Oystermen in London score by the 5D Sensograph of placescases.com: 5 out of 5.

October 2019

Seen           

Felt            

Heard            

Smelled     

Tasted              

Reading time: 4 min

Fast mode reading time (bold and coloured text): 2 min

Planning my trip to London, I identified this place and targeted it for my blog.

When I stepped through its doorstep, I felt that Oystermen was exactly this type of funky establishments that become dear to my heart and stomach. In addition, it turned out to be awarded as best restaurant with Observer Food Monthly Awards 2019 by The Guardian. The place is tiny, looking incredibly casual and very cool at the same time. A steep spiral staircase goes down to the toilet to find an equally cool room… and radio, which communicates with monotonous distinct voice information about fishermen.

The signature of Oystermen are crabs and oysters. They offer them absolutely fresh, straight on the oyster bar, cleaning them in front of the customers and serving them.

The owners, Matt Lovell and Ron Hampton are not cooks. They were waiters and managers at other restaurants. They don’t want Michelin stars because one of those can ruin their business as it is set up now. However, they do not exclude possibility one day to set up another, high-positioned restaurant right for that purpose, where Chef, Andrea Bertone, will be able to compete for the biggest prize for food.

I can boldly say that Oystermen is a place that meets the requirement for a memorable experience from he theory of The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. Matt and Rob offer a true performance for their clients. The dining experience is special and the diners are really actors and audience at the same time.

I went there in the afternoon. For dinner I had no chance without reservation, but for an afternoon snack I was immediately settled, with the condition that they could serve only crabs and oysters, since the kitchen would open for dinner. I sat at the bar which was not for drinks, but looked similar, bearing the same cool party mood, only offering oysters and crabs instead of cocktails. 

See ….

…. Piles of crabs and oysters at the bar– a whole performance is to clean them in front of you, to garnish them with specially mixed and infused sauces, appreciating your enjoyment from the food;

…. The beverage list is worthy, well selected for pairing;

…. The tiny place for the toilet is cozy, clean and with very original design- the sink is like an oyster shell, the wall is from a net with white pebbles, everything reminds you a seashore.

Feel ….

…. Friendly and informal communication by the oyster-bartender– a young Italian who told me all sorts of things about how they prepare the sauce, for the restaurant, for himself, as a typical bartender;

…. The feeling in the restaurant is as if you are on a sea holiday- relaxed laid-back feeling, escaping from cold and gloomy weather outside in London;

…. The service is very pleasant, unobtrusive, but at the same time attentive.

Hear ….

…. Super cool contemporary funk. It is extremely well combined with the overall atmosphere of the place, completes the experience of funky groove, light mood and at the same time rest;

…. The flat sober voice from the radio in the toilet, which communicates information about the fishermen on the coast.

Movie watching time: 1:25 min.

Smell ….

…. If you are a fan of oysters and crabs, the combinations with their aromas will enchant you directly- sweet notes mixed with sea smell at the same time combined with exotic scents of lemongrass, wasabi and various other infusions;

Taste ….

…. A slightly sweet taste of Dorset crab in combination with garlic aioli- remarkable, very tasty!

All available crabs are recorded on a blackboard with their weights. By selling a crab, they cross it off the board. You can see how much they have left and what kind. The smallest quantity is 1 kg for 25 British pounds, and the largest-2.4 kg for 60 British pounds.

…. If you like oysters, you must try them. Every day they get appr. 200 fresh oysters, which are all sold in a day. The restaurant has no place for refrigerators, so everything must be sold out;

…. Combine with one of the well selected white wines, available by glass too- everything explodes in tastes and flavors. A cup is also available.

The experience in Oystermen is aesthetic, because of the pleasant cozy and relaxing interior, entertaining, because of the friendly attitude of bartenders and waiters, somewhat educational too, because whatever you ask about food, everything will be explained in a casual conversation. They will ask you  with a lively interest how you got on their place, and also what you think about the food. The experience at Oystermen is definitely an escapist, with this funky atmosphere of sunny sea resort. It is a place that you definitely tell about other people, you recommend, in my case you write about it.

I would suggest humbly to think of the option of offering souvenirs. I don’t know what could be done with empty oyster shells but as sustainable approach to that waste could be considered. Some of them can be transformed into conceptual souvenirs/memorabilia for customers.

How to book your stay in London?

If you are already planning a trip to London I recommend that you book your stay there right here .For your convenience, I added a booking.com box, which refers directly to their site. I guarantee you’re going to use all your genius discounts and privileges they would offer to you. Just enter the dates of your trip, then hit the Search button and voila. In addition, booking.com are doing their best to make sure that your expectations as a customer are fulfilled. I’ve described an example about the latter in  my story about our stay in Shangri-La hotel in Singapore.

Booking.com

How to get to Oystermen in London?

Don’t worry about getting to Oystermen in London. Just use the Google map here by clicking on the red pin of its location and then select directions:

A: 32 Henrietta Street,Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8NA

T: + +44 20 7240 4417

E: reservations@oystermen.co.uk

The web-site of the restaurant has an online reservation form.

Open hours: 7 days a week 12:00- 22:00, except for Sunday 12:00- 20:00

If you feel confident with the left side driving in UK and decide to rent a car, you can book it here in the box of the biggest rent-a-car online platform.

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Do you ever wonder how some places are so very different from others in service, environment, as a general experience? This means you are also interested like me in the topic of The Experience Economy by Pine and Gilmore. I’ve tried to recognize those places which apply it in practice its principles, whether deliberately or accidentally, and I think it is worth to consider them. Right click on category The Experience Economy.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/oct/21/ofm-awards-2019-best-restaurant-the-oystermen-london