Necee Regis: Travel Writer, Food Writer, Artist and Oyster Fan
  • Home
  • Archives
    • Here, There, Everywhere
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    • 2009
    • 2005-2008
  • Photos
  • Backstory
  • Travel Sketches
  • Oyster Blog
  • Lit Life
  • ART LIFE

Southernmost Oyster Social CANCELLED

1/26/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sad news! According to my sources, Miami's oyster social has been cancelled: "The Southernmost Oyster Social, unfortunately, did not sell enough tickets and the organizer had to pull the event." WAH.

*Thanks to my artist pal Tabitha Vevers for this image of ""Shell Series: Pearlmaker." You can see more of her lovely paintings HERE.
0 Comments

Southernmost Oyster Social at Miami Oyster Week 

1/24/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
So excited to learn about Miami Oyster Week! (January 20-28, 2017) Billed as a "curated collection of oyster-centric event," the week's festivities are produced by The OysterHood, the dynamic duo of Rudi Ehrlich and Kevin Joseph who also created and produced such phemon events as New York Oyster Week and International Oyster Day.

Of the many events in Miami this week, I'm pleased to be invited to the Southernmost Oyster Social. The party takes place at the Mondrian South Beach Hotel's chic event space, offering sweeping views of the sunset over Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline.
Picture
The OysterHood has chosen Miami to kick off it's National Touring "Oyster Social" Concept. What's that, you ask?

"An Oyster Social is an EPICurean Oyster Experience where various rare & exotic ultra-premium oyster species are paired with premium libations of all kinds. Expect us
 to Pop Up the Best Raw Bar on Earth paired with various other passed DelicaSEAS as well as craft beer, boutique wine and creative cocktails."

The Southernmost Oyster Social will be presented
“Miami Style," meaning it will be featuring several ultra-premium oyster varieties from best the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific regions along with a selection of craft beers, boutique wines and creative cocktails.

Sounds like heaven to me. Tickets are still available! Prices $85 - $195. Get tickets HERE.
 
WHERE:
Mondrian South Beach, 1100 West Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139

WHEN:
Saturday January 28
4:00- 7:00 pm

0 Comments

New Oyster Bar Debuts in Miami: Mignonette Uptown

1/10/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
(Photos by Tess Gostfrand)

So excited to hear that the duo behind Edgewater’s neighborhood oyster bar Mignonette is expanding their seafood shrine to North Miami Beach! Mignonette Uptown is housed in a former-1980s aluminum-sided diner along Biscayne Boulevard.  I loved the diner that was here before but I'm looking forward to checking out the new incarnation.

Picture
From the press release: "Known as a fun oyster bar and seafood haven, Mignonette offers a dynamic menu of quality dishes as well as down-home options. At its heart, Mignonette is a place to slurp oysters, sample fine caviar, dig deep into a fried shrimp po'boy, savor one of Mignonette’s beautifully-rendered main plates, and enjoy a craft beer or a glass of wine from the award-winning wine list."

Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.
Picture
1 Comment

Wellfleet OysterFest 2016: The Show Must Go On!

10/16/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
The 16th annual Wellfleet OysterFest, produced by Wellfleet SPAT (Shellfish Promotion and Tasting, Inc.), is happening--as scheduled--this weekend, October 15 and 16 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day.

I say "as scheduled" because--sadly--the festival is being hosted without any oysters! Due to a public health concern with shellfish in Wellfleet’s harbor – and in response to a closure issued by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (Mass. DMF) – SPAT has decided not to serve any raw shellfish at this year’s festival. The closure is not related to recent closures due to “ASP” nor is it Vibrio-related.

The good news? The annual Shuck Off is going on with oysters sourced from outside, open shellfish areas.
Additionally, food vendors at the event are dishing out a lot of other tasty treats including conch fritters, pumpkin bisque, fish tacos, roasted sweet corn, grilled swordfish, savory crepes, steamed mussels and even barbecue.

Picture
 Check out this succulent slice of grilled swordfish from Hatch's Fish Market! I hear today they are grilling scallops--but you have to get there early!
Picture
I'm thrilled to report that the crowds on Saturday were epic! So many people came to support the festival--and made donations to the fund for all the oyster farmers who are losing a huge chunk of their income this oysterless-weekend. The music is terrific--the crafts booths are fab--the beer is flowing--and the shuck off continues today at 1:00 p.m.
Picture
Canadian chef John Baby and yours truly are honored to be judging the oyster competition. So come on out!
0 Comments

Miami's Midtown Oyster Bar Celebrates National Oyster Day!

