Close your eyes.
Suspend your self-quarantine, social distancing reality for a moment.
Picture a small restaurant with fab food.
Your are snuggled in next to a living, breathing healthy human, both enraptured with an adult beverage in your clean hands.
Open your eyes, read on and enjoy the fantasy.
I Found a delectable treasure trove of seafood in East Hollywood.
Believe me, schlepping to East Hollywood is not at the top of my list as it is an investment in time and energy (today it would be a pleasure and an honor!)
I got lost in Found Oyster and discovered that the new dining establishment was open during the day on the weekends.
That’s doable.
So two Saturdays ago, before all hell broke loose in America, we took the Pacific Coast Highway to the 10 freeway and then made a dozen left and rights and 55 minutes later arrived at Found Oyster on Fountain Avenue.
The trendy little collection of stores featuring Found Oyster, a narrow place, sandwiched between a vegan grocery store and Mestizo Cafe, as well as the Church of Scientology’s “Big Blue” building which looms up the street.
We were warmly greeted by the friendly staff.
The 26-seat restaurant was full at 3pm and we were fortunate to grab two seats at the bar close to the shucking action.
We dove right in with a delicious New England style clam chowdaaa that was light and bright loaded with clams ($7).
The Ode to Swan Crudo (Legendary Swan Depot in San Francisco) was stellar with salmon, tuna and white fish accented with EVOO, capers. lemon and red onion ($18).
We moved onto a 1/2 dozen of outstanding sweet and delicious oysters.
Most of the time, the oyster options are Little Namskaket oysters from Orleans, MA.
Order them.
They’re from general manager Joe Laraja’s family farm.
We also selected the lightly fried Chicken Fried Oysters that were plump and outstanding with a wonderful aioli dipping sauce ($11).
Rumor had it that we had to try the Bub & Grandma’s bread. It was crusty with a soft middle accompanied by sweet butter and amazing trout roe that glided across the bread and added so much flavor (Bread $5/ Trout Roe $8).
The Wedge Salad was outrageous, the lettuce crispy with no bitter ends, fabulous bacon pieces, Stilton cheese, tomatoes and creamy dressing ($13).
I need to go back for the jumbo peel and eat blue prawns ($18), the spicy lobster bisque roll ($28), the bar steak ($25) and the scallops tostada ($18).
We were introduced to some interesting wines.
Chef and co-owner Ari Kolender was on hand. He previously worked at Providence one of Los Angeles’ best restaurants.
We finished off the fabulous afternoon delight with a creamy Buttermilk Panna Cotta adorned with fresh grapefruit ($7).
Oh, to only have the great Found Oyster food and the charming staff closer to home.
Once social distancing is suspended and the country has healed, I will again make the journey to Found Oyster.
Good things do come in small packages.
Found Oyster 4880 Fountain Avenue Los Angeles, California. Open Tuesday-Thursday 4-10pm, Friday 4-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm, Sunday 12-10pm. No reservations. Metered and street parking.
