A Sip, A Nosh, A Meal

We'd just stopped in for a quick drink, but I can't help myself. The moment I see fresh oysters on a menu, I have to order them. Especially when I know that the owners of the restaurant love these little jewels as much as I do, which is definitely the case with Randy and Nancy at Bar Avignon. Even more so when Randy suggests which rosé would particularly complement the slurping. Dave, on the other hand, is a beer-and-oyster man, and Randy always has a select list on tap, including one on cask.

The evening we dropped in they were just finishing up a free tasting of rieslings that Randy had brought in to the back table, a space I swear one of these days we'll reserve for a special occasion dinner. But tonight it was drinks and snacks at the bar, watching over the prep counter as the staff shucked oysters, sliced vegetables and plated food.

After decimated the oysters, the watermelon salad with cinnamon seemed like an appropriate palate cleanser, and the salty cured olives and basil made it one of those combos I'm going to copy here at home. (Come to think of it, it would also make a great appetizer on a warm summer evening. Hmmmmm…)

The salmon wrapped in a grape leaf that came next was topped with pesto and came with a side of roasted rounds of yellow squash. Call me crazy, but I thought the charred grape leaf was the best accompaniment, giving a crisp, slightly smoky crunch to the fish.

For an impromptu dinner, one that was originally going to be just a quick stop for a drink, it was not only lovely but relatively inexpensive, especially when we split the plates between the two of us. You gotta love a place where coming in, hanging out and having a quick drink and a nosh is so easy.

Details: Bar Avignon, 2138 SE Division St. 503-517-0808.