COROMANDEL – 7 / 10 Overall

These New Zealand oysters were different. Shells were beautifully ridged like Gigas oysters, and the meats were super firm and plump (makes sense since it’s winter in New Zealand this time of year). What I didn’t expect, though, was their texture: they were… chewy, almost crunchy. Flavor-wise, they were nice for the sweet oyster lover -- strong melon finish with a mild brine. My favorite thing about the oyster was how easy and clean it was to shuck them. I did dock some points for liquor -- I wish there was more to sip! Overall, solid West Coast oyster for a boutique offering if you’re looking for something interesting.

CHINCOTEAGUE SALT – 8 / 10 overall

Holy moly, were these delicious! The salt content was perfect, almost tasted like a Rhode Island oyster, and had a lovely clean vegetal finish! Meats were full, and shells were fairly consistent, could have been a little cleaner. I was most disappointed by the shuckability though. Hinges were brittle and sometimes curved. Dirt also got into a few of them. But dang, after eating them, the flavor made up for it all! I served one blindly to Ben, and he thought it was a Wellfleet. Super delicious and a great value for the price.