Delaney Oyster House: A Most Worthy Dirty Martini and a Happy Hour Indeed

We went to Delaney Oyster House for happy hour and dinner before a most excellent show at the Gaillard Center. (If you are not supporting the arts programing at the Gaillard, what are you even doing with your free time after you've eaten?)

Let us begin where it deserves to begin. The dirty martini. It is the best in town. Yes, I am aware of what I am saying. Yes, I know who previously held that title in my book. Consider the crown temporarily reassigned. It was briny, ice cold, properly structured, and unapologetically dirty.

The table’s other cocktails were inventive and widely adored, and I was grateful for the elusive unsweetened tea done properly. Service throughout was solid and attentive.

The happy hour oysters were fantastic. Small cups, pristine, briny without being aggressive, served with house made cocktail sauce and a sharp mignonette that actually had bite. Clean, bright, and exactly what you want.

The hush puppies were textbook. Crisp all the way through with no doughy center, properly seasoned, and served with garlic butter that made restraint impossible. These were not filler. These were deliberate and we were all glad we ordered them.

We shared the spicy shrimp ajillo arrived with garlic, chile de árbol, and grilled sourdough. The shrimp themselves were ever so slightly overcooked, just on the edge of where you'd notice. But the sauce was so deeply flavorful that it did not matter. We fought to keep the plate in the center of the table and asked for additional grilled bread to soak up every last drop. At $26, you are paying for that sauce, and it delivers.

The spicy tuna tartare with peanut chili crisp, ginger, and scallion was fresh and tasty. It was not mind blowing, but it was balanced and clean, with enough texture and heat from the chili crisp to keep it interesting. (These details were reported to me by the bright, young lawyer who ordered it but who ate it so enthusiastically and quickly, I was not saved a single bite to taste myself).

The fish and chips were surprisingly strong. The batter was light and not greasy at all. The fish was flaky and moist. But the real headline was the fries. They are dusted with a salt and vinegar seasoning that makes them addictive. They are crisp, heavily seasoned, and nearly impossible to stop eating.

The daily catch, grouper, was served with brown butter squash purée, nasturtium pesto, and pepitas. The fish was locally caught and fresh with a nice sear and proper crust. The squash purée, however, lacked seasoning and needed more confidence. The nasturtium pesto was interesting and complemented the fish well, bringing brightness and a slight bitterness that I really enjoyed. The pepitas added the necessary crunch. It was a composed plate that needed just a touch more seasoning to sing.

The kitchen is strong, particularly with the raw items. When seasoning is dialed in, dishes shine. When it hesitates, the plate feels just shy of memorable.

Delaney Oyster House is not flashy, but what it does well is execute solid coastal food in a comfortable space with a serious bar program and dependable service.

And that martini? It may have just started a turf war. Someone should offer to take me back to Marbled and Fin and let me try their dirty martini again!