rights for all humans. Additionally, it is a partner with Lowell Elementary, a high needs school, doing fundraisers throughout the year for their food bank. Coastal Kitchen is safe place and is open to supporting interests in the community.
Capital Oyster – With over 150 years of history in the oyster industry, Capital Oyster is a locally owned and operated by 5th generation shellfish farmer, Tom Bloomfield. He continues to invest heavily in aquaculture technology and technique, and is even one of the original inventors of the tumbled oyster system. Now teamed up with two of the largest Shellfish companies in Washington State, he has all the tools he needs to share his work with the world.
