Little Tokyo: Crab Dinner at Oystars

 

Cajun-style seafood became all the rage in Los Angeles almost ten years ago. Boiling Crab is still the premier Cajun-style seafood shack but the long lines have inspired competitors. I checked out a new one called Oystars in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles a couple weeks ago.

I started out with a cup of gumbo. I liked the pristine shrimp carefully laid on top. It was pretty good. It was actually much better than the gumbo I had at Boiling Crab a few months back.

 

 

Using my experience from other seafood shacks, we decided not to get any crawfish. Oystars actually has suggested combos and so we got the shrimp and crab. It comes with corn and sausage. You have a choice of sauces and we just got all of them.

 

After the server cuts open the bag and breaks apart the crab for you, you dive right in. I did put on the bib but I refused to use the gloves. How else was I going to lick my fingers clean? Just kidding, I washed my hands (very well) after the meal.

In terms of taste, I do prefer the mix of sauces from Boiling Crab but I liked the pricing and no wait at Oystars. The crab was very fresh and sweet. I’d probably like some more variety but then I think we would have been too full if we added more seafood to the mix.

I’d like to come back for $1 oysters happy hour but the main stars are what’s in the bag.

 

Oystars

136 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012  —  (213) 628-3902

(now closed – edit August 2018)

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