Hank's Oyster Bar

*Post by Angela.

"As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans." -- writer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) in "A Moveable Feast."

While I think he may have been a bit temperamental for my liking, I do think I would have liked to have shared a meal with Ernest Hemingway. Like Papa, oysters make me very happy, which is why last week Mark and I headed across the street from our house to meet recurring guest star Andy at Hank's Oyster Bar, at 17th and Q Street, NW (Hank's also has an outpost in Alexandria). The service was fantastic, the food was great, and these are some of the best oysters you will find in the D.C. area. 

Hank's doesn't take reservations, but there is a trick to cutting down on your wait time - you can call about 20-30 minutes before your estimated arrival time and put your name on the list. At 7 pm on a Thursday evening, the tiny patio was packed, but there were plenty of seats available inside the no-frills, yet cozy interior of the restaurant. 

 

Our server was one of the friendliest I've encountered in recent memory, and was eager to answer any questions we had about the oysters (and the rest of the menu). Andy and I started off with two of the medium, plump types of oysters: Sun Hollows (front and center, below) and Barcats. Andy and I thought both were pretty amazing, mildly briny and slightly sweet, but gave the slight edge to the Sun Hollows (from Washington state), which our server had recommended. 

Mark went with the strawberry and goat cheese salad to start. Our server made a point to explain that the strawberries were unlike most you will see - these had no white tops and were very, very sweet. One of the chefs was then kind enough to come out and explain that these particular strawberries are only available for a very short time (right now!) from New Morning Farm in south-central Pennsylvania, and that we might be able to find them at the Dupont Farmers Market that weekend. Unfortunately, we were out of town this past Sunday, but I'll be looking for these beauties next Sunday...

Mark decided to go with the lobster roll on my recommendation (had heard raves about it).  It was very lightly dressed with a little mayo and some chopped celery, and while Mark appreciated the heavy portion of lobster, he actually wouldn't have minded a little more filler and seasoning. As it was, it was about 99 percent lobster meat, which might be a plus for some...like me!  Mark didn't finish, which meant that I got to swoop in and polish it off. Being someone who likes lobster a lot, I think Hank's lobster roll is a pretty fine specimen - tons of perfectly cooked, fresh lobster, piled high on a buttery roll. Mark did like his crisp and well-seasoned fries, though.

We also got a side of the "Mac & Cheesy" for the table. I didn't have too much of this, because I was too busy stuffing myself with my food and everyone else's, but what I had was deliciously creamy, with a great bubbling baked crust.

Both Andy and I decided to make it an oyster feast, and ordered the fried oyster dinner. I can't remember what kind of oysters they used for this dish, but they were HUGE, by far the biggest fried oysters I've ever seen. The flaky breading was the perfect casing for the briny, juicy behemoth oysters. Again, the fries were really good, too, nicely crisp and tasty with their Old Bay seasoning.

Hank's is a great little neighborhood joint (bonus?  It's MY neighborhood!), and while the regular menu is a little limited, what they do, they do well.  Hank's also offers an ever-changing specials menu. If you are an oyster fan, next time you are in a funk, follow Papa Hemingway's lead - get yourself over to Hank's, order from the raw bar, and feel your troubles melt away.

Comments

[K]

Yum, love Hank's!

Did you find the oyster platter overwhelming for you? I literally went "OMG" when the plate came out last time I went for dinner, haha. Although it prob didn't help that my friend doesn't eat oysters so I couldn't even share the monstrosity with anyone.

[Angela]

K-
Heh, I had the same reaction (but then demolished the plate anyway + part of Mark's lobster roll). I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a monster. Andy, on the other hand, being a reasonable person, was NOT able to finish the whole thing.

So good, though, right?

[Jessica]

Love Hanks! The short ribs are also good, but it's really all about the oysters. I love the little touches too like gold fish at the beginning of the meal and chocolate at the end.

[Angela]

Jessica-
Oh, no! We totally forgot to put up the picture of the goldfish! Mark loved that, too. I'd like to go some night to try their short ribs. With an oyster appetizer, of course.