Belon (Maine)

"These wild oysters are as powerful as any on the planet, redolent of fish and zinc and umami—not for the faint of heart."

powerfulfishzincumami

"Intense and delicious, with powerful brine against a tannic walnut-skin background. Amazing full-contact experience. Crunchy texture like no other oyster."

intensepowerfulbrinytannicwalnut-skin

"Minerally, metallic, little tiny bit briny seawater taste, easier to shuck than others. Absolutely loved these!"

minerallymetallicbrinyseawater

"The metallic aftertaste was so off-putting that my lovely wife and I both – independently of each other – were worried that we'd gotten a bad oyster."

metallic

"Mild brininess, a potent coppery taste, and a tannic accent with a crisp bite. They are wild-harvested and not for beginners. Their flavor is powerful and distinct."

mildbrinycopperytanniccrisp

"They are, quite simply, the most intense, overwhelming, unforgettable food you are likely to eat anytime soon. They are the Sean Penn of oysters–scary, but you feel compelled to keep paying attention. Chugging iodine, maybe. With lemon, all the iodine disappear, leaving something beautiful and, frankly, indescribable in its place. Uplifting, aromatic, and strange."

intenseoverwhelmingiodineupliftingaromatic

"Compared to other oysters, Belons feel like the luxury model. Scalloped shells in Cartier colors."

luxury

"Meaty and metallic."

meatymetallic

"The Belon, with its large, round, scallop-like shell, is an oyster species native to Europe with an unusual and powerful metallic flavor. That flavor lasts, so Belons are best enjoyed with lemon."

powerfulmetallicunusual

"They are renown for their unique flavor profile."

unique

"No oyster comes close to the power of the European Flat. It is brassy, in every sense of the word. Brassy because it tastes like metal, and because it is shamelessly bold, and because when it hits your tongue it slaps you awake like the opening blast of a bugler's reveille."

powerfulbrassymetalbold