Wild fin de Claire [Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

SETTING THE STAGE

Nothing puts us in the mood for love like a platter of cool fresh oysters as a starter to a sinful seafood meal.

There is something very sensual in letting an oyster slip down the throat, the saltiness washed down by a mouthful of icy champagne, or in this case a Lychee Mojito. Morton’s Steak and Seafood Grill at IAPM Mall has some of the best oysters in Shanghai, and if you book early enough, you’ll even get to order wild fin de Claire from France.

These are not normally offered on the usual oyster platter, which features a mixed collection from either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, depending on the season.

Currently, the Coffin Bay oysters from Australia and those from New Zealand’s Marlborough Sound are at their best, although the farmed fin de Claire from France is still very edible.

Wild fin de Claire oysters are rare, and surprisingly large. You may want to order one each, just for the experience.Judging from the ridges on its shell, the one I ate was at least eight years old.

If your beloved prefers a lighter meal, we recommend Morton’s famous crab cake and Seafood Martini cocktail. The cocktail has a kimchi-flavored dressing with chunks of succulent seafood and goes very well with a serving of truffle-flavored French Fries, while the crab cake is full of juicy meat segments and make for a very satisfying main course.

Why am I harping on the Lychee Mojito? Because it is a lime juice-based drink and the perfect palate cleanser in between mouthfuls of seafood. It also has lots of crushed ice tinkling in the beaker right up till the last drop, a rare pleasure in a city that still does not understand why it is crucial to serve table water with lots of ice, especially in summer.

Morton’s Steak and Seafood Grill, 403, Level 4, IAPM Mall, 999 Middle Huaihai Road. 021-6067-7888