Happy Hour at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar

Oh how I long for patio weather...back in August, when we were gently lifting the quarantine, we ventured out to Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar. Grateful for the good weather, we managed to easily socially distance on the patio. 

I've always been a fan of Spicy Margaritas ($8) (first discovered at Tacofino) but they didn't have this on the menu. Fortunately, the bartender improvised with fresno chilies since they didn't have jalepeno peppers. This was good and makes me want to make my own chili-infused tequila. Doesn't seem hard, right? We can totally do this!

Well, it IS an oyster bar...so we must have Oysters ($2/ea). These were creamy and sweet. I do like my oysters on the small side, one-bite wonders. How do you eat your oysters? I drain any residual juice from the shell, then give it a squirt of lemon juice and just a bit of the mignonette and a touch of horseradish. I used to add Tobasco sauce all the time but lately, I find that it overwhelms the delicate flavours of the oyster so have been leaving it out. 

These Chicken Wings ($12) were one of the first things I've ever had here and I just had to get them again. The umami comes from the nuoc cham or fish sauce caramel. And no, it's not fishy. It's nice and crunchy with some heat coming from a bit of sambal chili paste.  The sweetness of the coating is mitigated by the pickled veg. Get two orders because it's hard to split three wings amongst two people...

Although not always on the menu, this Lobster Mac and Cheese is worth trying if available as a daily special. I love the gratin topping, it gives the dish a nice crunchy texture which contrasts the creaminess of the mac and cheese. 

There's plenty of lobster here and it's a dish best shared because it can get a bit heavy if you try to eat the whole thing yourself. The flavours were a bit mild and the dish could have probably used a touch more cheese. Nonetheless, it's a good appetizer and a bit more satisfying than just oysters and wings. 

They have $2 oysters during happy hour and 20% off bottles of wine as well.