Earlier last month, Shuck Raw Bar and Ale (135 South Gay Street) opened its doors to join the amazing and ever-growing 100 block of Gay Street.
This review follows a long line of raves and accolades – but I had such a great experience, I had to give it a quick shout-out.
For starters, the space is small, and decorated in warm colors, which give the place a cozy and intimate feel. It’d be great for dates, dinner with the girls and/or to lay a foundation for a night of bar-hopping. Our server was also absolutely amazing – friendly without hovering and knowledgeable without pretension.
- Bonus #1: Valet parking on Friday and Saturday.
- Bonus #2: Open late: Monday through Thursday from 11:00 A.M. until Midnight, Friday through Saturday from 11:00 A.M. until 2:00 A.M. and Sunday from 11:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M.
- Bonus #3: The owners are the same geniuses behind Nama and Cru Bistro & Wine Bar. AND they’re building another Cru next door to Shuck.
We decided to splurge and try a bit of everything. First up was a round of Classic Oysters ($market price), which tasted like Knoxville lived next to the ocean. We paired them with a bottle of their house white wine (Vin de Maison, $26), which was light and refreshing (think hot summer day) and complemented everything we tried.
Round two included the Chimi Oysters (fresh jalapeño, lime, cilantro chimichurri, $market) that had just the right amount of crunch and spice to offset the texture of the oysters. I then dug into the Sicilian Tuna Crudo (fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper, lemon, $12), which is essentially fresh sashimi with a fusion twist. And my partner-in-crime sampled their oversized lobster roll ($18). Which, somehow, had enough butter/seasoning to put it in the “comfort food” category, without putting you into a food coma.
I also really appreciated that, while they specialize in oysters, their menu was aquatically diverse enough to serve most palettes and cravings. Other offerings included: salmon, fish & chips, crab tacos and shrimp ceviche. If you don’t like fish, well… you may want to look elsewhere. But with the level of quality and selection, Shuck would be a great place for a first-timer to dive into the ocean.
Bottom Line? Run – don’t walk – down to Shuck tonight for dinner!
For more information visit their official website, or on Facebook, Twitter, Urban Spoon and Yelp.
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