7/21/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Calling all oyster lovers in Miami! August 5 is National Oyster Day and I'm happy to share the news that Midtown Oyster Bar, located in the bustling Midtown Miami restaurant alley (3301 NE 1st Ave), is celebrating with a self-service oyster bar from 5 to 7pm on Friday August 5th for a $25 all-you-can-eat oyster bonanza! And in partnership with Wynwood Brewing Company, Midtown Oyster Bar will also be offering $2 pints of the signature La Rubia. In addition guests can enjoy individual oysters at $1 piece ALL DAY on Friday August 5th (no ticket required).
Picture
Guests must have pre-purchased tickets for this event. Get your tickets HERE.
Picture
0 Comments

Island Creek Oysters Summer Farm Share

5/17/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
So excited to hear that the Island Creek Oysters Farm Share is now accepting memberships for monthly Farm Share subscriptions, which are available to be shipped or picked up. A fantastic gift for shellfish lovers (hint, hint)...or even as a treat for yourself.

New for this year’s Farm Share program: members can pick up at either of the Row 34 locations in Boston and Portsmouth, NH for a deeply discounted price. The summer membership costs $499 (or $299 for pickup in Duxbury, Row 34 Boston or Row 34 Portsmouth  and orders are delivered on the last Friday of the month depending on availability and quantity of product from June through October 2016. 

The ICO Farm Share is five different shipments of the freshest seafood Duxbury Bay has to offer at the peak of each species' respective season. Each shipment features a shellfish or locally-caught, sustainable finfish such as skate and mackerel, but also includes a sprinkling of oysters and other odd goodies - and even recipe suggestions by the ICO team and their friends.

The farm is also in the process of creating a web-based app that will allow members to update their shipping information on their phone or home computer instantly with just the order number and last name.  

Quantities and products shipped in the past have included:
June: 4 dozen Oysters
July: 4 dozen Littlenecks
August: 5lbs Razor Clams
September: 5lbs Steamers
October: 6 1½lb Lobsters
0 Comments

"Shellebrating" South Beach Wine & Food Fest Oyster Bash

2/27/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
A shucking good time was had by all at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s Oyster Bash. Celebrating—or as they promoted it, shellebrating—the festival’s 15th year, the event was held at the fashionably-chic Lure Fishbar at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
Picture
Sponsored by Lure Fishbar’s own Josh Capon along with Chef Jeremy Sewall from Island Creek Oyster Bar and Row 34 in Boston and Portsmouth, the two-hour feast included oysters plucked from the flats of Duxbury Bay, the marshlands of Virginia and the glacial waters of Washington State.
Picture
I was able to slurp oysters prepared my favorite way—naked, with a drop of lemon on the half shell—and also tried varieties with mignonette toppings, chargrilled and sizzling in garlic butter, and fried. Many of Miami’s best oyster restaurant were represented, as well as others from Charleston and New Orleans.
Picture
I arrived early and had a chance to chat with CJ from Island Creek Oyster Bar and Chef Jamie DeRosa from Miami Beach's newest oyster hotspot, Izzy's Fish & Oyster.
Picture
CJ got some help shucking from Skip Bennett, left, who founded Island Creek Oysters in 1992, and another pal (with the orange glove) whose name I didn't get! (My excuse? To busy eating oysters!)
Picture
CJ told me they brought 30 bags--about 3,000 oysters--for the event, and he guessed he'd personally open a third of them. He was also the only person at the event with a full size poster of himself (actually, there were two of him) available for Instagram selfies. ("It's kinda embarrassing," he sheepishly admitted.)
Picture
Picture
Outside, Chef Angelo Masarin--owner of the Midtown Oyster Bar and Salumeria 104--donned fashionable sunglasses to personally pop open bivalves from Island Creek that were served with a colorful drop of saffron and bottarga.
Picture
Picture
"Two restaurants were offering char-grilled oysters. The oysters on the left are from Chef Ryan Haigler of New Orlean's Grand Isle Restaurant. Made with Cajun Tasso, smoked oysters, butter and New Orleans-style breadcrumbs. (Whatever "NoLa-style breadcrumbs" means--it is obviously a synonym for yummy.) On another grill, right, Chef Ben McClean from Leon's Oyster Shop in Charleston served bubbling hot oysters with lemon, parsley, butter and Parmesan.
Picture
Picture
Represnting Izzy's Fish & Oyster Bar, Chef Jamie DeRosa, left, and Chef William Crandall served Island Creek Oysters with a sexy Latin twist of chorizo and salsa verde.
Picture
Picture
Miami's Mignonette, another local seafood and oyster bar, mixed it up a bit with Irish Points from PEI, and west coast Hama Hamas.
Picture
Last, but certainly not least, the crew at Lure served freshly-shucked oysters with an array of tasty toppings.
Picture
In another room, the folks at Oyster Creek were playing a spin-the-wheel game for prizes. I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to win this knife! It feels so light in the hand--apparently it's hollow--and I'd love to give it a try. Alas, I didn't win. The good news? It's only 364 days to the next Oyster Bash. Better luck to me next time?
Picture
1 Comment

