Restaurant Name: Union Oyster House
"Daddy, they kill those lobsters! They boil them! Nooo...," a teenage girl, old enough to know better, wails by the lobster tank. "I know, honey," her father wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders. My companion and I burst out into riotous laughter and mock her attention-seeking melodrama and the father's gullibility to it. The pair scurry away in embarrassment. It
is a seafood restaurant, after all...
In fact, this is the oldest continually-run restaurant in the whole United States! It's been selling chow since 1826. Looking at the dishes served on the tables around me--fish, oysters, lobster, crab cakes, chowder, corn bread, my stomach growls loudly. I've never tried oysters before and since they're the specialty here, they're are a must.
Our waitress is quick and chirpy; she brings drinks right away.
The building that now houses the Union Oyster House has a long history. The actual year of its construction is unknown. Earliest records have it listed in 1742 as "At the Sign of the Cornfields"--an importer of dry goods and cloth from Europe. It also served as a printing press for American Revolution literature, a pay-station for troops, and a temporary home for the future King of France (Louis Philippe) in 1796. It finally became a restaurant called "Atwood & Bacon" when the pair bought it and installed the semi-circular oyster bar. President John F. Kennedy and his clan ate here often and there's a booth dedicated to him upstairs. Whew--boggling!
I have no idea what oysters are supposed to taste like, so as I scoop the slimy mollusk down my throat, I decide it's "good but a bit bland", and I add more horseradish to the next one. Oysters must be an acquired taste. Next, is the clam chowder. I'd spent the morning at "Chowderfest", sampling chowders from restaurants all over Boston, but
this is the best I've ever had.
After a small delay, while the waitress searched the restaurant to find me some tartar sauce, I dig into my fish and chips. It's absolutely delicious!
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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30
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Phone: 617-227-2750
Address: 41 Union St., Boston, MA
Directions: Near Faneuil Hall
Website: http://www.unionoysterhouse.com
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on Aug 30, 2006
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