Standard Oyster Company sets high expectations for The Union

Marshall’s comment about our dining experience sums it up nicely.

“It’s promising if this is the quality they will bring to Morganton,” my husband said as we climbed into the pickup after dining at Standard Oyster Company in Hickory on Monday.

The restaurant is owned and operated by Cranford Hospitality, the group that is overhauling the former Bella Vino to create The Union Grill in downtown Morganton.

I reviewed the list of Cranford properties (Charolais Steakhouse, City Walk Brewing & Distilling, Cranford Brothers BBQ, Granny’s Country Kitchen, Main Chick, Standard Oyster Company. Since it was already after 7 p.m., Main Chick was ruled out (closed at 2 p.m.), as was Granny’s Country Kitchen (would be closing at 8 p.m.). I wanted a meal (so that ruled out City Walk Brewing & Distilling (no full-service kitchen), and because barbecue wasn’t whetting my appetite, Cranford Brothers BBQ came off the list.

Standard Oyster Company and Charolais Steakhouse became the only viable options. We chose to try Standard.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

After GPS took us through turn after turn in Hickory, the map showed our destination ahead on the left. I second-guessed its directions until I saw the restaurant name in the middle of an unremarkable shopping center.

We stepped inside to be immediately greeted with a “Be with you in a minute,” though what I most noticed was the brightly painted red wall with the Standard Oyster Company logo emblazoned across it. The second note I made was the unusual table setup. Instead of the typical assortment of two- and four-top tables, a serpentine connection of bar height, hibachi-like seating (minus the hibachi grill) wound its way through the open space.

We were led to the far side of the restaurant, past the party of six enjoying all-you-can-eat crab legs, and not far from the display case with buckets of unshucked oysters on ice. Our server, Sherry, grabbed us a couple of waters as we began looking at the menu.

OUR ORDER

I told Sherry I was fine with water. Marshall — feeling bold — ordered the Pontoon Party lager ($5.50) made by Cranford’s City Walk Brewing.

We both like oysters, so ordering a half-dozen on the half shell ($18) was a no-brainer. Standard makes the selection process easy by organizing the oysters by size and salinity or sweetness. Wanting a larger, sweet oyster, Marshall ordered three Rappahannock (Virginia). My choice was on the smaller and saltier side, three Ikigai (North Carolina). Confession: I also simply liked the name. The Japanese concept Ikigai is one I have long appreciated.

The oysters on the half shell came out about 5 minutes after ordering, served on shaved ice with a lemon wedge, cocktail sauce, and a mignonette (a base of vinegar, minced shallots, and herbs). The mignonette took me by happy surprise, as not all places offer the sauce. I dipped the cold oysters in the mignonette before laying the mollusks on saltine crackers, sometimes adding a dash of one of the half dozen hot sauces Sherry brought out for us. Heaven.

Not long after we finished off the oysters, our entrees arrived.

Marshall ordered the crab cakes ($30). The dish featured two Maryland-style crab cakes atop spiced diced potatoes and sauteed spinach. A remoulade was spooned out to the side of the crab cakes.

My entree was shrimp and grits ($26). Eight jumbo shrimp crowned a large fried grit cake (thicker than a steak), tasso, tomato, and creamy Cajun sauce.

THE VERDICT

Both of our entrees were pitch-perfect.

Marshall’s crab cakes were filled with more crab than cake. We’ve had the misfortune of dining over the years at restaurants that used more filler than crab. Not so at Standard Oyster Company.

My shrimp and grits dish was among the best I have had. The thick grit cake was a wonderful alternative to the sometimes soupy grits I’ve had before. The Cajun sauce was mild to medium — just enough kick to liven up the dish without making me gulp down water after every bite. The shrimp were firm and not rubbery.

Both dishes arrived hot, something that always earns marks with me.

Our evening did have one hiccup, though.

I originally wanted scallops and risotto: six seared scallops, butternut squash puree, peas, and lardons. As soon as I got the words out of my mouth, Sherry told me they were out of scallops for the evening. I could have a different protein on the risotto. I poked out my bottom lip and ordered my second choice.

My knee-jerk reaction was to give a demerit until Sherry later explained why. All of their seafood is delivered fresh daily. Management orders just enough to get through any particular day based on history. The last thing they want is a bunch of leftover seafood at the end of the night. Fresh seafood? I can get behind that. Demerit erased.

Sherry’s service was top-notch. She offered conversation (her adult daughter lives in Morganton) but not too much, filled our glasses but didn’t hover, and checked in a few times as we ate. Her Rosie the Riveter fashion vibe was pretty cool, too.

As Marshall said, if Standard Oyster Company is any indication, the Morganton community will enjoy The Union Grill when it opens its doors.