Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market

Although this is my first post ever on Fanny Bay Oyster Bar, I've actually visited the place on several occasions.  It's just that I've never ordered enough to write something substantial about it.  Personally, I feel it is unfair for a restaurant to be judged on one or two dishes.  Finally, I ordered enough to justify a post.  I guess it should be included in the blog anyways since it was awarded Michelin-recommended status recently.  Also, it was a convenient stop just before heading to the Canucks game.  Yes, they lost...

So we made it for happy hour and started with their selection of Oysters off that menu.  From bottom and clockwise, we had the Taylor Pacific, Sand Dune and Sun Seekers.  We found the Taylors to be big and really meaty.  They were a bit earthy and plenty sweet.  The flatter sand dunes were briny and clean-tasting.  We enjoyed the sun seekers the most as they reminded us of kushis being small and delicate with a light  and sweet briny liquor.

Staying with shellfish, we had the Clams & Mussels in a classic white wine sauce.  This was prepared properly where there was not one unopened shell.  Both the clam and mussel meat were buttery and plump.  They were completely seasoned by the aromatic and completely reduced white wine.  There was ample amount of minced garlic that had completely-flavoured the sauce.  There is also an option to add bread to this dish.

We got one dish that was not on the happy hour menu being the Seared Scallops & Soy-Glazed 5-Spice Pork Belly with cauliflower purée, roasted cauliflower, carrots and radicchio in sherry vinaigrette.  As much as fatty pork belly is delicious and sinful, I prefer more meat than fat.  The cubes in this dish were mostly meat with just the right amount of complimentary fat.  Not only were these a bit leaner, the fat itself was well-rendered.  Hence, the meat was tender and juicy while the fat wasn't flabby.  Good amount of caramelized glaze on the outside.  As for the scallops, they were nicely seared and a bit rare inside.  They were buttery and sweet.   The bit of acidity from the vinaigrette kept things bright and lessened the heaviness.

As a side, we also had the Atlantic Lobster Mac sporting lobster bisque sauce and panko gremolata.  Due to the use of large shell pasta, we found pockets of sauce that was full of lobster essence.  With that being said, we wished there was more of it as some shells were dry and a bit bland.  Even though not visible in the picture, there was a decent amount of lobster claw meat hidden within.  Pasta was al dente and the crumbs added an aromatic crunch.

Lastly, we had the Truffle Fries with a side of aioli.  These fresh-cut fries were quite good with a crispy exterior and a tender potatoey interior.  They were lightly truffled, which was good, but we would've liked to see more parm.  Overall, this was much like all of my previous visits where the food was solid and the oysters were fresh and shucked properly.  Also like previous times, this is a great place to drop by just before a game or event at the stadiums nearby.

The Good:
- Nice variety of oysters at all times
- Solid eats
- Great place for just before the game or event

The Bad:
- Seating can be a bit tight
- Can get pricey, but what is cheap these days anyways