To celebrate the launch of our new Island Chic collection, we partnered with San Francisco-based Leo’s Oyster Bar. Fashioned after the great cocktail and oyster bars of the golden era, Leo’s Oyster Bar is a glamorous seafood-focused restaurant from Big Night Restaurant Group co-owners Anna Weinberg and James Nicholas. The restaurant, designed by Ken Fulk alum Jon de la Cruz has received critical acclaim for its interiors, earning the title of Best Designed New Restaurant from Bon Appetit as well as a nomination for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Restaurant Design award. Combine Leo’s fabulous interiors with their bright menu from Big Night’s Executive Chef Jenn Puccio and Chief Oyster Officer Henry French, and you’ll see why it was a no brainer that we would collaborate with this bejeweled restaurant gem to create our Seafood PB Party for Summer!
Our Seafood PB Party menu offered smart, updated takes on beloved seafood classics bolstered Leo’s signature flair, including a sauce to die for, their signature seafood salad and their twist on a lobster roll.
Eloise Sauce
Most restaurant professionals will tell you that you can tell a good chef from a great chef by the sauces coming from their kitchen. Big Night Chief Oyster Officer Henry French’s Eloise Sauce is typically used to dress raw oysters, using both savory and sweet elements to subtly enhance the naturally flavors found in both East and West Coast shellfish. Believe us when we say, one taste will have you making it to keep on hand.
Ingredients
4 Stalks of Celery
¼ of a Cantaloupe
½ of a Shallot
½ a Bunch of Cilantro
Lemon Juice
Hot Sauce
Directions
Small dice the celery, cantaloupe and shallots; combine in a bowl. Rough chop cilantro leaves and add to the bowl. Mix all ingredients and add enough lemon juice to cover all ingredients. Add a splash of your favorite hot sauce plus salt and pepper to taste. Arrange oysters on a platter with crushed ice and serve sauce in a bowl in center.
Leo’s Louie Salad
One of the restaurant’s signature seafood dishes, this salad is an updated take on the traditional Crab Louie, which began popping up on San Francisco menus almost a century ago! Executive Chef Jenn Puccio’s creative take on the recipe is particularly flexible, allowing you to add the seafood of your choice, based on taste preferences, what is in season or what’s available.
Ingredients
Louie Dressing
3.5 C Mayo
1 C Ketchup
¼ C Grainy Mustard
¼ C Sriracha
½ C Chives
½ C Parsley
¼ C Capers
¼ C Gerkins
½ C Sauerkraut
¼ C Pickled Jalapeño
4 ea Hard Boiled Eggs
Directions
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Put the rest of the ingredients except the hard boiled eggs into the bowl of the food processor and pulse frequently scraping the sides of the bowl till finely diced not pureed. Add the eggs to the food processor and pulse till small dice. Add to the contents of the bowl and adjust for salt and black pepper.
Salad Ingredients
1/2 C Shredded Romaine
1/4 C Shaved Fennel
1/2 pound seafood of your choice (we suggest rock shrimp, crab or bay shrimp)
1/4 C Mache
¼ C Radishes
2 T Tobiko
1 EA Hard Boiled Egg, Sieved
Juice from ½ a lemon
Salt to taste
Directions
Combine the Fennel and romaine. Dress with the lemon juice and salt, and arrange on the platter. Dress the Mache and radishes with lemon juice and salt and arrange over the top of the lettuce. Sprinkle with tobiko and the sieved egg.
Lobster Roll
Chef Puccio’s use of a buttered, toasted brioche bun provides the texture you crave in this classic sandwich and allows the lobster to shine as the star of one of Leo’s fan favorite dishes.
Ingredients
3 Five Pound Maine Lobsters in Shell
Vegetable Stock or Water for boiling
4 Brioche Buns
2 Cups Butter
1 Bunch Chervil, chopped
1 Bunch Chives, chopped
1 Bunch Parsley, chopped
2 Lemons quartered
Lemon aioli
Directions
For the Lobster
Boil a large stock pot with salted vegetable stock or water. Boil the lobsters in their shell for 6 minutes.
Take the lobsters out of the cooking liquid and let them cool down. Using a wooden cooking mallet or seafood cracker, crack the lobster tail, claws and body. Chop up the lobster meat in 1 inch pieces. Set the lobster meat aside while you prepare the buns.
For the buns
Cut the buns in half, leaving Spread softened butter on the sides of the brioche buns. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Toast the buns butter side down until they become golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
To assemble the lobster rolls melt 1 cup of butter in a sauce pan, add the lobster meat to warm and finally toss in the chopped herbs. Spread lemon aioli or mayonnaise on the bottom of the brioche bun, then add the lobster meat. Serve on a large platter with lemon wedges and french fries or potato chips.
Don’t miss the delicious cocktails that Leo’s created to accompany the dinner! Be sure to check out the Tips and Ideas section of the web site for more party inspiration!
