If oysters are your thing, then The Ginger Room located at Old Parliament House is the place for you.
The Ginger Room opened in 2004 and since then, they have been instrumental in introducing Canberra to local fresh produce. With Canberra being so close to the South Coast, fresh seafood from Batemans Bay can be considered as regional produce.
Featured on their Winter menu is the famous Clair de Lune and Angasi Oysters from Moonlight Flat Oysters on the South Coast; which have been regarded as the best oysters inAustralia.
Always keen to show off what local producers have to offer, The Ginger Room will be holding an ‘Oyster Shuck’ tasting session on July 24th, lead by Moonlight Flat Oyster farmer, Steve Feletti.
Head Chef and Director of The Ginger Room Janet Jeffs believes that oyster appreciation is all about education. “The more customers know about food, the more enjoyable it is for them. As well, these events are a good way to get Canberra on the dining map,” Jeffs said.
Keeping food as fresh and as natural as possible is one of the goals for The Ginger Room. They serve both the Clair de Lune and Angasi opened to order, side by side on a plate so that the customers can taste the difference between them.
The Angasi oyster is Australia’s native flat oyster, and has been compared in the same category for taste and appearance as the famous French belon oyster. In comparison to the Clair de Lune oyster, the Angasi’s flesh is a dull mushroom pink brown and has more of a smoky and earthy taste to it.
Also featuring on the Winter menu at The Ginger Room is the Clair de Lune oyster, with its simple meaning of ‘moonlight’. A speciality of Moonlight Flat Oysters, the Clair de Lune is grown in the pristine waters of the Clyde River, and has more of a focus on flavour rather than a large shell.
Trying to compare the taste of the two oysters however is like trying to compare chicken and duck; both have their qualities, and as recommended by Jeffs, both would go well with a dry glass of champagne.
One of the biggest problems that need to be overcome by customers and consumers of oysters according to Janet Jeffs is the texture.
“They look ugly, but they taste sublime. Customers then get over the texture because they have this fantastic flavour.”
The best way to eat an oyster according to Jeffs is of course as fresh as possible; However they do work well with sharp flavours.
“Make a traditional eschalot red wine vinaigrette with black pepper or a bloody mary shooter goes down a treat.”
The acid from the tomato and spice from the chilli in the bloody mary gets picked up by the oyster and adds to the enjoyment.
If you’re itching to buy and try Oysters at home, its important to be on the look out for key characteristics in order to purchase the freshest produce.
“Make sure they are as fresh as possible, with the oyster being nice and glassy and still alive in its shell.”
The Ginger Room is open as per normal for dinner after the ‘Oyster Shuck’ tasting event. Bookings are essential Click here to RSVP online.
