Oysters have long been romanticized in foodie lore. The legendary Casanova purportedly ate 50 raw ones for breakfast before heading out on his amorous escapades. Today, Vancouver diners share his appetite for oysters, as they have become more adventurous and adept at tasting their pleasures.

Oyster connoisseurs have adopted the term meroir (a combination of mer, the French word for “sea”, and the wine term terroir) to describe the reflection of an oyster’s origins in its flavours. “The differences between oysters are very slight, but I have many customers who can identify very distinctive tastes,” says Andrew Marley-Clarke, bartender at the oyster bar at So.Cial at Le Magasin (332 Water Street).

By phone from the restaurant, Marley-Clarke explains that So.Cial carries on average six or seven different Pacific Northwest oysters, whose names usually refer to their species (Olympia, Pacific, Kumamoto) or to the place of harvesting, which gives them their unique flavours. His bestsellers are Fanny Bay oysters, which are firm and have a sweet, slightly metallic taste; Washington Kumamotos, which are small and buttery and have a “kiwi, fruity aftertaste”; and Cortes Island Kusshis, which are small and mild, and have a “very buttery and velvety” texture. These “premium” oysters are the result of an involved cultivation process that leads to a higher-quality product. “The way they are farmed brings about the consistency of a Starbucks latte—[in that] you can count on them,” says Marley-Clarke.

While purists prefer to take their bivalves au naturel, So.Cial offers a variety of mignonettes (vinegar sauces) that pair well with oysters. The blueberry hazelnut goes nicely with a cleaner-tasting oyster like the Kumamoto, and the red-wine mignonette balances the saltier taste of Pacific Rim Petites from Barkley Sound. “It’s that whole salt and vinegar combination,” Marley-Clarke explains.

Over at Joe Fortes (777 Thurlow Street), besides a mignonette, oysters arrive with cocktail sauce, lemon, and horseradish. “Originally, the hot sauces were an antibacterial for eating oysters,” says executive chef and partner Scott Pratico in a phone interview. Pratico explains that these safety concerns are now much less of an issue: “Oysters are probably the most controlled substance that hits our tables in terms of the amount of effort on the part of growers and the restaurants in handling and testing them.” In fact, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority requires restaurants to post warnings of the risks of contracting food-borne illnesses from raw oysters.

Restaurants source only from certified harvesters that stringently check for bacteria and viruses. They also tend to favour oysters from cooler East Coast waters during the summer’s proverbial R-less months, when local waters are warmer and oysters are spawning. Joe Fortes, for example, will carry Malpeque oysters from Prince Edward Island and Village Bay ones from New Brunswick, which come with a jolt of the Atlantic. Pratico explains: “The East Coast oysters have a brinier taste since the Atlantic has a higher salt content [than the Pacific].”

The best way to experience these differences in taste is a point of contention among oyster enthusiasts. Although some people pour out the oyster juice, or “liquor”, before eating raw oysters, Pratico insists that’s “where the flavour is”. The question of whether to slurp an oyster down or chew it is equally controversial. “You should give it a chew,” he advises. “If you just swallow the oyster, you miss the point.”

Ian Dalziel, “first mate” (according to his business card) at Rodney’s Oyster House (405–1228 Hamilton Street), concurs with Pratico. “My mother always told me to chew my food. I usually take two bites and then swallow,” he says in a chat at the restaurant. Rodney’s sells an impressive 25,000 to 30,000 oysters on the half shell a month, offering roughly 15 selections ranging from local Metcalfe Bay oysters to Medway Flats from Nova Scotia. With the buying power of its Toronto head office, the restaurant also sources further afield, from places as far away as Virginia, Connecticut, and even Ireland and New Zealand.

Typically, Rodney’s customers arrive with friends, order a dozen oysters for each person, and imbibe as they go. Although the casual vibe at the restaurant doesn’t lend itself to formal wine pairings, Dalziel suggests drier white wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, and Sancerre.

At So.Cial, restaurant manager and sommelier Nicolas Artiguenave recommends pairing oysters with Grey Goose vodka for its crisp, clean taste, or Gewí¼rztraminer if the oyster is really creamy. He adds that dark, bitter-tasting beers could work, and that “champagne is always good.”

As for the reputed aphrodisiac qualities of oysters, Dalziel quips, “Based on some of the nights here, it is probably true. You are usually with dates and company, and it is a good time, and one thing leads to another”¦”

Myth or reality, it’s just one more excuse to get in the mood for oysters.