Awe Shucks! In TraveLife Magazine

1/5/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Thrilled to share my story about the Canadian oyster shucking National Championship, available online--for free!-- in this month's TraveLife Magazine!  Read the story HERE. See page 32. Happy reading and slurping!
0 Comments

Honest Weight in Toronto

11/1/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
I was happy to see my story in American Way magazine about where to eat oysters in Toronto. Sadly, they edited out one of my choices--Honest Weight—but I’m happy to share it here.
Picture
Picture
It’s worth the trek along Dundas Street West to find this inauspicious new fish shop and lunch counter (also open for early dinner) owned by master shucker (four time Canadian champ) and restaurateur John Bil.
Picture
A small selection of impeccably shucked oysters compliments creative seafood specials. We tried a couple of kusshis (firm, sweet, strong with a grassy finish), and two large Malpeques (salty, sweet and clean with a deep cup…juicy!).
Picture
Make sure you check this out on your next trip to Toronto. And say hi from me!
Honest Weight, 2766 Dundas Street West, 416-604-9992, http://honestweight.ca/

Picture
0 Comments

Blue Crab Bay Co. Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Oysters

11/1/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
Attention pals in Virginia! Specialty food purveyor Blue Crab Bay Co. is celebrating its 30th anniversary in style with a fun day of tasting on its covered patio. The menu will feature oysters on the half shell by Shooting Point Oyster Co.; oyster vodka shooters with their Sting Ray Spicy Bloody Mary Mixer with Ocean Clam Juice (served by Great Machipongo Clam Shack); oyster and clam chowder by Blue Crab Bay Co.; fried shrimp by the Island House Restaurant & Marina; local wines by Chatham Vineyards; and more. Cost ranges from $3 to $5. There will be live music by Loaded Goat and games for the kids. For more in call 757-787-3602 ext. 118 or email sales@bluecrabbay.com. 
 
November 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2nd annual Oysters a la Carte
Blue Crab Bay Co., 29368  Atlantic Dr., Melfa, VA 23410
Cost: a la carte

1 Comment
<<Previous
Forward>>
    Picture

    Necee Regis

    I grew up spending part of every summer in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, which included eating many oysters. After stumbling into an oyster shucking competition in Miami Beach in 2006, I’ve become a fan of the sport and have written about local, national, and international competitions for the Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, American Way Magazine, and the Huffington Post. I've also written oyster-centric stories for Rustik and Modern Farmer.  I’ve never met an oyster I didn’t want to eat.

