So you ordered oysters? Nice. How sophisticated of you. But do you know how to eat oysters properly? Because if you’re swallowing them whole like it’s a food dare and sipping warm Sauv Blanc with it… we need to talk. Here’s how to eat oysters properly (because someone has to say it)
Preshucked oysters = the devil
Let’s get this out of the way. If your oyster wasn’t freshly shucked to order then it most likely has been sitting open in a fridge for far too long. The brine inside the oyster is the flavour, and if open for too long then it dries up and dies (rip).
The fix: Order oysters that are shucked to order. If they’re not shucking it in front of you or stating on the menu when it was shucked you can assume its not 100% fresh.
No need to stress about that at Melbourne Winery though, the oyster bar is dedicated to freshly shucking for you!
Yes. Chew the oyster
You are not doing a shot. You are not proving that you’re more superior than anyone (sorry).
If you’re swallowing oysters whole because “that’s what people do,” you’ve missed the entire point. But it’s okay, we got you! You’re skipping the texture, the sweetness, the minerality, which is everything that makes an oyster worth eating.
The fix:
Bite it. Twice. Maybe three times if you’re serious. Let it sit. Let it do its thing. Then sip your wine. Now you’re getting it.
Wine isn't optional
Look, we’re not saying you have bad taste…we’re just saying oysters need help to reach their full potential. A heavy red drowns them. A sweet cocktail flattens them. Even some whites don’t pull their weight.
Here’s the science: oysters are salty and creamy. Wine (the right kind) brings acid, chill, and contrast. It cuts through the richness, sharpens the flavour, and resets your palate so every oyster feels like the first.
The fix:
Go for Brut, something mineral, or a crisp white with edge. We’re pouring $8 glasses and shucking $3 oysters every Thursday & Friday, that’ll sort you out!
