✍🏽 By Danielle Austin
Spoilt with pristine, sandy beaches and an endless expanse of azure horizon, the Great Southern is renowned for its incredible coastlines. Within those inviting waters lies a bounty of culinary delights, tempting those who know where to look. Among them, the Albany Rock Oyster is highly coveted, thriving in the region’s salty, nutrient-rich waters and offering a true taste of the sea.
Albany Rock Oysters are bred in Great Southern waters, offering unique sensibilities to the palate. Premium producer Leeuwin Coast, a branch of the Harvest Road family, has garnered a reputation for supplying the succulent ocean delicacies to local restaurants.
The Albany Rock Oyster is tinged with sea salt and offers a lingering savoury flavour. Albany Rock Oysters are only accessible during summer months when the shellfish is at its peak.
“They have gained reputation for being cream and soft, rich and briny, with a distinctive floral complexity adding to the bold, umami flavours characteristic of rock oysters,” says Richard.
Leeuwin Coast farms the shellfish in Albany’s (Kinjarling) King George Sound (Mammang Kort) and in Oyster Harbour, where it credits the combination of fresh water from the King and Kalgan Rivers and saltwater of the Southern Ocean as providing the ultimate environment for delectable shellfish. It’s a sentiment that Ocean and Paddock chef Trenton Brennan echoes. “As far as seafood goes, the Great Southern bio-region is unlike anywhere in the world and the terroir is perfect for Rock oysters,” says Trenton.
“Not only do we have highly managed and sustainable fisheries but the pristine nutrient-rich waters, strong currents, and high oxygen levels allow for highly productive and diverse fisheries, free of pollutants and contamination from industry.”
Despite marketing itself as a humble fish and chip shop, Ocean and Paddock has garnered a reputation as a location for premium seafood in the Great Southern. From red snapper to shark and octopus, balanced by earthen delights such as capers from Kalgan River and tender Great Southern asparagus, local goods dominate the menu.
Garrison’s head chef, John Saville Wright, believes it’s the untouched nature of the region that allows shellfish to flourish.
“It’s the pristine environment that makes the Great Southern so special in terms of turning out incredible produce, and the unique climate. Visitors are always astounded by the local produce here,” he says.
The Albany-based restaurant prides itself on serving share-style dishes that highlight local produce.
Chef Wright recommends pairing the shellfish with local wines, pointing to the Silverstream Reserve Chardonnay as a perfect pairing and the best Chardonnay in the region, and the Cherubino Fiano as a well-balanced drop that also pairs well.
Sous chef Jesse Silver has had plenty of experience working with seafood at award-winning local restaurant Lime303, a modern-Australian eatery with a big seafood focus.
Given the choice, he’s serving up oven-baked oysters decorated with spring onion, ginger and garlic oil; alongside a chilled martini, made with vodka from Woodlands Distillery, or a pint from Wilson Brewing Company.
“We’re in a fertile region where beautiful fresh local produce grows in abundance,” says Jesse. “It’s the great community of people, suppliers and local produce that makes me love living and working in the region.”