    Archives

    October 2020
    December 2018
    October 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    2020
    Acme Oysters
    American Mussel Harvesters
    Apalachicola
    Auberge Du Moulin Vert
    Bagaduce
    Bangs Island Mussels
    Barbara Lynch Foundation
    Battery Wharf Oyster Fest
    Beausoleil
    Belon
    B&G Oysters
    Big Daddy's
    Biltmore Bar & Grill
    Blue Island Shellfish
    Blue Point
    Boathouse Oyster Bar
    Boss Oysters
    Brasserie Bofinger
    Britain
    Bronwen Clark
    Browne's Point
    Caper's Blades
    Cascumpec Bay
    Cave Spring Cellars
    Ceili Cottage
    Charleston
    Chase Fish + Oyster
    Chicago Oyster Fest
    Chris Pipergias
    Clammer Dave
    Clarenbridge
    Clayoquot Oyster Festival
    Colville Bay
    Cooke's
    Coosaw Cups
    Cotuit
    Crowes Creek
    Daniel Notkin
    Danish Oyster Cup
    David Bracha
    Diana's
    Diana's Seafood
    Dusty's Oyster Bar
    Duxbury
    Eamon Clark
    Ecology
    Eel Lake
    Eventide Oyster Co.
    Fairmont Battery Wharf
    Falmouth Oyster Festival
    Finally J.P.s
    Fines De Claires
    Fishbar
    Fishbar Miami
    Flora-Bama
    Florida Keys
    Florida Panhandle
    Florida Seafood Festival
    Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout
    France
    Galway International Oyster Festival
    Galway Oyster Festival
    George Dowdle
    Georgia
    Gillardeau
    Grand Isle Restaurant
    Green Gables
    Hale Street Tavern
    Half Shell Oyster Blog
    Harvest On The Harbor
    Hightide Restaurant And Oyster Bar
    Honest Weight
    Honeysuckle
    Hopgood's Foodliner
    Hunt's Oyster Bar
    Hurricane Oyster Bar And Grill
    ICO Farm Share
    Île De Ré
    Island Creek Oyster Bar
    Island Creek Oysters
    Izumi
    Izzy's Fish & Oyster
    Joe Beef
    John And Sons
    John Baby
    John Bil
    John Hennessey
    Josh Capon
    J. Sheekey Oyster Bar
    Julius Chapple
    Kaipara
    Katama Bay
    Kelly Galway Oysters
    Key Largo
    Kumamoto
    Kusshi
    La Caraquette
    Leon's Oyster Shop
    Living Room Bar
    Lucky Limes
    Lure Fishbar
    Lynnhaven
    Mac Hay
    Maine
    Maine Aquaculture Assoc.
    Malpeques
    Marina Oyster Bar
    Matunuck Oyster Farm
    Merigomish
    Miami
    Miami Oyster Week
    Midtown Oyster Bar
    Mignonette Miami
    Mignonette Uptown
    Milford Oyster Festival
    Mobjack Bay
    Modern Farmer
    Montreal
    Montreal Oysterfest
    Naked Cowboy Oysters
    National Oyster Day
    Neptune Oysters
    New York Oyster Week
    Normandie
    Notkin's
    NS
    NY/NJ Baykeeper
    Oak Tavern
    Oceanaire Seafood Room
    Olde Salts
    Old Port Fishing Company
    Oyster Boy
    Oyster Happy Hour
    Oystering
    Oyster Invitational
    Oyster News
    Oysterpedia
    Oyster Restoration
    Oysters
    Oyster Trail
    Panama City
    Pangea Shelfish
    Paris
    Patrick Mcmurray
    Pearl Diver
    PEI
    Pei International Shellfish Festival
    Pemaquids
    Pensacola
    Portland
    Proud Pour
    Pure Spirits
    Pure Spirits Oyster Bar
    Rappahannock Oysters
    Rappahannock River Oysters
    Redd's In Rozzie
    Rhode Island Coastal Resources
    Riptide Oysters
    Rock Oysters
    Rodney Clark
    Rodney's Oyster Depot
    Rodney's Oyster House
    Roger Williams University
    Salish Sea Oysters
    Salt Pond Oysters
    Sanderling
    SC
    Scotland
    Scrimshaw Oyster Stout
    Sewansecott
    Shaka Zulu
    Shaw's Crab House
    Shigoku
    Shock Top Oyster Fest
    Shuckers
    Shucking Tools
    Skippers' Fish Camp
    Snapper's
    South Beach WIne & Food Fest
    Southernmost Oyster Social
    Speciale Normande
    Starfish Oyster Bed
    Stingrays
    St. Mary's County Oyster Festival
    St. Simon
    Summerside
    The Dutch Miami
    The Gallows
    The Guardian
    The Ordinary
    The OysterHood
    The Oyster (wine)
    The River Seafood And Oyster Bar
    The Shuckin' Truck
    Toadfish
    Tofino
    Tony Messina
    Toronto
    Totten Inlet
    Travel Channel
    TraveLife Magazine
    Uni Sashimi
    Urbanna Oyster Festival
    U.S. National Shucking Competition
    Virginia
    Virginicas
    Wallace Bay
    Wallflower
    Washburn
    Wellfleet
    Wellfleet Oysterfest
    Wianno
    Wild Belon
    Wild Belons
    William
    William Chopper Young
    Wine And Oyster Pairings
    Winter Points
    Woodberry Kitchen
    Woodbury Shellfish
    World Oyster Cup
    York River Oysters

    RSS Feed