Washington Dining | Oyster Oyster 🌟🍀

Oyster Oyster is a Michelin-starred restaurant focusing on vegetarian cuisine. Chef Rob Rubba won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in 2023. The restaurant’s name comes from two of the chef’s favorite ingredients: "Oyster and Oyster Mushroom." I’ve had this place on my list for a while, and since I’m in Washington, I thought it was the perfect time to try an American vegetarian tasting menu. The $135 per person menu is quite affordable compared to non-vegetarian tasting menus. Although it’s vegetarian, there’s a small oyster appetizer that ties in with the theme. The restaurant has a casual vibe, with friendly and talkative waitstaff. Most of the ingredients come from local farms around Washington and New York. 🔷 The three appetizers were all great. The oysters were very fresh. The celery root taco reminded me of pulled pork tacos, and the grilled beet had a unique texture compared to the usual sweet beets. 🔷 Next up was a radish medley, haha. Both dishes featured different types of radishes. The confit turnip was paired with a peanut miso and peanut oil-based sauce, and I really enjoyed the rutabaga dumplings. 🔷 The bread and butter were the highlights of the menu. The vegan marigold butter was amazing – everyone at the table raved about it. I cleaned the entire plate of butter. 🔷 The main course was sweet potato with mole sauce, a very Mexican-flavored sauce, served with a slightly Asian-flavored mixed rice porridge. I really liked the seasoning of the porridge. 🔷 For dessert, there was carrot mochi – a sweet and chewy Chinese-style dessert, served with a sauce that included chrysanthemum tea. Overall, the restaurant met or exceeded my expectations. Being vegetarian didn’t limit the chef’s seasoning; instead, it inspired even richer flavor layers than meat-based dishes. Sometimes, vegetarian restaurants can be even more exciting. 📍 Oyster Oyster #GlobalVillageFoodieContest #AmericasPartyCorner #WashingtonDCFood #DMVExploration