The Tasting Spoon

Appetizers:  On these hot summer days, we all want something cool and refreshing. What better than having oysters on the half-shell as our first appetizer? Goes best with a cold Mexican beer--dressed. We asked the waiter what type of oysters they were and he replied "Gulf Coast". As we all know, Gulf Coast oysters are big and plump, but are less flavorful then the East Coast variety which means that salt and lemon need to be added to give it that briney flavor it lacks. As the oysters arrived, they were fresh, cold, and clean of any shell debris. To my surprise, the adductor muscle was detached from the shell which eliminates needing to scrape your spoon furiously against the rocky surface. Served with lemons and horseradish. Crab Cakes As the crab cakes arrived to our table, the sight of two lonely cakes with not much presentation took us aback. The crab cakes had a good sear, not over-seasoned, and definitely left you wanting more. It's lump crab meat which is